Whether you love it, tolerate it, are a master of a compelling Bluesky thread or struggle with a LinkedIn update, social media has become an inescapable part of academia and university life. But it’s complicated. On one hand, scholars use it to build their academic profile, share research with the wider public, celebrate career successes or publications and connect with community and potential collaborators. And on the other, social media is a breeding ground for political polarisation, misinformation and harassment.

One aspect that is beyond question is social media’s ability to hook and maintain our attention. So, what can higher education take from social media’s compelling ways to improve teaching, critical thinking or outreach? How can teachers use its strategies to build engagement in class, for example? What can analysing influencers show learners about navigating AI-created content and deep fakes? What do online habits tell us about what students need from their teachers and each other?

For this episode of the Campus podcast, we talk to two very different guests, a psychologist in the UK and a professor of public relations in the US:

For more resources from our Campus contributors on this topic, visit our latest spotlight guide: What can higher education learn from social media?