The sign on the public car park in the tiny Tasmanian town of Wynyard reads, Egress from this carpark is to be via the access lane in the rear. “Egress?” I wondered. As my 21-year-old son quipped, perhaps the council had called in the local duke to write its signs. Or at least the local […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
How do we learn to read?
How to get a rock star supervisor
Whether it is art, science or a little bit of magic, choosing the ‘right’ phd supervisor is one of the most important decisions you will make. There is no doubt that a little bit of luck (or magic) is involved, and both students and supervisors sometimes wish they had a crystal ball that would enable […] … learn more→
Plagiarism: It’s All Greek to Some
Now more than ever, the issue of truth, integrity and value are paramount to postsecondary education. With the current debate surrounding facts and alternate facts, academia must do all it can to hold the line and ensure it instills a code of practice that serves to protect and support knowledge development, rather than draw into […] … learn more→
Degrees of separation: companies shed degree requirements to promote merit over qualifications
At the end of 2016, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) revealed that close to two-thirds of all Australians had completed a degree or apprenticeship. The growth in the number of people attending a university or TAFE has risen out of a cyclical demand-driven system called “academic inflation”. Think supply and demand. If an employer […] … learn more→
Petition to reduce female tuition?
Every few years, some prankster passes around a petition and tries to get fools to sign it. My favorite is when there’s a petition to remove “dihydrogen monoxide” from our lakes and rivers, as “these sources are just full of this chemical, which can kill you if you inhale enough of it.” There’s […] … learn more→
10 Tips for creative writing
When you are going to write a creative essay, it’s important to make your work catchy for readers. Follow our tips on creative writing and create great articles. In this guide we have gathered the best ideas that will help to improve your writing skill, so be ready to get a lot of positive feedback […] … learn more→
What the attack on CEU says about the rise of ‘illiberalism’ in Europe
In recent weeks, tensions over European immigration and liberal values have culminated in a direct attack on the Central European University in Budapest. The university is now facing closure after a series of questionable higher education “reforms” by the Hungarian government. CEU’s founder and patron – the Hungarian-born billionaire and philanthropist George Soros – has […] … learn more→
Building jobs in the Rust Belt: The role of education
When my father-in-law struggled in school in a mill town along the Ohio River, his parents suggested that he head across the bridge and work in the steel mill. It was a path that once created stable lives for many Pittsburghers. But in the 1970s, steel and coal were on the decline in the midwestern […] … learn more→
Recruiters determine College is worthless
For years now, higher ed administration has watered, and watered, and watered down what it means to have a college degree. Instead of making higher education about education, they made it about growth. Not once in my lifetime in higher education have the “leaders” shown even the slightest interest in education, but I can’t even […] … learn more→
Enjoying your viva
The Viva – a live presentation of your thesis to examiners – is not common in Australia. Our thesis examination is a blind peer review process, which has its own fears, but nothing like the anxiety that a viva can provoke. Horror stories tend to circulate, which is why I was happy to be sent […] … learn more→
