Think Education

Christopher Hill

Podcast by Christopher Hill

  1. 3D AGO

    Scary Times: Stable Responses – Higher Education in times of Crisis

    This latest Think Education podcast covers familiar territory in unfamiliar times.  Judith and Chris talk about many of the themes from their previous book – Insider’s Guide to International Higher Education – and some of the themes from the book we are currently writing - communication, identity, perception, crisis and managing change. What is different of course, is that this podcast – recorded on Tuesday 3rd March – took place against the backdrop of the third day of the current war in the Middle East.  Based in Dubai, Chris reflected on issues of safety and preparedness from a personal perspective, the experience of the last few days of uncertainty and the extent to which people can and do feel secure in Dubai despite the circumstances. We then turned our focus to education and the move to online learning once again.  The transition to online learning was swift and controlled in Dubai and as Chris reflected, this is due to a series of key factors: investment in digital infrastructure, staff preparedness and capability, clear communication and directives from ministry, a sense that we have been here before – even though of course, we haven’t. What is evident from the current situation, and indeed from the pandemic lockdown, is the need for a strong foundation of technical capability to support online learning, clear lines of communication to facilitate engagement, and a community in order to survive. Chris discussed the fact that he had received multiple messages of support from colleagues around the world – in some cases from people he hadn’t heard from in years and had perhaps only a partial professional connection.  This sense of community throughout international higher education is heartwarming and a true reflection of the network that exists to support us. We ended by hoping that all remain safe and that this ends as soon as possible and we return to talking as a way forward.   Listen here: Podbean: iTunes:   #internationalhighereducation #community #crisis #onlinelearning #digitalinfrastructure #Dubai #UAE

    28 min

  2. FEB 26

    International at Home: The Role of the PVCI

    In this our triumphant return to podcasting – after a ‘brief’ sojourn due to job changes, retirement and broken bones – we are in familiar stomping grounds of all things international. Judith reflects on her recent professional changes and what this actually means to her day-to-day life and the opportunities that are open to her and the freedom she can embrace. This morphed into a conversation about the role of ‘the international’ within institutions.  Called by many names with many connotations – pro vice chancellor, deputy vice chancellor vice president of global, international, engagement, partnerships - the role of senior international leaders within universities has changed over time and continues to do so.  We discussed how ‘international’ is seen within the context of university activity and home and abroad; and how this relates to transnational education and of course, to student recruitment itself.  The roles themselves cut across many aspects of university activity and life and it is often challenging to define but we know it when we see it. We talked about the term ‘global university’ and what this means on the ground for the student experience and the very identity of a university.  Often terms like global, international and transnational are used interchangeably and nailing down what this means from a practical perspective can be a fun afternoon chat. Or podcast. We reflected on the design of international strategies and how these are bought into, accepted, driven, managed and understood by key stakeholders.  The ‘international’ has become a central and key voice within universities and can serve to support wider activity throughout the institution and abroad. We would be interested to hear from colleagues working and operating in this space as we are always keen to learn more about how these issues are being discussed and shaped throughout our global community. Answers on a postcard please.  Or message us on this post of course if you prefer.   #internationalisation #globalengagement #transnationaleducation #TNE #universities #leadership #studentrecruitment #partnerships #collaboration

    44 min

  3. 12/11/2025

    Sushi in Kazakhstan: TNE Perceptions, Conversations and Learning Spaces

    Dr Paula Sanderson, Chief Operating Officer and University Secretary Cardiff University joins the Think Education podcast to talk about TNE, branch campus development in Kazakhstan and to field our prods to write about her experiences for our next book. Paula’s experience is truly global, and she reflected on her initial work in Malaysia and the tensions that exist in the international learning spaces – around access, identity and representation.  We talked about the ways in which these approaches can be adapted, developed and improved through conversations, discussions and transparency.  It is important to sit with people you disagree with and not assume that you are always right.  Places of true inclusivity are those where we have difficult conversations and work on issues. Several key questions that arose from our discussion: How does TNE improve cross-cultural competence? How do we just listen to others and engage accordingly? Do we self-censor? If we meet the needs of the host country, why can’t we also be seen as meeting the needs of our institutions? Paula discussed the way in which our narrative about TNE has changed and the focus is now more on learning from other communities, as opposed to the previous, much more colonial approach.  While there should be pride and value placed on the UK higher education sector, this does not mean that there isn’t scope for learning from others and approaching this from a more equitable TNE space and sense of mutual engagement. Access is a global phenomenon and TNE is a powerful tool for diplomacy. TNE can be seen as a response to humanitarian crises. Paula talked about Cardiff’s recent campus development in Kazakhstan and outlined the process from ideation to creation with the truly staggering reality of having established a fully operational TNE endeavor with an initial cohort of 316 initial students in 12 months!  Paula was very clear to point out the sheer amount of work involved here and the exceptional value of the 102 people involved in the process.  One of the key success factors here is the regulatory and policy framework in Kazakhstan and the access they have to the Minister – and his full support of the development of TNE. This was a fascinating conversation looking at perception, values, integration, awareness and the potential for activity.   #access #engagement #internationalisation #criticalspace #academicdiscourse #conversations

