With students increasingly turning their backs on recommended reading in favour of alternative sources of information on the internet, how can you encourage them to engage with the materials you have carefully selected for relevance and quality? The answer probably has at least something to do with expectations – both in terms of the expectations placed on students to complete the course preparation and homework, and the expectations of the instructor on what is realistic (quantity) and what the intended outcome is (is reading the best or only way to convey this point?).

Wonkhe’s Secret Life of Students conference brings together experts, sector leaders and professionals, as well as student leaders and students’ union managers, to tackle difficult challenges and work together to transform higher education to better meet the needs of the next generation of students. Emma Hill shares the main insights she gained from the conference in February 2022.