Shows
HEDxEP 173. How do UK and Australian Tertiary Education compare?An episode from a HEDx study tour of the UK and from the foyer of the HEPI Conference in London. Sally Curtain of Bendigo Kangan Institute, Andrea Burrows of OES and Caroline Dunne are among the HEDx tour party and Tash Stoeckel one of the hosts along with Tim Dunne of Surrey and Lisa Brodie of TEDI London. The episode gives insights into the plight of tertiary education in the two countries and how AI, online education, tertiary harmonisation, regulation and the skills agenda are viewed in the two systems. The one common feature is the need for change...
2025-06-2134 minHEDxEP 169. Why do we teach?Danny Liu of the University of Sydney argues that AI makes us question not only how, but why we teach. He joins a panel that includes Susan Zhang of La Trobe, Phil Laufenberg of Macquarie and Jason Lodge of UQ. They answer questions from Sam Jacob CEO of Collarts that drive at the heart of where AI is taking tertiary education. Sam summarises a day of HEDx experts in one minute to demonstrate the Collarts manifesto of how creativity is a powerful difference, that comes from being inclusive by choice, in telling stories that change the world.
2025-05-2456 minHEDxEP 166. Leaders engaging at the student coalfaceDr Tim Renick of Georgia State and George Williams VC at Western Sydney are two pioneering leaders and champions of student success on the global stage. They share thoughts and perspectives from the stage at HEDx in Melbourne in a fireside chat with Veronica Pritchard of the Queensland Commitment at UQ. It argues for us getting out of our comfort zones and using AI to overcome process barriers, letting staff do human work to help students in distress. It is followed by an update from the AI in HE project where Michael Henderson of Monash and Margaret Bearman share...
2025-05-0246 minHEDxEP 163. Higher Education in the Age of AITheo Farrell as Vice-Chancellor of La Trobe University, with his VC Fellow Dr Susan Zhang, join as co-hosts and partners with HEDx in opening the latest HEDx conference at the State Library of Victoria. They outline the importance of collaboration and partnerships for conversations and diverse views to forge shared solutions to challenges and opportunities. And they do so on the biggest topic in the sector of how Higher Education will navigate the Age of AI. It forms an opening session at HEDx with Theo and Susan in a fireside chat with Paul LeBlanc who pioneers what AI means...
2025-04-0544 minHEDxEP 160. Global best-practice in skills-based lifelong learningA/Prof May Lim Sok Mui is Assistant Provost of Applied Learning at Singapore Institute of Technology. She pioneers a coaching approach to competency-based education in Singapore's fifth and most distinct university from a new campus in Punggol. She leads work into the Skills Future Singapore lifelong learning collaboration between providers, government and industry. Shortly before leaving for a global study tour to UNESCO and EU partners she joined an episode with Patrick Kidd CEO of Future Skills Organisation and I to reflect on the move to a skills agenda so vital for global lifelong learning and a strong...
2025-03-2259 minHEDxEP 159. Never waste a crisis: how universities remain relevantLev Gonick the CIO of Arizona State University and Dave Rosowsky Senior Advisor to President Michael Crow are colleagues at the world's most innovative university. They share their belief that universities can remain relevant by choosing how and why they embrace AI technology. They tell the story of how ASU has done so through bold leadership and culture, a fast clock speed, a commitment to experiment relentlessly, and 300-400 partnerships with technology companies that go beyond a procurement relationship. Ahead of Lev joining HEDx on stage in Melbourne in April they foreshadow lessons others might heed from their experience...
2025-03-1448 minHEDxEP 151. Where did AI come from and where is it taking us?Professor Genevieve Bell joins the podcast as Vice-Chancellor and President of the ANU. She reflects on her journey as a scientist, engineer and humanist, in the US and Australia, in Silicon Valley and leading Australia's national university. She reflects on short term challenges and the long term trajectory of higher education, the role technology plays in change and goals of providing opportunity for all. An episode at the heart of the HEDx agenda with commentary with Katie Ford of Microsoft.
2025-01-2454 minHEDxEP 149. Accessing education for the haves and have notsJared Pearlman is Chief Strategy Officer of VitalSource a global digital content provider for higher education. He and they are very focussed on the challenges students face and the need to find affordable student experiences and business models for providers in partnership with technology companies that make these experiences sustainable. Hear a great summary of the global strategic issues with equitable edtech enabled access to learning dissected in partnership with Dr Christine Levinson of HEDx sponsor and partner Construct Education from the OES group.
2024-12-1151 minHEDxEP 146. How is AI impacting equity students?Recent and future hosts of HEDx Conferences are Professors Kris Ryan DVC A of UQ and Jessica Vanderlelie DVC A of La Trobe. A fireside chat with them had them comment on the impact on equity of AI strategies. These are explored by a panel at Future Solutions led by Shamit Saggar of ACSES joined by colleague Ian Li and equity experts in Kylie Austin of EPHEA, Paul Harpur of UQ and Lyndin Francis of Vygo. As Jessica says "equity isn't just a priority, its the foundation of a future ready university" meaning the implications of AI advances are...
2024-11-2655 minHEDxEP 144. Partner or perish: collaboration from diversity in the sectorThis episode showcases innovation from beyond public universities into the tertiary system including in innovative partnerships involving employers, global universities and private providers. It also demonstrates how partnerships with network, employer and tech companies can allow tertiary providers to thrive. Christy Collis is joined by Kerri-Lee Krause, Sam Jacob, Scott Luckett and Bijo Kunnumpurath in a panel for diversity and Guy Littlefair leads Alex Elibank-Murray, May Lim, Tash Stoeckel and Tim Burt in a panel on partnerships in two further excerpts from the recent HEDx conference at UQ.
2024-11-111h 16HEDxEP 143. How can public universities best innovate?Debbie Terry of The University of Queensland joins fellow VCs John Dewar, Helen Bartlett, Simon Biggs and Chris Moran. They respond to a provocation by Ann Kirschner of City University of New York of the need to innovate to regain social licence and serve student needs. In welcomes and an opening panel at the recent HEDx conference, these 6 public university leaders outline the need to and the form of innovation that can respond to the challenges facing the sector at a time of unprecedented challenge that creates great opportunity. They join Kelly Mathews of UQ and I in a...
