Dutch academic institutions have a reputation for being global and international in their outlook. For many, they embody the very best of the Netherlands’ socially tolerant and liberal society. As a non-white academic from a non-Western country who has worked there, I disagree. Like many others, I saw an academic career in the Netherlands as […] … learn more→

The current focus on gender equity has meant universities are promoting and investing in strategies to overcome gender-related factors known to hinder women academics’ success. While these are positive steps, female university students burdened by gender inequities have been largely overlooked. Our research explored the impacts of traditional societal expectations of women’s domestic roles on mature-age nursing […] … learn more→

As usual, I didn’t make a fuss when it happened to me again a couple of years ago. I had applied for a job at a middling university in southern England. I held a comfortable professorship at Newcastle University, but I wanted to be closer to my elderly parents. Four candidates were invited, but it […] … learn more→

I’ve come to realise that most academics are woefully ignorant about the publishing industry. Sure, we are delighted when someone wants to publish our work, but do we read the contract we sign in our moment of joy? Do we really understand the consequences of basically signing over our work to a corporate entity with […] … learn more→

The pandemic has inspired many education leaders to predict a brave new future for higher education. The possibilities of the enforced digital transformation, they suggest, will be embraced to prepare people for an already rapidly changing economy that is now hit by the economic ravages of lockdowns. All the feverish talk of individualised, anytime-anywhere learning, […] … learn more→

There is no return to normal. There is no going back to what there was before. You have to find new ways of going on. I could be talking about the pandemic here. Yes indeed. But I’m not. I’m actually talking about life post thesis. I wrote something a long time ago about the post PhD […] … learn more→

In recent years, international branch campuses (IBCs) in China have been one of the options for middle-class Chinese parents whose children miss out on entry to prestigious domestic universities. Although their fees are high by Chinese standards, parents have seen them as an investment in their children’s human capital and social status – particularly as […] … learn more→

Universities across the world have been congratulating themselves on their overnight switch to online teaching and learning as the pandemic bit. Many have cited it as evidence that universities can be a lot more agile than people give them credit for. Yet has the digital switchover really been as successful or “overnight” as university leaders […] … learn more→

There are many students who each year face the difficult decision of choosing a master’s degree to continue their university education or professionals who seek to specialize or simply improve. Given the enormous variety of options and situations, a series of evaluation criteria must be taken into account that will help us make the right […] … learn more→

Career-related motivations are among the most important factors in Australian students’ decision to undertake higher education. This means universities must demonstrate their graduates’ ability to find work when seeking to recruit students in an increasingly competitive tertiary education marketplace. Our research shows double degrees (students study for two degrees at once) can greatly improve new graduates’ prospects […] … learn more→