The typical hour-long seated meeting has become firmly embedded in university culture, which is why we need to consider alternative ways of sharing information and discussing problems. As academics struggle to protect time for meaningful work, an unconventional approach from the software industry might offer a surprisingly effective solution to meeting overload. Academic stand-up meetings provide a structure that allows us to bypass some of the taken-for-granted assumptions about what meetings are.

Stand-up meetings

I’ve lost count of how many hour-long meetings I’ve attended that could have been handled in 10 minutes (see, Meetings expand to fill the time allocated to them). Or worse, the meetings that should have been emails.

One approach to change the culture around meetings in academia is to consider running some of your meetings as stand-ups.

Stand-up meetings are exactly what they sound like – everyone stands for the duration of the meeting. They typically follow a simple format where each person briefly answers three questions:

• What did I accomplish since our last meeting?
• What am I working on now?
• What’s blocking my progress?

The physical act of standing naturally keeps these meetings short and focused. When people are standing, they tend to get to the point rather than meandering through lengthy discussions. Most stand-ups wrap up in 15 minutes or less.

Getting started with academic stand-ups

Some institutions are finding that academic stand-up meetings work particularly well for research group updates and project check-ins. If you’d like to try this approach in one of your teams, consider these practical tips:

• Start small. Choose one regular meeting to convert into a stand-up format. Committee meetings or research group updates are good candidates.
• Set clear expectations. Let participants know beforehand about the new format and the three questions they’ll need to answer.
• Keep time strictly. Fifteen minutes maximum. If detailed discussions arise, schedule them for later.
• Choose your time carefully. Early morning often works best, before the day’s distractions take over.
• Use a visual aid. A simple shared document or board showing current projects can help keep updates focused and relevant.

Your first few stand-ups might feel awkward or rushed, and that’s completely normal. Focus on keeping the format simple and consistent. As your team gets more comfortable with the rhythm, you’ll find these brief, focused meetings can be surprisingly effective at keeping everyone aligned.

Handling resistance

Academic stand-up meetings might seem out of place in traditional university culture, but their effectiveness is hard to argue with. However, you might encounter some scepticism when suggesting stand-ups in an academic context, so here are some suggestions for addressing common concerns.

• “This seems too informal for academia.” Remind colleagues that the format’s purpose is to enhance productivity, not diminish professionalism.
• “We need more time for detailed discussions.” Explain that stand-ups aren’t meant to replace all meetings – they’re a tool for quick updates and identifying issues that need deeper discussion later.
• “Some colleagues have mobility issues.” The ‘standing’ part could be optional. The key is keeping updates brief and focused, whether sitting or standing.
• “We have too many people for this format.” Suggest breaking into smaller groups if needed. Stand-ups work best with 5-10 people anyway.

The real benefit isn’t just saving time – it’s about creating space. When you reduce an hour-long meeting to 15 minutes, you’re not just saving 45 minutes, you’re also protecting the mental space needed for high-value work.