Student preferences as important as employer needs when designing a program: Opinion

In a recent article for Inside Higher Ed, Matt Reed discusses the challenges associated with creating programs that will meet student preferences. Reed explains that it can be disappointing when programs that are designed in alignment with employer needs are cancelled due to low enrolment, but asserts that this signals that students are going to […]

Higher education is increasingly narrowing its focus around experiential learning to focus on labour market outcomes and work-integrated learning, which risks forgetting about experiential learning’s other benefits, writes David Peacock (University of Alberta). Peacock explains that while experiential learning often does prepare students for future careers, the benefits also include critical literacy, technological capability, and […]

In a recent article for the Chronicle of Higher Ed, Beckie Supiano discusses some of the reasons behind why young men do not choose to attend postsecondary. Supiano describes a study out of the United States,that showed that 38% of young men felt that colleges were designed more for women than for men. Many also […]

Inside Higher Ed columnist Matt Reed recently highlighted the importance of a physical campus when it comes to fostering community relationships. He describes the popular use of campus spaces for corporate meetings, conferences, and youth summer camps, and points to opportunities associated with bringing alumni and local seniors on campus. Reed notes that institutions with […]

A recent article from Nature explores the outcomes of China’s first cohort of PhD candidates who are graduating with a “practical achievement” instead of a conventional written thesis. China passed a law in 2024 allowing doctoral candidates studying engineering to complete their PhD by creating an innovative product, technique, or project as part of a […]

In a recent article for the evoLLLution, Elania Jackson (Concordia University Texas) argues that students want to see meaningful marketing rather than personalized marketing. Jackson writes that the personalization of consumer engagement has changed prospective students’ expectations, with students now wanting to feel like an institution “understands” them. The author argues for seeing personalization as […]

In a recent article for University Affairs, Fédération québécoise des professeures et professeurs d’université President Madeleine Pastinelli discusses how universities can keep tensions and conflicts from becoming destructive. Pastinelli writes that psychological harassment and mental health challenges are growing issues on campus, but that the nature of institutions, which are built upon debate, inherently leads […]

Institutions should strive to build a “sector-wide understanding” of continuing education outcome data, according to Lisa Rochman (MacEwan University). In her article for The evoLLLution, Rochman explained that institutions presently lack standardized methods to evaluate the outcomes of continuing education graduates. Citing micro-credentials as an example, Rochman notes that there is variety in the types […]

Peter Sutoris (University of Leeds) encourages university academic departments to move away from hiring for “fit” when bringing on new academics. Sutoris explains that hiring for fit instead of hiring for quality tends to preserve the status quo and focus on addressing immediate departmental needs and research opportunities. Hiring for quality has greater long-term benefits […]

In a recent article for Nature, Anna McKie discusses the issues with using AI detectors to evaluate sensitive student work. While AI tools are being used to detect AI use, these tools vary in their quality and are often inaccurate, unjustly accusing students of cheating. The author discusses a variety of instances where inaccurate AI […]