Aymen Idris
@aymenidris.bsky.social
Academic, Editor and Founder and Director of AiS Think-Tank on a career break.
Pinned
Aymen Idris
@aymenidris.bsky.social
· Jun 12
My commentary on UK Higher Education has always depended on editors commissioning my pieces. Now, it’s time to take a gamble and jump into the world of self-publishing👇🏽
aymenidris.substack.com
aymenidris.substack.com
"All Ph.D. supervisors disappoint—just ask Arendt."
That provocative statement opens my new article for Humanist.com on the cost of compartmentalising genius in academia.
Read " Separating the Scholar from the Person: The Cost of Compartmentalising Genius." 👉🏽 thehumanist.com/commentary/s...
That provocative statement opens my new article for Humanist.com on the cost of compartmentalising genius in academia.
Read " Separating the Scholar from the Person: The Cost of Compartmentalising Genius." 👉🏽 thehumanist.com/commentary/s...
November 18, 2025 at 12:12 AM
"All Ph.D. supervisors disappoint—just ask Arendt."
That provocative statement opens my new article for Humanist.com on the cost of compartmentalising genius in academia.
Read " Separating the Scholar from the Person: The Cost of Compartmentalising Genius." 👉🏽 thehumanist.com/commentary/s...
That provocative statement opens my new article for Humanist.com on the cost of compartmentalising genius in academia.
Read " Separating the Scholar from the Person: The Cost of Compartmentalising Genius." 👉🏽 thehumanist.com/commentary/s...
Our call for contextualisation of #research outputs in #Africa by population size. @africainscience.bsky.social
July 13, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Our call for contextualisation of #research outputs in #Africa by population size. @africainscience.bsky.social
“I did not sign up for this!”
These were the words of a #PhD #student, when faced with a critical experiment demanded by #reviewers of a career-defining paper, he found himself wrestling not with technical challenges, but with a profound moral dilemma. 👉🏽 thehumanist.com/commentary/b...
These were the words of a #PhD #student, when faced with a critical experiment demanded by #reviewers of a career-defining paper, he found himself wrestling not with technical challenges, but with a profound moral dilemma. 👉🏽 thehumanist.com/commentary/b...
Between God and the Lab: The Ethical Dilemmas Universities Ignore - TheHumanist.com
Sometimes, the most important experiment is the one we choose not to do.
thehumanist.com
July 7, 2025 at 8:03 AM
“I did not sign up for this!”
These were the words of a #PhD #student, when faced with a critical experiment demanded by #reviewers of a career-defining paper, he found himself wrestling not with technical challenges, but with a profound moral dilemma. 👉🏽 thehumanist.com/commentary/b...
These were the words of a #PhD #student, when faced with a critical experiment demanded by #reviewers of a career-defining paper, he found himself wrestling not with technical challenges, but with a profound moral dilemma. 👉🏽 thehumanist.com/commentary/b...
Behind UK Higher Education’s carefully maintained façade of progressive consensus lies a troubling reality—an intellectual culture that increasingly pathologises dissent and punishes nonconformity. Read more…👇🏽
substack.com/@aymenidris/...?
substack.com/@aymenidris/...?
June 18, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Behind UK Higher Education’s carefully maintained façade of progressive consensus lies a troubling reality—an intellectual culture that increasingly pathologises dissent and punishes nonconformity. Read more…👇🏽
substack.com/@aymenidris/...?
substack.com/@aymenidris/...?
My commentary on UK Higher Education has always depended on editors commissioning my pieces. Now, it’s time to take a gamble and jump into the world of self-publishing👇🏽
aymenidris.substack.com
aymenidris.substack.com
June 12, 2025 at 6:19 AM
My commentary on UK Higher Education has always depended on editors commissioning my pieces. Now, it’s time to take a gamble and jump into the world of self-publishing👇🏽
aymenidris.substack.com
aymenidris.substack.com
Why early-career researchers, especially those from non-Western institutions or non-native English backgrounds, should embrace video in science communication 👇🏽
open.substack.com/pub/aymenidr...?
open.substack.com/pub/aymenidr...?
