Higher education news for libraries and librarians

A “public health approach” to student mental health is needed, according to a new report from TASO and King’s Policy Institute. The report is based on analysis of responses to the Advance HE/HEPI Student Academic Experience Survey over the last seven years, pointing out that this period has seen a tripling of the number of undergraduates reporting mental health difficulties.

Noting that mental health was the most common reason that students gave for considering dropping out, the report also recommends that providers should consider mental health support in their retention practices. There’s also analysis of changes over time for different groups of students, with a particular focus on the survey responses of LGBTQ+ students.

HEPI has published One Step Beyond: How the school and college curriculum in England can prepare young people for higher education by Josh Freeman. Based on a new survey of 1,105 university students conducted by Savanta, the report responds to the Curriculum and Assessment Review chaired by Professor Becky Francis by considering how well the curriculum prepares […]

New framework demonstrates Advance HE's commitment to supporting leaders to navigate the unprecedented challenges of 21st century leadership. Its publication opens a consultation for HE leaders from all levels and roles to engage and shape the ultimate version.

Department forScience, Innovation& Technology The Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) is a global social purpose company that generates and applies behavioural insights to inform policy, improve public services, and deliver results for citizens and society.

David Carless walks us through his recipe for academic research impact How might one develop an impactful paper that transcends a modest sub-field and enters the mainstream? What are some of the characteristics of highly cited papers that capture attention in unexpected ways? What is th

Background/Objectives: Academic libraries offer a range of activities and initiatives for their students and community users. However, wellbeing, as a concept in academic libraries, is not very well defined and is poorly understood. The objective of this scoping review was to examine the role of academic libraries in student and community wellbeing, identify the various kinds of activities and initiatives that they carry out to address their wellbeing, and uncover gaps that might require further research. Methods: An extensive search was conducted in the Library Information Sciences Association (LISA), Education Resources Information Centre (ERIC), Medline (OVID), Scopus, and Web of Science (WOS) databases. Grey literature was searched on a selection of library websites and digital repositories. Data were extracted from studies that met the inclusion criteria for the scoping review. Themes were identified by the authors and reported as a narrative summary. Results: Of the 5437 records identified, a total of 40 documents were included in this scoping review. The authors identified 11 different kinds of activities and initiatives carried out in academic libraries that promote student and community wellbeing, i.e., (1) animal-assisted activities; (2) facilitating dialogues about belonging and identity; (3) fun recreational activities; (4) study support; (5) physical activity promotion; (6) meditation, yoga, and mindfulness; (7) book clubs; (8) art exhibitions; (9) technology and digital support; (10) free food and tea; and (11) health awareness. These activities were found to promote the physical, emotional, and social wellbeing of student and community users. Conclusions: This review highlights the need for further systematic research on the long-term effects of wellbeing initiatives and activities on both student and community users, and how they might impact aspects of wellbeing for specific population groups such as senior citizens and LGBTQIA members. This scoping review demonstrates the potential of academic libraries in promoting health and wellbeing for their users.

An appraisal of changes to the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) standard terms and conditions of training grant for disabled and carer doctoral students.

Our survey of graduates and employers reveals the state of play in internships. Sutton Trust

This new podcast explores the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), higher education and sustainability. Featuring insights from leading experts and practitioners, the podcast aims to advance the global conversation on the ethics, opportunities and disruptions that AI brings to education, and its role in achieving the SDGs.

TASO's Omar Khan presents evidence that inequality is a factor in a growing student demand for mental health support

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Evaluations show strong evidence of significant return on investment across both Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF) and Connecting Capability Fund (CCF).

Young people are paid a lower minimum wage than everyone else and student support has lagged behind inflation. Join the campaign for fair pay and funding for young people!

Can we make better use of existing mechanisms to examine research culture in REF 2029? For Elizabeth Gadd there is scope to make the assessment of research culture better for everyone

The HEPI report provides an in-depth analysis of the 2024 student encampments protesting for Palestine, highlighting their motivations, challenges, and institutional responses.

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Universities shouldn’t assume their students know what proofreading is and how to do it. Here’s how to create a more inclusive learning environment – by listening to students