This paper offers a framework of kindness as a value-laden approach to deal with the changing dynamics and nature of universities. Higher educational institutions are going through unprecedented changes due to the global impact of AI. This comes at the tail end of disruption caused by COVID19, remnants of which are still clearly visible. Financial struggles and mental and physical exhaustion continue. Even before AI and the pandemic, universities, mostly due to neo liberal capitalistic leanings, had become increasingly toxic spaces. There are multiple factors like job precarity, fewer opportunities to build relationship with students and staff, systematic racism, and alliances with military- industrial complexes. These contribute to an eco-system that supports unhealthy competition, inequity, and actively oppress human rights. Additionally, the current student generation, Gen Z, has very different behavioural patterns. This affects their educational reception and requisites. This framework is based on data collection through interviews, photo elicitations, surveys, observation analysis, and creative collaborative workshops. This data has been collected in Australia, Ireland, US, UK, Netherlands, and Belgium. The framework offers five aspects as a part of a kindness ecosystem. These include Spaces of kindness, Tools of kindness, Manifestation of kindness, Pockets of healings, and Toxic eco-systems in which kindness currently exists. This paper offers Kindness as a core value which can enable a pragmatic way of bringing in diverse styles of teaching and learning, researching, and administration. The framework of kindness is designed to reclaim the integrity meaningful purpose of our higher educational institutions in contemporary societies.

Authors:
Wajeehah Aayeshah, University of Melbourne, Australia

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Wajeehah Aayeshah is a Lecturer in Curriculum Design at Arts Teaching Innovation (ATI), University of Melbourne. She is currently exploring kindness in higher education. She also develops creative narratives through short stories and games.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wajeehah-aayeshah-aa953549/

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