Case studies

By miranda.prynne, 28 October, 2020
Series Type
Series
Teaser
First-hand accounts of successful projects within institutions which offer lessons on enhancing higher education
Resource
By Eliza.Compton, 11 March, 2024

Sharing qualitative research through open access

hands typing on a laptop, open research concept
Traditional open access repositories are designed for sharing quantitative data. But what about qualitative data – non-numeric information and concepts such as case studies or interview transcripts? That’s where the Qualitative Data Repository comes in
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 21 February, 2024

Making higher education accessible for students with unmet financial need

US notes and coins
Rising costs of college leave many students struggling to afford higher education. And we know that enhancing the affordability of going to university is critical for realising students’ potential and elevating lives and livelihoods for generations to come, writes Matt Holt
Reading time
3minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 15 February, 2024

Nourishing bodies and minds: the vital role of a student food pantry

box of groceries
The rising costs of education and living expenses leave many students struggling to stretch their funds to cover basic necessities. In this landscape, the university’s student food bank can offer a lifeline, writes Isabelle Largen
Reading time
4minutes
By Laura.Duckett, 9 February, 2024

Film storytelling can enhance learning in STEM subjects

Film set
In the era of social technologies, authentic storytelling becomes a powerful tool for cultural and social change, a fundamental role of higher education, writes Arijit Mukhopadhyay
Reading time
5minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 19 January, 2024

Fostering student co-creation to give back to the community

Pottery wheel
Engaging in local civic projects offers students meaningful learning opportunities, fosters co-creation and supports the community at large. Here, Martha Sullivan outlines the benefits based on working with the Empty Bowls project
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 7 December, 2023

Community organising: a case study in parent engagement

Community meeting
Widening participation in higher education and improving the education journeys of young people cannot happen in isolation, writes Michael Bennett. Here, he outlines a programme that connects parents, community groups and the university
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 5 December, 2023

Designing 24/7 hubs for students

Students sitting together against a wall
What does it mean to create student-centric support? Here, Kieron Broadhead outlines the process and challenges in re-imagining a 24-hour student administration system
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 4 December, 2023

Using partnerships to establish and build on project success

Sheet music lying on moss
From listening to the student voice to creating joined-up partnerships, success on major capital works depends on teamwork. Here, Dominic Wood outlines key elements to ensure project delivery and reap long-term benefits
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 27 November, 2023

Embrace the chaos of real-world learning experiences

Young male journalism student
Unaccompanied student assignments abroad are a terrifying but essential part of the high-fidelity learning mix. Here, Jim Entwistle shares his four key points of assignments beyond the safety net
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 7 November, 2023

How storytelling boosts environmental impact and engagement

Book with tree and compass green concept
Presenting sustainability research in a story – with a protagonist, goal and resolution – can bridge the gap between complex theory and real-world results for wider audiences and policymakers alike
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 26 October, 2023

Dealing with abuse after public commentary

Fingers on keyboard, trolling concept
Communicating to the public can result in abuse of academics. Here, University of Southampton staff describe their experiences and provide tips on anticipating and dealing with trolling
By Eliza.Compton, 24 October, 2023

Messy decisions and creative science in the classroom

Student in chemistry lab
How can we teach students other than those studying for healthcare or other vocational qualifications to work across disciplinary boundaries and make scientific decisions in a creative – and enjoyable – manner? Here’s what we learned from running a data-driven drug-discovery scenario
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 17 October, 2023

Transforming the classroom through experiential learning

Female engineering students working on a robotics project
A pilot programme aims to expand undergraduate students’ access to high-impact learning experiences to strengthen skills such as teamwork and problem-solving. Kate Williams looks at its outcomes
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 11 October, 2023

How to combat the mental health crisis on campus

Therapy dog
From staff training to nap pods and on-campus emotional support animals, universities have well-established and novel ways to help students to better mental health and well-being
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 10 October, 2023

Using the power of debate to enhance critical thinking

Asian student addressing class with microphone
Asking students to analyse, defend and counterargue a contentious issue has proved an engaging way to teach reasoning and communication skills in organisational behaviour courses
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 2 October, 2023

A case study in developing the next STEM generation

High school students in lab
University ‘taster days’ can introduce teenagers to what global health research and advocacy might be like as a future career. Here four academics describe a pilot training session and what they learned from it
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 4 September, 2023

Six lessons from facilitating a formalised mentoring programme

Mentoring session
An institutional formalised mentoring scheme can offer invaluable career guidance for early- and mid-career academics. Here, based on 15 years of managing a programme for academic staff, Karen Mather offers her key takeaways
By Eliza.Compton, 25 August, 2023

