More full-time undergraduate students than ever are turning to employment to cover basic living costs. In the UK, 65 per cent now juggle work and study, up from 42 per cent in 2020, according to Advance HE and Hepi. Traditional university degrees were designed for students with few other demands on their time – something that can no longer be taken for granted.
These degrees were designed to get graduates through the door of their first job, where workplace training would ensue. But with entry-level tasks on which so many graduates traditionally cut their teeth being outsourced to AI, employers now expect new recruits to hit the ground running. And with automation projected to reshape the work of hundreds of millions of workers by 2030, the ability to reskill – fast – will become vital in the coming years. Education is no longer something students complete before embarking on a career – it is something they may need to revisit throughout their working lives.
At a time when the value of a degree is being called into question, many argue that teaching subject knowledge is no longer enough. University courses must be flexible and embed work training and skills development to serve today’s students. This collection of resources is a guide to designing courses that respond to the evolving needs of both students and employers.
Why flexibility is vital in contemporary course design
England’s lifelong learning entitlement, which comes into force this year, invites a shift towards more episodic modes of learning and assessment. Courses must be designed to allow students to easily pick up where they left off and use digital infrastructure that removes barriers for time-poor students. By creating a seamless experience online and offline and setting expectations early, course designers can place flexibility at the heart of course design without sacrificing academic rigour.
Why universities must become flexible lifelong partners, not one-time providers: As careers become increasingly non-linear and shaped by rapid change, universities must evolve beyond traditional degree provision, says Sankar Sivarajah at Kingston University. Here, he outlines strategies.
‘We need to design lifelong learning for the students we will have, not the ones we imagine’: A leadership toolkit for lifelong learning reform by Harriet Dunbar-Morris from the University of Buckingham and the University of Oxford.
Why flexibility is essential for accessible teaching: Rigid course structures can shut students out. Designing for flexibility helps ensure that those juggling work, care and study have a fair chance to succeed, writes Rocío Elizabeth Cortez Márquez from Tecnológico de Monterrey.
Why flexibility is now central to student success: Flexible and truly engaging online study are key for students with jobs or caring responsibilities. Pauline Bedford from the Walbrook Institute London explains how institutions can go with the flow.
Course design that makes space for family and work commitments
Many student parents struggle to balance childcare responsibilities with study. Three quarters of them require personal tutor support with issues such as mitigating circumstances and time management, research has found. Learn how structural design choices factor in childcare, school runs and holidays, and how switching to the block model could make life easier for students spinning multiple plates.
Small tweaks to better support part-time students: Part-time learners negotiate expectations across family, work and study. Asrif Yusoff from the University of Greenwich explains how universities can design the system to support them.
‘Why do we still timetable classes as if students don’t have lives outside university?’: As the block model has evolved from educational outlier to established practice, the questions it raises about how higher education is delivered are increasingly difficult to ignore, writes John Weldon from Victoria University.
Childcare remains a barrier for too many learners. Here’s how institutions can help: Universities can design programmes that meet student parents where they are with their childcare needs. Here, Joanitt Montano from the College of Health Care Professions and Chike Aguh from Harvard University outline three ways.
The small steps that can make a big difference to student parents: Juggling academic and parental commitments is no easy feat. Rebecca Gordon from the University of the West of Scotland explains how universities can make small, programme-level adjustments to relieve the pressure on student parents.
Overcoming the challenges of asynchronous teaching
Peer interactions often lead to deeper learning but in asynchronous courses opportunities for this are limited or non-existent. Learning designers must find novel ways to make learning interactive and engaging for the individual learning at home, on their commute or on their lunch break. Read about design choices that prevent overwhelm and account for a lack of quiet space to focus. And how virtual field trips can provide experiential learning even when students cannot be physically present.
Using AI to create the practice opportunities online students need: For disciplines that depend on interpersonal skills such as communication, leadership, negotiation and mediation, AI can provide elusive experiential learning, particularly in asynchronous environments, says Virginia Tech’s Kathy Miller Perkins.
How to be present in teaching, even when you’re not physically there: Asynchronous course design has to work for the student logging in alone at 11pm, or it doesn’t work at all. Lucy S. Méndez Santiago from Universidad del Caribe (UNICARIBE) explains how to design to make your presence felt, even when physically absent.
