When Taiwan’s Ministry of Education issued strict guidelines on how schools, colleges and universities should act to contain the coronavirus, many assumed that our institution would be the first to close its doors. This prediction was a reasonable one. After all, National Taiwan University (NTU) has more than 2,000 faculty, 32,000 students and is located in the […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
Campus closures are not inevitable
5 ways university education is being reimagined in response to COVID-19
With the new academic year beginning shortly, students, faculty and staff returning to higher education or arriving for the first time face uncertainty. There is anxiety about a fall term like no other. Those of us responsible for ensuring the futures of post-secondary students have endured months of existential fears about student and employee health and safety, the efficacy of online […] … learn more→
How a fake ‘free speech crisis’ could imperil academic freedom
Forceful suppression of political and scholarly views in universities has a long and shameful history. University of Cambridge Chancellor John Fisher was hanged, drawn and quartered for failing to support Henry VIII’s “great matter”. A few years later, John Hullier was burned at the stake on Cambridge’s Jesus Green for refusing to renounce Protestantism. We imagine our modern universities […] … learn more→
Academics have the right to make wrong arguments
The uneasy coexistence of academic freedom and more restrictive codes of conduct for scholars using social media has long caused confusion and consternation on US campuses. But this seemingly unresolvable conflict seems particularly relevant at the present moment, especially when it comes to scholars making comments in the powder-keg context of the Black Lives Matter […] … learn more→
Some Australian universities might have to merge – and that’s not necessarily a bad thing
Both COVID-19 and increasing discord with the Chinese government could lead to much lower international student revenues in the long run. If that happens, Australian universities might have to merge to remain sustainable. The growing quality of our universities is driven to a large extent by what economists call “economies of scale.” The idea is that operating on a […] … learn more→
Universities should rethink their complicity in corporate bad behaviour
A colleague recently asked me a question I’ve been thinking about ever since. I work in a college that requires students to complete an internship. On behalf of a student, I mentioned a firm that had sponsored internships in the past and hired graduates. As the conversation wound down, my colleague, in effect, asked: “When do […] … learn more→
Outdoor classes hold promise for in-person learning amid COVID-19
When it comes to conducting classes this fall, most colleges seem to be stuck between holding in-person or remote classes, or some combination of the two. As a researcher who focuses on the design of educational spaces, I believe there’s a fourth option that’s not being given its due: outdoor spaces, such as open-air tents. From a […] … learn more→
Stigma of leaving creative industries is harming careers of arts graduates
When I studied theatre in the late 2000s, I and the majority of my classmates were convinced that we would become celebrated writers, actors and directors. Ten years on, however, many of us are pursuing traditional arts careers, others have taken unexpected roles as researchers, communications strategists and project managers. These alternative careers are exciting […] … learn more→
Hong Kong universities: chronicle of a death foretold
We already know, since the beginning of history, the names of the victims and the culprits. Yet, as in Gabriel Garcia Márquez’s novel, no one seems to care … Between Covid-19, a new law on national security and police repression of pro-democracy movements, the universities of Hong Kong are currently increasing the offers intended to retain […] … learn more→
What will student protests look like when classes are online?
How might campus protests be different this fall? Sam Abrams: I anticipate that we will continue to see in-person protests this fall at campuses that are open and have spaces that cannot be locked down. These include public universities embedded in easily accessible settings. While this may be dangerous with the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person gatherings […] … learn more→