June 5, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Why early-career researchers, especially those from non-Western institutions or non-native English backgrounds, should embrace video in science communication 👇🏽
open.substack.com/pub/aymenidr...?
open.substack.com/pub/aymenidr...?
To colleagues who claim I only write ‘gloomy’ pieces—this one's for you ☺️. Thank you to those who keep me on my toes 🙏🏽 — you know who you are.
Disclaimer: It’s still a 'rant'. Some habits are hard to break.
👉🏽 open.substack.com/pub/aymenidr...?
Disclaimer: It’s still a 'rant'. Some habits are hard to break.
👉🏽 open.substack.com/pub/aymenidr...?
May 31, 2025 at 3:16 AM
To colleagues who claim I only write ‘gloomy’ pieces—this one's for you ☺️. Thank you to those who keep me on my toes 🙏🏽 — you know who you are.
Disclaimer: It’s still a 'rant'. Some habits are hard to break.
👉🏽 open.substack.com/pub/aymenidr...?
Disclaimer: It’s still a 'rant'. Some habits are hard to break.
👉🏽 open.substack.com/pub/aymenidr...?
Reposted by Aymen Idris
Contextualising #Research Outputs in #Africa
We, at AiS, believe that incorporating the Human Development Index (#HDI) - a composite measure of #lifeexpectancy, #education, and #income - into research assessment is a call for #equity.
#African #universities
We, at AiS, believe that incorporating the Human Development Index (#HDI) - a composite measure of #lifeexpectancy, #education, and #income - into research assessment is a call for #equity.
#African #universities
May 22, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Contextualising #Research Outputs in #Africa
We, at AiS, believe that incorporating the Human Development Index (#HDI) - a composite measure of #lifeexpectancy, #education, and #income - into research assessment is a call for #equity.
#African #universities
We, at AiS, believe that incorporating the Human Development Index (#HDI) - a composite measure of #lifeexpectancy, #education, and #income - into research assessment is a call for #equity.
#African #universities
Gary Younge, a former Guardian columnist and an academic at the The University of Manchester, on being pigeonholed as a “Black journalist” 👇🏽
www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2...
www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2...
Gary Younge on being pigeonholed as a black journalist - podcast
Former Guardian columnist Gary Younge reflects on the pressures faced by minority journalists to focus on certain stories, and how they can break free
www.theguardian.com
May 19, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Gary Younge, a former Guardian columnist and an academic at the The University of Manchester, on being pigeonholed as a “Black journalist” 👇🏽
www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2...
www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2...
Which UK political party is inspiring “Black academics” on diversity?
Hint: It’s the one that planned to send migrants to Rwanda.
The answer? Yes, you guessed it - it’s the Tories.
Read More…👇🏽
open.substack.com/pub/aymenidr...?
Hint: It’s the one that planned to send migrants to Rwanda.
The answer? Yes, you guessed it - it’s the Tories.
Read More…👇🏽
open.substack.com/pub/aymenidr...?
DIVERSITY ACCORDING TO THE TORIES IS NOT WORTH THE EFFORT
Tokenism in academia, as in politics, undermines true progress.
open.substack.com
May 15, 2025 at 4:28 AM
Which UK political party is inspiring “Black academics” on diversity?
Hint: It’s the one that planned to send migrants to Rwanda.
The answer? Yes, you guessed it - it’s the Tories.
Read More…👇🏽
open.substack.com/pub/aymenidr...?
Hint: It’s the one that planned to send migrants to Rwanda.
The answer? Yes, you guessed it - it’s the Tories.
Read More…👇🏽
open.substack.com/pub/aymenidr...?
