Universities are supposed to be places where all students can learn, free from discrimination. A key part of this ideal is academics welcoming all students to study and research, regardless of their racial background. But as our new research shows, Australian academics responded differently to potential PhD students, depending on whether they were called “Melissa” or “Rahul”. Racism on campus […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
Are academics more likely to answer emails from ‘Melissa’ or ‘Rahul’? The answer may not surprise you
False economies
First of all, there is the business model of the university. In Australia (where I’m based) almost all universities are teaching and research ‘liberal arts’ universities, and they are almost all pubic institutions. We have a couple of private universities, but I haven’t really considered them for the purpose of this post. The business model […] … learn more→
Higher education: from students’ freedom to demonstrate to the neutrality of public service
Who is responsible for order on campus? Who should a demonstration be reported to? What are students’ rights in this area? How do universities ensure freedom of expression? Some legal insights. While various student gatherings “in support of the Palestinian people” were organized at the beginning of October, the new Minister of Higher Education Patrick Hetzel addressed the […] … learn more→
Happiness class is helping clinically depressed school teachers become emotionally healthy − with a cheery assist from Aristotle
Title of Course Evidence-Based Happiness for Teachers What prompted the idea for the course? I was discouraged. For nearly three decades, as a clinical psychologist, I trained mental health professionals on suicide assessment. The work was good but difficult. All the while, I watched in dismay as U.S. suicide rates relentlessly increased for 20 consecutive years, from […] … learn more→
Decolonising the curriculum hasn’t closed the gap between Black and white students – here’s what might
Students at UK universities are less likely to get a top degree – a first or 2:1 – if they are from an ethnic minority. This is known as the race or ethnicity award gap. It is measured by comparing the proportion of white undergraduates who recieve a top degree with the proportion of students […] … learn more→
United States : Student debt, a threat to universities and a major political issue
Is a college education still a worthwhile investment when it means taking on decades of debt? A growing portion of young Americans believe the benefits of their degrees don’t justify the price. With the Supreme Court blocking the Biden administration’s attempt to ease the burden of that debt, the situation is putting pressure on universities […] … learn more→
Indigenous students and faculty are on the rise — and universities have a moral obligation to support them
As we close out September, universities across Canada are well into their new year of learning. An exciting change is underway. An increasing number of First Nations, Inuit and Métis students have enrolled in post-secondary studies. Many universities are aware of this growing interest in post-secondary studies among Indigenous Peoples and have actively recruited from this […] … learn more→
College can be confusing for first-generation students – but it doesn’t have to be
In his new book, “Degrees of Risk: Navigating Insecurity and Inequality in Public Higher Education,” sociology professor Blake R. Silver examines some of many ways that college students can slip through the cracks at public colleges and universities. In the following Q&A with The Conversation U.S., Silver expounds on what he discovered while doing research […] … learn more→
‘I don’t believe I would have gotten into university’: how early entry schemes help Year 12 students experiencing disadvantage
During September, many Australian universities start making early offers to Year 12 students for a place next year. This is ahead of the main rounds of offers, due in January. These early entry schemes have been around for many years. But offers soared during COVID, with more than 40,000 school-leavers estimated to have received an early offer […] … learn more→
This is how we instill a ‘scientific’ mentality in teenagers to protect them from pseudoscience
Does this headache medicine work? Can I lose weight by dieting? Are the government’s measures to combat inflation effective? To answer any of these questions, humans use our ability to reason about causes and effects. However, psychological research shows that we often make mistakes such as perceiving non-existent causal relationships. This is a phenomenon known […] … learn more→