2024-11-051h 23HEDxEP 142. Learning agility: the most important future trait?Marc Washbourne has been founder and CEO of ReadyTech for 25 years. His personal agility has seen him grow a leading tech company of 600+ staff and named 2024 EY Technology Entrepreneur of the Year. He leads into the IT skills and edtech sectors through board roles with HEDx partners the Future Skills Organisation and Year13. As a user of AI, employer of graduates, and developer of lifelong learners, Marc has a keen eye for what is needed in tertiary education and its relationship with skills, employers and future learners. His keyword is agility and he offers an agile view of where...
2024-10-2942 minHEDxEp 142. Learning agility: the most important future trait?Marc Washbourne has been founder and CEO of ReadyTech for 25 years. His personal agility has seen him grow a leading tech company of 600+ staff and named 2024 EY Technology Entrepreneur of the Year. He leads into the IT skills and edtech sectors through board roles with HEDx partners the Future Skills Organisation and Year13. As a user of AI, employer of graduates, and developer of lifelong learners, Marc has a keen eye for what is needed in tertiary education and its relationship with skills, employers and future learners. His keyword is agility and he offers an agile view of where...
2024-10-2942 minHEDxEp129. Global experiences in place-based innovationProfessor Ken Sloan is Vice Chancellor of Harper Adams University in the UK. He joins the podcast in the first of a series of episodes delivered in a partnership between HEDx and the Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils. The series will explore global universities pursuing diverse examples of place-based innovation following earlier episodes with Aleks Subic, Deborah L. Wince-Smith, and Joan Gabel. Ken has honed the Harper Adams approach to rural place-based innovation in the specialist, agricultural setting he is now in from previous experiences at Warwick and Monash universities.
2024-08-0659 minHEDxEP 128. A journalists take on current HE issuesErin Morley is Education Editor of Campus Review and writes for a higher education staff audience about change and where it is heading. After a year in the role, and as HEDx approaches 4 years of continuous sharing including on the Campus Review platform, Erin and Martin reflect on media and content providers perspective of the stories that currently matter. As HEDx and Campus review increasingly turn to global leaders' ideas, they reflect together on a need for new ideas and less parochial perspectives on the sector as it faces opportunities and changes ahead.
2024-07-3047 minHEDxEP 122. How broken is higher education?Joel di Trapani co-CEO of student support company Vygo co-hosts an episode going out on both HEDx and Vygo's Broken Education podcast platform. Reflecting on shared purpose-driven journeys into higher education roles, Joel and Martin question the challenges facing the sector globally and how technology may provide some solutions for a variety of university types. As the political and funding climate for universities globally reaches crisis point the question of how broken the model of higher education is, and the extent of change and innovation ahead, is being asked of all current providers and learners. Who will provide the...
2024-06-1143 minHEDxEP 120. What is the University of the PeopleShai Reshef is Founder and President of the University of the People. Founded on the belief that higher education is a basic human right, UoPeople is the first non-profit, tuition-free, American, accredited online university. Dedicated to opening access to higher education globally, UoPeople is designed to help learners overcome financial, geographic, political, and personal constraints keeping them from studies. UoPeople currently serves 137,000 students from over 200 countries. Over 16,500 of these students are refugees. He joins the HEDx podcast in an episode hosted by Martin Betts and Cate Gilpin of Welcoming Universities.
2024-05-281h 02HEDxEP 119. For how long will we ask what to do with AI?Professor Joan Gabel is the Chancellor of University of Pittsburgh. She joins the HEDx podcast to outline how a leading US research powerhouse from the rust belt is engaging with technology and industry partners to drive learning and innovation. Her university plays a lead role in the Global Forum of Competitiveness Councils. She argues that eventually we are not going to talk about what we will do with AI anymore. It will be as absurd as asking what we are going to do with the internet. Her view of the prospects of universities is that if we look a few y...
2024-05-2253 minHEDxEP 116. HEDx and friends at ASU+GSVThis episode has a panel co-hosted with Joel Di Trapani co-CEO of VYGO. We had a chance in front of 10,000 delegates at the ASU+GSV summit in San Diego recently to lead a discussion on how technology generally and AI in particular is being used to support students in both Australia and the US. With global experts in Linda Brown, David Linke and Candace Sue on our panel we dissected the different approaches to innovation in the two contexts in a live broadcast from the world's leading gathering of HigherEd tech experts.
2024-04-2942 minHEDxEP 113. The story of Torrens 1.0 and other new business modelsLinda Brown CEO and Alwyn Louw tell the story of Torrens University Australia 1.0 on stage at the HEDx conference in Melbourne in March. They tell of its incredible growth as a private American-owned Corp to become Australia's fastest growing university. They are followed by Nora Koslowski, Will Stubley, Kat Page, Omar de Silva and David Yip. These innovators explorie how the nature of work and skills needs have changed. They call for new business models of lifelong learning provision to emerge alongside our public and private universities in global lifelong learning markets. What will the more diverse future world...
2024-04-091h 11HEDxEP 112. Where can technology take us and how can we harness it?Joshua Nester as MD of SEEK Investments gives a global overview of investments being made in private universities, EdTech companies, and in OPMs and content aggregators. He outlines how this is changing the competitive landscape of global higher Ed. He is then followed by Sue Kokonis as Chief Academic Officer of OES leading a panel at the recent HEDx conference that includes David Linke the CEO of Edugrowth, Manuela Franceschini Pedagogical Evangelist of Adobe, Sherman Young DVC of RMIT and Eric Knight, Dean of the Macquarie Business School. How will technology change higher education for good?
2024-04-011h 07HEDxEP 111. Keynote by President Michael Crow of ASU at HEDxPresident Michael Crow of Arizona State University shares his vision of a university accelerating towards social justice through excellence rather than seeking status through exclusivity. He is followed by Paul Harpur of UQ, Marcia Devlin of VATL, Joel di Trapani of Vygo, Cate Gilpin of Welcoming Universities and Mohamed Omer of Melbourne University all dissecting issues of equity, diversity and inclusion. An episode that makes clear a call for action and the need for us all to be the change we want to see in higher education. "The university" is us, and we can all change it for good, and...
