Africa

Bring playfulness into teaching for collaboration and creativity

In learning, playfulness is often overlooked. Yet it could be key to embedding the soft, ‘human’ skills students will need for the future. Isabel Taurel shows how

Isabel Taurel

Al Akhawayn University

A Black female academic with glasses sat at a desk on her laptop

Supporting female academics in Sub-Saharan Africa to publish and lead

Five lessons from a Ghana-focused project that addressed the gendered conditions of academic work to give women the tools needed to participate fully and progress

Alicia Bowman, Juliet Thondhlana, Liticia Effah-Manu, Felicia Nkrumah-Kuagbedzi

University of Nottingham, Ho Technical University, Association of African Universities

How to reclaim your identity after academic job loss

When a university role ends abruptly, through redundancy, restructuring or a contract that isn’t renewed, the loss can feel like grief. Victoria Gibbon shares a structured journaling exercise that helped her rebuild a professional identity

Victoria E. Gibbon

Independent academic

A student opens an AI chatbot in a lecture hall

Your students use GenAI. Let’s redesign learning so thinking still happens

We can’t put AI back in the box. Instead, higher education needs to find a way to make students think despite it

Soukaina Aijou

Al Akhawayn University

What co-creation taught us about solving university problems together

Small changes to communication can help students, faculty and graduates engage with each other on the issues affecting higher education today, writes Kawtar Abouhazim

Kawtar Abouhazim

Al Akhawayn University

Couscous, among other ingredients, in a marketplace

Less beer, more couscous: gamifying supply chain education

Using the Beer Game to teach business students about supply chains may have had its last orders. Switching to couscous changed how one educator’s class thought

Jawad Abrache

Al Akhawayn University

A student uses a laptop in a lecture hall

How do we teach AI literacy when students already think they’re experts?

Students don’t need help from their educators to keep up with AI. But what we can do is encourage them to question it more. Here’s how

Abderrahim Agnaou

Al Akhawayn University

A guide to academic presentations for first-timers and nervous novices

Even when a presentation doesn’t go to plan, the experience can offer lessons about content, preparation and reflections on effective ways to communicate your research to an audience

Praysgod Mhlongo

Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Young black man working at a computer terminal

Why digital stability has become a governance imperative

Technological resilience is not just a systems problem when failure can impact operations, academic credibility, public trust and equitable education. Here, Fulufhelo Nemavhola expands the considerations for universities

Fulufhelo Nemavhola

Durban University of Technology

How employability teams can strengthen academic programmes

Working like recruitment partners, rather than just career advisers, can help align teaching with industry needs, writes Hanene Duprat

Hanene Duprat

Al Akhawayn University

Teach students to think like researchers

Expanding undergraduate research benefits not only the institution, but the students too. Here’s how to embed a research mindset in your undergraduate cohort

Salah Al-Majeed

Al Akhawayn University

How business schools can produce globally minded graduates

Make internationalisation a core part of the student experience, rather than an optional extra, by embedding it into the curriculum

Imad Jabbouri

Al Akhawayn University

Group of people in Kenya, looking at a mobile phone

Equitable research partnerships are no longer optional – here’s how to make them a reality

How to develop research partnerships between the UK and Global South in which knowledge, power and outcomes are equally shared among participants, based on a report by academics in South Africa, Kenya and the UK

BEAP (Building Equitable African Partnerships) team

University of South Africa, Lancaster University, University of Aberdeen, Kenyatta University , The Open University

Why trauma-informed education could be a university’s smartest investment

Responding to struggling students with empathy and flexibility can benefit the whole campus. Here’s how to create a culture of compassion

Hind Lebdaoui

Al Akhawayn University

The best way to market a university? Start with the students

University students can be lifelong brand ambassadors for their institution. To harness the power of word of mouth, create an environment where students feel they belong

Youssef Chetioui

Al Akhawayn University

A robot in a mortarboard poses with a diploma

A university blueprint for teaching with GenAI

How a human-centred approach to embedding GenAI ensures the tool enhances human reasoning, rather than replacing it, institution-wide

Abderrahim Agnaou

Al Akhawayn University

How business education can preserve cultural heritage

Strengthen communities and protect cultural traditions by using business education to support artisanal practices. Here are four ways to do so

Ahlam Fakhar

Al Akhawayn University

An illustration of a green light bulb, wearing a mortarboard

How to embed sustainability in your business school

Vague symbolic gestures and greenwashing are no longer enough to show your institution is taking sustainability seriously. Here’s how to embed sustainable teaching and research

