The Australian Catholic University has recently announced it will abolish academic positions in history as part of broader cuts in the humanities. Staff are understandably shocked and dismayed by the news. Regrettably, the plight of these academics is part of a broader decline in the study of history in Australian universities over the past few decades. As our yet-to-be-published […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
Our research shows the number of history academics in Australia has dropped by at least 31% since 1989
Taking care of business (As usual)
From “mandates” to “guidelines”, universities across Australia are looking to enshrine a one-size-fits-all approach to working on campus. There is mounting evidence that you cannot wind back the clock to the pre-COVID status quo of 9-to-5 office days as standard. Research is flipping up things like 70% of workers want to continue working from home and whether we […] … learn more→
The importance of image for private universities
Image is a term used in everyday life with several meanings. In some cases, it refers to visual representation and is sometimes used as a mental abstraction. In the field of business management it is accepted that, in a competitive market, it is necessary to have a brand image that is known and valued by consumers. It […] … learn more→
Academic gossip and artisanal bullshit
It is a truth almost never acknowledged, that university communities are absolutely, totally, tragically addicted to gossip. I was reminded of this truth when the identity of the new ANU VC was announced last week. It was goodbye to the much celebrated and respected Brian Schmidt and hello to the much celebrated and respected Genevieve Bell. Everyone I talked […] … learn more→
Keeping up with the literatures
Keep up. Keep up. Don’t get behind. When I hear these words I immediately want to rebel. What’s really wrong with being a bit behind? Keeping up with what’s being published takes time and effort. Do you really, really need to do it? Well, in relation to your specific research, yes. It’s always helpful to […] … learn more→
Riskier times on campuses mean we need a tool for prevention and intervention of sexual assaults
The excitement of entering a new academic year for university and college students can be palpable and filled with hope. But the start of the school year in post-secondary settings also has a shadow side, known as the red zone. The red zone is one of the riskier times for gender-based and sexualized violence to occur […] … learn more→
Protecting LGBT+ students from discrimination: the role of librarian teachers
Since the refoundation law of July 8, 2013, the fight against sexist, homophobic and transphobic discrimination has been at the heart of the school’s missions which, in the name of the values of equality and respect for others in their diversity, must ensure the safety of LGBT+ students. The latter are in fact vulnerable populations , running the […] … learn more→
What happens if a university goes bust?
Governments face difficult choices when industries fail. They can stand by while private businesses collapse and see the resulting loss of jobs and revenue. Or they can step in and use public money to prop up these firms. The Scottish government intervened in 2019 to rescue Ferguson Marine, the last shipbuilding firm on the river Clyde, […] … learn more→
Why write?
I’ve been clearing out my book shelves. Getting rid of anything that I think I won’t actually look at again. It’s a pretty dusty dirty task as some of the books are quite old. They haven’t been opened for a long time. In order to work out what I want to keep I’ve found myself […] … learn more→
How to create a college internship where students actually learn − and don’t want to quit
When Angelica landed a prestigious internship with a major corporation just outside of Houston, she was ecstatic about the opportunity to launch her career in finance. Such optimism was warranted, as research shows that students with internships are almost twice as likely to graduate college, have a 12.6% higher likelihood of being invited to job interviews, and earn 6% […] … learn more→