2024-03-251h 02HEDxEP 110. Time for getting on with the job in handDavid Lloyd as Chair of UA and VC of UniSA gives this keynote presentation to the first session of the HEDx conference calling for action now from the sector ahead of finalisation of a government response to the Accord. A message echoed in a panel made up of VCs Andrew Parfitt and Helen Bartlett of UTS and UniSC and DVCs Jessica Vanderlelie and Kent Anderson of La Trobe and Newcastle. Hear the keynote and the leaders' panel at the March 21st HEDx conference as the most comprehensive considered reactions to our landmark policy report are aired at a sector-wide...
2024-03-241h 14HEDxEP 104. What if university is not the best Year 13 option?Will Stubley as CEO of Year 13 and Nora Koslowski of the MBS join Martin Betts in the HEDx studio to discuss how automatic progress from year 12 to a university course may not be either the only or the best option for many young Australians or for the future of Australia. Borne out of personal experience that has seen them feel pushed and compelled to "not waste their ATAR" and do uni because everyone does, Will shares his and his co-founders story and that of their friend who took her life when uni turned out to be not what she wa...
2024-02-2055 minHEDxEP 100. The purpose of HEDxMartin Betts as co-founder of HEDx is the guest interviewed by Dr Ant Bagshaw on the 100th episode. The conversation covers the rationale of HEDx and its purpose of changing higher education for good as a response to the challenges of inequities in race, gender and class that pervade the sector. And it explores the new opportunities for transformation created by technological advances, demand changes, and new partnership opportunities that offer the potential for the HEDx purpose to be realised with an expansion of activities, partnerships and events to a global stage.
2024-01-2339 minHEDxEP 97. Seeking zero wasted potential in a war for talentSiobhan Savage as CEO of Reejig joins Dr Nora Koslowski of MBS and I in the HEDx studio to describe the changes in the world of work. Improving the matching of employers' skills needs with workers' skills profiles is creating a lifelong learning revolution. The new revenue opportunities for tertiary education providers are extraordinary. Will our existing universities take advantage or miss out to competition from others?
2023-11-2853 minHEDxEP 92. Preparing for the support for students policy requirementsProfessor Alwyn Louw, Vice Chancellor of Torrens University of Australia and Jodie Davis, Registrar of Griffith University, join the HEDx podcast co-hosted by Ben Hallett of Vygo to discuss what is required for universities to comply with last week's legislation mandating student support policies to allow equity goals to be achieved. Data and integrated systems are vital for immediate action. And renewed purpose, leadership and culture change are the opportunity to do more than stir the pot.
2023-10-2754 minHEDxEP 89. Achieving real inclusivity in higher educationAssociate Professor Paul Harpur of UQ, leader of Universities Enable and member of the Accord Ministerial Reference Group, joins HEDx. He makes the case for role models with lived experience to lead the debate about achieving real inclusion in higher education. In common with this week's referendum on a Voice to Parliament, the importance of listening to those with lived experience who have a real stake in policy changes, as we seek to undo disadvantage, are the changes to governance we need if a higher education system is to become truly equitable.
2023-10-0741 minHEDxEP 88. What can Australia learn from the New Zealand Tertiary Education Commission?Roger Smyth shares his experiences from the New Zealand Ministry of Education in joining an episode of the HEDx podcast with Professor Giselle Byrnes, Provost of Massey University as co-host. As our Australian Universities Accord final report responds to debate among our providers over what form of Tertiary Education Commission to recommend, what can we learn from experience and lessons across the ditch about how such a commission should be set up and operate?
2023-09-261h 06HEDxEP 83. Making individual, institutional and sectoral responses to AI developmentsProfessor Rose Luckin of UCL and Educateventures, joins with Dr Ant Bagshaw of L.E.K. Consulting as HEDx co-host in this episode. It dissects responses to the recent breakthroughs of AI technologies. It surfaces global best practice in being vulnerable, experimental and proportional in finding higher education problems as starting points to explore how AI will impact us all. It offers a roadmap for practitioners, leaders, institutions and policymakers for the sector in exploring a future for higher education. In doing so it addresses a significant gap in the Universities Accord interim report.
2023-08-2138 minHEDxEP 82. How will AI and technology change what innovative universities do?Dr Nora Koslowski as Chief Learning Innovation Officer of MBS joins the HEDx podcast to share insights into how the combination of emerging AI technologies, and the changing world of work and future skills needs of employers are providing fundamental demand-side changes to the supply of higher education. She makes a case for much stronger partnerships between higher education providers and employers and innovative tech companies and outlines ways in which technological innovation will reshape the world of higher education.
2023-08-1556 minHEDxEP 79: The sector's leaders' reactions to the Accord interim reportVCs Bruce Dowton, Andrew Parfitt and Alex Zelinsky and DVCs and VPs Clare Pollock, Theo Farrell, Merlin Crossley and Michelle Bellingan, as panellists at the HEDx conference in Sydney share "pithy" reactions to the interim report the day after its launch in Canberra. Something for everyone in a shift from a market-led to a centrally-led combination of collaboration and competition. Dr Ant Bagshaw of L.E.K. Consulting and Martin Betts as co-hosts, share a sense that the supply side has been offered many ideas while the demand side of planned growth has some issues that remain to be...
2023-07-251h 17HEDxEP 78. What will be in the Universities Accord interim report?Professor Mary O'Kane Chair of the Accord Review Panel joins the HEDx podcast for a second time through an interview with research partner HERDSA at a keynote plenary panel session at their annual conference in Brisbane last week. In an interview by co-hosts Martin Betts and Christy Collis from the HERDSA Executive, Mary outlines her thoughts about submissions received, where her report is up to, what the key issues were that it addresses and what the process will be for the sector to engage with it after its release. Fascinating insights traversing equity, diversification, collaboration, lifelong learning and VET/HE...
