Think Education

In this latest Think Education podcast, Christopher talks to friend of the show, Dr Tendai Charles – Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, British University in Dubai – about AI and its function to support an inclusive learning environment. Tendai talked about his recent attendance and presentation at the Advance HE Teaching and Learning Conference 2024, held at Nottingham Trent University, UK, and how AI dominated the conversation - even on sessions not necessarily focused on it. We talked about work being done by Dr Philip Quirke – HCT – about the responsible use of AI in teaching and learning and the efficient ways it can be used to demonstrate both its value and its limitations.  Using AI as a tool to support engagement and critical thinking is a powerful way to implement it. Tendai and I talked about the need to start these conversations with a focus on pedagogy and then work from there to see where AI and technology could best be used to enhance learning, rather than starting with AI and having fear or overwhelming support be the origin point.   https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/programmes-events/calendar/teaching-and-learning-conference-2024   #AIineducation #inclusion #learningenvironment #technologyinteaching #CRDE #BUiD

In this latest Think Education podcast, Chris and Judith talk to Jessica Turner, CEO of QS, about her journey from Australia to the USA to the UK – with all stops in between. This marks the second in our current series looking at women in leadership and international higher education. Jessica talked about her background in music and how this creativity and willingness to follow her own path – even while studying in a heavily male-dominated engineering discipline at university – as helped her throughout her professional career. Jessica talked about mentors and shared a powerful story about the normalisation of balancing home and work life – and being equally comfortable in both.  We talked about the role of parents and how we can help to shape the environment in which our children work and more importantly, how they are able to respond to, and indeed, challenge it. Jessica is strongly motivated by learning and brings a curiosity to everything she does. This shines through in our conversation, as does her passion for what she does on a day to day basis with QS. We talked about advice Jessica would give to her younger self – or to women entering the international higher education space and she stressed the need to follow your own path.  Build up skills and confidence to know your vision is as good as anybody else. Didn’t try to conform. Be yourself. The conversation came full circle with Jessica linking her interest in being an orchestra conductor to her current professional life.  The role of a conductor is to bring people together.  Jessica is fundamentally interested in the what and why of how things work – and how the people operate within this space. International Higher Education provides a great opportunity to do this and, as a result, demonstrate impact and solve problems. Be hugely supportive and hugely aspirational - both as parents and leaders.   https://www.qs.com/our-team/jessica-turner/ #womeninleadership #empowerment #curiosity #forgeyourownpath #teamwork #QS #internationalhighereducation

In this latest Think Education podcast, Chris and Judith talk to Dr Lobar Babakhodjaeva, Associate Professor, Global Education Department, Westminster International University in Tashkent – Uzbekistan.  We spoke to Lobar about her journey through education, to senior leadership, to a focus on her research and teaching. This podcast is the latest over the past year, grounded in our ongoing interest on voices and journeys in education and is linked to the book we are currently finishing (writing, not reading) that has a particular focus on the role of women in international higher education. Lobar talked about the role of mentors in her life and career development and how important this is to develop leadership capabilities and awareness of what is possible. We talked about the importance of normalizing equal access and opportunity for both boys and girls.  Both Lobar and Judith shared stories about experiences they have had where gender was seen as a barrier – or at the very least, a challenge. Lobar wrote a post following the podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7213593511944699905/ - where she outlines more of her experience and poses the following questions for comments: What are the challenges faced by female leaders in higher education? How many female leaders/managers do you have in your institution? 2.    What was the role of mentors in your career development?3.    What can HEI do to try to address the inequality and imbalance? We talked about strategies and approaches for access, development and empowerment and Lobar talked about her experience and the need to not focus on others but make sure you can prove things to yourself.  Progress will be made through continued conversation, increased understanding and meaningful action.   #femaleleadership #womeninhighereducation #mentors #development #research #professionaldevelopment #homeeconomics #access #support #opportunity

In an attempt at a meta-session, Chris and Judith took a little time today to think and talk about podcasting. This episode was motivated by several factors: we thought it might be nice to talk and think about something other than what is going on in the sector at the moment; and a colleague and friend of ours, Fabrizio Tfifiro - https://www.linkedin.com/in/1234591/ has just launched a new podcast Experiences of International Education (https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7204862986262343681/) on which we will both appear in later episodes reflecting on our experiences and journeys in international higher education.  We started thinking about community, paying it forward and the opportunity to engage – and how valuable all these factors have been to us over the past few years. Our conversation moved through paying attention, active listening, engagement, honesty and reflection – with a brief pit stop on a plane, in the classroom and the car on the way home from baseball practice – to come to the inevitable conclusion that podcasting has been a force for good in our lives and we are grateful for the opportunity and the ability to engage. While there is no substitute for actual conference attendance and in-person engagement, this platform has provided an almost perfect back-up and one that is accessible and easy to arrange.  We have been consistently impressed and thankful for how open and honest guest have been and how much we have been able to develop our own thinking and viewpoints as results of these learning experiences. Please do get in touch if you would like to be on the podcast as we are always interested in a good chat!   iTunes: Podbean:   #podcasting #engagement #discussion #community #access #internationalisation #conferences #digitalcoffeebreak

International Student Perspectives: Taiwan and the UAE In a companion type piece to last week’s look at international student mobility in Australia, today we asked students to reflect on their experiences with and at university. This episode of the Think Education podcast includes reflections from postgraduate students from the College of Education at National Chengchi University (Taiwan) and the Faculty of Education at the British University in Dubai (UAE). We talked about what they hope and hoped to get out of their journey in higher education.  We asked them about their reflections on the role and purpose of a university.  We talked about community engagement and the profile of a university in the community itself. We asked them to reflect on the future of international higher education, and they gave some advice on navigating presenting at international conferences.  We talked about imposter syndrome and how it never really goes away. Their reflections are positive and insightful – and not always what you might expect. I even took the opportunity to ask what their collective noun for a group of academics would be.  The best one didn’t make the recording as it was offered afterwards – ‘an echo chamber’.   #studentperspectives #reflectionsoneducation #highereducation #internationalstudents #mobility #research #nccu #BUID #studentpresentations #researchcontribution #impostersyndrome

International student recruitment caps in Australia – a review and discussion In this latest episode of the Think Education podcast, Judith and myself were delighted to be joined by return guest, Dr Douglas Proctor, Pro Vice-Chancellor Global Engagement, Swinburne University of Technology.  We were delighted to have the opportunity to talk to Douglas again – even if the subject matter wasn’t all that cheerful in nature. Douglas provided a deeply insightful and reasoned discussion regarding the recent changes in Australia regarding international student numbers and legislation to curtail and significantly reduce them. Douglas explained that there will be a system of caps put in place to regulate numbers and while these can be exceeded with a financial penalty, Ministers will also have the ability to prevent recruitment and even possibly licenses, should this occur.  While this seems like an extreme case and perhaps unlikely, the fact that the possibility exists is significant.  The capping of numbers will naturally have both a financial and practical impact.  As Douglas explained, in Australia, we are talking of a 48-billion-dollar industry.  In practical terms, there will be a considerable increase in the management and  We talked about what the medium to long term goals were behind these decisions – impacting not just Australia but many other countries. Douglas made the insightful point that these decisions taken in one country, give license for others to follow suit and highlighted that issues don’t need to be real (allegations of international students taking up all available university places and accommodation), they only have to be believed to be real.  Douglas talked about the significant mechanisms that exist within Australia for universities to be able to communicate to government and that he is hopeful these will be avenues for discussion and influence. Douglas remained optimistic (even if he had to squint to do so) about the future.  There are some good elements in the recent legislation and plans – namely a greater sense of regulation regarding students changing degrees/providers shortly after having arrived in Australia. We talked about the role of TNE in all this.  Douglas saw this in a very positive light.  Not as a means to offset reduced international recruitment but as a fundamental function of Australian higher education.   #internationalstudentnumbers #australia #UK #Canada #TNE #recruitment #internationalisation #caps #leadership #mobility

In this latest Think Education podcast episode, Judith and Chris talk to Sharon Davies-Smith, College Director/Principal and Chief Operating Officer – The College, Swansea University. In addition to this being a fascinating conversation, it has been a few months since we spoke to somebody from Wales and this could clearly not be allowed to stand any longer! Sharon talked about her background and journey through education, hall tutor, teacher, commercial buyer for Sainsbury’s and Next and then back to education to her current role as Chief Worrier at Swansea University.  We explored her journey and reflected on how, as if often the case, things make complete sense when seen in reverse.  Sharon also talked about the need to be assertive and put yourself forward for opportunities and how this was, and remains today, a challenge that faces many women. Sharon reflected on the work in progress that is achieving work-life balance and understanding what things you can let go, what to fight for and how to know the difference.  This is such a relevant topic, now so perhaps more than ever as we openly acknowledge the need to understand mental health and wellbeing.  A professional should not be judged purely on their output as this way madness lies. We then asked Sharon about her recent holiday (the first one in years) to Japan and how she had approached planning for this, how she had found the experience and the need for distance from work in order to recharge and experience something completely new.   It is OK to allow yourself to care a little less at times.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-davies-smith-612b12b3/?originalSubdomain=uk   #leadership #timemanagement #wellbeing #motivation #prepare #mentorship #mentalhealth