Using film to prompt discussion in legal studies

Vintage movie projector
Movies and television programmes can challenge students’ perceptions and enrich their understanding of the law. But designing an effective module requires more than a must-watch list, writes Michael Randall
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 22 August, 2023

How supported social groups create safe spaces

Group of students in discussion
Connecting students who share a lived experience such as bereavement, family estrangement or loneliness can help to foster a sense of community and belonging at university, explains Hannah Moore
Reading time
5minutes
By Miranda Prynne, 21 August, 2023

A practical approach to tackling eco-anxiety

Young women campaigning for more action on climate change
We induce eco-anxiety by teaching students about climate change, so training them in practical and achievable solutions to it are needed, too, write Helen Hicks and Dawn Lees

Reading time
3minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 16 August, 2023

Nudge technology can help students re-engage

young smiling woman using laptop
Early-intervention initiatives to tackle student disengagement can be challenging to implement. A centralised, targeted approach using a communication nudge can encourage students to re-engage with online learning
Reading time
3minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 8 August, 2023

Undergraduate research to enrich teacher education

Young teacher working with child
Designing, conducting and presenting a research project based on classroom experience can give students an early opportunity for critical reflection on their learning
Reading time
3minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 7 August, 2023

How to make dual-enrolment programmes work

high school student watching remote mathematics lecture on laptop
Dual enrolment can create student pipelines from high school to university, meet community education needs and improve retention and graduation rates. Here, Laura Brown Simmons breaks down the essential elements
Reading time
3minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 21 July, 2023

Co-creation as a liberating activity

Teacher helping black student in computer class
How to use student co-creation to bring active participation and collaboration into the learning experience, based on insights from the Liberated Learners open educational resource
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 12 July, 2023

Grow your own accessibility allies

Watering can with daisies
The steps to making learning content accessible include identifying areas that need attention, overcoming barriers and recruiting allies to get the job done, writes Luke Searle
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 3 July, 2023

What is authentic enquiry learning?

Three architecture students and an instructor work on a project
When students work in teams to examine a real-world problem, the result offers a means to bring teaching and research together. Here, Kate Black and Jonny Hall explain how this pedagogy benefits students, academics and society
By Eliza.Compton, 9 June, 2023

Charting a shared path to net zero universities

row of seedlings with arrow to plant-covered globe
What’s been lacking in the decarbonisation journey is the ability to bring universities together to share best practices, resources and tools, so that pioneers in the area can assist those just starting out. Now there’s a toolkit
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 7 June, 2023

Creating a reusable takeout dish programme on campus

multiracial group of students eating burgers outside
Want to reduce single-use waste at your university? In this guide for students and administrators, Rojine McVea offers tips for how to set up a reusable dish service based on her own experience
Reading time
3minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 31 May, 2023

Unifying theoretical and clinical education in a medical curriculum

Female medical student examining slide
A focus on practical competences comes with the risk that theoretical knowledge will be sidelined during the clinical years. However, two-way vertical integration of medical training can provide a more balanced strategy for learning
Reading time
5minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 29 May, 2023

A campaign to communicate the impact of university research

Woman holding light bulb with symbols of academic fields surrounding it
With public perception of US higher education in decline, universities urgently need to send an engaging, integrated message about how their work benefits society, writes Paul M. Rand. Here’s how his institution is doing it
By Eliza.Compton, 10 May, 2023

Advice for lecturers on how to keep students’ attention

Male healthcare working giving a presentation
Psychology-based rhetoric training is a way to help lecturers counteract the fall in students’ active attention span. This programme aims to give them speaking skills and confidence that will enhance their effectiveness as educators
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 21 April, 2023

How to support students considering self-employment

Young male entrepreneur working in a cafe with coffee and laptop
Not all students want – nor can they find in a challenging employment market – graduate jobs after university. Victoria Prince looks at what more faculties can do to support students in creating their own business opportunities
By Eliza.Compton, 14 April, 2023

Restructuring a university, part one

Summit of Ha Ling Mountain with Rundle Range and Banff National Park, Alberta, Canadian Rockies in the background
When Bill Flanagan took the helm, the University of Alberta was facing a $222 million funding cut – 20 per cent of the university’s operating budget. In this two-part article, he explains how the university undertook a historic overhaul
Reading time
5minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 14 April, 2023

Restructuring a university, part two

illustration of a man climbing a mountain with flag on top
When funding pressures made it clear that the University of Alberta had to change, it overhauled its entire way of working. Here, president Bill Flanagan explains how they did it
Reading time
4minutes
By dene.mullen, 14 April, 2023