2023-07-1141 minHEDxEP. 72 The emerging population crisis and its impact on global universitiesData Scientist Stephen Shaw founded birthgap.org following his work surfacing the growing global gaps in birth rates from that required to sustain populations. He has found that all countries will see a dramatic fall in future populations due to births falling below a replacement rate of 2.1. He joins the HEDx podcast along with Professor Selena Bartlett, Professor of Neuroscience at QUT, to discuss how this phenomena impacts the future of universities and how it creates a structural shift from school leaver university populations toward lifelong learning needs and the opportunities this creates for global universities.
2023-05-241h 24HEDxEP. 67 Pursuing high impact learning innovation in a legacy brandProfessor Caron Beaton-Wells the Dean (internal) at Melbourne Business School joins the HEDx podcast to share lessons of how one of our most prestigious institutions is pursuing innovation in the higher education market.Outlining the use of technology, partnerships and new business models, the episode illustrates how even our most established and reputed institutions can also pursue radical change and innovation in taking a legacy higher education brand into the new world of lifelong learning.
2023-03-1432 minHEDxEP. 66 Bringing bold big ideas into the University AccordProfessor Mary O'Kane in leading the University Accord invites HEDx to be a facilitator and provocateur of big ideas into the biggest review of our higher education system for a generation. Immediately after the launch of the issues paper and an initial 6 week consultation period at the UA conference, Mary joins the HEDx podcast to invite its members and audience to articulate big ideas from within our sector and others, from Australia and beyond. Coming two weeks before our major sector conference in Melbourne on March 15th the episode provides an opportunity to the sector to bring big ideas to b...
2023-03-0151 minHEDxEP. 65 Education transforming lives, at scalePaul LeBlanc, the President of Southern New Hampshire University in the US, joins the HEDx podcast for a second part of his interview. He talks about his radical model of scalable higher education delivered by his staff who focus on the personal needs of their students. He draws from his recent book "Broken" to demonstrate the importance of his students and staff being seen and feeling they mattered.
2023-02-1540 minHEDxEP. 64 Celebrated author Paul Le Blanc of SNHU on industry transformationProfessor Paul Le Blanc is the President of Southern New Hampshire University and joins the HEDx podcast for the first episode of 2023. He outlines a philosophy that's driven his institution and is influencing the sector to be truly distinctive by putting "Students First" which is the title of one of his two acclaimed books.
2023-01-3145 minHEDxEP. 62 Education Futures: Delivering post-secondary education for regional communitiesProfessor Nick Klomp VC of CQU and President of the Regional University Network tells the story of the development of the only dual-sector institution in Queensland from a regional base in Rockhampton with a physical and virtual footprint around Australia and beyond. He argues passionately for the importance of teaching students in the region to stay in the region and about the role of a university in regional communities.
2022-11-1634 minHEDxEP. 61 After 20 years of innovation in university teaching, we need to changeAssociate Professor Jack Wang of UQ was Australian University Teacher of the Year in 2020. He outlines 7 phases of teaching innovation in Australian universities that he believes have left us in "no mans land" as students decline to join staff in empty lecture theatres. He shares the lessons of being a student and teacher in those 20 years for those facing the hybrid learning future.
2022-11-0241 minHEDxEP. 60 Creating better career prospects for all through a student engagement and EdTech strategyIan Dunn as Provost of Coventry University shares the secrets of success of the UK's top younger university for graduate career prospects. He outlines how a UK university has gained a global reputation for innovation and creativity with a focus on student inclusion and success. He describes how it was achieved through innovative and strategic use of EdTech and a clear strategy to ensure students succeed and educators are free to experiment.
2022-10-1939 minHEDxEP. 59 The future in the post COVID eraDuncan Maskell VC of Melbourne University shares his passion for the public good purpose of our universities and his thanks for the commitment of his staff to keeping the university going as he enters the fifth year of his tenure at Parkville. He outlines how the university is reconsidering what shape and size it wants to be in the future rather than passively responding to market demands. And outlines how the nature of future education will be explored in an agile way across disciplines by staff he intends to empower to experiment, innovate and translate.
2022-10-0539 minHEDxEP. 58 How do we support all students to gain access to education?University of Surrey, UK Vice Chancellor and President Max Lu shares his experiences of putting in place a transitionary 3-year strategy to traverse the combination of Brexit and pandemic recovery to address the student experience, increase research impact and build an operational platform for future growth, together with launching a focussed philanthropic campaign to raise funds to support equitable student access. Some parallels with his prior experience as Provost and DVC R at University of Queensland with lessons for leaders elsewhere.
2022-09-2138 minHEDxEP. 57 Do public service leadership principles work in a university?Professor Renee Leon reflects on her first year as Vice Chancellor at Charles Sturt University by contrasting leadership practices and culture between universities and the public service. She reflects on how what she has learnt from the public service can be applied to improve culture and leadership in universities and how she has brought this to bear on the turnaround of her university and its new strategy.
2022-09-0745 minHEDxEP. 56 Entrepreneurial university leadership is spotting a gap in the market, and filling itAustralian Entrepreneur of the Year for 2022 Linda Brown as CEO of Torrens University Australia johns the HEDx podcast. She shares her thoughts on the opportunities for private universities in Australia and globally to utilise EdTech and partner with connected employers. She advocates Torren's success in plugging the gap of industry relevant higher education for global customers, at scale.
The episode highlights her experience of having established Torrens as the first new greenfield university in Australia for many years. It has been our fastest growing for a decade and has come from nowhere to be the 4th largest provi...
2022-08-2443 minHEDxEP. 55 Time for universities to get their skates onMaria Spies as Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Holon IQ shares an update to their report on 5 scenarios for the future of higher education by 2030. She outlines the priorities for the innovation agenda for universities for the path ahead and the need to keep moving at the same or faster pace as competitors to be positioned for disruption and transformation ahead.
