Don’t cry for me, academia: gamifying the early career experience
Don’t cry for me, academia: gamifying the early career experience
Don’t cry for me, academia: gamifying the early career experience
By Wajeehah Aayeshah
January 13, 2026
Summary
Wajeehah Aayeshah describes Academic Tears, an online card game developed from research with early career academics during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. Drawing on interviews and workshops with more than 40 ECAs, the game uses dark humor, choices, and twist cards to show how precarious work, stress, funding pressures, and personal sacrifices shape academic careers. Aayeshah argues that games can communicate research more powerfully than traditional papers by building empathy and solidarity. The article calls on universities and senior academics to better support ECAs through secure work, funding, advocacy, and more humane institutional policies for academia’s uncertain future ahead now.
Reference
Aayeshah, W. (2026, January 13). Don’t cry for me, academia: gamifying the early career experience. THE Campus Learn, Share, Connect. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/dont-cry-me-academia-gamifying-early-career-experience