In this article, we explore the concept of belonging and its utility as a means for understanding academics' experiences of working in the academy. Transformative changes have reorientated academic work in recent years and continue to do so as we grapple with what it means to work and live in a post-digital, post-covid, world. We engage a…

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted on the ways in which academics engage in their work, with many unique demands, anxieties, and pressures placed on them. Adjustments to the work and home lives have been made as a result. I explored how Western Australian academics experienced working in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic. 11…

University employees experience high levels of workplace stress, with the perception that it is increasing, due to less autonomy, increased student numbers, excessive administrative work and role ambiguity. This study is part of a larger evaluation of the effectiveness of a Mindfulness, Self-Care and Resiliency (MSCR) program to improve the…

This paper analyses the move by an Australian university faculty to a new building featuring open plan and alternative workspaces. Through the lens of the theory of practice architectures, the paper examines how the new built spaces both enabled and constrained the professional learning practices of academics. Drawing on a case study of the…

Although there is growing evidence that the flipped classroom approach (FCA) positively impacts the student learning experience and outcomes, much less is known about the educator's experience. This study aimed to explore how educators across several disciplines in a regional Australian University describe their experience of using the FCA.…

Changes in higher education internationally, including the corporatisation of universities, greater codification of research and teaching performance, and more precarious employment, have led to a chillier environment for academics. Employing an autoethnographic approach, we interrogate our career experiences as academic women and the important…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between higher educational institution bullying policies and the subsequent cultural impact to determine the effectiveness of policy in ameliorating bullying within the university culture. Design/methodology/approach: This study consisted of two separate but related case studies at…

Universities continue to evolve and adapt to changes brought about by external events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, shifts in government policy, technological advancements, and geopolitics. A significant body of research has focused on negative workplace conditions within universities that contribute to psychosocial hazards. In contrast, this…

Universities worldwide have come to embrace the rhetoric of environmental sustainability and a commitment to climate action while simultaneously seeking to internationalize themselves within the context of the global economy. In seeking to internationalize, universities are highly dependent on air travel, for both their academic staff and…

A gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) exists. Fewer females enter academia or advance to senior level positions in academia than the number of females who earn advanced degrees. There are many reasons for this, but common themes include disproportionate responsibilities for childcare and imposter syndrome. For…

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students continue to experience racism in Australian university classrooms. The "Reconciliation Australia Barometer" report (2022, p. 5) recently noted that experiences of racial prejudice have increased for Indigenous people with 60% of Indigenous people who responded to the survey experiencing at…

Food gardens are an underdeveloped resource for teaching and research in Australian universities. While some campuses have food or botanical gardens, outside the biological or physical sciences food growing is not routinely incorporated into mainstream curricula. This article investigates why and how we might change this. It examines universities'…

Ostracism in the academic workplace has not received attention commensurate with its frequency and seriousness. One of the more detailed models of workplace ostracism incorporates the organisational antecedents of ostracism, its pragmatic and psychological impact and behavioural outcomes. Using a detailed written account of experiences within an…

Cooperative learning (CL) is a teaching and learning pedagogy that has been used widely in school but there is limited information on instructors' perceptions of CL nor observations of how CL is implemented in higher education settings. In this study, we used an interpretative-qualitative approach to investigate the advantages and challenges of…

Despite the diversity of entry points into academia, little research exists examining the experiences and impact of precarious employment at different life stages. Drawing on interviews with 19 academics employed casually or on fixed-term contracts in Australian universities, this paper illustrates how precarious employment is experienced at…