    48 min

  4. 11/20/2025

    International Students: Mobility, Finances and Implications

    Talking about change has been a constant for us over the past few Think Education podcasts and indeed books we have written.  Today we talk about international students and the changes that are afoot. While we recorded this episode a few months ago, the subject is still as relevant today as it was then.  Political issues are driving actions and students are often at the end of the process and feeling the brunt of action – along with the financial bottom line of many universities, and the communities in which they operate, around the world.  Education may well be a public good, but it is also a political tool – particularly when we consider this within the landscape of transnational education.  Judith reflected on whether this is seen as a ‘blip’ that can be weathered and ‘got through’ or an indicator of a much broader and deeper change in higher education and identified that are conversations about programme pricing models and the reality that costs over the past decade have naturally changed and the need to ensure that this is more clearly articulated and understood.  Judith further explained that research funding loses universities money and so international students are one of the only real ways in which the financial stability can be supported – and the impact that recent changes have had on universities. TNE is not the answer to this, however.  We referred to recent conversations and podcasts we have had with Jazreel Goh and Douglas Proctor about student movement, TNE hubs and changing patterns of recruitment because of policy changes.  Chris talked about the international student movement in Dubai and the relative sustainability of the model.  The aspirations are certainly here to increase international student numbers and the likelihood that this will see positive impact as a result of global trends.  Students still want to travel, and they want education as a means to improve skills and to lead to employability.  Where will they go now and how will this be facilitated?  We talked about the changes that may well be coming and possible growth in the vocational space, apprenticeships, and indeed the work force itself.  This led us to once again consider the purpose and value of a university and how it connects people to the wider world.  How do we demonstrate value to communities?  To students? To parents? To employers?  #yorkies #pricing #costs #highereducation #internationalstudents #strategy

    29 min

  5. 11/13/2025

    AI IN IHE: A Conversation in Letters

    In this latest episode of the Think Education Podcast Judith discussed her recent attendance at Going Global, a panel discussion she attended on Europe – which links to one of our previous episodes, and in particular a plenary session she attended on AI in international higher education. We talked about the nature of fear regarding the use of AI in education and the need to regulate that formed many of the early conversations about AI and how this is changing to focus on the need for relevant training and support.  Chris talked about a recent HEPI study (linked below) that highlights student concern over the use and integration of AI in their learning and the fact that we need to consider how to leverage and integrate AI to support teaching and learning. Chris talked about his work with Dr Tendai Charles on AI in teaching and learning and the UAE initiative, earlier this year, on the integration of AI at all levels of curriculum.  We discussed different possible applications for AI in teaching and learning – and some of the downsides of phantom knowledge/citation creation. Chris outlined the UAE’s approach to leading on the use of AI in both education and wider society. We talked about the ethical use of AI and how we can attempt to harness AI for tomorrow.  Link to Teacher Incubator Programme Middlesex session and ENAI We did talk about access and engagement and the realisation that this is not the solution to everything as it is not available to everybody. Not all TNE projects can fully incorporate online learning due to national regulatory frameworks and accreditation processes. We are not at a crossroads anymore, AI is here to stay, but we are perhaps in a constant state of crossroads.  This ongoing conversation is a good thing as it is forcing us to reflect and think about this in a meaningful manner, even if we can’t keep up with the level of progress. What is the nature of learning?  What are skills?  How long does the traditional schooling approach of memorisation have in the age of AI? The ongoing debates about AI are forcing us to engage with the deeper conversation about the value, application and impact of education.  In the international space – working across cultures, languages and space – we need to think about this even more so.   Hill, C., & Lawton, W. (2018). Universities, the digital divide and global inequality. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 40(6), 598–610. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2018.1531211 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1360080X.2018.1531211 HEPI survey https://www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/08/11/student-wellbeing-in-the-ai-era-stress-confidence-and-connection-a-global-snapshot/ Xidian University Conference ICAI 2025: https://en.xidian.edu.cn/info/1063/2372.htm Going Global: https://www.britishcouncil.org/going-global   https://gulfnews.com/uae/education/new-uae-school-year-brings-ai-curriculum-unified-holidays-and-updated-exams-1.500243448

