The series of measures that China has launched to protect graduates against the worst economic consequences of the Covid-19 epidemic include a significant expansion of postgraduate enrolment. But while 189,000 extra places might be good news for candidates competing for a place this year, it has triggered concerns in China about the possible devaluation of […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
Will China’s enrolment expansion devalue postgraduate degrees?
#MeToo is failing at university
#MeToo was widely heralded as a tipping point. Women, it seemed, were actually being believed about their own experiences. Following a media exposé and the bravery of women speaking out, Harvey Weinstein was jailed. But this is one perpetrator. So how much do we really believe women as credible authors of their own experiences? Brett […] … learn more→
Binary concepts do not hobble academic thought
I have stopped counting the number of times that I have heard academics use “binary” as a description of contempt. In academic conferences and workshops, the mere mention of the word provokes knowing smiles of derision towards those accused of “simplistic binary thinking”. Binary concepts – such as “us and them”, “man and woman”, […] … learn more→
Hong Kong’s academics are being isolated in more ways than one
Whatever happens elsewhere in the world, the universities of Hong Kong will never return to normal after the end of the Covid crisis. Higher education systems across the globe have been deeply shaken by the pandemic, but Hong Kong’s has been triply blighted. First, we saw a wave of temporary university closures in response to protests at […] … learn more→
Students are more than a number: why a learner profile makes more sense than the ATAR
A recent review of available pathways after secondary school into work, further education and training recommended all students leave school with a learner profile. Recommendation four of the report, commissioned by the Education Council, said: Students should leave school with a Learner Profile that incorporates not only their ATAR score (where relevant) together with their individual subject […] … learn more→
Should research really be part of the job description at liberal arts colleges?
Colleges routinely assess faculty research, but few have thought carefully about why they want faculty to engage in research. They should. For 35 years, I was a student, postdoc and faculty member at top universities and research institutes, where “doing science” was at the top of the job description. Seven years ago, I switched gears […] … learn more→
Australia’s graduate work visa scheme attracts international students to our universities. Is it enough?
The Australian government recently announced it will resume granting visas to international students in a move to push forward with international education. This means when borders reopen, many students will already have visas to come to Australia. Current and new students, studying online with an Australian university, while overseas due to COVID-19, will also be able to […] … learn more→
Universities must seize the opportunity to improve their online teaching
Universities have rightly won praise for moving their teaching online during the coronavirus lockdown. Switching from face-to-face lectures and seminars to classes delivered via Skype or Zoom meant that teaching staff had to acquire new technical skills in a very short period of time, while many spent long hours dealing with student concerns about completing […] … learn more→
A future without a past: The elimination of Latin and Greek in educational reform
As occurs every time a new bill for the reform of the educational system is presented in Spain, in recent weeks we are witnessing the emergence of voices in defense of classical languages as a fundamental pillar for understanding the roots of the Romance languages (between us, Spanish, Galician or Catalan) and scientific language. On […] … learn more→
Virtual is the way to go for (most) academic conferences
I like flying and I like academic conferences. I like the invigorating change of scenery; the excitement of face-to-face intellectual exchanges; the professional opportunities; the cultural experiences; the sheer magic of sitting comfortably in a chair at 30,000 feet. At the last count, I have participated in 22 academic conferences. Only seven did not require […] … learn more→
