Think Education

Christopher Hill

Podcast by Christopher Hill

  1. 2D AGO

    The Role of a Senior University Leader

    In this latest Think Education episode, we continue our conversation about leadership and managing change but were prompted for this session by recent articles regarding the impact of reduced international student numbers on university jobs. This led us think about the role of leadership within a university and how are leaders trained?  Chris talked about a recent IC Global event that highlighted the need for training as colleagues move to more senior levels and how relevant this is when, as is now the case, training budgets are among the first things to be cut.  Chris therefore naturally turned to Judith to learn more about her diverse leadership experience, both throughout the UK and internationally. A good senior leader is a good communicator.  You might not always agree with what is being communicated but you value the explanation.  This communication can of course be challenging given the size of some universities and requires a particular set of skills, training and of course, institutional support. How do we train for these types of roles?  What skills should a university leader possess?  Leaders have moved through different pathways – professional services and academic – and have therefore been exposed to different types of training. To be a senior academic leader you have to be a senior academic, but does this prepare us for leading a university?  Would a university run by a business professional be less of a university? Would having experts in the senior team be sufficient? Judith explained that this debate can often come down to the use of specific words.  Words like client, customer, business.  The use of these will more than likely spark a heated debate across university campuses.  Judith talked about her curiosity in how polarising the use of the term business can be and how much opposition it can yield in discussions.  A university is a place of learning and research but in order to be this, it needs some form of ‘coin’ in order to keep the lights on and pay people’s salaries. To what extent is a university becoming more of a transactional experience for students with a greater focus on employability?  And if it is, does this mean that students see themselves more as clients?  Within this conversation, what is the role of the leader?  What do we expect them to do?  What should their priorities be given the fluid nature of higher education? What a university produces as a product is graduates so in essence, we are asking our ‘products’ to pay for their own production.  They then become product, client and customer all at the same time and if their numbers dip, we don’t have the means to produce them at all – and feel the associated knock-on effect across the institution. #leadership #strategy #communication #universityidentity #directleadership #indirectleadership #book4 #managingchange #crisis

    42 min

  2. APR 30

    Back to Basics: Creating a New Normal

    Judith and Chris are back again in this latest episode of the Think Education podcast but alas, still no theme song. Our podcast began with a chat about names, sweets, and old radio DJ’s.  And yes, Chris got the name wrong despite having enjoyed a lamington on multiple occasions.  A sweet by any other name, would still taste as, well, you get it.  We recovered quickly and turned our focus to life in Dubai, in this our latest installment of on the ground conversation.  As of Monday 20th April, education in Dubai returned to a sense of normalcy.  For a given value of normalcy of course as not everybody is back and many students still remain online.  This is part of the flexible hybrid approach still in place – a legacy of decisions made during the fully online and remote period of a few weeks ago – and requires careful management from a technical and pedagogical perspective.  Hybrid teaching is hard. Chris talked about the approach undertaken in Dubai and the clear and rigorous ministry guidelines in place.  The return has been staggered and is still ongoing.  Universities and schools began to open as of Monday, and teachers were back on campuses and in the classrooms.  Safety measures are in place, drills have been drilled, training has been done and a new normal is here. We talked about the environment and how this impacts the sense of community and engagement by influencing the degree of mobility you have – or want to have.  The heat has jumped the past few days but still remains cooler than it will get.  The campus and surrounding area are not as busy as they would have been a few months ago, but the city is filling up.  Even during the height of the war, there were still people sat outside at cafes, walking dogs, running, and just getting on with their lives.  This is a hopeful reflection of human nature and a clear indication of the level of security and safety we, the Dubai residents, have felt throughout this turbulent period.  Loud noises can still cause a scary reaction however and makes you realise that no matter how safe you may have felt, there is often a mark left. We talked about infrastructure and communication and the need to respond to shifting realities and adapt accordingly.  What has remained the consistent message has been the safety of students and the quality of the learning experience.  What has been interesting is seeing the renewed interest, on the part of students, regarding online learning – particularly as it is supported by social mobility, unlike during the pandemic.   #community #inpersonlearning #safety #Dubai #hybridlearning #infrastructure #adaptation #shifitingexpectations #emerginglearningpatterns #innovativepedagogy #familytime