May 11, 2025 at 11:53 AM
It's time that #African #universities incorporate #metrics other than #citations - e.g. Human Development Index (DHI) - into research assessment 👇🏽
AiS Index (AiSi): Contextualising hashtag#Research Outputs in hashtag#Africa
To learn more about our Africa-centric hashtag#metrics and unique features of our hashtag#datahub, hashtag#database and hashtag#thinktank, visit www.africainscience.org
To learn more about our Africa-centric hashtag#metrics and unique features of our hashtag#datahub, hashtag#database and hashtag#thinktank, visit www.africainscience.org
May 11, 2025 at 10:17 AM
It's time that #African #universities incorporate #metrics other than #citations - e.g. Human Development Index (DHI) - into research assessment 👇🏽
Reposted by Aymen Idris
From the AiS Archive 👇🏽
Defining the Value of Palliative Care for Patients in Africa
Dr. Eleanor A. Reid, MD, Ph.D., an assistant Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, USA.
Watch the full video 👉🏽 youtu.be/j3te02S8a8g?...
#PalliativeCare #Death #Africa
Defining the Value of Palliative Care for Patients in Africa
Dr. Eleanor A. Reid, MD, Ph.D., an assistant Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, USA.
Watch the full video 👉🏽 youtu.be/j3te02S8a8g?...
#PalliativeCare #Death #Africa
May 4, 2025 at 10:22 AM
From the AiS Archive 👇🏽
Defining the Value of Palliative Care for Patients in Africa
Dr. Eleanor A. Reid, MD, Ph.D., an assistant Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, USA.
Watch the full video 👉🏽 youtu.be/j3te02S8a8g?...
#PalliativeCare #Death #Africa
Defining the Value of Palliative Care for Patients in Africa
Dr. Eleanor A. Reid, MD, Ph.D., an assistant Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, USA.
Watch the full video 👉🏽 youtu.be/j3te02S8a8g?...
#PalliativeCare #Death #Africa
Reposted by Aymen Idris
From the AiS Archive 👇🏽
Defining the Value of Palliative Care for Patients in Africa
Dr. Eleanor A. Reid, MD, Ph.D., an assistant Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, USA.
Watch the full video 👉🏽 youtu.be/j3te02S8a8g?...
#PalliativeCare #Death #Africa
Defining the Value of Palliative Care for Patients in Africa
Dr. Eleanor A. Reid, MD, Ph.D., an assistant Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, USA.
Watch the full video 👉🏽 youtu.be/j3te02S8a8g?...
#PalliativeCare #Death #Africa
AiS Lectures | The Value of Global Palliative Care, by Dr. Eleanor A. Reid, MD, Ph.D.
YouTube video by Africa In Science
youtu.be
May 4, 2025 at 10:22 AM
From the AiS Archive 👇🏽
Defining the Value of Palliative Care for Patients in Africa
Dr. Eleanor A. Reid, MD, Ph.D., an assistant Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, USA.
Watch the full video 👉🏽 youtu.be/j3te02S8a8g?...
#PalliativeCare #Death #Africa
Defining the Value of Palliative Care for Patients in Africa
Dr. Eleanor A. Reid, MD, Ph.D., an assistant Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, USA.
Watch the full video 👉🏽 youtu.be/j3te02S8a8g?...
#PalliativeCare #Death #Africa
Reposted by Aymen Idris
From AiS Archive 👇🏽
Alternative Medicine for Africa
An AiS BiteSize video by Nthabeleng Hlapisi, MSc.
A PhD Candidate at the University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.
Watch the full video 👉🏽https://youtube.com/shorts/rwTPWIaFRVs?si=tKJ0CAPd7fEeLdWa
#AlternativeMedicine #Science #Africa
Alternative Medicine for Africa
An AiS BiteSize video by Nthabeleng Hlapisi, MSc.
A PhD Candidate at the University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.