    50 min

  6. 11/06/2025

    Europe Takes the Biscuit – TNE activity and progress

    In this latest episode of the Think Education podcast, Judith reflected on her planning for the upcoming Going Global in London – this has now taken place.  Going Global holds a special place in our hearts, as it does for many people in our sector, and always provides a wonderful opportunity for engagement, discussion and learning. And is quite likely the place where Judith and Chris actually met. We discussed collaborative models and Judith highlighted that many of the European partnership agreements fall into one of two categories: student exchange – such as Erasmus; and research but often the two don’t meet in the middle. We did mention Brexit and the impact this had upon institutions and their ability to support (certainly financially) programmes and engagement. And identified that one positive at least of that process was in raising the level of conversation about possible collaboration. Chris reflected on the still relative ‘newness’ of discussing TNE in Europe as it is so often understood as something that happens ‘far-away’ and in TNE hub areas.  We ponder whether TNE in Europe hasn’t been spoken of so widely due to traditional regional relationships, the degree structures (3 vs. 4 years), or indeed, because of Brexit itself.  We talked about how competition and competitors might have been viewed within the European context and how this might have been a barrier to UK activity – even though there have historically been strong partnerships in place like Erasmus.  Judith went on to highlight the key areas of activity in both Greece and Romania. We finished our conversation with a call to arms that, when entering into the process of setting up partnerships, don’t shut yourself off to the ways in which this could develop over time.  Take a more holistic approach and be prepared to adapt along the way. And yes, having fact checked the discussion, Chris did mean Leipzig the city, and not Leibniz the biscuit.   https://www.britishcouncil.org/going-global #EuropeanTNE #Europe #collaboration #competition #partnerships #TNE #internationalisation #Erasmus #Greece #Romania

    29 min

  7. 10/30/2025

    TNE: What’s Next?

    In this latest Think Education podcast episode, Judith and Chris continue their conversation from last week – Who does TNE depend on? - to think more deeply about the next stages for TNE development.  We discussed underlying motivations for TNE engagement (finances, branding, necessity) and reflected on the intrinsic value of TNE and the need for it to have its own identity and space in a university agenda.  Partnership is absolutely pivotal whether within education, government or industry.   We covered several questions along the way:  What is happening in the UK higher education space and is TNE going to solve it?  What is the next fix for international higher education?  What’s next for TNE?  We thought about the need for new models and approaches to developing TNE and would be interested to hear from colleagues on this – answers on a self-addressed envelope please.  We should think about the positive nature of developing TNE for TNE’s sake, rather than as a fix for something that has gone wrong.  We talked about the recent changes in India and what this might mean for TNE growth – highlighting that these changes are being driven by India and their ambition and drive: a good model for building sustainable and equitable partnerships.  Our conversation moved towards the need to think about a forward-thinking strategy that incorporates TNE as a foundational value/principle of the university – seen through the lens of crisis management.  We discussed the way in which institutions put together an international strategy and the extent to which these are centered around the issue of international student recruitment.  We will look to call upon Vicky Lewis to discuss this further and get her perspective.  We reflected back to our conversation with Ian Mabbett about the need to incorporate research and collaboration with the internationalisation agenda rather than relying on recruitment as the focus.  To what extent can you be both an internationally engaged university and remain a civic one with strong ties to the local community?  Should more of these conversations take place in universities.  Chris reflected on the nature of internationalisation in Dubai and what this means for how universities operate and even understand their own identity.  The UK example of protecting the home identity when you explore education can perhaps be contrasted by the UAE example of protecting the home, as you bring the other in.  You need to work with other people.  You have to do this to survive and thrive.  If we accept this to be fundamental, it needs to be embedded in our strategic approaches.  iTunes:  Podbean:  #TNE #internationalisation #collaboration #partnership #identity #strategy #challenges #balanceofpower

    39 min

  8. 10/23/2025

    Who does the Future of TNE depend on?

    In this latest episode of the Think Education podcast, Chris talks to Judith about her recent attendance at the UUKi Transnational Education Conference 2025, held in Senate House, London. https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/latest/events/transnational-education-conference-2025 Judith reflected on the sessions she attended, and the information shared and discussed throughout the two-day event and the people she heard present and lead discussion - Janet Ilieva, David Pilsbury, Eduardo Ramos.  Some of the key takeaways were the need to be prepared and try to think of key issues in advance, such that you can communicate your findings and realities to different audiences. How do different types of university networks support engagement and activity? Competitive space appears to shifting to a collaborative one. People were sharing their reflections about a bold new world and there was an element of hope and forward thinking that Judith found very powerful. Never underestimate the value of a good discussion about taxes. We discussed the key findings of two recent reports – presented at the conference – namely JISC’s 2024/25 UK Higher Education students digital experience insights survey: https://repository.jisc.ac.uk/10242/1/DEI-2025-student-he-report.pdf and the UUKi’s Scale of TNE Report 2023-24 https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/topics/international/scale-uk-higher-education-transnational-0 We went on to debate the Future of TNE and how we are currently thinking about realities and motivations.  It would appear that the dependency model of old has shifted.  What used to be a process based largely on the ‘need’ of the receiving nation has become a process driven by the ‘need’ of the sending nations as they seek to use TNE to address shortfalls in recruitment at home. We talked about the development of the TNE hub model and I even got to roll out a phrase I used when presenting at a GED conference years ago: Here a hub, there a hub, everywhere a hub hub, as we discussed the need to update our understanding of what a hub is, what it means, and even, where it is. What is the mission of a university and how do we view engagement and collaboration?  We talked about soft power rather than pure financials.   Listen here: iTunes: Podbean:    #JISC #UUKi #TNE #internationalisation #collaboration #futureofTNE #highereducation #dependency #universitymission #communication

    49 min
See All (100)

Ratings & Reviews

About

Podcast by Christopher Hill

Information

  • Creator
    Christopher Hill
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2022 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Think Education