The coronavirus pandemic has raised major questions about our collective economic and social futures – in academia as much as in the wider population. These questions don’t just revolve around international students. The cancellation of many international academic conferences highlights problematic assumptions about research distribution and exchange – and suggests how the process could be […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
The world cannot afford any more global academic jamborees
5 reasons students should consider taking a gap year now
With many colleges and universities still deciding when to re-open their campuses after they were shuttered due to COVID-19, many high school seniors are thinking about taking a gap year. Putting off college during the pandemic might enable them to get the on-campus experience they desire in 2021 instead of going to school remotely this fall. Traditionally, a […] … learn more→
6 Reasons to become a Veterinary technician
A veterinary technician or vet tech is a professional who assists the veterinarian in treating animals. A career as a veterinary technician is an excellent choice for those who love animals and want to pursue a job concerning their care and treatment. A veterinary technician supports the vet, similar to how a surgical technician would […] … learn more→
Post-Covid, internationalisation must be more flexible
Austria is currently leading the European nations in easing its lockdown measures, having largely contained Covid-19. Yet Austrian universities remain deeply affected by the pandemic, and very uncertain about how “normal” the conditions into which they are re-emerging will really be – particularly regarding internationalisation. At Graz University of Technology in Austria, about 40 per […] … learn more→
Pay cuts to keep jobs: the tertiary education union’s deal with universities explained
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) last week announced its negotiated draft agreement with universities. The deal aims to save at least 12,000 university jobs at risk due to the COVID-19 pandemic in return for temporary salary reductions of between 5% and 15% for some staff. The negotiations with the NTEU were led by Vice Chancellor of Charles […] … learn more→
Is this a Lehman Brothers moment for UK higher education?
The UK government’s rejection of a bailout for UK universities is significant, not only for institutions that must now cut costs and jobs, but potentially for the UK taxpayer, too. The requested £2.2 billion was turned down with hints from Whitehall that some future support might be forthcoming, if tied to reforms of the sector […] … learn more→
Business schools must dig in and help rebuild local economies
From virologists seeking a vaccine and engineers creating ventilators in record time to student nurses on the NHS frontline, the coronavirus crisis has shown the very best of what UK higher education can offer. Now it is the turn of business schools to prove their value. With the world entering the deepest recession in living […] … learn more→
More than 70% of academics at some universities are casuals. They’re losing work and are cut out of JobKeeper
The National Tertiary Education Union this week struck an agreement with universities that no ongoing university staff member would be stood down involuntarily without pay. This deal is contingent on staff above a certain pay grade taking a cut of up to 15% of their salary. It’s still uncertain how many universities will sign up to the […] … learn more→
Social distancing is no reason to stop service learning – just do it online
At Troy University in Alabama, students went online to help a county with a high infant mortality rate in the state of Georgia to analyze health disparities and develop solutions. At Cornell University, where I teach, law students are providing legal services online to death-row inmates in Tanzania and children and young farmworkers in upstate New York. At […] … learn more→
Will Covid-19 change universities forever? Don’t jump to conclusions
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, we are being told that higher education will never be the same again. Many commentators are predicting dramatic, lasting effects on universities, going well beyond what we actually know about the immediate impact of Covid-19 on international student recruitment for the next academic year. The virus has inspired […] … learn more→