2022-08-1042 minHEDxEP. 54 Taking the ASU model to the worldRick Shangraw, after 20 years at ASU, describes how their success story is founded on using enterprise to allow inclusive access to excellent education and research that serves end user purpose and communities. He then articulates, as CEO of ASU startup Cintana, how that model is being taken to up to 50 partner universities around the world in seeking to democratise education for the benefit of society including his role as President of the American University of Kyiv in the Ukraine. These are lofty and differentiated strategic goals for sure.
2022-07-2040 min
HEDxEP. 53 Serving the world through learningBetty Vandenbosch joins the HEDx podcast as Chief Content Officer of Coursera to outline her vision of how the landscape of global higher education will have changed by 2030 and what Coursera and global universities can best do to prepare for that vision. She sees a clear picture of hybrid learning combining with hybrid working and stackable and flexible packages of learning being accessed on global platforms to serve growing lifelong learning needs.
2022-07-0643 min
HEDxEP. 52 The Place of EdPlus in the ASU StoryCEO of EdPlus at Arizona State University, Phil Regier explains the background to how online students have grown to close to 84,000 across all disciplines in major partnerships with employers in Starbucks and Uber in partnership with the global EdTech community. The journey to online education becoming core to the whole university and to all students who make their own choice of how, when and where to gain access to inclusive excellence is a pointer to the future for hybrid education at scale.
2022-06-2241 min
HEDxEP. 51 An EdTech slaying the dragons of cheating in universitiesCadmus CEO Herk Kailis joins the podcast to outline how EdTech companies have emerged to provide support services to help individual universities focus on what they want to be great at. He describes the importance and scope for technology innovation and adoption in the narrow area of student assessment and the broader areas of learning. He gives pointers to the extraordinary levels of investment that are happening in B2C EdTech plays and their threat to disrupt the sector.
2022-06-1024 min
HEDxEP. 50 Michael Crow of ASU: A Leader Daring to be DifferentPresident Michael Crow approaches 20 years as President of ASU ranked as the most innovative US university for seven years running. He shares a clear message of the need for distinction and differentiation and of ASU's mission to democratise higher education for the world. He measures the ASU strategy by the students they include and building pathways for all to succeed. Their technology-enabled strategy is breaking the mould of global higher education. When will others follow? The biggest risk might be in not doing so.
2022-05-1944 min
HEDxEP. 49 Piloting innovation from a civic university in the UKProfessor Malcolm Press CBE joins the podcast as the VC of Manchester Metropolitan University. He shares insights into his commitment to his staff and students and the commitment Manchester Met has to its civic setting in a major city in the UK. He shares lessons from a 200 year history of an institution that is pioneering degree apprenticeships and design education among other things and illustrates the importance of authenticity and trusting teams in exercising effective leadership.
2022-05-0440 min
HEDxEP. 48 TEDI-London: taking the blinkers off global engineering educationProfessor Judy Raper CEO of TEDI London joins the podcast to describe how an alliance of research power houses Arizona State University, UNSW and Kings College are reconceiving design and engineering education in a start up in London. A staff cohort with no lecturers delivering problem based learning in industry partnerships, using the most advanced pedagogy and learning technologies, with no distractions of research, is this experiment a pointer toward the decoupling of the teaching-research nexus and the future of professional education?
2022-04-0828 min
HEDxEP. 47 Being fearless in the unnoticed middle orderProfessor Colin Stirling Vice Chancellor of Flinders University in Adelaide outlines the positioning of Flinders to Be Fearless in its focus on combining world class research with student success through new physical infrastructure. He responds to the renewed prospect of SA university mergers following the election of Premier Malinauskis. And he explains an approach to differentiating in the increasingly regulated, publicly funded landscape where being fearless is a way to become noticed.
2022-04-0142 min
HEDxEP. 46 Taking the long-term view at UQVice Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry AO of the University of Queensland outlines how a refresh of a Group of Eight university strategy in the depths of the pandemic got energised and inspired by the award of the Olympic Games to her city shortly before the strategy was to be finessed by university leadership after an engagement jam across staff students and external partners. It illustrates how a short-term trajectory during tough times can be amplified by a light on the horizon of a major global opportunity for a strategy that seeks to emphasise the local relevance of global excellence while...
2022-03-1843 min
HEDxEP. 45 Speaking out for the sectorCatriona Jackson the CEO of Universities Australia joins the podcast in the aftermath of the ministerial non-approval of 6 ARC Discovery grants, the tightrope walking around foreign interference and research partnerships, and as campuses reopen with staff and students, particularly women, having some reluctance of what they are returning to. Immediately following our first HEDx Live event on gender equity and culture, and with a federal election on the horizon, this episode raises the importance of robust, straight-talking for the future of the sector.
2022-03-0436 min
HEDxEP. 44 Using your values as your true northProfessor Carolyn Evans VC of Griffith University and Chair of the Innovative Research Universities (IRU) group reflects on how having a new strategy coming into 2020 served her well in providing a true north to navigate the challenges of the disruptions of a pandemic. And as the IRU reflect on their distinctiveness as a group of universities, she reflects on how innovation has been made the necessity of the hour, and a means of guiding engaged staff in our universities through the cultural challenges of the current period, to serve a critically important broader community purpose.
2022-02-2242 min
HEDxEP. 43 Universities in 2022: A Beacon of Hope?Professor Jan Thomas VC for 5 years of Massey University and Chair of Universities New Zealand outlines the issues being faced in the different setting and context of NZ compared to her earlier experience of 5 years leading the University of Southern Queensland. She sees universities as beacons of hope if they can pull together, work in partnership with government, industry and communities, and work with people by engaging them in a positive and equitable agenda for the future. A great message of hope for universities across ANZ as we start 2022.
2022-02-0240 min
HEDxEP. 42 How do we live up to the promise of 2022?This episode sees a student join us in orientation week then again in week 12 of her first semester. She shares expectations coming into the course and how these are impacted by her understanding of brand and reputation. We join her again at the end of her first semester to learn of her positive experiences, that differ across parts of the university, and align with some of the expectations of the brand. What does this all mean for student evaluation, authenticity in brand and reputation, and culture in universities? and how do we create what students most want next year which...