How to write better awards entries

How to write more compelling awards entries
From conducting in-depth interviews to telling the whole story, Sam Russell provides top tips for crafting a compelling narrative that will appeal to awards panels
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 7 April, 2023

Using gamification as an incentive for revision

Young Asian woman in red top happy in front of laptop
Novelty, competition and engagement give gamification an edge when it comes to getting students to revise. Here, Teegan Green, Iliria Stenning and Rasheda Keane explain how they use The Chase from H5P in a hybrid course
By Eliza.Compton, 31 March, 2023

Phenomenon-based learning: what, why and how

illustration-photo composite of people seated around jigsaw pieces
Phenomenon-based learning empowers students to apply disciplinary knowledge to real-world situations. Here, Sue Lee and Kate Cuthbert outline the principles of PhBL and how it can be adopted in higher education
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 16 March, 2023

AI or VR? Matching emerging tech to real-world learning

Student immersed in a hospital VR setting in the FMH Media Lab at University of Sydney
Defining the problem can determine the best tech to deliver realistic training environments. Here is how one media lab demystifies technology-enabled learning experiences and empowers educators to develop their own
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 27 February, 2023

Supporting LGBTQ+ aspiring leaders in universities

two young women walk up a rainbow-coloured footpath
LGBTQ+ staff bring to campus qualities such as courage and sensitivity that are key to leadership. Now a UK programme aims to develop those strengths in future academic and professional services leaders
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 23 February, 2023

Can online oral exams prevent cheating?

illustration of laptop with speech bubbles oral examinations
Online checking tools often flag non-suspicious behaviour along with suspected academic misconduct. Here, educators share lessons learned from using an online oral exam to check students’ understanding
By Miranda Prynne, 22 February, 2023

A help desk to protect intellectual property

A patent document being stamped
How an intellectual property help desk set up by a university library team is helping inventors protect their work, with lessons on what has proven most effective
Reading time
4minutes
By Miranda Prynne, 15 February, 2023

A tool to navigate information overload

A light guiding the way along a winding road
Shonagh Douglas shares a tool that directs students to the specific advice they need when searching through online resources and offers lessons in how to recreate similar aids elsewhere
By Eliza.Compton, 18 January, 2023

To improve the admission process, get faculty involved

Illustration of different aspects of university life
Faculty collaboration with the undergraduate admission team can improve class participation, retention rates, course matches and funding yield – and help reduce misinformation about the process and decisions
Reading time
4minutes
By Miranda Prynne, 12 January, 2023

The power of events to build belonging among students

Students enjoying an informal get together over coffee
XJTLU’s new Entrepreneur College had to work fast to build a sense of belonging among its first student cohorts, and one way it did this was by hosting a series of events. Xiaotong Lu shares the strategies adopted
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 8 December, 2022

A holistic approach to student support

Student support
Student support, particularly for care-leavers or estranged students, is vital throughout their university journey – from pre-application to beyond graduation. Here, Fran Hornsby and Rebecca Clark offer tips for demonstrating genuine care as you do it
Reading time
4minutes
By Miranda Prynne, 21 November, 2022

A model for deploying AI across a university and region

Image of a digital brain representing AI
A new supercomputer, new faculty and partnerships with higher education and industry leaders helped the University of Florida transform itself into an AI powerhouse, creating a blueprint for other institutions to follow
Reading time
3minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 27 October, 2022

How a sustainable internship programme can support social mobility

Sustainable internship programme
Students from disadvantaged backgrounds can remain on the back foot when entering the workforce. This programme offers higher education practitioners a replicable model that includes professional skills development and access
Reading time
3minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 26 October, 2022

Collective voices, zero tolerance

Women posting anti-harassment posters
Universities can use their ability to engage with students to effect cultural change, as the Bystander Intervention initiative to combat sexual abuse has shown. Louise Crowley explains how they did it
By Miranda Prynne, 12 October, 2022

Counter-mapping as a pedagogical tool

Student exploring a city using a map
Engaging students with urban spaces can contextualise and deepen learning and bring in inclusive perspectives. Daniel Gutiérrez-Ujaque and Dharman Jeyasingham explain how counter-mapping can be used as a pedagogical tool
Reading time
3minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 7 September, 2022

In the loop: how formative feedback supports remote teaching

smiley face on head cut-out in hands
Weekly snapshots of how students see their own progress can help teachers adjust teaching methods in real time. An online tool piloted at Georgia Tech has helped fill a feedback loop lost during the pandemic
Reading time
4minutes
By Miranda Prynne, 24 August, 2022

