This book launch symposium presents an innovative new edited collection in the SRHE book series on using diary methods in higher education research, co-edited by Xuemeng Cao (Tsinghua University) and Emily F. Henderson (University of Warwick). The core aim of this book was to contribute to methodological innovation in higher education research with this under-utilised method. The collection was published in March 2021 by Routledge and includes chapters on a wide range of different topics relating to diary methods and to different empirical studies conducted in the higher education research field.

The book launch includes an introduction to the book and presentations on four chapters from the book by chapter authors:

•    Introduction to ‘Exploring Diary Methods in Higher Education Research’: Xuemeng Cao (Tsinghua University) & Emily F. Henderson (University of Warwick) 

•    ‘The diary method and its power to record the routine and forgettable in the language lives of international students: Olivia Groves (Curtin University)

•    ‘Accessing silenced voices?: Diary method as a source of data for understanding higher education experiences of students from socially excluded groups’: Nidhi Sabharwal (CPRHE-NIEPA), Roma Smart Joseph (Isabella Thoburn College), Anil Chindha Bankar & Avinash Vasantrao Talmale (Vasantrao Naik Government Institute of Arts and Social Sciences Nagpur) 

•    ‘Audio diaries: A creative research method for higher education studies in the digital age’: Dangeni (presenting author), Dely Lazarte Elliot, Carole MacDiarmid (University of Glasgow) 

•    ‘Using diaries in mixed methods designs: Lessons from a cross-institutional research project on doctoral students’ social transition experiences’: Jenna Mittelmeier (University of Manchester – presenting author), Bart Rienties (Open University), Kate Yue Zhang (American University of Paris), Divya Jindal-Snape (University of Dundee) 

Once the main event concludes at 11am, the online meeting room will remain open for 30 minutes for authors and attendees to chat informally.