Watch the full video 👉🏽https://youtube.com/shorts/rwTPWIaFRVs?si=tKJ0CAPd7fEeLdWa
#AlternativeMedicine #Science #Africa
April 19, 2025 at 3:39 AM
From AiS Archive 👇🏽
Alternative Medicine for Africa
An AiS BiteSize video by Nthabeleng Hlapisi, MSc.
A PhD Candidate at the University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.
Watch the full video 👉🏽https://youtube.com/shorts/rwTPWIaFRVs?si=tKJ0CAPd7fEeLdWa
#AlternativeMedicine #Science #Africa
Alternative Medicine for Africa
An AiS BiteSize video by Nthabeleng Hlapisi, MSc.
A PhD Candidate at the University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.
Watch the full video 👉🏽https://youtube.com/shorts/rwTPWIaFRVs?si=tKJ0CAPd7fEeLdWa
#AlternativeMedicine #Science #Africa
The demise of foreign aid offers an opportunity
Donors should focus on what works.
Much aid currently does not
www.economist.com/leaders/2025...?
Donors should focus on what works.
Much aid currently does not
www.economist.com/leaders/2025...?
The demise of foreign aid offers an opportunity
Donors should focus on what works. Much aid currently does not
www.economist.com
March 7, 2025 at 11:41 AM
The demise of foreign aid offers an opportunity
Donors should focus on what works.
Much aid currently does not
www.economist.com/leaders/2025...?
Donors should focus on what works.
Much aid currently does not
www.economist.com/leaders/2025...?
Reposted by Aymen Idris
From the 'AiS Video Archive' 👇🏽
IGNITING FIRE AWARENESS IN AFRICA
An AiS BiteSize video by Dr. @Rhoda A. Mensah, PhD., University of Technology, Sweden.
#FireAwareness #FireSafety #Africa
IGNITING FIRE AWARENESS IN AFRICA
An AiS BiteSize video by Dr. @Rhoda A. Mensah, PhD., University of Technology, Sweden.
#FireAwareness #FireSafety #Africa
March 6, 2025 at 1:43 PM
From the 'AiS Video Archive' 👇🏽
IGNITING FIRE AWARENESS IN AFRICA
An AiS BiteSize video by Dr. @Rhoda A. Mensah, PhD., University of Technology, Sweden.
#FireAwareness #FireSafety #Africa
IGNITING FIRE AWARENESS IN AFRICA
An AiS BiteSize video by Dr. @Rhoda A. Mensah, PhD., University of Technology, Sweden.
#FireAwareness #FireSafety #Africa
Reposted by Aymen Idris
AiS BiteSize: Our short #video series that features a #researchers highlighting one under-#researched topic in #Africa in 60 SECONDS.
March 6, 2025 at 1:47 PM
AiS BiteSize: Our short #video series that features a #researchers highlighting one under-#researched topic in #Africa in 60 SECONDS.
Reposted by Aymen Idris
Leaders Must Transform #African #Universities into Healthy
Workspaces
An AiS BiteSize video by Dr. Tessie Herbst, M.Ed, Ph.D., an academic Leadership Development, Tshwane University of Technology, #SouthAfrica.
#MentalHealth #Africa #Academia
Workspaces
An AiS BiteSize video by Dr. Tessie Herbst, M.Ed, Ph.D., an academic Leadership Development, Tshwane University of Technology, #SouthAfrica.
#MentalHealth #Africa #Academia
February 3, 2025 at 6:02 AM
Leaders Must Transform #African #Universities into Healthy
Workspaces
An AiS BiteSize video by Dr. Tessie Herbst, M.Ed, Ph.D., an academic Leadership Development, Tshwane University of Technology, #SouthAfrica.
#MentalHealth #Africa #Academia
Workspaces
An AiS BiteSize video by Dr. Tessie Herbst, M.Ed, Ph.D., an academic Leadership Development, Tshwane University of Technology, #SouthAfrica.