In this latest Think Education podcast episode, Judith reflected on her recent attendance at the UUKi’s International Higher Education Forum 2024 – held in London, UK.  Judith highlighted the honesty and reflective nature of presentations and discussions seen now as normal and the value that this bring to the community and understanding. Three key issues emerged from Judith’s reflections and they are all connected to the shifting realities of higher education: International student mobility and the impact this has on institutions, cities and communities.  This is not an issue for any single one country or region but rather a sector wide concern.  The conversation naturally focused on international students and the extent to which their presence, and indeed absence, can dramatically impact local, regional and international economies and stability. Online and distance learning.  Students demonstrating an increasing interest in studying online for the first year or two of their degrees and then switching to in person.  We talked about how this can be seen as evidence of students taking advantage of a disrupted pattern of learning to their own advantage – supported by employer attitudes on the value of a degree. Employability and graduate outcomes.  In particular, the lack of tracking applied in this regard to international students.  We talked about the role universities should play in this debate and what it will mean to not adapt to emerging, and indeed current, realities. We tried to end on a positive note and that included referencing Tom Hanks and his work with the American astronauts who faced life and death issues. Tackle the problem in front of you and then the next one.  Don’t get overwhelmed.   https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/latest/events/international-higher-education-forum  #UUKi #conferences #studentmobility #pathways #internationalrecruitment #engagement #challengingtimes #employability #studyonline #leadership #educationalpolicy

AI and Origami: Responding to New Challenges with Old Techniques   In this latest Think Education podcast, Judith and Chris continue their previous conversation about resilience and change, but with a focus on the use of technology in education – particularly AI. Chris reflected on a conference he chaired - The 2nd Global Conference on Research in Education and Research (GCEL 2024) – this past week in Dubai, and talked about the challenges some participants had faced due to the floods in the UAE.  The sheer value of academic engagement and interaction was never more fully evident! One of the presentations, talked about the use of origami in teaching mathematics – by way of encouraging creativity.  One of the audience members remarked that this was at least one teaching/assessment method that AI could not be used to subvert!  This led Judith and Chris down the verbal pathway of AI, cheating, creativity and technology usage, acceptance and distrust. We talked about the role of AI in higher education and our response to new technologies more broadly.  Why are we threatened by it?  What does this say about AI and about ourselves? We are eager to continue this conversation with colleagues engaged in the use of technology and to learn more about views on creativity.  If you are interested in joining a conversation about this, please do let us know.     #ai #managingchange #GCEL2024 #technologyinteaching #riskassessment #culture #strategy #origami #institutionalresponses

Judith and Chris have been away from the podcasting world for a few weeks – holidays and life – and are now recording this in the midst of some fairly significant natural disasters and home issues.  The current situation prompted us to think about resilience and how we cope with crises in both our personal and professional lives.  And because this is us, we managed to include Jurassic Park, Bruce Lee and King Solomon along the way! This podcast is an attempt to talk about our approach to coping with issues and the importance of having somebody to talk to and lean on.  We all face issues in our personal and professional lives and being able to take a step back at times and reflect on what we are going through, how we are approaching solving the issue, and what we ultimately hope to achieve can be really helpful. We talked about working in different environments and understanding how to work within different contexts while maintaining our own sense of integrity and professionalism.  There is a need to compromise and to learn but there is also a need to ensure we are staying true to our core values and expectations – and indeed quality assurance. We talked about control.  The need to have it and the need to let go at times. Kindness goes a long way.   #resilience #crossculturalunderstanding #kindness #jurassicpark #brucelee #kingsolomon #thistooshallpass #mentalhealth #wellbeing #teamwork

Judith and Chris discussed the issue of success and how we measure it.  We talked about the problems with the terms and approaches we use here and how we are often trapped by a framework of our own making. We talked about time and partnerships.  How long it takes to set them up; how long they take to actually take; how long we should stay in them before we consider them a success or a failure.  We also debated what success and failure actually look like in educational partnerships.   Somehow, we found ourselves possible defending the value of MoU’s and their collection – we tried to back away from this as quickly as we could but to no real avail.   Judith, as is her wont, brought the discussion back to rugby and reflected on what success means for different nations.   Chris, not to be outdone, turned to basketball and reflected on comments made by Giannis Antetokounmpo, a professional basketball player with the Milwaukee Bucks in America, about the nature of success and failure and how we need to recalibrate how we think about this.   While we did not resolve the issue, we did conclude that how we view and measure success is both a function of organisational culture and leadership.  How we approach the issue of TNE and international education - what we expect it to deliver - will dictate how we interpret its success.  Perhaps we need to change the input to better understand the output?   #success #internationalhighereducation #perception #MoUs #partnerships #perceptionoffailure #measurement #engagement #GiannisAntetokounmpo

There are more things talked about in this podcast than in your imagination.   Language always pulls us back and forms a strong element of many of the conversations Judith and I have.  We like language.  We like books.  We like talking about language.  We like talking about books. Judith reflects on our recent conversations and podcasts and talks about how we learn languages at school and out in the real world.  We talked about school trips abroad and exchange visits, what this meant for us at the time and how we reflect back on them now. We talked about the sense of wonder when we travel and how that can still be replicated, or whether it has been left by the wayside.  Perhaps it is replaced by empathy and engagement and that can’t be a bad thing. We found ourselves talking about food all of a sudden – still not entirely sure how this happened – as a function of comfort and memory.  We can of course seamlessly tie this to an abstract construct of identity, representation and travel in international higher education – but at the time, it just happened. We talked about impact.  How we are impacted by travel and how we, in turn, impact other people we meet.  We reflected on the vast levels of kindness we have experienced when travelling and how this can help us be more empathetic to international students in return.   Don’t underestimate the value of the alphabet in deciding where to visit!   #language #culture #food #literature #languageteaching #studentexchange #bobblehats #travel #internationalexperience #madrid #home #senseofwonder #thekindnessofstrangers #agamemnon #cheesepie #comfortfood #engagement

Judith and Chris wander down the often problematic, and always fascinating labyrinth that is the nature of culture. What do we think of when we hear the word culture?  Judith reflects on what the term means in the boardroom as compared to in the ‘outside world’.  Inward and outward views abound. Culture can be perhaps seen in different ways: from the personal perspective thinking about other places and the cultural norms that exist there (fascinating, unnerving perhaps, curious), food, language etc.  And from the professional view of institutional culture – a great term that can both facilitate action and prevent it. Chris reflected on his experience working in organisations internationally, particularly when working on a branch campus looking to replicate the home campus model in the midst of significant diversity and what this means for culture and identity. We made no attempt to define culture in this podcast but rather took the opportunity to reflect, muse on the topic and probe a little deeper into our own understanding.  Using examples from our own backgrounds (personal and professional) we talked about language, distance, connection and association with places and how this shapes our experience, our outlook and to some extent, ourselves. Chris reflected on his time in Malaysia and the UAE and the reality that when places ‘look’ or ‘feel’ the same there is an expectation that they will be the same as ‘home’ and when it inevitably isn’t, this can actually be more jarring that somewhere completely different.  When you are in a distinctly different place, you are the different one and this can help reshape your approach and outlook. How do we articulate the notion of culture within an organisation, or even within ourselves?  For those of us in international higher education, this is a daily reality – both in conversation and reflection.   #culture #languagelearning #diversity #institutionalculture #organisationalculture #smallcultures #senseofplace #association #identity

In this latest Think Education podcast episode, Chris talks to Judith about her recent trip to Romania.  In many ways this is the bookend to Judith’s 2023 trip to Sofia, Bulgaria with the British Council and represents a full commitment to developing sustainable approaches to partnership engagement. Judith talked about the preparation for this trip and how participants and organisers had developed the model over the course of the two events and used communication and engagement to ensure an interactive and productive experience – with a lot of pre work and interaction in place. The British Council event brought together the entire infrastructure of international higher education, including representation from QAA, OfS, Romanian and UK HEIs and Envisia – an organisation linking academia and corporate professional development.  This meant that as questions came up, you could simply turn to the person next to you for the expert answer and advice. Judith reflected that the huge advantage of this event, and indeed the previous one in Bulgaria, was that time was built in for people.  The ability to talk and develop relationships is invaluable. Sometimes, taking a walk with colleagues is a great way to start a conversation!   #TNE #internationalhighereducation #academiccollaboration #studentexchange #research #industrylinks #sustainabilty #britishcouncil #takeawalk #engagement #interaction #mobility #travelabroad #academicecosystem #UniversityofStirling #ArdenUniversity #BucharestUniversityofEconomicStudies #RomanianAmericanUniversity #alumni

We return to looking at origin series again in this Think Education podcast episode and the baton passes from Judith to Chris today. Chris reflects on his initial career aspirations and how they morphed into a life in international higher education with a seamless (at least in hindsight) journey all mapped out!  Judith and Chris talk about the lessons we learn along the way and how, one thing can quite literally lead to another.  The ability, and freedom, to be open to possibilities is a luxury that often pays off. Following on from Judith’s honest reflection regarding the challenges of living and working internationally, Chris looks back over his first major professional international move and reflects on his place within this process, what he gained from it and how he navigated the ups and downs.  Chris talks candidly about what happens at the end of a posting and how this can impact identity, wellbeing and indeed family life.  What happens next is a common question, and indeed concern, for many of us who are working away from our ‘home’ country. Internationalisation teaches you many things, not least of all that stability is a fluid concept.  We rapidly become more comfortable with chaos and uncertainty, both in our professional and personal lives.  It teaches you the need to be flexible and to roll with the punches.  Life won’t always work out the way you think it will but it will often be quite a ride along the way.       If you would like to come on the podcast and share your international higher education journey, please do let us know.  We would love to hear from you.   #originstory #internationalhighereducation #pathways #malaysia #teaching #learningcurve #engagement #culture #travel #globalcitizen

