Academic freedom is widely championed as the foundation of a good university. It is seen as vital in speaking “truth to power” – to borrow from influential political philosopher Hannah Arendt – and in ensuring universities are oriented towards the common good, not select elite interests. Academic freedom also ensures universities can lead research, education and public debates […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
Universities’ relevance hinges on academic freedom
Top project management certifications
A Project Management certified professional may not seem essential to an organization’s core structure, but their involvement makes a significant difference many folds. In today’s world, technology and businesses have gone through an amalgamation that has led to many organizations in desperate need of certified project managers. These individuals are qualified to handle the requirements […] … learn more→
How a national student database could cheapen the college experience
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has proposed that the federal government create a database that includes information on outcomes for individual college graduates, such as how much money they earn after they get a degree in a particular major. That’s according to a report that a commission sponsored by the foundation released in May 2021. I asked the […] … learn more→
The project finishing mindset
To generalise ridiculously, there are three types of people: People who start a research project intending to finish it on time. People who start a project not really caring when they finish it. People who don’t care about finishing a project on time until they fly past the deadline. If you are doing a PhD […] … learn more→
History’s confinement to older universities must not be repeated
Like many people of my generation, I was the first person in my family to earn a degree. The son of a pastry cook and a dressmaker from Cyprus, I was born in London but I couldn’t speak English when I began school in 1967. Still, by the time I took my A levels 14 […] … learn more→
Universities should not swat the public intellectual gadfly
I have been in the academic equivalent of the Priory detox clinic for some time now. The turning point came when I came across The Last Intellectuals by American historian Russell Jacoby. Published in 1987, this sharp, sometimes ironic and often scornful paean to the disappearing public intellectual not only changed my scholarly interests but […] … learn more→
Structuring and sequencing chunks of writing
Writers think about structure, a lot. They don’t necessarily tell that to their readers. That’s because writers often want their readers to focus on what’s been written, rather than how it’s been organised. But yes, there are loads of texts where writers play with structures and want the reader to notice. But even then they don’t always tell the […] … learn more→
Good riddance to boring lectures? Technology isn’t the answer – understanding good teaching is
With some universities returning to face-to-face teaching this year, ANU Vice Chancellor Brian Schmidt noted that, while his university was one of them, lectures would be much less common and not a “crutch for poor pedagogy”. Since then many have discussed the issue of lectures, including the deputy vice chancellor of University of Technology Sydney and the […] … learn more→
The perils of studying far-right extremism must be surmounted
On 20 April, the UK government banned the US-based neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen Division. Home secretary Priti Patel said she was taking action “to protect young and vulnerable people from being radicalised”. Recent statistics from the UK’s counter-radicalisation programme, Prevent, do indeed show increasing numbers of people from the radical right referred to it, while Home […] … learn more→
Mental health tips for College students
College is stressful and there can be a lot of pressure to do well. In addition, many college students have part time jobs or other activities that they participate in. College students can face a lot of mental health problems including depression and anxiety. However, there are some things to keep in mind that can […] … learn more→
