How to factor family into higher education

Family-friendly attitudes and services create institutions in which those with parental and caring responsibilities can thrive, which in turn can boost staff and faculty retention and productivity and student completion rates. Childcare provision, course flexibility and dedicated spaces are all effective measures. Another is formal and informal networks, which provide a voice to parents from across the institution. This collection of resources looks at how family and university life intersect, with advice for creating a more inclusive, collegial campus for all – from practical advice for managing parental leave to sensitive insights for times of crisis.

Universities need to factor the whole person into their support offering, recognising that the personal and family-related challenges faced by staff and students will change dramatically throughout their lives. Empathetic management and collegiality can go a long way but sometimes more practical steps, for instance, to help faculty on long-term leave return to work, are also needed, as these resources explain.

The line between personal and academic life is porous and weighing one against the other can mean tough choices. For many academics, the decision to relocate for a job or travel to advance their career comes with family considerations. Here, you’ll find advice for academics seeking to move up the career ladder without changing institutions and on managing the pressures to be mobile in a sector where the gatekeepers of prestige are often located in the Global North. 

Widening participation and focus on lifelong learning mean that more university students today are parents or carers. Even among traditional undergraduates, about one in five college students in the US are parents. Older learners may care for ageing parents; graduate students may be combining study with a demanding job and raising children. So, flexibility to set their own study plans, classes available out of normal working hours and family-friendly spaces can be a lifeline alongside financial support. These resources explore what really makes a difference.