In this special episode, we learn about Leif Erikson and what it means to be an explorer. I asked Sprout what it means to be an explorer and she explained how it is something we can all do, especially with the help of books.  Every book is a chance to visit somewhere new and have new adventures. In this podcast, Sprout talks about Leif’s travels to America and also talked about how Christopher Columbus never actually went to America, even though we all think he did and he gets credit for it.  She also made sure to tell us that even though explorers ‘find’ new countries, these are often places where people already live. Sprout gives us some advice on how to learn more about Leif Erikson and talked about the Magic Tree House book series by Mary Pope Osborne, where she first discovered Leif and the Children’s Museum in Copenhagen – part of the National Museum – where kids can play and learn all about being a Viking.  You can even sit in a Viking Ship!! We hope you enjoy this podcast where Sprout talks about Leif's background, his travels, and even his charming beard!   #explorers #leiferikson #vikings #books #reading #becominganexplorer #adventure #magictreehousebooks @MaryPopOsborne @Nationalmuseet https://www.magictreehouse.com/books/589014/narwhal-on-a-sunny-night https://en.natmus.dk/museums-and-palaces/the-national-museum-of-denmark/exhibitions/the-childrens-museum/

In today’s Think Education podcast, Judith and Chris discuss the recent Sunday Times article regarding pathways to the UK higher education sector and an excellent piece by Sophie Hogan in the Pie News outlining the issues and realities. We lamented the manner in which the narrative has been framed by the Sunday Times and the potential damage that this can do the sector and to the people involved throughout.  It is important to establish facts and present them accurately rather than skew the narrative for political gain. Judith talked passionately about her experience, both practically and from a research perspective, with pathway students. Our conversation continued to explore the politicization of education and the extent to which higher education is indeed a political concern – particularly international higher education. Education certainly has an economic underpinning but it is possible to be a source of income to an institution and also a highly capable and motivated international student at the same time. We talked about the ongoing pressure for universities to demonstrate their value within the community and the extent to which this is already going on.   https://thepienews.com/news/sunday-times-pathways-article/ #thepienews #internationalhighereducation #narrative #studentexperience #pathwayproviders #educationalpathways #politicizationofeducation

In this latest Think Education podcast episode, we try something a little different.  As our third book is looking into the more personal nature of international higher education and the journeys taken by those of us inside this wonderful world, we thought we would start with ourselves. We flipped a coin, and Judith won.  Or lost, depending on how you look at it. Judith reflects on how she began her career in international higher education – although it wasn’t remotely conceived of as such at the time!  The dreams of driving a truck were replaced with teaching.  This then took her far far away from home, to the land of the rising sun. Judith talks about her initial career aspirations, the opportunities that arose, the decisions she took, and the challenges she faced and overcame along the way.  In this personal reflection, we learn about the realities of working abroad and away from home and family, the challenges and the loneliness that are perhaps inevitable, and the power we have to take control of this and get the most out of the experience.  It isn’t always easy, but it is almost always worth it. The journey doesn’t always make sense when you are in the middle but a sort of logic emerges when we look back. If you would like to come on the podcast and share your international higher education journey, please do let us know.  We would love to hear from you.   #originstory #internationalhighereducation #pathways #japan #teaching #learningcurve #engagement #culture #travel #globalcitizen

In this latest Think Education podcast episode, Judith and Chris talk about the process of beginning book number 3 and how they have become increasingly comfortable with embracing uncertainty. Building on ideas generated in the first two books, where we looked at the landscape of international higher education (book 1) and the role and identity of universities (book 2), we are turning our attention to the individual.  To the experience and journey. We talked about the process of idea generation and how we navigate the idea of developing the next book while working on the current one! We talked about what we have learned writing together over the past few years and the impact that podcasting has had on our ability to develop ideas and to gain new perspectives from all the valuable conversations we have had in the past year.  Listening to people tell their stories was both fascinating and enlightening. It has helped to create ideas and content. We are looking forward to the opportunity to engage once more with colleagues around the world and to learn from their individual experiences, their origin stories and the lessons they learned along the way. Writing a book is not necessarily having everything planned or in place (an outline will of course be more than a little useful when approaching possible publishers) and can be about developing an idea and seeing where it takes you.   #writingpartnerships #collaboration #academicresearch #writingabook #ideageneration #community #publishingabook #trilogy

In this latest Think Education podcast episode, Chris and Judith discuss the role of mentors throughout their careers and the journey from mentee to mentor.  We played around with various titles for this podcast (as you will hear in the episode) but ultimately it is about the journey we take in our careers and the support we receive, and give, during that time.  We find ourselves coming back to the notion of community in our podcasts (and indeed in our writing) and this sense of connection and engagement is at the heart of this conversation. We talked about the role and importance of good leadership, how you know it when you see it, and how its absence can be all too powerful.  We talked about our own approach to this, and that we have appreciated in others.  We reflected on the fact that mentors come in all shapes and sizes and are not uniquely found in those more senior to us.  And are not always connected to direct career progression but forms of learning and development all the same. We would be delighted to hear your stories and experiences about the mentoring experience so please feel free to comment or get in touch.   #mentoring #communication #internationalhighereducation #culturalawareness #careerdevelopment #university #development #leadership #podcast #community

In this first podcast of 2024, Judith and Chris reflect back on the previous year (again) and think about the year to come. We don’t necessarily have a plan for the direction we would like the podcast to go but we do know that more of the same would be most welcome.  Last year was filled with fascinating and insightful conversations with colleagues from around the world and we look forward to being able to enjoy more again this year. If you are interested in being a guest on the podcast, please do get in touch and let us know.  We are always open to talking to, and learning from people – we know and don’t know.   #newyearnewconversations #engagement #interaction #internatioanlisation #internationalhighereducation #podcast #thinkeducation #communityofpractice #research #practice

In this, the final Think Education podcast of 2023, Judith and Chris reflect back on a year of podcasting; a year of conversations; and a year of global engagement. We managed – with a lot of help from our friends – to put up 50 original episodes (we had two repeats over the summer break) and had the opportunity to talk to people from Australia, China, Egypt, Germany Hong Kong, Malaysia, Netherlands, Taiwan, the UAE, the UK, the USA, Wales (of course), and Zimbabwe. We are grateful to be part of a community of engagement, that we get to learn from others and hopefully, that we get to keep the ideas moving a little bit ourselves too. Thank you to all who came on the podcast and shared your reflections and insights. Thank you to all of you who listened. We look forward to more conversations next year.   Andrew Disbury Jazreel Goh Michael Pelletier Edward Harcourt Lisa Wallace Vivienne Stern Jason Makwabara Ceri Nursaw Nigel Healey Vicky Lewis Arlene Griffiths Rachel Soundy Bola Ibrahim Mark Garrat Douglas Proctor Fabrizio Trifiro Zeenath Reza Khan Tendai Charles Sandra Baroudi Alfredo Bautista Cheryl Yu Angela Yung-chi Hu Jack Lee Fion Chooey Boon Lim Perry Hobson Hugh Martin Paula Sanderson Ahmed Shaban Leina Shi Stephanie Martin Tim Rottleb

In this second part of our conference podcast series Chris and Judith talk about the fun and frivolity of organizing, chairing and running a physical conference.  We have both had experience with this in the past and direct experience lately and we share some tips and tricks we have picked up along the way. We talked about the creative process involved in developing conference themes and the tremendous value in being able to create a platform for discussion and presentation. Once you have been on the other side of conference organisation, you have a much higher tolerance and respect for things that may (and most likely will) go wrong.  Judith shared an example of a recent PIE event that involved a massive last minute shift of venue – which they masterfully solved. We talked about the hope that conferences can in fact be conversations.  We need to bring the coffee break chat into the panel sessions and develop a platform for debate and engagement. Things that can go wrong, will likely go wrong.  Things you didn’t know could go wrong, will likely do so. Be prepared to vamp. #conferenceorganisation #chairing #panelsessions #timemanagement #nostupidquestions #ACARI2023 #UUKITNEconference

In this first part of a series on conferences, Judith and Chris discuss recent conference attendance and engagement and reflect on the value of discussion, uncertainty and working through ideas. Chris reflected on his attendance at COP28 in Dubai and outlined his participation in a panel organised and chaired by Dr Zeenath Reza Khan.  The panel session was Academic Integrity as key competence for UN SDG 13 - Climate Change and brought together speakers for high schools, university, policy makers and students – from university and high school.  Chris talked about his experience being on a panel with no fixed presentation agenda and where speakers reflected on practice and were not defending an institutional position.  This can be liberating. Judith reflected on her attendance at UKENIC 23 – Reconfiguration and her participation in a plenary session looking at the future of international higher education.  Judith discussed the nature of the event and how the audience make-up can alter the conversation that takes place on stage.  Diversity in the audience, and a move away from a specifically focused academic conversation, provides an opportunity for reflection and debate. We talked about the need for engagement and reflection and the value in being able to disagree with colleagues.  As a result of the loss of activity and physical engagement during the pandemic, it does seem that we have emerged more willing to share, to be honest and to reflect.   It’s OK not to agree with each other, and even with ourselves at times!   https://www.cop28.com/en/schedule https://www.ecctis.com/universities%20and%20colleges/Annual%20Conference/Default.aspx    #conferenceattendance #engagement #sustainabilty #highereducation #COP28 #UKENIC23 #presentationskills #activelistening

