Prof. Reza Daniels has been appointed as the new Dean of the Faculty of Economic Management Sciences at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. His appointment comes after Prof Ingrid Woolard stepped down as Dean last year, with Daniels now set to lead the Faculty of EMS from November 1, 2025.

Imagine waking up to a sunrise in Bali, working from a café in Lisbon, and closing your laptop for a hike in Medellín—all in the same year. Welcome to the life of a digital nomad. Digital nomadism is more than a lifestyle; it’s a transformative shift in how people approach work. Digital nomads are professionals who leverage technology to work remotely while travelling the globe, free from the constraints of a fixed office. This trend has gained massive momentum, driven by advances in communication tools, globalisation, and the COVID-19 pandemic, which normalised remote work across industries. The numbers back this up. According to Upwork, 36.2 million Americans will be working remotely by 2025—a staggering 87% increase from pre-pandemic levels(1). Buffer’s 2023 State of Remote Work report revealed that 91% of respondents have a positive experience with working remotely with 1% being dissatisfied and 8% feeling neutral. 98% of remote workers would recommend it to others (2). These trends show that technology and shifting work-life balance priorities are reshaping what it means to “have a job.”

IntroductionAcademic advising refers to the process where appointed members of staff provide academic guidance, information signposting and other relevant non-academic forms of support to students to help promote their success and improve their overall higher education experience (Medernach, 2018).Its role has long been recognised as crucial for supporting students, especially those from under-represented minorities (Smith et al, 2009; Young-Jones et al, 2013).While practices across the UK and Europe appear similar in their foundations, the diverse nature of student cohorts suggests some different institutional priorities.At the university of Exeter, taking into account these different approaches, we introduced a handbook for academic advisors in the Economics Department. Here we share our experience.