How to develop a code of conduct for ethical research fieldwork

Image of a researcher conducting fieldwork
A code of conduct for ethical research fieldwork developed by two researchers at the University of Oxford has been taken up by departments across the institution and beyond. The code authors, Catherine Fallon Grasham and Laura Picot, share lessons they learned along the way
Reading time
4minutes
By Miranda Prynne, 2 August, 2022

Creative projects as a way of bringing students together

Image representing creative inspiration
An institution-wide creative project is an opportunity for students to make friends and learn from one another, writes Karen Amanda Harris. Here, she shares tips for developing an extracurricular language-art project
Reading time
4minutes
By Miranda Prynne, 23 June, 2022

How to turn a PhD project into a commercial venture

University tutor marking assessments
Transforming a doctoral research project into a commercially viable product requires astute decision-making from the start. Manjinder Kainth and Nicola Wilkin share a beginner’s guide
Reading time
4minutes
By Miranda Prynne, 18 May, 2022

How universities can support refugee students and academics

Image of refugees walking on their way to Europe
Afghan Chevening scholar Naimatullah Zafary, who was among the last people to be airlifted to safety from Kabul, explains how institutions can support refugee students and staff who arrive in an unfamiliar country after experiencing perilous journeys and severe trauma
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 6 May, 2022

Recruiting university tutors using an interactive group activity

Candidates waiting for a job interview
Hiring candidates with strong academic results may seem like the best way to recruit tutors. But this does not always mean they will have the right attributes to support student learning. In this video, Carl Sherwood explains how and why to use a group interview process to recruit university tutors
By Miranda Prynne, 14 April, 2022

Decolonising medicine, part two: empowering students

Medical students discuss issues of decolonisation relating to medicine
The decolonisation of medicine involves making students active agents of their learning and designing assessments relevant to the skills gained through the process, as Musarrat Maisha Reza explains in her second advice resource on the topic
Reading time
3minutes
By Miranda Prynne, 11 April, 2022

The evolution of activeflex learning: why and how

Image of people learning in different modalities - online, in-person and hybrid learning
The evolution of activeflex learning as a way to keep students engaged online, and how to overcome problems when using this teaching model, by Mark Gale
Reading time
3minutes
By Miranda Prynne, 16 November, 2021

Changing lives through community engagement and outreach

Advice on shaping community outreach in order to improve educational outcomes for local communities
Josephine Bleach outlines questions that higher education institutions should ask to help them foster authentic community engagement that improves educational outcomes for children, families and communities
By miranda.prynne, 22 September, 2021

A model for developing global expertise in blended learning

Advice on delivering far reaching faculty development training in blended learning
Daniella Bo Ya Hu outlines a framework for building expertise in blended learning using lessons in capacity development, staff incentivisation and leadership learned from an international pilot training programme
By miranda.prynne, 13 August, 2021

Make yourself presentable

Advice on training students in presenting
Richard Gratwick sketches a course designed to develop students’ presentation skills, whether in person or online, using principles that are universal

By miranda.prynne, 16 April, 2021

Greener assessment: transitioning to online marking

Move marking online to reduce waste paper at your university
Universities should lead by example on sustainability issues, looking at what they can do to shrink their environmental impact. Here, Ling Xia and Yao Wu outline a project that could herald a major reduction in their institution’s paper consumption
By miranda.prynne, 12 March, 2021

Sparking entrepreneurship online

How to support entrepreneurship among students via digital channels
Laura-Jane Silverman describes how LSE’s entrepreneurship centre created continued opportunity for innovation, collaboration and personal development among students after moving online
By miranda.prynne, 4 November, 2020

How to support staff across all departments to design quality online courses

How Southampton University supported staff across all departments to design quality online courses
The sudden shift to online forced university staff to rethink and redesign classes often with little experience or knowledge of remote teaching. Helen Carmichael and Bobbi Moore explain how the University of Southampton supported all faculties to ensure high-quality online courses
By miranda.prynne, 20 January, 2021

Innovative approaches to moving practical learning online

Approaches to moving practical courses to more remote learning
A major challenge of the move to remote learning has been how to teach practical subjects. Here, Lesley Saunders and Lucy Kirkham discuss how they adopted a combination of online, blended and socially distanced teaching for a large nursing course
By Eliza.Compton, 18 March, 2024

Using storybooks to share research with a wider audience

Row of children reading colourful books
Storybooks offer a collegial method of sharing research findings beyond the peer-reviewed journals of academia – and putting it in the hands of the people who can best use the information, write Dominic Petronzi, Dean Fido and Rebecca Petronzi
Reading time
4minutes