In this episode, Judith and Chris talk to Tim Rottleb -  science manager at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) @BTUCS where he is an officer in the Department for Regional Transformation. Before joining the BTU, Tim worked as a researcher at the Leibniz-Institute for Research on Society and Space (IRS) where he was part of a research group investigating international branch campus development from urban and economic geographic perspectives.  He recently submitted his PhD thesis in geography at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Tim studied Politics and Economics of the Middle East at Philipps-Universität Marburg and worked for UN organizations in Cairo and Berlin. We asked Tim about his work with international branch campus development and he talked about his recent work on gateway cities and educational hubs and the motivations for engaging in this space.  He pointed out that motivations here are often in conflict – or at least not entirely complementary – with the sending nation looking to establish research intensive institutions but the reality on the ground needing capacity building programmes that can be recruited to. We talked about identity and values – how internationalisation is viewed in different places and how the art of compromise is absolutely necessary. Tim compared the German and UK higher education systems and talked about the rationale for German internationalisation and the underlying contradictions and motivations. We talked about spaces of exception and academic values – reflecting on the narrative that one side is right and the other wrong, and how this impacts the decision making process for where we go and what we do.  We reflected on the fact that on an individual academic level, there is often partnership and engagement activity in place but this becomes more problematic at the institutional level. Universities are certainly capable of setting up more and more branch campuses but the real question is perhaps, should they?   Recent articles by Tim: Gateway cities for transnational higher education? Doha, Dubai and Ras al-Khaimah as regional amplifiers in networks of the ‘global knowledge-based economy’ (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/glob.12429) Circulation and containment in the knowledge-based economy: Transnational education zones in Dubai and Qatar (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0308518X221077105)   #transnationaleducationhubs #internationalisation #spacesofexception #motivation #internationalhigheredcuation #postcolonialism #developmentalnarrative #germanhighereducation

Have you ever wondered what goes on at a big international conference?  How sessions are organised?  How people prepare for them, or engage with them?  If so, this is the podcast for you. In this latest Think Education podcast episode, Judith reflects on her recent attendance at Going Global 2023 in Edinburgh. Judith talked about the style and structure of Going Global and outlined the interactive nature of the panel sessions.  We talked about the interactive nature of these type of panels and the value of engaging the audience and leveraging their expertise.  I asked Judith how she prepared for these types of events – both from the perspective of a presenter and a chair (session, not furniture). We rounded off the episode discussing identity and Judith reflected on how this issue was framed and discussed during Going Global.  Internationalisation is an opportunity to engage with, and learn from, others.  Judith was struck by the openness of colleagues to discuss this issue and the clear focus on transparency and a willingness to adapt to new environments and a need to respect different cultures.  We talked about the parallels between the international and the local here and how any university has an impact on its community and brings together a variety and diversity of people.  We talked about the possibility for change but also recognised that there are times when compromise is not possible.  The reality of this debate is positive, however, for increased sustainability in the international partnership model. #goingglobal #britishcouncil #panels #researchengagement #collaboration #partnership

In this latest Think Education podcast, Chris reflects on two recent events he attended – The IC Global Café TNE: Impactful Collaborations, Meaningful Student Experience and Achieving Sustainability and Equity, delivered by Dr Vangelis Tsiligiris and the 4th TNE Hub Research and practice symposium – Advancing Horizons: Transnational Education Partnerships in a Pluralizing World.  TNE’s role in Empowering Graduates, Fostering Impact and Promoting Equity. Vangelis spoke about the need to place students in the centre of partnership activity, particularly in the TNE space and Dr Katherine Lupton, Lead for Academic International Partnerships, Leeds Trinity University, presenting in the 4th TNE Hub symposium, outlined the approaches taken at Leeds Trinity to support student engagement and used the excellent phrase of ‘name not a number’ to indicate their connection to each of their TNE students. These two presentations got us thinking about how we view students in the TNE space and how we should perhaps view them.  We debated the metrics of university success as opposed to the more qualitative narrative of experience and acknowledged the challenges in this process. We talked about the student experience and student identity and went back and forth on the value and purpose of TNE; how we measure success; how we view its expansion; and ultimately, how we demonstrate value.     #studentengagement #namenotnumber #TNE #partnerships #studentsatisfaction #educcationalvalue #measuringsuccess #impact #TNEHub #NottinghamTrentUniversity #TheICGlobalCafe #LeedsTrinity

In today’s somewhat blurry eyed episode of the Think Education podcast, Chris reflects on his (very) recent trip to Taiwan and talks about his long standing relationship with Taiwan and with colleagues there, like Angela.  Chris talked about the content of his recent trip and discussed his experience in light of recent podcasts about travel and value. Judith and Chris talked about language development and classroom practice – both as a tool to support international recruitment and mobility, and as a capacity building approach and Judith shared her reflections and experience on the Japanese example of international teachers.  Chris talked about his experience working with EMI teachers in Taiwan and the changes to government policy – over the past few years – that have dramatically increased the percentage of teaching conducted in English in Taiwanese universities. Judith asked Chris about his experience working with students in different contexts and the types of research they conduct and the challenges they face along the way.  Chris talked about the absolute value and intellectual stimulus that can come from meeting with and listening to students from a variety of contexts. And we learned how easy it is for a, seemingly straightforward question to, quite literally break your brain!   #EMIteaching #internationalisation #studentdevelopment #research #universitycollaboration #studyabroad #whatisaninternationalconference

This Think Education podcast was prompted by our last few episodes on travel (Bulgaria and China) and two recent LinkedIn items: one post by Cheryl Yu on power politics of English in global higher education and the subsequent comments on how we as a community can effect change; and one post by Vicky Lewis, and The IC Global, on leveraging post-conference energy to keep the momentum going?  This got us thinking about discussions we have with colleagues and the impact this can have back at home. Judith and Chris reflected on their own experiences of balancing trip energy with office expectations and discussed the reality that at times, the day to day can simply overtake the best of intentions.  We talked about the need to carve out space to keep the momentum going – taking a leaf from Vicky and writing a blog post, or having a conversation (or podcast) to further develop ideas and identify possible avenues for action. We looked at this issue from both the institutional level: the challenges in developing relevant TNE partnership activity; the likelihood that many initiatives will fail; the energy needed to push things through university processes, and from the individual level: the need to find space and time to develop and reflect on ideas; the opportunity to try things out in our classrooms; the need to connect with others. Greater understanding of internal capability, of expectations, of outcomes, increases the likelihood of sustainable approaches and impact.  Chris reflected on a presentation he attended at a recent conference, given by Worada Apirat and Phanita Pooteang, from Mahidol University, that focused on the role that administrative staff can play in doing research, highlighting activity and supporting change. Our conversation drifted, as it is so often wont to do, to the purpose of a university and how it can in fact demonstrate – or attempt to explain – this to the wider community.  Academia is driven by quality assurance and by reputation and is therefore more comfortable with longer term returns on activity.  Students often want to see progress and change with more immediacy.  And in this dilemma is the need to better communicate aims, demonstrate activity, measure impact and empower all members of a university to be part of the process.    https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7124319661915009025/ https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7127574530201382913/   https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-iwd4n-14eb3b6 https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-qt877-14c24d3   #conferenceenergy #community #transformation #academicpartnerships #gettingthingsdone #internationalhighereducation #mahidoluniversity #institutions #teaching #professionaldevelopment #whatisauniversity

In this latest Think Education podcast, our intrepid hosts talk about Judith’s recent trip to Bulgaria.  Judith was part of a delegation, with the British Council, to discuss TNE activity and collaboration opportunities.  Many of our listeners might not be as aware of the current capability and appetite for TNE in Bulgaria as they could be. Many of our podcast hosts, may likewise not have been as aware of the opportunities as they could have been.  It is always deeply gratifying, not to mention really interesting, to learn about TNE development and activity in ‘non-traditional’ TNE hubs/markets.  There are more things out there than often dreamt of in our philosophies after all. What seems very encouraging, is the desire to produce something tangible, rather than relying on the MoU collection process.  Judith highlighted the diversity of current approach and we talked about the real value of exploring research partnerships in TNE and not solely focusing on student exchange.  We talked about the role of industry in possible TNE partnership development and the need to increase dialogue between academia and industry.  Over the course of this podcast, we reflected back on previous conversations we have had with Bola, Cheryl, Leina Shi, Stephanie and of course, Vicky Lewis, about language learning, knowledge ownership and the need to increase contextual understanding.  This increases awareness but also increases sustainability. Judith marveled at some of the stories of language learning she had heard during her visit and we reflected back on Vicky’s findings about the types of skills and capabilities this must open up for people. Judith was clearly impressed by The University of Sofia and encourages all listeners to give them a quick google. Hard to beat a university that has a Mammoth!   #TNE #internationalhighereducation #academiccollaboration #studentexchange #research #industrylinks #sustainabilty #Bulgaria #universityofsofia

