Academic guides and Tools

This section gathers practical tools and thoughtful reflections designed to support your academic journey. You will find accessible guides on academic writing, proposal strategy, career planning, and other aspects of scholarly practice, alongside reflections that speak to the art and craft of research itself. These materials aim to share hard-earned insight, spark reflection, and help both emerging and established scholars navigate the challenges of academic life.

Academic Survival guides

Navigating the tumultuous waters of academia presents significant challenges. During my time at KU Leuven, I have had the privilege of teaching (and continue to teach) a bold course tailored to equip promising young philosophers with the tools they need for their journey toward becoming professional philosophers. In line with the belief that “knowledge not shared is a privilege,” I have chosen to make some of the course materials available to the public. The idea is to write a ‘strategic handbook’ addressing various challenging aspects of academic life, particularly for young scholars. The handbook will delve into the intricacies of the publishing world, the competitive job market, and the art of crafting proposals for European funding schemes. I am currently working on it but do not know when I will be done. For the time being, you can find here some guides focused on how to write different kinds of academic texts (articles, abstracts, etc.).

Reflecting on academic practices

I have been taught that good teachers (and by extension, good researchers) are always reflective practitioners. I could not agree more on this point. The only way by which we can improve what we do (whatever that may be) is by constantly reflecting on how we do our work and striving for doing it better. You can find below some reflections on academia that I felt I should share.

©️Nicola Polloni | Latest update: March 2026