    40 min

  3. APR 15

    Being a part of something, while being apart from it: engagement at distance

    In this latest Think Education podcast, we talk about an actual thing we have done recently, as opposed to things that we have been thinking about, or have been done to us.  Chris reflected on his panel involvement at an International Conference on Transnational Education (TNE) in Mauritius - Reimagining Transnational Education: Partnerships, Quality Assurance and Regulation, Innovation and Global Impact. Both Chris and Judith have connections with Mauritius: Judith, much more so with her time with Middlesex University and setting up the campus in Mauritius and Chris having supervised Mauritian students Roshan and Deeptee during their Masters in Malaysia and the interest in visiting since then.  Chris came very close to being able to go this time round and then decided it would be more fun to fracture his ankle instead. Chris reflected on the positives that many delegates had been able to attend the event in person, despite the flight restrictions and safety concerns.  The conference had many familiar faces such as Fabrizio, Nitesh, Mark Edwards and Cheryl Lu, and took a very mature view on the branch campus model, identity, key considerations and the integration of research and teaching. We talked about the ongoing evolution of the branch campus model and its place, and even name within the conversations about equitable partnerships.  Partnerships are moving increasingly towards strategic and capacity building alignment.  The conference very much highlighted the appetite for TNE growth in Mauritius and the opportunities that connecting research and teaching offer. The identity of a TNE operation is changing and offers a wealth of new avenues for exploration.  The last few decades of development, of trial and error, dramatically facilitates new partnership creation.  The starting point has naturally moved, and this supports innovative activity and of course, the student experience. Increased collaboration, through increased dialogue and understanding leads to more equitable partnerships and a better student experience. We also debated our need for a theme tune for the podcast and our realization that our only expertise in this area would involve taking an existing one from the 1980s and just changing the words.   #branchcampus #digitalcampus #research #collaboration #studentsupport #engagement #mauritius

    38 min

  4. APR 9

    When the surreal becomes normal

    In this latest Think Education podcast Judith and Chris carry on their discussion about education in Dubai and look again at how the changes are being implemented, managed and experienced. We discussed the true impact that this current situation is having on students and teachers amid the recent cancellation of IB exams across the region.  We talked about how decisions like this are never taken lightly and the clear evidence of how the ministry is working to ensure that those students impacted are not disadvantaged beyond the necessary. With that having been said, the disruption to education has of course been felt by all.  Many universities have recently announced the continuation of distance learning until the end of the semester and this decision has been made as a direct response to our collective duty of care to our students.  Creating a semblance of balance and continuity is important as we can then plan and work accordingly. Keeping safe and following formal guidelines, both in daily life and for education. This brought us back to the notion of community.  What is it and how do we support it?  The current climate is not one of lock-down, as it was during the pandemic, and so students are more mobile and have more ability to engage in person with their peers.  We follow the official guidelines to protect our safety and remain grateful for the level of care and security we are offered living here in Dubai. Judith wondered whether technology is breaking down barriers to engagement or creating new ones?  We talked about the digital community and the advantages this has during times like this.  Chris also reflected on the presence of students on his campus and the constant sense of discussion and engagement that he sees on a daily basis.  Students are not a purely digital community, and we need to support this where we can. Somethings are very normal and somethings are very different.  In this time of crisis, we are experiencing small changes and big changes, and the key is in how we manage this through our communities and the way in which we communicate the message. Normal is as normal does.   #distancelearning #resiliance #community #communication #managingchange #students #university