Welcome, Bienvenido, مرحباً, Wilkommen, 欢迎, and Bienvenue Friend of the show Vicky Lewis joined us again today for a conversation about language, learning languages and the advantages this can bring. This episode began when we saw Vicky’s LinkedIn post on language learning a few months ago.  We wanted to have a conversation about this to learn more about Vicky’s perspective but she sensibly asked to wait until she had time to review the feedback and responses she had received.  Clearly, this was the right approach as it brought us here today! Vicky walked us through her own experience of learning languages in school, university and further afield – she had reached a clear level of success when people thought she was French speaking German!  We talked about immersing yourself in another culture and language and how this can significantly increase our empathy towards others experiencing the same thing.  Being confused and frustrated when trying to communicate is a great leveler and makes us better educators and people. Vicky presented some of the findings from her recent study and highlighted that common responses to the skills gained as a result of language learning included: flexibility, patience, resilience, problem solving and looking for alternative solutions, cross-cultural teamwork capability, and a willingness to fail and try again. We talked about the need for an educational philosophy that places value and importance on language learning and the value that this can have for the individual and society more broadly. We pondered the question as to why there is a relative absence of language provision in university internationalisation strategies and discussed the need to better connect university strategy and civic mission. AI can personalize the language learning experience but it can’t substitute human interaction.  Language is alive and should be experienced accordingly.   #languagelearning #internationalhigereducation #studyabroad #eduationalphilosophy #skilldevelopment #teamwork #culturalcommunication https://www.linkedin.com/posts/drvickylewis_knowledge-of-languages-is-the-doorway-to-activity-7097492253153071104-VuEG?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

In this latest #ThinkEducation podcast episode, Chris and Judith talk to Stephanie Martin, co-founder of Edvance Education Consultants, about decolonising the curriculum: what this means from both a philosophical and practical perspective – including some tips on how we might approach this at a nursery level!   We asked Stephanie for her thoughts on the process of decolonisation within TNE and how we can attempt to navigate this process – and sometimes dichotomy – of expectations, quality and reality.   Stephanie talks passionately about the need for representation and multiple voices to be heard; not for the deletion of history but rather for a more critical awareness towards motivations and contexts.   We talked about the difference between diversity and decolonisation and how simply including multi-cultural examples in our teaching is a good start but more must be done to critically address issues and discuss varying perspectives.   We talked about the term decolonisation itself and how it can be viewed negatively, or even misunderstood.  The need to reflect and anlayse the past should not be conflated with its eradication.  Increased awareness and understanding comes through discussion and engagement and to remove history is not the same as changing the way that we view our future, or even our present.  Perhaps we need a new term that more accurately reflects what we are trying to achieve with this process.   As is often the case, we ended up talking about Shakespeare and the way we can provide access points to our students by elevating their status and raising the profile of their own experiences through placing them firmly within the narrative in our classrooms.   Decolonisation is about how are we evolving, what have we learnt from the past, and what lessons can it teach us about our future. There is a beauty in this discussion as we are all learning from each other.   #decolonisingthecurriuculm #diversification #curriculumstudies #internationalisation #internationalhighereducation #languagelearning #ESL #windowsandmirrors #madeleinemiller #nataliehaynes #patbarker #littlepeoplebigdreams   https://www.edvanceconsultants.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-martin-0118638b/?originalSubdomain=ae   Recent Publications by Stephanie; Breaking Chains of the Past: Decolonizing Education for a Brighter Future Ethics and Integrity in Teacher Education (Springer, 2022)

In this latest Think Education podcast episode, Judith and Chris discuss the partnerships in international higher education: how they come about; how we sustain them; how we measure their value and impact. In a call back to our first book together (with our colleague Tim Gore) we discussed the purpose of partnerships and the motivation behind entering into them.  Chris reflected on his time in Malaysia and the wonder that is collecting MOU’s.  We talked about how the balance of power has shifted in TNE partnerships over the past decade and how this is a positive thing by increasing the need for accountability and transparence, while also promoting more targeted development and capacity building. Judith reflected on partnership activity during the pandemic and we discussed the way in which approaches to it have changed since the pandemic and how this aligns to our previous conversations about international education travel – we need to demonstrate value for money and ensure we are getting the most out of our endeavors. We thought a bit more broadly about the nature of partnerships and how these naturally exist on multiple levels within a university and we wondered how this can be better captured and leveraged for sustainable activity.    It is not always easy to measure the value of interaction but it is also equally difficult to discount interactions completely and the impact they have had on our career.   #partnerships #academiccollaboration #internationalhighereducation #globalreach #equity #trust #risk https://www.routledge.com/The-Evolution-of-Transnational-Education-Pathways-Globalisation-and-Emerging/Hill-Lamie-Gore/p/book/9781032126036

Have you ever wondered what our senior academic colleagues get up to on international higher education trips?  Turns out, it is perhaps not quite as glamorous as pictured.  In the post-pandemic era, there is a very real need to demonstrate value and return for travel and this can put a lot of pressure on international trips.  Agendas are full; travel can be taxing; and there are often simply too many cups of coffee! In today’s episode of the Think Education podcast, Judith and Chris discuss Judith’s recent trip to China, as part of a delegation of senior UK higher education representatives.  Judith reflects on her China trip and provides insight on the workings of senior level delegations – the travel; the discussions; the collaborative nature of interaction; and the need to make the best use of one’s time. Judith and Chris discuss travel pre and post pandemic and reflect on some of their experiences working at distance in international higher education, including some of the real challenges – such as humidity hair (more of a problem for some than others). We discussed the changes we have seen to travel and our response to it as we have gained more experience (and years).  There is tremendous value in being able to be still and think – particularly given the full on nature of trips.   Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.   #china #internationaleducation #partnerships #delegation #BritishCouncil #UUKI #ThinkEducation

Have you ever found yourself at a conference and wondered, 'am I really here and where is here in fact?'  If so, this is the podcast for you! In this latest Think Education podcast Prof Christopher Hill talks to Professor Perry Hobson, Director of BUas Academy for Tourism at Breda University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, about fake conferences and the impact these have on academia. Perry outlined work he has undertaken looking at the issue of fake conferences, how they operate and the knock on effect they can have on academic practice. We discussed the academic practice of creating and disseminating knowledge and the challenges of access – in terms of paid journal subscriptions – faced by many countries around the world.   Mounties always get their man! https://www.linkedin.com/in/professor-perry-hobson-5b7517b/?originalSubdomain=nl #fakeconferences #academicintegrity #researchengagement #publication #journals

To coincide with Judith’s trip to China, this latest episode of the Think Education sees Chris and Judith talking to Leina Shi, Director Education British Council China, about her move to China during the pandemic, leaving UK higher education after 20 years, and the scope and scale of the role she now occupies, including British Council priorities in China.   Leina reflected on the changes she has seen in western approaches to China over her career and the renewed interest and willingness to engage post-pandemic and offers insight on how this process could be managed.   We talked about digital engagement and virtual connections, as compared to face to face trust building. Leina talked about the event she is organising this week, which brings together key UK and Chinese university stakeholders to discuss collaboration and future activity. Leina gave us a sneak preview into some of the techniques she uses to increase engagement during both online and face to face events.   We asked Leina about identity in international education and discussed some of the reflections and case studies in our latest book The Evolving Nature of Universities: What Shapes and Influences Identity in International Higher Education to get her perspective on how identity is viewed in different contexts.   #China #internationalhighereducation #britishcouncil #engagement #identity #digitalengagement #conferences

In this latest Think Education episode Judith and Chris discuss the wonder that is Clearing. For those not familiar with this exciting time of the year, Clearing is the process by which UK universities and colleges fill any places they still have on their courses.  It is an action packed, and often stressful, time of the year for almost all involved.   As students around the world get ready to begin their university journey, we decided to reflect back on our own experiences with Clearing - including the need for regular sugar fueling with mars bar cakes and Jo’s ice cream - the value it has to a university and the impact this can have on people and their sense of identity and wellbeing.   We talked about the student experience and how life changing attending university can be. We thought back to our own experiences and reflected on the pressures placed on young people today to have all the answers - as opposed to having the freedom to simply learn and explore.   You may not always get what you want, but hopefully, you get what you need.   #universityexperience #clearing #application #studentlife #universitybusiness

Freshly returned from his summer holiday, Mason chose to travel back to revolutionary France today.   We talked about why revolutions often happen and how people have the power to change things for themselves and for each other.   Mason pointed out that having a King who does nothing but party, and a Queen who is more concerned with styling her hair to look like a boat than with whether people have enough food, is not a good recipe for happy people.   We realised that a lot of Mason’s favourite periods in history have to do with revolutions or one group trying to overthrow another. Not unsurprisingly, we are going to talk about the American Revolution in a future episode!