Muhammad Ikram

Al Akhawayn University

The creaking career ladder is now a bungee jump – prepare your students for a multi-career world

Generation Z want more variety, flexibility and faster development from their careers. It’s up to universities to equip them with the skills for the new career landscape

Deborah Bartlett

Al Akhawayn University

A lecturer speaks to a group wearing a microphone headset

Six thinkers and five tips to reimagine business education

Reach beyond traditional business models and take inspiration from sociology, philosophy and educational theory for a well-rounded, resilient approach to business education

Lakshmi Goel, Yassine El Bouchikhi

Al Akhawayn University

Five ways to centre faculty development at your university

Teaching quality can be an institution’s biggest asset, improving student retention and boosting reputation. So why not move faculty development to the centre of institutional strategy?

Salah Al-Majeed, Hayat El Asri

Al Akhawayn University

Every student can benefit from an entrepreneurial mindset

To develop the next generation of entrepreneurs, universities need to nurture the right mindset in students of all disciplines. Follow these tips to embed entrepreneurial education

Nicolas Klotz

Al Akhawayn University

An illustration of a mortarbord balanced on a globe

The future of liberal arts may belong to the Global South

With American universities under threat from a hostile government, where will liberal arts education thrive? Perhaps it’s time for a reimagining

Abderrahim Agnaou

Al Akhawayn University

Eight ways to embrace AI’s flexibility to bring different teams together

AI has rapidly moved from the domain of computer science into the daily lives of university staff and academics, but are we joining up the changes happening across higher education? Find out how to use it to break down boundaries between teams

Lakshmi Goel, Yassine Benrqya

Al Akhawayn University

Two employees consider a screen filled with data

Let’s give students the skills to succeed in multiple careers, not just one job

The future is unpredictable. So instead of trying to future-proof our students’ degrees, let’s future-proof their mindset

Deborah Bartlett

Al Akhawayn University

How can higher education better support international students with disabilities?

Institutions need to work harder to understand international students with disabilities’ needs and challenges, and put in place more obvious and intentional communication with them

Carol Evans, Maurie van den Heever, Ralph E. McKinney

University of Salford, GoodX Software, Marshall University

For an agile future workforce, embed a liberal arts education system

A liberal arts education can help foster the adaptability and critical thinking skills today’s employers are looking for. Here’s how to adapt the model to your region

Abderrahim Agnaou

Al Akhawayn University

Campus webinar: Prepare students with workplace skills of the future

Find out how to prepare students for jobs that don’t exist yet, with insight from experts at Campus+ institutions across the Middle East, Africa and Europe

Deborah Bartlett, Julio Gimenez, Rushana Khusainova, Abdelmoniem Sahal Elmardi

Al Akhawayn University, University of Westminster, The University of Bristol, Dubai Medical University

A young woman works intently on a laptop

How industry certification can energise learning

With the IT sector changing too rapidly for traditional university teaching to keep up, why not try industry-aligned certifications? Find out how they can help students meet the demands of the workplace

Amine Abouaomar

Al Akhawayn University

A robot holds up an AI chip to plug the gap between a businessman and his target

Six ways to integrate AI for business school accreditation

Streamline the process of accreditation, create multi-modal communications and effectively manage data by harnessing the power of generative AI

Yassine Benrqya, Lakshmi Goel, Isabelle Fagnot

Al Akhawayn University, Kedge Business School

A young student laughs and writes on a whiteboard

How a mathematics competition can develop future university students

A national initiative to find the best young mathematicians demonstrated how the subject can bridge the gap between school and university. Find out how to use it to develop students’ soft skills

Rabie Zine

Al Akhawayn University

Unlock the potential of internationalisation in higher education

Let’s smash through the barriers to effective internationalisation. Here’s a four-part framework to do so

Wafa El Garah

Al Akhawayn University

Two software engineers gesture at multiple screens

Future-proof software engineering students for an AI-dominated world

Software engineering is increasingly being shaped by generative AI. Here’s how to prepare your students for their future workplace

Houda Chakiri

Al Akhawayn University

Members of the Network for Persons Affected by NTDs in Liberia.