2021-12-1029 min
HEDxEP. 41 Do you want to work at a university that is curious, brave and bold?Anthony Forster of Essex University in the UK joins the podcast as our first international VC. He describes the values that drive how his university seeks to differentiate and what made it UK University of the Year in 2018. He outlines the quite different issues of government funding for research and flow of international students, particularly from India, that UK universities are facing compared to those in Australia. And outlines the particular challenges that Brexit is bringing. And as a university with no gender pay gap for any groups of staff and a leader committed to leading differently, he outlines a...
2021-11-2441 min
HEDxEP. 40 What is a University of Enterprise?VC David Lloyd of the University of South Australia shares insights from running the first staff jam across his whole university in getting staff engagement to a strategy. And repeating it again 4 years later. He outlines how one unforeseen idea cost him $50m. He outlines the novel approach of leaving staff to decide how academic units should be organized only making the proviso it should be based on the products they offer students. And he describes a global partnership for skill development with a global big 4 consultancy from Adelaide. His message is of a philosophy of leadership and a university...
2021-11-0936 min
HEDxEP. 39 Can we Build Back Better?Kent Anderson DVC at Newcastle joins us soon after a 2 year spell in Ministers' Tehan and Tudge's office guiding recent policy changes. He comments on the divide between chancelleries and ministry that has developed in recent years. He puts it down to the challenge of listening and who is in charge of the sandpit. The traverse of the landscape of policy changes concludes with an astute assessment of strategy options for those that listen best, and read the tea leaves quickest. This may come from those among the 40 universities with very different starting points and contexts, or from private providers...
2021-10-2937 min
HEDxEP. 38 Opportunities for Australia to Connect with the WorldIn this episode, Professor Jennifer Whyte of University of Sydney joins the HEDx podcast to reflect on culture, leadership and partnerships as an AUstralian Head of School in a Go8 compared to her experiences at Imperial College in the UK. She outlines opportunities for Australian universities to take advantage of new modes of connections, in particular a forthcoming Olympic Games in 2032, to reintegrate with the rest of the world by harnessing technology and global perspectives.
2021-10-1438 min
HEDxEP. 37 A Passion for Purpose in Realising Student SuccessDenice Pitt CEO of online learning pioneers OES joins Karl and Martin to reflect on the 10 year journey of her company supporting universities in bringing high quality online learning to non-traditional students. She outlines the culture and technology combination, and novel approach to partnership, that makes it possible and has allowed student experience levels to be maintained through the disruption of the pandemic. And she shares a vision and forecasts to where our world of online learning is heading globally.
2021-09-3043 min
HEDxEP. 36 A Local, National, Global, Private University. Is this the future?Professor Alwyn Louw joins HEDx as Vice Chancellor of Torrens University to tell of its growth to close to 20,000 students in seven years. As a US-owned private university operating across Australia, the Torrens story is one of fast growth, differentiated strategy, and a unique set up of governance and executive roles. It has a focus on innovation and growth with balanced ambitions for new domestic and international students, onshore, offshore and online. And with a model for funding research that is independent of government policy, is this the future for Australian higher education?
2021-09-1541 min
HEDxEP 35. The Best of Times, the Worst of TimesSandra Harding, as Australia's current longest serving VC of a single Australian university at JCU in Townsville, joins the HEDx team. She reflects on how the sector's leaders and staff are feeling and of the culture change that is needed for a very different future than that she anticipated as UA Chair in 2013.
She tells the story of how JCU was created and positioned to be unique as a university of the tropics. And she outlines ways in which differentiation could be possible for other new leaders and universities in the period ahead through pursuing teaching excellence and online opportunities...
2021-09-0135 min
HEDxEP 34. Great Expectations of LeadersPatrica Davdson the new VC of Wollongong University in NSW joins HEDx to outline the compassionate approach to leadership she has brought to her first 90 days. She outlines the challenges she perceives for the sector, its staff and its students. As she prepares the new strategy for Wollongong she celebrates the people, the community and the history. She sees genuine opportunities for universities to differentiate through digital disruption and with how technology and empathy for people can allow new expectations to be met by a sector whose time she sees as full of opportunity.
2021-08-1938 min
HEDxEP 33. Looking Ahead at NewcastleThis episode has University of Newcastle VC Alex Zelinsky join HEDx to outline the 5 year strategy called Looking Ahead. A leader with CSIRO and Defence Scientist backgrounds dismisses the prospect of research commercialisation replacing lost international student revenue. He instead outlines a future path based on community engagement and blended student experiences and fully recognises the importance of shaping culture and getting staff on board with change at these most difficult of times.
2021-08-0436 min
HEDxEP 32. Partner or PerishGuy Littlefair, PVC International at Auckland University of Technology joins HEDx to share insights into transitions between university and business environments and the importance of partnerships. He gives great pointers to how universities and businesses can best work together in addressing local and global issues. In the week that Mark Scott takes over at the University of Sydney, and foreshadows a focus on partnerships, forging them is emerging as a priority for all in the sector.
2021-07-2139 min
HEDxEP 31. University Culture in the Real WorldThis episode has Margaret Sheil join the HEDx team to outline where QUT is up to in refreshing its blueprint strategy. As the university with the most well known brand position in Australia, promoting that in a post-COVID era is a priority for Margaret as VC. She outlines where a significant organisational change is up to and how the focus now is on rebuilding the culture at QUT to allow the strategy to be delivered, and her concern for staff in adapting to change. The episode illustrates the importance of alignment of brand and strategy. And it demonstrates clearly the...
2021-07-0938 min
HEDxEP 30. A tribute to all Australian university staff from the Chair of UAThis interview with the new Chair of our peak body Universities Australia, sees Vice Chancellor of La Trobe John Dewar assess how we are doing as a sector and interpret the gauntlet thrown at us by Minister Tudge in his recent speech. John gives a rich picture of the complexity of the commercialisation and campus return issues. He outlines how moves to differentiate on function and by discipline will continue to provide an opportunity for place-based strategies and major forays into the very competitive global online markets. But his message to the sector, in one of his first public statements...