In this latest Think Education Podcast episode @ProfChrisHill and @ProfJudithLamie talk about the wonderful world of academic conferences.  As many of us turn our attention to the new academic term and returning to the office and classroom, we naturally thought it made sense to talk about leaving campus in pursuit of the conference experience! During this podcast, we share some of our horror (and success) stories from the early days of our academic careers to the present day, and offer some insights into what we have ‘learned’ along the way. We reflect on the value of in person events and how best to navigate the experience, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the online model that has been so popular and necessary in recent years. Judith and Chris compare notes on the role and value of conferences in their respective locations (UK and UAE) and think about the student experience within this space. We try to offer some guidance and support for students and early career academics here and would welcome the opportunity to hear from others about their experiences and tactics for getting the most out of a conference.   #conferences #networking #publicspeaking #academicdiscourse #academictourism #careerdevelopment #research #publication #dissemination

In this latest Think Education podcast, Prof Christopher Hill talks to Dr Ahmed Shaban about his work with the Sharjah Private Education Authority and discusses the recent initiative of a four day week in the private schooling system. Dr Ahmed outlines the process involved in designing, developing and implementing the four-day week within the private education sector in Sharjah (an Emirate of the United Arab Emirates) and reflects on the initial stages of the implementation. The discussion moved to impact and wellbeing and Dr Ahmed reported on the current findings and feedback received from key stakeholders, the mechanisms in place to fully support the changes, and some of the knock on effects of the change – such as reduced traffic and increased social activity. I asked Dr Ahmed about the change in the schooling day and where the additional hours of learning ended up.  I was curious to learn how you are able to condense five days into four – and of course, you can’t, not completely.  The four days do become a little longer but the three weekend days are aimed at creating a balance – with considerable resources in place to support family activity, camps and wellbeing. As the first such experiment of this nature in the Arab World, the Sharjah Four-Day Week is a fascinating initiative that seeks to better understand student learning, wellbeing and social interaction.  While this is still a work in progress – with an ongoing review process in place – there are already interesting findings (available in the report linked below) to mull over and reflect upon.   Four Working Days: An impact study on productivity and quality of life from the perspective of private education in Sharjah https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmed-shaban-phd-697a1427/?originalSubdomain=ae https://spea.shj.ae/   #fourdayweek #wellbeing #privateeducation #spea #UAE #education #studentlearning

Hot off the press!!  Judith and Chris discuss the release of their latest book and reflect on the process of writing it.  The Evolving Nature of Universities: What Shapes and Influences Identity in International Higher Education (Routledge 2023: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003389361) In previous podcasts, Judith and Chris discussed the start of the process and how they developed both the ideas and the practical aspects of the book.  In this episode, they reflect back on how initial ideas evolved and how new ones emerged.  It is seemingly a good idea to be open to inspiration and to allow a little freedom as you write – you never know where the next good idea will come from. Judith and Chris talked about the sheer enjoyment and opportunities to learn that come from working with collaborators and the absolute need to increase the different perspectives to which we are exposed.  A staple in our books is the student voice chapter and to this we added a parental perspective.  It is often easy to think we understand the world in which we live and work – largely because we have occupied space within it for a while – but there is always scope to learn more and to think more deeply. This second book is a book of questions – as was the first one – and we realise that answers are not the point of why we do this.  Questions, the ability to ask them and learn from opinions, perspectives and experiences, is. As is often the way with these things, Chris found out about the release of the book by reading a post from, most definitely friend of the podcast, Vicky Lewis! https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.4324/9781003389361/evolving-nature-universities-christopher-hill-judith-lamie https://www.linkedin.com/in/drvickylewis/ https://www.ted.com/talks/dr_christopher_hill_the_ego_and_the_k_id   #secondbook #writingpartnership #collaboration #studentvoice #internationalisation #identity

Another repeat episode for the summer period! In this episode, Judith and I chat about our writing process and how we collaborated with colleagues around the world.  Writing can often be a tricky business but if you can find people you like working with, like listening to, and like learning from, it can be a whole lot easier! If you haven't already heard this one, please enjoy Judith and I chatting about how we write, how we work with contributors to develop ideas and to learn from alternative perspectives. #writingabook #workingwithothers #workingatdistance #collaboration #partnerships

As the summer is fully upon us and people are perhaps a little less likely to listen to podcasts, we didn't want to put up new content with interesting colleagues - for fear that the episodes wouldn't be as widely appreciated as they should be.  So instead, we thought it better to stick with just us! As our second book is now imminent, our thoughts turned back to the start of the process.  Or maybe the middle, it is hard to keep track sometimes!\ If you haven't already heard this one, please enjoy Judith and I chatting about how we write, how we come up with ideas, and how we manage to produce work at distance.  If you have already heard this (thank you for listening) and perhaps you can enjoy it anew! #writingabook #workingatdistance #collaboration #partnerships

In this latest #ThinkEducation podcast, @ProfChrisHill talks to Paula Sanderson @PaulaSanderso16 about the leadership, training, identity and space in TNE.  Paula, COO Interim Middlesex University has held Chief Operating Officer roles at Queen Mary University of London, SOAS University of London, and University of Reading Malaysia, as well as senior operations roles at the University of Sydney and University of Exeter. Paula reflects on her doctoral work on governance and ethics in international education, and her time working in various international TNE operations, to discuss issues of cultural awareness; communication; training needs; and development opportunities. I asked Paula about her work on space and how replicating the home campus exactly can actually create barriers and obstacles for TNE students, rather than the sense of sameness.  We talked about the challenges of navigating the need to replicate quality and the desire to contextualize the experience, and then – if possible – to exchange information and knowledge from the branch campus to the home campus. We talked about the values and identity and the need to be more fully aware of where we are going, what we are able to do when we get there, and what we are prepared to accept.  We reflected on the role of a university and the notion of identity – as connected to values – and what happens when we transplant to another system, country and set of rules, beliefs and laws. Social mobility should be for all https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-paula-sanderson-323a7745/   #socialmobility #TNE #Malaysia #professionaldevelopment #culturalawareness #accreditation #communication #leadership

In this latest Think Education podcast @ProfChrisHill talked to Hugh Martin, Registrar and Chief Administrative Officer at The British University in Dubai, about the role of universities within society and the value of education. Hugh reflected on his extensive experience in Higher Education senior management to discuss the power universities have to make a positive impact upon society, and indeed how they have an invaluable role in providing spaces for discourse, information interrogation and knowledge dissemination.  Hugh reflected that universities could certainly do more to demonstrate their value and that the power of higher education, when not viewed as a mere stepping stone to employment, can be instrumental in shaping and developing society. Our conversation moved through the learning experience and how the pressures that young people face today – in terms of deciding their future – could be better replaced with choices and options for learning.  By creating space and time to think and develop, universities have a vital role to play in supporting youth development and encouraging creativity.  Moving away from a content driven model to one that supports interdisciplinary learning will better prepare students for life and not just for work. There are probably more poets around than we realise!   https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-martin/ https://www.timeshighereducation.com/author/hugh-martin #internationalhighered #society #employabilityagenda #youthdevelopment #degreevalue #discourse #teachingandlearning

In this latest Think Education podcast @ProfChrisHill talks to Professor Perry Hobson, Director of BUas Academy for Tourism at Breda University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, about the timely issue of international students and how they are viewed in different contexts. As students around the world are navigating the summer period and thinking about upcoming study activity, travel and new chapters and challenges, we took this podcast session to think about how we in the academic community, and society more broadly, think about international students and how they could be better supported. Perry reflects on his time in the Netherlands and the way in which international students are counted, viewed and even courted. Our attention then, rather predictably, turned to the situation in the UK and the politicization of international students.  We discussed student mobility and differing approaches to attracting and supporting international students during their studies and the ever thorny issue of what you do with them once they have graduated. We reflected on our collective experiences in the UAE, Malaysia, the UK, the Netherlands and Australia to think about value and experience. How you count something dramatically impacts its value! https://lnkd.in/dgjhvFmQ  #internationalstudents #politicsinhigheredcuation #studentmobility #internationalhighered #recruitment #UAE #Australia #UK #Malaysia #economicbenefits #studentexperience

In this latest Think Education podcast @ProfChrisHill talked to Fion Lim, Associate Professor in General Management at UTS Business School in Sydney Australia, about TNE partnerships, online learning and the student experience.   Fion reflected on her extensive experience in TNE partnership management to discuss partnerships pre and post-COVID, what worked in the past, want doesn’t work now, and what could work in the future.   We talked about emerging trends in TNE partnership and the possible role for branch campuses and hybrid learning in this space.  Fion reflected on her experience working with partners in China to offer insights into key opportunities and challenges of engagement and partnership development.   We talked about how we measure success in TNE and the need to move away from the pure business model and focus instead on the student experience, impact and relevance of the degree.  Fion highlighted examples where the teaching material and content delivered in TNE arrangements was of little to no relevance to the local student population, or context, and how this impacted the quality of education and the perceived value of the degree itself.  There is a need for parity, if not equality, in partnerships and this can only serve to strengthen the arrangement, improve the student learning experience, and further support sustainable activity.   Successful TNE puts the student first   https://www.linkedin.com/in/fionlimcb/ https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Ac8IrNwAAAAJ&hl=en https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/quality-assurance-online-transnational-higher-education   Christopher Hill & Fion Choon Boey Lim (2022) Sustainability of transnational education: learning from Asia and the Gulf cooperation council, Quality in Higher Education, 28:3, 271-288, DOI: 10.1080/13538322.2021.1987889   #TNEpartnerships #internationalhighered #China #Australia #hybridlearning #contextualunderstanding #knowledgeexchange

In this latest Think Education podcast, @ProfChrisHill talks to @_Jacktlee Lecturer in Comparative Education and Education Policy @EdinburghUni about his recent article Romanticizing decolonization and Asian epistemology: reflections on identity and space and his journey through international higher education. In September 2023, Jack will be joining UofGlasgow as a Senior Lecturer. Jack reflected on the role of agency in international higher education and how this can dictate both identity and activity.  Jack talked about the Global South and the varying levels of development and power that exist within such a wide area.  Jack used his international experience to reflect on motivations and realities in different countries and the need to be critical of information sources and to interrogate assumptions. Jack talked about hybrid mobility and the impact that student movement can have on ideas, identity and realities.  We discussed the changing policies and motivations of countries when it comes to student mobility (both inbound and outbound) and the extent to which this can dictate how students are viewed as individuals, as part of a collective or even as commodities. We discussed identity, those we choose for ourselves and those that are imposed upon us.  We talked about space in international higher education and issues raised by Paula Sanderson in her doctoral thesis about how identity is constructed and barriers can be put in place by the very nature of TNE operations; and Natalie Koch’s work on the shifting geopolitics of higher education.  Jack talked about the notion of false equivalency and the need to be more contextually aware and inclusive – such that we can seek to increase awareness and engagement. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-lee-85712b18/   Lee, J. T. (2023). Asian higher education as soft power? In D. Kapur, L. Kong, & D. M. Malone (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Higher Education in the Asia Pacific Region (p. 500-513). Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-oxford-handbook-of-higher-education-in-the-asia-pacific-region-9780192845986   #globalsouth #decolonisation #indigenousknowledge #iintenationalhighered #transnationaleducation #comparativeeducation

