The idea that a college degree levels the playing field for students of different socioeconomic classes has been bolstered in recent years. Research from 2011 and 2017, for example, found that earning a bachelor’s degree helped students from less advantaged backgrounds do as well as their better-off peers._ Jessi Streib, a sociology professor at Duke University, was skeptical. […] … learn more→

Can academics take a public stand for a political party or candidate? Are they, in their capacity as civil servants, subject to the duty of confidentiality? Can they participate in political demonstrations? At each electoral period, questions emerge around the freedom of expression of teacher-researchers, which is one of the components of academic freedom , and its […] … learn more→

If we asked a group of university students to raise their hands if they have turned to Wikipedia to resolve a question throughout their academic life, it is likely that virtually all hands would go up. However, when it comes to submitting academic papers, university students usually avoid citing it as a source. There is […] … learn more→

Just before the May budget, the federal government made a surprise announcement: it will introduce caps on the number of international students in the country. It is fair to say this plan is really worrying some Australian universities. The sector argues cutting student numbers will see job losses and less money to do research. They also warn cuts will hurt their […] … learn more→

Just four years ago, following the murder of George Floyd, almost every college and university in the U.S. had at least one diversity, equity and inclusion – or DEI – program. Many had existed long before. These programs ranged from DEI-related degrees and professional training to resources for culturally, linguistically and neurologically diverse students. But […] … learn more→

Regular readers of my posts may have noticed that my postings have become less frequent of late. This is in part because I am now only working part time and, as part time people usually say, the workload doesn’t seem to have diminished one little bit. But it’s also because I’m temporarily dumbfounded. Patter posts […] … learn more→

How do universities and colleges decide who to admit? Given the earnings advantage of a post-secondary degree both globally and in Canada, this is an important social mobility question. While the answer varies from one institution to the next, most focus on education criteria like exam scores and grades. However, Canada’s new intake cap on study permit applications puts increased pressure on Canadian […] … learn more→

Internships can play a vital role for students looking to break into a career, but they aren’t always available for all the students who want them. And even when they are, they may not be high quality. Here, Matthew T. Hora, founder of the Center for Research on College-Workforce Transitions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Hee Song, a project […] … learn more→

Over the past few years, Republican state lawmakers have introduced more than 150 bills in 35 states that seek to curb academic freedom on campus. Twenty-one of these bills have been signed into law. This legislation is detailed in a new white paper published by the Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom, a project established […] … learn more→

For more than 50 years, Asian American studies has been a recognized field at American colleges and universities. But outside of California, students who want to study it as a major or minor are usually out of luck. However, the tide is beginning to turn. Duke University created an academic minor in Asian American studies in 2022. […] … learn more→