Tips for successful asynchronous teaching: creating engaging content, part one: Asynchronous teaching is still seen as subpar when compared with in-person or even synchronous online courses. However, done well, it offers surprising advantages, as Figen Mekik from Grand Valley State University explains.
Making microcredentials work
Microcredentials offer specialist, stackable training to support reskilling and upskilling, and are particularly popular among students returning to education after many years. It’s a transition that poses challenges and often comes at a cost. To deliver value, course design must connect learning to the workplace and be built around sector-specific challenges. Learn strategies in these resources.
Campus Talks: The big ideas behind microcredentials: Two experts in flexible learning programmes from the Open University and Northeastern University discuss the evolution and adoption of alternative teaching models and credentials in higher education.
Five principles for designing industry-relevant microcredentials: Microcredentials that respond to student and employer needs require industry-backed, thoughtful design, writes Karla Margarita Banda Martínez from Tecnológico de Monterrey.
Course design that reflects the realities of the workplace
To attract and retain students – and equip them with the skills they will need to stand out in a competitive job market – university courses need to expose them to the realities of different workplaces. Experiential and project-based learning can give students valuable insights into the tasks they might tackle in their future careers, as these resources show.
When students stop asking: ‘Is this on the exam?’: What happens when you trade exams for real clients, real problems and real deadlines? Dina Kamel outlines the benefits of unscripted problem-solving.
Workforce-ready, not left behind – inclusive work-based learning for sciences students: Many science students miss out on quality placements because of systemic barriers. A team of academics at the University of Exeter outline five ways to embed equitable, work-based learning into non-accredited programmes and level the field.
‘Flow’ – not activities – makes experiential learning stick: What happens when we stop stacking activities and start designing experiences? Irina Gokh from De Montfort University outlines three ways to make experiential learning more intuitive and impactful.
Make employability meaningful: developing soft skills through social justice work: The growing demand for students to gain workplace skills could see employability crudely bolted on to existing courses. But partnering with charities and social justice organisations can make it more meaningful – Jac St John and Naomi Oppenheim from the University of Westminster explain how.
An academics’ guide to integrating industry engagement in course design: How to embed short, structured company projects into courses, from securing institutional support to building lasting relationships with external organisations, by Paulina Vargas from CETYS Universidad.
Five steps to successful company-led projects in higher education: Company-led projects can boost graduate earnings and strengthen institutional partnerships. Wahiba Chair from University Canada West explains how to get them off the ground.
Questions to ask when designing collaborative online learning experiences: Practical steps for designing meaningful online learning experiences with external collaborators that help students develop essential competencies, by Bárbara Regina Granados Guzmán and Luis Gerardo Rojas Solorio at Tecnológico de Monterrey.
Tips for successful apprenticeship courses: Learn how to please both learner and employer when setting up and running apprenticeships, from a team at Arden University, Which who recently earned a “Good” from Ofsted for their efforts.
Course design that develops future skills
As AI tools continue to develop, so will the value placed on human skills that such technology cannot replicate – alongside the ability to use AI well. Learn how to design courses around critical and creative thinking, collaboration and AI literary. And read advice on fostering a future-ready mindset to help students understand what will be required of them in their professional lives.
Teaching future-proof skills: lessons from degree apprenticeships: How degree apprenticeship-style teaching can develop the creative and social intelligence students need to succeed in a changing workplace, by Yuxi Heluo at The University of Exeter.
What skills will help students thrive in the job market of the 2030s?: Students will need a skills-focused mindset as GenAI absorbs entry-level jobs. Here, Raphael Dennett and Lisa Harris from the University of Exeter share lessons from developing a module that prepares undergraduates for a radically different start to their professional lives.
How to embed critical thinking from course design to assessment: Critical thinking is an essential, human skill. M. C. Zhang from Macau University of Science and Technology offers advice on nurturing and enhancing students’ ability to analyse and evaluate information at all stages of teaching.
AI literacy cannot be bolted on to first-year courses: Inexperienced students benefit from courses that help them practise responsible judgement alongside foundational learning. Nicole Brownlie from the University of Southern Queensland explains how to design them.
