Despite having worked at several of them, Judith Sloan is sceptical of universities. The conservative economist and contributing economics editor at The Australian recently told an audience that she "doesn't trust" universities, and thinks "they’re prepared to let standards slip to put bums ...
More »Gen-Zs not mini Gen-Ys: lessons from #UAConf18
Ben Pilkington wants you to know that although Z follows Y alphabetically, these human generations are vastly different. Generally, while Y values education, Z prefers experience. Y is optimistic, whereas Z prefers to be pragmatic. Y is rebellious, collaborative and searches ...
More »Students as co-creators of universities #UAConf18
How can universities give value to students as partners, rather than as consumers? This question formed one of the major themes of the 2018 Higher Education Conference, and not just in speaker content – it was also reflected in the ...
More »In AI age, universities will matter ‘more than ever’: #UAConf18
In the US, people are literally dying because of automation. These 'deaths of despair' occur when people lose their jobs, as, for instance, factories replace human workers with machines. As the only developed country where working-class people's lifespans are declining, ...
More »Vive la résistance: The persistence of the university education model in a rapidly changing world
What does the future hold for our universities? Inside the academy, plenty of experts – from Glyn Davis at the University of Melbourne to economist Ken Rogoff of Harvard – are speculating eloquently about imminent threats to the 'standard model'. ...
More »The silent epidemic in Australia’s universities
Unhealthy behaviour among university students, leading to poor mental health, shortens their life span and increases their chance of an untimely death. Of particular concern, during this period, is that data indicates university students are five times more likely to ...
More »Opinion: Can an internet course help prevent sexual assault?
Consent about sexual intimacy is a topic that pervades public debate at the moment. It stirs up strong feelings and opens up important conversations about sexual behavior as we seek to create opportunities for meaningful, healthy, and desired sexual relationships ...
More »How universities stifle learning
In 2016, after three decades of teaching, Brian Martin hung up his tutor boots. But he wasn't nearly done with thinking – or research. Having had time to reflect on his experience, the erstwhile Professor of Social Sciences at the University of ...
More »Student housing: the bad, the worse, and the roach-infested
While the silly season burst forth in late November last year, the National Union of Students (NUS) quietly released some sobering findings. Roughly half of students are struggling to pay rent, and over a third are living in poor conditions. ...
More »Is the PM right about too many law grads, suggesting students do arts?
Malcolm Turnbull shared his strong thoughts on law degrees with Canberra radio station 2CC late last week. What's news to no-one is that he – like many others – thinks too many people are studying law. The scoop? That they'd be "better ...
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