It’s approaching three years since a counter-terrorism duty came into effect in universities. It placed a legal duty on people in the public sector – including teachers, lecturers, doctors and nurses – to report people who may be deemed to be vulnerable to radicalisation. More...
Art and design schools must cultivate creators, not theorists
A sadly common refrain about young people today is that they are coddled, entitled, self-absorbed and tech-addicted. More...
Why I teach math through knitting
One crux of mathematical content is the equation, and crucial to this is the equal sign. An equation like x = 5 tells us that the dreaded x, which represents some quantity, has the same value as 5. The number 5 and the value of x must be exactly the same. More...
How playful design is transforming university education
A group of 25 interns sit at Baycrest Health Sciences, a research centre for aging in Canada, their eyes glued to their smart phones. They are playing SOS — an award-winning game that simulates real-world gerontology practice — where they compete with other students to earn virtual currency. More...
The politicisation of English language proficiency, not poor English itself, creates barriers
The Australian government is considering yet another English language test for migrants. The rationale for the proposal is the prospect “Australia will be home to one million people who do not speak English well or at all by 2021”, as Human Services Minister Alan Tudge claimed. More...
Three issues language proficiency can hide for students from non-English speaking backgrounds
Universities have increasingly diverse student bodies, bringing together varying forms of social and cultural knowledge. But universities generally don’t recognise diverse forms of knowledge. This is particularly so with language and cultural practices, and the way these may affect learning. More...
Universities need to do more to support refugee students
In the past two decades Australian universities and schools have received growing numbers of students from refugee backgrounds. This is in line with increasing numbers of people accepted through Australia’s humanitarian program. More...
How a photo research project gives refugee women a voice in resettlement policy
Between 2000 and 2017, the number of refugees and asylum seekers globally increased from 16 to 26 million. In 2016, women made up 49% of global refugees. Dominant representations of refugee women are that of vulnerable and helpless victims. This disregards women’s agency, voice, and deep desire for education and social enterprise. More...
University funding debates should be broadened to reflect their democratic purpose
In 2017, Murdoch University successfully applied to the Fair Work Commission to terminate its Enterprise Agreement. From the National Tertiary Education Union’s (NTEU) perspective this was an attack on staff salaries and conditions and showed industrial relations law was deeply one-sided. More...
What we know about why Chinese students come to Australia to study
In 2016-17 Australia’s third largest export, international education, leapt from A$23.6 billion to a record high of A$28 billion. Within the higher education sector, the highest intake of international students is of Chinese origin. More...