Look This month the ABC reported student enrolments at a central Queensland public high school had fallen by 12.5% over a 15-month period. The school, which is also facing teacher shortages, has had to cut senior subjects as a result, meaning even more students are leaving to attend private schools in search of more opportunities. Our ongoing study has […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
‘It just got too hard’: how Year 12 subject cuts are affecting students’ access to uni
How can universities better protect students and staff from antisemitism?
This week, the royal commission into antisemitism has heard repeated accounts from Jewish university staff and students about antisemitic incidents on Australian campuses. Many have described feeling let down by their institution’s response. Australian National University student Liat said she was regularly called a “baby killer and genocide supporter” by protesters in the wake of Israel’s actions in Gaza. In 2024, University of […] … learn more→
More than 50% of Australian university assignments used AI. How should unis respond?
Last week, the US software company Turnitin revealed 53.6% of Australian tertiary education submissions run through its system used some form of AI in the period from October 2025-April 2026. The company, whose plagiarism-detection technology is widely used in universities, also reported 10% of these submissions contained more than 80% AI-written content. Meanwhile, separate data from AI safety […] … learn more→
Experiential and ‘work‑integrated’ learning aren’t the same — and it matters for higher education
Experiential learning programs are ubiquitous in post-secondary education. Formalized in the mid-20th century, experiential learning is defined by the Association for Experiential Education as a teaching philosophy that engages learners in direct experience and focused reflection. My research has looked at the changing ways that universities and others have spoken about the purposes of experiential learning in Canada. […] … learn more→
People do read your thesis
That tweet is back. You know the one. A PhD thesis, it says, is the only book in the world read cover to cover by exactly three people: the author, the proofreader, and the examiner. The screenshot of the tweet gets thousands of likes every time it resurfaces. I always wonder how many of those […] … learn more→
College is unaffordable for many Americans – but don’t just blame rising tuition
As more Americans consider whether a college degree is worth it, the rising cost of attending a college or university is often at the forefront of their minds. The average college tuition more than tripled between 1980 and 2022. Most of that increase appeared after 2000. When adding in housing, food, books and other costs, the total amount to attend Brown University, Tulane University, the University of […] … learn more→
The academic boycott against Israel is a minority view and reflects the emergence of new academic norms.
Following the intensification of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, pro-Palestinian activists organized large-scale demonstrations at American universities in 2024. They denounced the genocide being committed in Gaza and demanded that academic institutions sever their ties with Israel. This movement has spread to Europe . In response, the academic authorities of some universities have imposed an institutional boycott of Israeli universities . This […] … learn more→
Unis are going back to in‑person exams. But some students are finding new ways to cheat
Earlier this month the University of Sydney launched an investigation into allegations miniature spy cameras were used to record and distribute exam content online. At the same time, the UK’s national examinations regulator warned smart glasses, smartwatches and concealed earpieces are emerging threats for unis. Chief regulator of qualifications Sir Ian Bauckham noted technology was “changing fast”: There are […] … learn more→
Many college students already have well‑formed cheating habits – that, not AI, is the real problem
My colleagues and I recently spoke with a group of talented, interesting students who just completed their first year of college about using artificial intelligence as a research tool. I asked what must have seemed like an unrelated question: “How many of you cheated in high school?” Most of the students raised their hands. Perhaps […] … learn more→
Should we rely on accreditations and rankings to assess the quality of an institution?
Every year, thousands of prospective students scour the websites of top schools and universities in search of the magic key: the right label, the right accreditation, the right ranking. AACSB , EQUIS , the Shanghai Ranking , Times Higher Education – all these acronyms promise excellence. But what do they actually measure? The answer is less reassuring than it seems. Accreditation is […] … learn more→