We need to teach ‘uncommon sense’: How playful exercises in an inter-session course can improve judgement, foster probabilistic thinking and help students stand out in an uncertain job market. By William R. Brody from Johns Hopkins University.
Global learning: an emerging transferable skill for students: Teamwork, effective communication – these are what we think of as soft skills. But what about global learning and collaboration? Tiffany Shoop from Virginia Tech argues that global collaboration is a foundational skill for the modern world.
How to let students fail – so they can bounce back: If we’re preparing students for the outside world, they need to be resilient and agile. Yvonne Kong-Ho from Singapore Institute of Technology explains how AI avatars could help.
How to tailor courses for older students
The lifelong learning entitlement will soon open up university study to a wider pool of learners. And across the globe, increasing numbers of older students are already returning to education to reskill – a trend that looks likely to continue in the coming years. Learn how to harness existing skills and experiences and use adult learning theory to adapt teaching to more mature cohorts.
‘Adults bring experience and cognitive strengths to lifelong learning’: The science of adult learning provides a road map for strengths-based, age-inclusive programme design and helps turn classrooms into vibrant hubs of intergenerational learning, explains a team of academics at Nanyang Technological University.
Course design for non-traditional students – lessons from adult learning theory: Strategies for ensuring relevance, building on existing knowledge and creating flexible learning experiences to better serve increasing numbers of non-traditional students, as outlined by Catherine Wehlburg at Athens State University.
Design for a distracted generation
Most of today’s undergraduate students experienced disruption at key learning stages during the pandemic. When paired with a penchant for short-form content and the ability to outsource thinking to a chatbot, it is no wonder some Generation Z students seem apathetic about learning. Understanding these students’ mindsets and goals is key to tapping into their curiosity and desire to learn, as these resources show.
How I used chalk and paper to win back students’ attention: It’s not just about kicking AI and other technology out of the university classroom. A return to analogue teaching methods requires preparation to reap the benefits of deeper learning and engagement, writes Jose Eos Trinidad from the University of California, Berkeley.
Dear educators, Gen Z here. Could you please teach us like it’s 2026?: Learning has changed drastically in the past five years but teaching practices haven’t caught up. From your students’ perspective, here’s advice on how to adapt – from Sara Brownell and students at Arizona State University.
Reimagining connection and communication for Generation Z students: Generation Z students relate, communicate and build connection in ways shaped by digital fluency, disrupted in-person learning and evolving social norms. This gives educators an opportunity to rethink how they teach, say Gary F. Fisher and Dean Fido from the University of Derby.
For Gen Z, online courses are the future of education: What do online courses need to offer to engage Generation Z? Find out what young people want and how to make their education serve them better, from Samar Abdelazim Ahmed at Dubai Medical University.
Rethinking course design to enliven student engagement: To foster students’ meaningful learning, educators should be using class time to maximise the benefits of the in-person experience, as the University of Queensland’s Nasreen Sultana explains.
Gamification can support sustained engagement with course content: Game mechanics use feedback, rankings, discussion and participation over time to maintain students’ attention throughout the semester, says Fabrizio Marozzo from the University of Calabria.
Design practices for future-proof courses
During times of rapid change, courses must not only be of high quality but adaptable. Learn how to model a collaborative approach that invites opportunities for feedback, how to place creativity and innovation at the core of course design, and how consistency throughout the design process can ensure colleagues can continue to develop courses that cater to the changing needs of society for years to come.
Learn from product development to design HE courses: How a design thinking approach can support agile, innovative course development, by Theresa Mercer and Ron Corstanje at Cranfield University.
Using design sprints to reimagine university learning experiences: With a human-centred approach and the incentive of a short time frame, design sprints can bring multiple perspectives together to reimagine modules and curricula. Learn from James Forde at the University of Leeds and Independent consultant Iria Lopez.
What future-proofing a course really means: Instead of attempting to predict the future, future-proofing online courses is about making them easier to update, more inclusive and more useful to students, even as context changes, says Gennadii Miroshnikov from King’s College London.
Thank you to all Campus contributors who shared their expertise in this guide.
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