Lessons for co-producing research with affected communities

Advice on meaningfully engaging with diverse communities to co-produce research, drawn from a project looking at treatment for neglected tropical diseases in Liberia

Rosalind McCollum

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

A student looks thoughtfully into the distance

Universities owe it to society to produce good citizens

Higher education’s role in creating the citizens of tomorrow’s world should not be underestimated. Here’s how to shape the leaders of the future and foster a sense of civic responsibility within them

Hind Lebdaoui

Al Akhawayn University

An illustration of a computer screen, showing a face with a question mark

The looming threat of deepfakes

What are the implications of deepfake technologies on universities’ day-to-day operations and how can academic leaders act to safeguard their institutions? Here are three ways

Salah Al-Majeed

Al Akhawayn University

How to navigate the grey areas of AI ethics

With principles on AI’s use still evolving, universities must navigate a complex ethical landscape. Here are ways they can help shape responsible application of the tool

Lakshmi Goel

Al Akhawayn University

Members of Gen Z work in an office lounge

Universities need to act now to bridge the Gen Z gap

Many educators are still struggling to harness the talents of Generation Z and help set them up for employment. Just a few key business changes can make the connection, writes Salah Al-Majeed

Salah Al-Majeed

Al Akhawayn University

Student standing outside a campus building

How do we make it easier for refugees to be admitted to universities?

Many students struggle to join universities because their education has been disrupted. Here are ways to improve the inclusivity and accessibility of admissions processes

Georgia Cole, Martha Akello, Apollo Mulondo

The University of Edinburgh, Makerere University

Young Black woman lying on bed looking at phone

Transforming mental health in South African universities: the promise of AI chatbots

Artificial intelligence can offer promise for student mental health services in Africa. AI-driven chatbots can provide a nonjudgemental, readily available, cost-effective avenue for individuals to access information, support and guidance, writes Matete Madiba

Matete Madiba

University of the Western Cape

A university tutor talking to a male student

Five characteristics of effective supervisor training

What constitutes effective training to ensure research supervisors are well equipped to work with doctoral students? Sioux McKenna and Puleng Motshoane share advice based on their research in South Africa

Sioux McKenna, Puleng Motshoane

Rhodes University, University of Johannesburg

Two women demonstrating successful teamwork

Synchronous communication strategies for a successful learning design partnership

Synchronous communication strategies that build rapport between university course designers and external edtech providers, shared by Rae Mancilla and Nadine Hamman, in the second part of a series looking at strategies for successful learning design partnerships

Rae Mancilla , Nadine Hamman

University of Pittsburgh, University of Cape Town

Image depicting a student sitting on top of a pile of books while working on a computer

Personalised learning in higher education: laying the foundations

A more personalised approach to higher education provision should empower students to learn at their own pace in ways that suit their specific needs, as Chitisha Gunnoo explains

Chitisha Gunnoo

Middlesex University Mauritius

Image representing communication between different members of a team

Asynchronous communication strategies for successful learning design partnerships

Asynchronous communication that builds rapport among university course designers and external edtech providers, explained by Rae Mancilla and Nadine Hamman in the first part of a series looking at strategies for successful learning design partnerships

Rae Mancilla , Nadine Hamman

University of Pittsburgh, University of Cape Town

Man working with laptop, pen and paper and coffee, OERs

A guide to using open educational resources: an experiential case study

The benefits of OERs to researchers and students in the Global South affect all levels of scholarship, from teaching to publishing, writes Innocent Chirisa

Innocent Chirisa

The University of Zimbabwe

Advice on the support needed to get more young women into higher education in sub-Saharan Africa

How to change the default settings that exclude women in sub-Saharan Africa from higher education

Angeline Murimirwa outlines the steps necessary to support young women from marginalised communities in sub-Saharan Africa into and through higher education

Angeline Murimirwa

CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education)

Young African women wearing headphones in a university cafe - reconnecting after the pandemic

Reopening and reconnecting: how to establish connection with first-years studying in the new normal

Agnes Chikonzo offers three key ways that university services can engage students and give them a sense of belonging back on campus

Agnes Chikonzo

The University of Zimbabwe

Building equitable scientific research partnerships with the global south requires trust and equality in decisionmaking

Creating equitable research partnerships across continents

Shabbar Jaffar provides tips for successful international collaborations built on trust, appropriate recognition and inclusiveness in decision-making

Shabbar Jaffar

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

The power divide between universities in the Global North and Global South makes equitable partnerships impossible

Equal research partnerships are a myth – but we can change that

The movement for decolonising universities should also be applied to research ‘partnerships’ and their unequal balance of power, say Faith Mkwananzi and Melis Cin

Faith Mkwananzi , Melis Cin

University of the Free State, Lancaster University

Advice on delivering far reaching faculty development training in blended learning

A model for developing global expertise 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

Daniella Bo Ya Hu

The Association of Commonwealth Universities

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