    35 min

  5. MAR 26

    Innovation In Quiet Spaces: Rachelle Viader Knowles

    In this latest episode of the Think Education podcast, Chris and Judith talked to Rachelle Viader Knowles, Head of International for the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Manchester School of Art about her journey through international higher education and her work in trans local dialogues. Rachelle talked us through her international background from Mauritius, to Wales, to Canada and to the UK.  Her undergraduate experience in interactive arts in the countryside outside Newport that focused on experimental thinking, interdisciplinarity and collaboration – all strands that have continued throughout her career.  She became interested in cross-cultural conversations while studying in Canada and that became a further launching pad for her professional interests and career developments. The power of networks and collaboration has played a key role in Rachelle’s journey, and she stresses how important this is to develop and support.  This has been of particular relevance in the COIL projects currently underway – including those around ethical ways of working in this space. Rachelle and Chris talked about their experience of teaching during their respective degrees and how this helped to set them on their path to academia, in addition of course to providing financial support during studies.  This is of particular relevance to all of us involved in international student recruitment and the opportunities available. We talked about creative research and how we view research from a process and output perspective.  We talked about the origin and ownership of knowledge and how this perspective changes our understanding of research as a discipline and how this can better be connected to internationalisation.  Rachelle gave examples of her work in Regina, Saskatchewan and her exposure to indigenous methodologies.  One such was a project with Judy Anderson, now a Professor at the University of Calgary, where Rachelle was taught how to do indigenous beading and Rachelle taught Judy how to do digital editing to create a conversation between somebody of indigenous heritage and somebody of white settle heritage about their experiences with digital learning. Rachelle talked about internationalisation at home and the importance this has within institutions and for students.  She argues that this sort of practice should be sector wide and supported in order to move away from an island to global mentality. Be together when you can but use technologies when you can’t.   #translocaldialogues #collaboration #networks #creativeresearch #internationalhighereducation #firstnations #indigenousmethodolgies #practicebasedresarch #COIL stephaniemartin

    52 min

  6. MAR 11

    Community in a Time of Crisis

    In this latest Think Education Podcast episode, Chris and Judith reflect on week two of the war, further changes to the education landscape in Dubai, the nature of community and the impact that changes can have on us all. Perception and reality are very much a contextual construct.  Travel and exposure help us to better understand people and circumstances.  Chris reflects on the perception that he is seeing in the press and social media about the people in Dubai and Dubai more broadly.  He explains what it is to actually live here.  To have a family here.  Community is a strange thing.  How it is constructed, understood, seen from within and without. The education system in Dubai has been a key tool in this development. It recognises and responds to the diversity of the population.  It provides a diversity of schooling and university options to encourage people to stay.  To study here, to work here, to live here.  To make this place home.  This is at the heart of the move to the knowledge economy. Chris explained the recent changes to the Spring Break schedule and the impact that this has had on teachers and learners alike.  These changes, efficiently put in place, enabled uniformity of response and experience.  Educational institutions follow the guidance put in place and ensure that nobody is disadvantaged, or everybody is disadvantaged equally depending on how you look at it. International students everywhere are being impacted.  Judith talked about international students in the UK who might want to go home and be with their families but also want to keep studying and are unable to do so.  Travel may not be possible and the options for online learning are not in place to facilitate this.  Chris talked about the international student community in Dubai who are still here – even if on break – and need looking after.  Institutions have a responsibility to care for students, as do countries.  When you actively promote international student recruitment, you need to provide the full support ecosystem that this requires and not just treat them as numbers.  They are people.  Young people, often away from family and their support systems. Everything is connected.  You move one piece on the board, change one element of the supply chain, remove one piece of the ecosystem, and the ripples are felt.  We talked about how changes in visa systems and policies have a knock-on effect on students, universities, jobs, and local economies. Chris talked again about the conversations he is having with people who want to arrange study visits to Dubai and develop partnerships – as soon as things calm down – and how this is a message of hope and trust.  This too shall pass and the future continues to be about the student experience and how we can best support it. Empathy is needed.  Judith and I know full well from our own experiences in international education that travel broadens the mind and exposes us to differences that allow us to reflect, learn and grow. Not having all the answers is not a weakness.  Asking questions is a strength.  Communication is essential.   Listen here: Podbean: iTunes:   #Dubai #UAE #community #internationaleducation #empathy #communication #askquestions

    44 min

  7. MAR 4

    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

  8. 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
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Podcast by Christopher Hill

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