#MentalHealth #Africa #Academia
Henry Ford, the billionaire carmaker, spread antisemitism through his newspaper. Now Elon Musk, the White #SouthAfrican billionaire carmaker, has developed a peculiar obsession of his own.
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/world/united...
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/world/united...
Is Elon Musk the modern Henry Ford?
Henry Ford, the billionaire carmaker, spread antisemitism through his newspaper. Now Elon Musk, the billionaire carmaker, has developed a peculiar obs...
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
January 25, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Henry Ford, the billionaire carmaker, spread antisemitism through his newspaper. Now Elon Musk, the White #SouthAfrican billionaire carmaker, has developed a peculiar obsession of his own.
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/world/united...
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/world/united...
Knowing what your colleagues earn
The pros and cons of greater pay transparency
www.economist.com/business/202...?
The pros and cons of greater pay transparency
www.economist.com/business/202...?
Knowing what your colleagues earn
The pros and cons of greater pay transparency
www.economist.com
January 24, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Knowing what your colleagues earn
The pros and cons of greater pay transparency
www.economist.com/business/202...?
The pros and cons of greater pay transparency
www.economist.com/business/202...?
Microsoft Excel nerds, like myself, are treated as minor celebrities at E-Sports 💪🏽👏🏽
January 21, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Microsoft Excel nerds, like myself, are treated as minor celebrities at E-Sports 💪🏽👏🏽
An information scientist explains that while Google’s AI Overviews and other AI search tools may look enticing, you shouldn’t rely on them to fill all your online search needs.
theconversation.com/ai-search-an...?
theconversation.com/ai-search-an...?
AI search answers are the fast food of your information diet – convenient and tasty, but no substitute for good nutrition
An information scientist explains that while Google’s AI Overviews and other AI search tools may look enticing, you shouldn’t rely on them to fill all your search needs.
theconversation.com
January 21, 2025 at 7:34 AM
An information scientist explains that while Google’s AI Overviews and other AI search tools may look enticing, you shouldn’t rely on them to fill all your online search needs.
theconversation.com/ai-search-an...?
theconversation.com/ai-search-an...?
Does fact-checking work?
What the science says
Meta’s planned shift away from third-party fact-checking on Facebook in favour of a crowdsourced approach has perplexed those who study the spread of misinformation.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...?
What the science says
Meta’s planned shift away from third-party fact-checking on Facebook in favour of a crowdsourced approach has perplexed those who study the spread of misinformation.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...?
Does fact-checking work? What the science says
Meta’s planned shift away from third-party fact-checking on Facebook in favour of a crowdsourced approach has perplexed those who study the spread of misinformation.
www.nature.com
January 21, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Does fact-checking work?
What the science says
Meta’s planned shift away from third-party fact-checking on Facebook in favour of a crowdsourced approach has perplexed those who study the spread of misinformation.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...?
What the science says
Meta’s planned shift away from third-party fact-checking on Facebook in favour of a crowdsourced approach has perplexed those who study the spread of misinformation.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...?
In African Publishing, ‘There Is a Renaissance Going On’
A new ecosystem of publishers, bookstores, literary magazines and festivals is promoting African writers and changing the stories told about the region.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/19/b...?
A new ecosystem of publishers, bookstores, literary magazines and festivals is promoting African writers and changing the stories told about the region.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/19/b...?
In African Publishing, ‘There Is a Renaissance Going On’
A new ecosystem of publishers, bookstores, literary magazines and festivals is promoting African writers and changing the stories told about the region.
www.nytimes.com
January 20, 2025 at 9:55 PM
In African Publishing, ‘There Is a Renaissance Going On’
A new ecosystem of publishers, bookstores, literary magazines and festivals is promoting African writers and changing the stories told about the region.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/19/b...?
A new ecosystem of publishers, bookstores, literary magazines and festivals is promoting African writers and changing the stories told about the region.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/19/b...?