2021-06-2629 min
HEDxEP 29. How leaders cope with incivility by academicsThis episode has Karl and Martin joined by Professor Lynn Bosetti of UBC in Canada who gives insights into how Australian leaders in universities encounter academic workforces using incivility as behaviour to resist change and attempts at strategic direction. She draws on experience in both countries as an academic leader and her research of VCs and Deans around the world, to outline how the emotional labour of leading universities is exposed to smart bullying upwards by independent academics that has accentuated during the pandemic.
A topic of great interest in many Australian universities as change programs, returns to work, and...
2021-06-1132 min
HEDxEP 28. Beating the OddsProfessor Marcia Devlin joins Martin and Karl to discuss her new book, Beating the Odds, on sexism in Australian universities in the week it is launched. Marcia outlines the inequity as well as the financial, cultural and performance disadvantages that arise from a lack of diversity in leadership teams and how this can be changed by women, men and all leaders following different strategies.
The episode gives a sharp, specific and timely insight into the importance of leaders building great culture in universities and how this is even more important in a post covid world.
2021-05-2637 min
HEDxEP 27. The Future of Higher Education is HybridLeading learning technology innovator Dr David Kellermann is a Senior Lecturer in Engineering at UNSW in Sydney. He joins Martin and Karl to share his thoughts on the journey he believes all universities must take towards a new hybrid learning model of teaching. As a pioneer of learning technology and innovation he was well prepared for the acceleration in this in 2020 and applied his commitment to equitable access for all students in doing this well. He fears many other academics were less well prepared for this change and remain so.
He believes there is more that universities can do to...
2021-05-1436 min
HEDxEP 26. Australia's Most Awarded Data Scientist on Higher EducationPwC's Chief Data Scientist, Matt Kuperholz talks with Karl about the evolution of the industry and the role of data in shaping the future of higher education
2021-04-2833 min
HEDxEP 25. A different purpose calls for different leaders shaping different culturesIn this episode of HEDx Brigid Heywood outlines her journey into the role of VC and CEO at Australia's oldest regional university in New England plucked from a planned retirement in Easter Island. She outlines a new strategy for UNE built on a long tradition of distance education and on recent advances and radical ambitions for personalised learning journeys at the heart of differentiated student experiences. And she outlines how her unique approach to leadership, and the shaping she seeks to bring to the culture of teams within her university, in combination with external partners in diverse regional precincts, is...
2021-04-1538 min
HEDxEP 24. 'Must do better' means 'must do different'In this week's HEDx episode, Karl and Martin are joined by their first international guest in Professor Giselle Byrnes. Giselle is the Provost with responsibilities across research, commercialisation and teaching and learning at distance learning innovator Massey University in New Zealand. She gives pointers in her interview to some of the differences in culture, tradition, priorities and practice in national jurisdictions and reflects on the implications of these for the way disruption might be led from different parts of the world. She makes a call for more compassionate leadership by Vice Chancellors in these times. The episode gives insights into...
2021-04-0840 min
HEDxEP 23. Listen Carefully: Disruption can't happen without an innovative cultureThis week on HEDx Karl and Martin speak with the leaders from one of Australia's leading technology companies REA Group. They explore the relationship between REA Group and the higher education sector and what progressive organisations need from universities as the world moves on from COVID-19. Going from $500M to $17B in 15 years only happens through brilliant strategy and cultural excellence. The mandate for culture to evolve in universities has never been greater.
2021-03-2443 min
HEDxEP 22. A University Rising with its RegionHelen Bartlett VC of University of Sunshine Coast joins the HEDx podcast to outline her new University strategy. It has a strong focus on her people and the culture of the university and how that relates to the context in Southeast Queensland. Her language is of opportunity and partnerships and a strong focus on how her region is growing, with the added ingredients of an Olympics in her backyard on the horizon. In the same week that Mark Scott is announced as the next VC of Sydney, are we starting to see a divergence in leadership focus between our global...
2021-03-1740 min
HEDxEP 21. Only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been skinny dippingJack Goodman Founder and Executive Chair of Studiosity joins the HEDx podcast in describing how his business, which began by partnering with public libraries to deliver online study help for high school students, has emerged as a dominant place for academic literacy support for students at close to 70% of australian universities. He foresees a global market for higher education based on personalisation of service and that technology will be a driver for transformation and disruption. He sees a step change in the balance between digital and physical infrastructure investment, and that student expectations will drive much of that transformation. He...
2021-03-1038 min
HEDxEP 20. Leading Disruptive Change: Strategy in a War Zone?On this episode DVC Education at Wollongong Theo Farrell joins Karl and Martin on HEDx to describe AFR award winning staff engagement at his University that helped 99.9% of teaching to move online in a fortnight. A former war studies professor, he outlines the difference between strategy and planning, reflecting on his experience advising international forces in Kabul. He celebrates the momentum to digital learning practice that requires focus on the student experience if it is to win in the higher education battlefields. He makes a case for academic work having changed irrevocably and argues that university executive teams should not...
2021-03-0537 min
HEDxEP 19. Do Employers Care Where Your Degree is From?In this week's episode, Karl and Martin are joined by Lloyd Lazaro of The Executive Chair. They explore how search consultants are seeing how leaders are selected and what it means for graduate recruitment. They believe that most employers cannot distinguish between graduates from different universities, and that they have no preferred source of which graduates to hire.
2021-02-2435 min
HEDxEP 18. Time to Translate and TransformGeraldine Mackenzie VC of University of Southern Queensland joins Karl and Martin on HEDx to reflect on how her strategy, that was nearing completion when COVID hit, has been delayed, revised and is reorienting USQ to work even more closely with industry partners on translation, and even more closely with technology in transforming learning practices. She applauds how the sector is working together, at least in its respective parts, but acknowledges all in the sector are yet to have clarity on whether the short-term adjustments to regional living through tree and sea changes will have prominence over digital disruption in...
2021-02-2338 min
HEDxEP 17. There's No Going BackThis episode sees Karl and Martin joined by Chris Eigeland the Chief Revenue Officer of GO1 an Edtech start up.