In this latest #ThinkEducation #podcast episode, @ProfChrisHill talked to Prof Angela Yung-chi Hou - Professor of Higher Education and Associate Dean of College of Education, National Chengchi University (@nccu1927) Taiwan – about quality assurance in Asia.  We discussed emerging trends and the ways in which QA agencies are responding.   Angela reflected on conducting quality assurance activities during the pandemic and what changes have been retained, by agencies, as a result.  Angela explored the challenges in cross border collaboration and joint degree accreditation and discussed the role of governments and external agencies.  We talked about the role of stakeholders and the need to involve students more explicitly in the process.   Angela outlined the key challenges ahead for quality assurance and offered her perspective on what this might mean practically moving forwards.   We can all learn from each other, so let’s keep on talking.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-yung-chi-hou-0b0279208/?originalSubdomain=tw   #qualityassurance #qualityassuranceagencies #onlinesitevisit #ASEAN #studentmobility #crossbordercollaboration #jointdegreeprogrammes #Asia #Taiwan #HongKong #China #NationalChengchiUniversity

1066 and all that! In this latest episode, Mason wove different strands of history together to tell the story of the Battle of Hastings, moving from Harold, to William to the Vikings and back again. We talked about the role of leaders; the importance of a name; how a bad weather day can really mess up a battle; and the importance to look up to avoid arrows, and down to avoid spears!  We even managed to link a Viking king to modern technology.

In this latest #ThinkEducation #podcast @ProfChrisHill talks to Dr Cheryl Yu (@cherylqiumeiYu) about the Arts in international higher education.  We discussed how we should think about impact and value in internationalisation and how this is related to the creation and co-creation of knowledge – and the extent to which this is linked to the politics of language. We talked about the ‘traditional’ understanding and definitions in place around concepts, locations and pathways to international higher education; how this impacts the way we think about value and place; and what might happen if, and when, these concepts become defined elsewhere? Cheryl reflected on horizontal and vertical internationalisation and the need for HEIs to understand their motivations behind engaging in internationalisation, what they want to get out of it, and what their partners need and want to get out of it too.   Hopefully we can begin to think more deeply about how we think.   #China #globalnorthandsouth #collaboration #cocreatingknowledge #artseducation #definitions @internationalisation #internationalhighered https://www.linkedin.com/in/yucheryl/

In the latest Think Education podcast @ProfChrisHill talked to @Dr_A_Bautista about the life of an international academic.  Dr Alfredo Bautista is an Associate Professor in the Department of Early Childhood Education (ECE) at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) and has a wealth of international experience, having worked in Spain, North America, Singapore and now Hong Kong.   Alfredo talked about his journey from his PhD to his current position and offered reflections and advice to colleagues working in, or thinking about working in, international higher education.   Alfredo discussed, in passionate detail, his approach to learning and the need to not let our pre-judgements and assumptions get in the way of trying to understand new context and ways of doing things.   You may not always have a plan, but it is great when it comes together!   https://www.linkedin.com/in/alfredo-bautista-65a256157/ https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alfredo-Bautista-2 https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/riya20   #internationalhighered #workinginternationally #contextualsolutions #travel #podcast #hongkong #spain #singapore #dubai #earlychildhoodeducation

In today’s Think Education podcast episode @ProfChrisHill talks to Joyce Achampong (@Intl_HE) Associate Director EMEA, Executive Director and Founder of PIVOT Global Education Consulting Group about current issues regarding the youth skills agenda and employability. Joyce brought her expertise in design and delivery of learning programme development and her in-depth experience working on grass-root development projects around the world, to offer insight and analysis of where we are, where we should be, and where we might be headed. We discussed the role of higher education in the skills agenda and the disconnect felt in many places around the world in terms of skill readiness and relevance.  Traditional approaches are not agile enough and we need to rethink our approach in many areas. Joyce highlighted the need for contextual understanding to support capacity building. People need to be seen and heard. The bridge doesn’t always need to go from A to B.  It needs to go where it is needed!   #youthskillsagenda #employability #skilldevelopment #highereducation #internationalhighered https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyceachampong/?originalSubdomain=uk

In this latest Think Education podcast, @ProfChrisHill had an opportunity to talk to Dr Sandra Baroudi - Assistant Professor at the College of Interdisciplinary Studies- Zayed University, Dubai, UAE, and co-founder and CEO of @Eduvate, a professional development and training institute for educators and professionals - and learn more about female leadership in higher education and the value of peer mentoring and representation.  Sandra, an expert in the field, offered her considerable insight on contextualizing teaching and learning in the Arab world and offered practical examples on areas of focus for teachers.  We talked about language and how this can shape our understanding of concepts and the need to rethink the way we approach problems and opportunities.  Access is key and we should always look for opportunities to pass the ball and help our team succeed!   https://www.facebook.com/UAEEduvate https://www.linkedin.com/company/eduvate-uae/ (2) Sandra Baroudi (PhD, FHEA) | LinkedIn   #femaleleadership #contextualisation #leadership #peermentoring #representation #access

We are back with more Roman (and Greek) history and chat. I am joined once again by Mason to hear him talk about the troubled history between Rome and Carthage.  We talked about how Rome began; why family is important but also can be tricky; the power of stories and the real heroes.  We talked about Greek myths and what they tell us about ourselves. Sometimes you want to fight a battle, and some days, you just want to go home.

In a very different type of podcast, I got the chance today to indulge my interest in classical history. Mason Watson, almost 10 years old, from Dubai (via the USA and Czech Republic) talks us through his favorite moment in Roman history.  It is probably not what you might guess! We talked about our love of Roman history; that stories aren't always what they seem; how the little guy (and girl) can stand up to the big bully and why you should always wear a helmet in battle - no matter how cool you want your hair to look!!

In this podcast, @ProfChrisHill chats with Dr Tendai Charles, Associate Professor Faculty of Education and Director Centre for Research in Digital Education at the British University in Dubai, about the role of AI in higher education, how it is being used and how we in the community interpret its use and impact. Tendai then reflected on the role of assessment in higher education, the value of exams and the use of technology in teaching and learning more broadly.  We talked about the skills agenda and the extent to which we are accurately measuring student learning and outcomes.  We reflected on the use of AI as a source and resource for students and whether it represents the end of academia as we know it, or whether it can be embedded for good. This outline was written by an actual human! #AIinhighereducation #assessment #studentengagement #teachingandlearning #internationalhighereducation @buid_team https://www.buid.ac.ae/home-2/dr-tendai-charles/

In this episode @ProfChrisHill talks to Dr Zeenath Reza Khan (@zrtalks), Assistant Professor University of Wollongong Dubai and Founding President at ENAI WG Centre for Academic Integrity in the UAE about #academicintegrity.  We explore Zeenath’s superhero origin story; her ongoing journey to support increased awareness and practice in the UAE; and her reflections on the root causes of academic cheating and how we as a community can best address this issue.  We discussed the work of the ENAI WG Centre for Academic Integrity in the UAE and the need for greater communication and student engagement. You can’t ever escape group work!   https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeenath-reza-khan-phd-9490a348/ #studentsupport #contractcheating @studentengagement #academicintegrity #igniteintegrity

In this episode, I was joined by @FabrizioTrifiro Head of International Quality Reviews and Stakeholder Engagement, Ecctis-UKENIC & INQAAHE Board Member, to talk about quality assurance from both a philosophical and practical perspective.  Fabrizio brought his wealth of global expertise to bear on this issue and reflected on the evolving nature of higher education and how quality assurance processes are responding. Fabrizio pulled back the curtain and explained how QA agencies navigate the need to inhibit change and innovate for the future.  We talked about the constant struggle to remain relevant and maintain trust and quality, while evolving and asking questions. We talked about the core question of how do we distinguish between comparability of learning outcomes and comparability of learning experience/environment in TNE to ensure that we are best servicing the student experience. It’s a jungle out there!   https://www.linkedin.com/in/1234591/?originalSubdomain=uk #qualityassuranceinTNE #internationalisation #trust #collaboration #transnationaleducation #internationalhighered

In this episode, Judith and I talk with @douglasjproctor Pro Vice Chancellor Global Engagement @Swinburne to get the Australian perspective on all things international.  Douglas reflected on his time in both Ireland and Australia to talk about the contrasts between the two international higher education systems, the role of governments and the approach to international student recruitment. We talked about how international students are viewed in different countries; how a sense of identity and attachment can evolve and be nurtured; and what the term community means to those within and outside of a university.  We even had time to think about the pesky question as to what internationalisation actually means. https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglasproctor/?originalSubdomain=au #internationalisation #globalengagement #internationalstudents #community #universitygovernance

