Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, universities have been operating in emergency mode. Because online education had not been a priority in the past, the pandemic forced universities to find a quick fix. Et voilà – the “Zoom lecture” was born. But effective online education is more than a few videos and chats. Universities are […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
European universities should cooperate on online teaching
How counter-cyclical are university enrolments?
As travel bans disrupt international education and the global recession squeezes public and charitable funding sources, universities stand to lose revenue while costs rise. But there are also opportunities. It’s common knowledge that when the economy thrives, university enrolments fall, whereas a recession causes enrolments to rise. But what institutions and governments need to know […] … learn more→
Interactive: international students make up more than 30% of population in some Australian suburbs
International students made up more than 30% of the population in some Australian suburbs, before borders closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Mitchell Institute mapped where international students lived using data from the ABS census and Department of Home Affairs. The results show striking growth in capital cities, and in some regional areas. The mapping […] … learn more→
Expecting students to play it safe if Colleges reopen Is a fantasy
A number of American colleges and universities have decided to bring students back to campus this fall, believing they can diminish the risk of coronavirus transmission if everyone wears masks, uses hand sanitizer and social distances. Some schools also plan to reconfigure dorms to create family-sized clusters of uninfected students, who could socialize in relative safety, if […] … learn more→
What if the hybrid model was the future of the university?
The confinement derived from the COVID-19 pandemic has meant an unforeseen and drastic adaptation on the march of the teaching-learning processes established in the university. From one day to the next, the teachers found themselves in the imposed need to teach all their classes in person, and the students had to continue their studies without leaving […] … learn more→
Going online due to COVID-19 this fall could hurt colleges’ future
When the California State University system decided to conduct all of its classes online this coming fall, administrators said it was to avoid the health risks associated with COVID-19. Many other colleges are making similar decisions as they move online. Wayne State University and Michigan State University are likely to go online – but may offer a hybrid of […] … learn more→
‘I love Australia’: 3 things international students want Australians to know
A recent statement from China’s education bureau warned Chinese students about studying in Australia due to “racist incidents” during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such statements, and further moves from China’s education agents threatening to redirect students towards international competitors such as the United Kingdom, can negatively affect Australia as a study destination. Australia’s universities are already reeling from the loss […] … learn more→
University students aren’t cogs in a market. They need more than a narrow focus on ‘skills’
Prime Minister Scott Morrison recently announced a revamp of the vocational education and training (VET) sector to focus more on skills needed for work. Providing training for people “who need to upskill or reskill” was also a recommendation of an interim Productivity Commission report released last week. The same emphasis on skills is evident when it comes to […] … learn more→
Why academic writing sucks (and how we can fix it)
My last post, where I called bullshit on the way we do the PhD seemed to hit a nerve. In fact, it got more hits in 24 hour period than I’ve ever seen before. Many people wrote in asking: how should I spend the remaining time in my PhD? Good question! I have a lot of thoughts. […] … learn more→
Some ECR responses to the COVID-19 pandemic
Since February 2020 I have conducted Zoom conversations with eight early career researchers about their experiences. They all completed Humanities and Social Sciences PhDs from Australian universities in the last five years, and are citizens and/or residents of four different countries (Australia, Canada, Indonesia and the USA). Some are working as academics in universities, but […] … learn more→