The episode explores how new entrants are moving at warp speed to disrupt business models for lifelong learning as a route to democratising access to education and knowledge.
The implications to universities are profound with the clearest argument yet that the days of expensive 4-year degrees are numbered. The case is made for the need to be prepared to give up the short term gains of current offerings if long term benefits from a disrupting business model are to be...
2021-02-1033 min
HEDxEP 16. Monash Kicking Goals as the Siren SoundsIn this episode of HEDx Karl and Martin are joined by Sarah, a second year student at Monash University. She applauds the way they helped her through the challenges of 2020 and looks forward to some greater social interaction and some return to campus for 2021. The episode raises the prospect of the sleeping giant of disrupted value propositions in all of our universities for both international and domestic students and the need for third horizon planning to focus on the new business models that will be required. The clearest picture yet of the challenge the sector is facing.
2021-02-0934 min
HEDxEP. 15 Regional University Relevance in 2021: Time for a Sea/Tree Change?The HEDx team talk with Professor Duncan Bentley after his first 90 days as Vice Chancellor at Federation University in regional Victoria. He shares his thoughts about how to get to know a new place, its culture and its staff, students and partners, in trying times. He also focusses on the need for care for all in a university community. Duncan speculates about the role of regional universities in 2021 and how a focus on their external communities can set them apart. He presents this as a differentiated strategy, at times when some think all universities look the same.
2021-01-2738 min
HEDxEP. 14 A HEDx Health Check to Start the New YearIn the first episode of 2021 Karl and Martin are joined on HEDx by Professor John Germov, the Acting VC of Charles Sturt University in NSW. Together they reflect on how all universities are positioned to start a new year in our universities. They discuss how a new year strategic health check, that universities are starting to use around the country, can help leaders ask the right questions to set them, their staff, and their students for success in this year of opportunity. What will yours and your university's new year's resolution be?
2021-01-2043 min
HEDxEP 13. How Many Students Will We See Next Year?This week's podcast allows Karl and Martin of HEDx to discuss the importance of data analytics and finding ways of monitoring and forecasting market changes. John Griffiths, as CEO of one of our state Tertiary Admissions Centres, shares current market data of applications and offers for next year's intake. He confirms trends towards online study and micro credentials in future student demand, and innovative admissions practices by universities in response, which he believes are here to stay.
2020-12-1040 min
HEDxEP 12. Sharpening Strategy and Recognising StaffIn this episode Barney Glover VC at Western Sydney University outlines his assessment of where the sector is up to and how WSU is looking to sharpen its approach to respond to the needs of partners and its communities. He also pays tribute to the extraordinary efforts of WSU staff in the most challenging of years.
2020-12-0241 min
HEDxEP 11. 21st Century Fit UniversitiesLeading commentator on the changing perspectives of young Australians and the future of work Jan Owen AM joins Martin and Karl to reflect on the acceleration that has occurred in trends for young people and their work futures and the implications for our universities. The winners will be those that adapt quickest and develop their staff capabilities and connections with partners that allow them to be 21st Century fit.
2020-11-2535 min
HEDxEP 10. Winning the Right RacePascale Quester of Swinburne University of Technology joins the HEDx podcast at the end of her first 100 days as Vice Chancellor. She reflects on how all universities have the chance to leave the peloton and make the run to their own finish line based on an assessment of how they are shaped for the competition they want to compete in. The HEDx Health Check is also launched to help each university in the sector measure how it is placed to compete.
2020-11-1736 min
HEDxEP 9. Time for a ResetIn this episode, noted commentator and policy analyst Andrew Norton joins Karl and Martin in the first HEDx episode in association with the leading educational publication Campus Review. Now more certainty is emerging in the sector with regard to funding, policy and how universities can operate in the new year, this is the time for a strategic reset.
2020-11-1539 min
HEDxEP 8. Gold at the Base of the PyramidIn this Episode Martin and Karl continue their chat with Jane den Hollander and face into the need for universities to create and curate healthy, effective, strategy-driving culture.
2020-11-0832 min
HEDxEP 7. Straight Talk and Strategy with Jane Den HollanderThis episode explores how the early attempts by some universities to differentiate on the basis of digital and online delivery of programs has been a gap largely closed this year as all universities responded to COVID by going online. We are joined by Jane den Hollander who as VC of Deakin led their differentiated digital strategy for years and as VC at UWA for part of 2020 led a traditional GO8 to replicate that approach. This episode argues for all universities to explore how to differentiate and what it takes to stand out in the pack.
2020-10-2831 min
HEDxEP 6. Deeds Not WordsIn this episode Karl and Martin are joined by Professor Sally Kift, President of the Australian Learning and Teaching Fellows, and explore the mental health challenges students are facing and how university culture needs to respond.
2020-10-2034 min
HEDxEP 5. The Age of AlignmentIn this episode, Martin and Karl explore issues of alignment and realignment within universities. The need at this time for effective systems leadership is illustrated through an interview with Professor Aleks Subic STEM DVC and VP of Digital Innovation at RMIT who makes a call for innovation in partnerships.
2020-10-1231 min
HEDxEP 4. University Strategy Under ExaminationThis episode covers the needs and capability of the higher education sector to revise strategy and Professor Betts talks with VP of Strategy and Development at Latrobe University Natalie McDonald
2020-10-0635 min
HEDxEP 3. 2020 University - Student AThis episode steps into the world of the university student, and contrasts the shift in higher education experience from North America to Australia, and from 2019 - 2020.
2020-09-2928 min
HEDxEP 2. Leadership in Higher EducationOn this episode Professor Betts and Karl Treacher explore leadership in higher education and interview one of Australia's longest serving leaders in the sector, former VC from QUT and former RMIT Chancellor Dennis Gibson.
2020-09-2230 min
HEDxEP 1. The Higher Education ExperienceAn introduction to hosts Professor Martin Betts and Karl Treacher, along with a very interesting interview with one of Australia's leading experts on CSR and responsible management, Macquarie Business School's Dr Debbie Haski-Leventhal.
2020-09-0822 min