In this episode, Judith and I talk to Mark Garratt, Director of Marketing, Communications and Recruitment @AngliaRuskin about student diversity, values, marketing strategies and internationalisation at home.  The conversation started out one way and morphed into something entirely different but remained fascinating throughout.  Mark talks candidly about his own experiences and reflects on leadership styles and truly effective working environments. And yes, we appreciate that there is another Welsh connection here! https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-garratt/?originalSubdomain=uk #studentdiversity #internationalisation #leadership #studentrecruitment #internationalhighered

In this episode, Judith and myself chat to @bola_ibrahim about Egyptian higher education.  Bola is an International Educational Consultant and expert in Egyptian higher education – although he tries to downplay this in our fascinating conversation.  Bola walked us through the current Egyptian higher education landscape, gave considerable detail on historical development and offered genuine insight into where the sector might be going.  There were some surprises in this session and it was a real opportunity for us to delve into a robust and growing sector with strong international partnership links, as Bola shared his recent research findings and reflections. We all have sentiments, one way or the other! https://www.linkedin.com/in/bolaibrahim/?originalSubdomain=eg #egypt #egyptianhighereducation #internationalpartnership #studentmobility #internationalpartnerships

In this episode, Judith and I have one our most grown-up conversations on the podcast (and possibly anywhere) about risk and legal issues in international higher education.  We are joined by Rachel Soundy, a higher education specialist lawyer and a Partner in the Higher Education team at @BevanBrittanLLP , who provides a thoughtful and in-depth review of the key legal risk issues in international higher education.  This session provides significant food for thought and invaluable advice for partnership development.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelsoundy/?originalSubdomain=uk   #legalrisksineducation #internationalhighereducation #internationalisation

In this book end episode, Judith and I bask in the glow of having submitted our manuscript to the publishers and reflect on the process of writing the second book.  In this period before the inevitable corrections come back, and the necessary Index, we talk over our writing relationship, working with collaborators and think about ideas for the next book.

In this episode, recorded in April 2022, Judith and I began the process of writing the ever tricky sequel!  We had enjoyed writing the first book so much, we decided to give it another go and this episode marks the formal start of that process.  We talked about identity and direction; we talked about new ideas and old ideas; we talked about what we had learned from the last book and how that might help this time round - spoiler, be better prepared with the Index! #writingasecondbook #writing #collaboration #internationalhighered

In this episode Judith and I discuss the topic of leadership in higher education.  We discuss the nature of leadership itself; different models and approaches we have experienced and offer some examples where we have encountered really powerful and valuable leadership in our careers. The discussion moved to the role of women in leadership and how the system, and indeed people, can both support and challenge this reality.   #accidentalleadership #womeninleadership #womeninhighereducation #leadership #highereducation

In this latest Think Education podcast, Judith and I talked to @ArleneGriffiths about internationalisation strategies and the need to begin from the student experience.  Arlene brings a wealth of experience (from her life in the pharmaceutical industry, her roles in International Offices and running IDP Education USA, to her last position as Director of AG Consultancy) to the conversation and spoke with passion and a deep understanding of student recruitment and support.  This conversation was another Welsh tour de force as Judith and Arlene bonded over their current location and experience, and all things Welsh.  Having never worked in Wales, I felt somewhat left out but loved the conversation all the same! https://www.linkedin.com/in/arleneg56/?originalSubdomain=uk

In this latest Think Education podcast, Judith and I talked to, very much friend of the show, Dr Vicky Lewis about the development of international strategies and the inner workings of higher education institutions. Vicky is a fantastic source of information for international higher education and always places her analysis firmly in context and provides detailed and balanced perspectives throughout. At one point in the conversation, Vicky – proving to be the perfect podcast guest, managed to effectively interview herself while Judith and I sat back and enjoyed the conversation!  We hope you enjoy Vicky’s insights and wealth of experience as much as we did. @DrVickyLewis https://www.linkedin.com/in/drvickylewis/?originalSubdomain=uk #internationalhighereducation #internationalstrategy #leadership

In the latest Think Education podcast, Judith and myself talk to Professor Nigel Healey, Vice President Global and Community Engagement, University of Limerick. Nigel reflects on cross-cultural learning at universities and how we can best support the student experience in this regard.  We debated the issue of how universities can balance sustainable and internationalisation strategies and we talked about the need for, versus the value of, travel in international higher education, including a few anecdotes about the benefits of physical mobility and the need to ensure the best return for carbon investment. This is a fascinating and thought provoking conversation that asks us to challenge many of our established notions of what it is to be a university internationally. https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelhealey

In the latest Think Education podcast, Judith and I talked to Ceri Nursaw, CEO of NCEE, about her work supporting and developing entrepreneurial leadership in higher education institutions.  We talked about how values and traditions can shape the present and future; the challenges of navigating international activity and remaining authentic to a sense of self; and the need for leaders to prioritise reflection. https://ncee.org.uk/  @NursawAssociate https://www.linkedin.com/in/ceri-nursaw/?originalSubdomain=uk

In this episode, Judith and I met with Jason Makwabara, Business Management & Finance Student from Swansea University, to talk about his journey from Zimbabwe to Swansea; his experiences of learning online during the pandemic; the reasons why he choose to study abroad – despite all the pandemic uncertainty; and his views on the value of international higher education. In this highly reflective and insightful episode, Jason explains that the world is a big place, we should explore it and take advantage of opportunities to learn from others and new experiences, wherever we can. #highereducation #internationalstudents #studentmobility #studyabroad @JMakwabarara @SwanseaUni https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-kudakwashe-makwabarara-0443021a1/?originalSubdomain=uk

In this episode of the Think Education Podcast International Voices series, Judith and I talk to Vivienne Stern MBE Chief Executive Universities UK (@viviennestern) about all things TNE. Vivienne talks about TNE growth, development, possible saturation and emerging and innovative approaches to collaborative partnership.  We talk about engaging online, the value of travel and international activity post-pandemic. This podcast was recorded in 2022 when Vivienne Stern MBE was Director UUKi. #highereducation #transnationaleducation https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivienne-stern-73098644/?originalSubdomain=uk

Judith and I talk to Prof Lisa Wallace, Associate Dean International, @SwanseaUni about her journey from Virginia to Wales, the role of women in science and her views on internationalisation.  Lisa stresses the need to understand context and to build connections to do the thing in front of us to the best of our abilities. @ProfJudithLamie @buid_team

In this episode of the International Voices series, Judith and myself are joined by Edward Harcourt, Senior Vice President & Managing Director @QS_Corporate, as we talk about branch campus identity, reputation and evolution.  Edward outlines new ways we should be thinking about internationalisation and sustainability and highlights the need for responsible travel and level headed thinking about the opportunities we explore with international partners. This conversation takes us to the heart of international campus identity and how we view and measure success.

In this episode Judith and I talk to former U.S. Ambassador and Founding Executive Director, Institute for Global Engagement, University of Houston, Michael Pelletier (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-pelletier-b8b8b952/) about travel, integration and supporting diversity in our student populations.  Michael stresses the opportunity to gain humility and empathy through travel and engagement and asks how we can use lessons of travel to help international students integrate.  We talk about the value of travelling abroad and attempting to learn other languages and the age old debate of American and English spelling!

In the second International Voices episode, we talk to Jazreel Goh - Director Malaysia, British Council - about the student learning experience; the role of parents and emerging trends in international higher education.  Jazreel (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jazreel-goh-094120b/) talks with passion and engagement about connecting with students and supporting their journey through education and beyond.

In this episode Judith and myself have a fascinating conversation with Andrew Disbury about his academic and professional journey from England, through China and to the wider world. Andrew stresses the need to pay it forward and that we all are part of a community, with the opportunity to learn from each other and seek greater understanding through engagement.

Happy New Year from Christopher Hill and Judith Lamie.  In this short episode we debate past, present and future and introduce a new series of podcasts - to be released over the next few weeks - where we talk to colleagues from around the world and learn from their experiences, perspectives and assessment of the state of international higher education.  Stay tuned for some fascinating episodes!

In this episode Judith and myself discuss traditional and emerging pathways to education and discuss the ways in which students approach and access learning.

In this episode, Judith Lamie and I tackle the subject of community and how a university is shaped by, and in turn shapes, its surroundings.  We discuss our experiences in different countries and how this has informed our current approach and understanding.

In this episode, Judith Lamie and myself are joined by two student contributors - Bevin Anandarajah (University of London in Paris - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bevin-anandarajah-573345136/?originalSubdomain=fr) and Tabby Nawaz (British University in Dubai - @TabbyNawaz) - to our recent book.  We discuss their views to teaching and learning during the pandemic; their approach to writing and their overall experience with publishing the book.  The episode was recorded earlier this year.

Number 2 in our series about writing a book online and at distance. In this episode we discuss working with contributors and the collaborative element of writing.

This is the first in a series of podcasts charting our journey writing a book during lockdown.  Judith and I discuss the challenges and joys of working together at distance and marvel at how productive we were!

A brief welcome and overview of the Think Education podcast

A conversation about the future of teaching and learning; the moral obligation to provide education; wellbeing and the use of technology

The world has recently shifted to online learning and this has presented both opportunities and challenges. Dr Christopher Hill and Dr Tendai Charles discuss the recent changes to teaching and learning; how to integrate technology in teaching effectively; the role of the teacher today; online assessment; and the next steps for education.

Dr Hill sat down with colleagues from Westminster International University in Tashkent, an established TNE university in Uzbekistan, to discuss the current education sector, recent developments, student experience and the future of international education in Uzbekistan.

Conversation with British University in Dubai doctoral student Maqsoud Kruse about his work on high ability individuals, challenging paradigms and a life long passion for research and learning