EAIE Podcast

In the modern day and age, especially technical developments continue to make it easier and easier to share knowledge across any type of border. However, sharing knowledge also has its dangers, as we’ve seen within the world of international higher education as well. Both institutions and organisations within the field are trying to figure out how to best approach this question of knowledge diplom...

Whether you are a student going on an exchange to a different country or getting involved in international learning in other ways, stepping out of your comfort zone for an intercultural experience can be both exciting and frightening. Will you find your place in this new community, and will others support you in finding a sense of belonging? In this episode of the EAIE podcast, we tackle the topic...

Between 06 and 09 June 2024, European citizens cast votes to help shape the European Union’s future. Even though many of us might have read or heard about the general outcomes of this important election, is it clear what this may mean for international higher education in Europe? What can we take away from the election outcomes, and what do these results mean for Europe’s immediate future? In this...

The countdown to the EAIE 2024 Conference and Exhibition in Toulouse has begun! Between 17 – 20 September 2024, many topics within the world of international higher education will be discussed during sessions, networking events, informal gatherings, and the opening and closing plenaries. As we look toward this exciting gathering, EAIE podcast host Laura Rumbley had the pleasure of interviewing one...

The international higher education field covers many different issues, and it can be a challenge to stay up to date on everything that’s being discussed. An important and relevant topic that can be linked to the core of the work we do is global citizenship. In a way, we are all global citizens, but what is exactly meant by the term ‘global citizenship’? How does this relate to international higher...

What makes a successful leader? There are many different possible answers to this question, and some of them will be addressed in the upcoming Summer issue of Forum, the EAIE member magazine, which will focus on the theme ‘Leadership in international education.’ This podcast episode provides a sneak peek at the conversation the EAIE had with Summer Forum interviewee Professor Danica Purg, the Pres...

There you are, a young professional within the field of international higher education. Perhaps you're just starting out in a new role, or maybe you already have a few years of experience within the sector, with ideas and ambitions for your future career. In these cases, it's always helpful to have someone to guide you or to meet people who find themselves in the same situation. What do...

International students and their experiences are a frequent focus of research in the field of international higher education. But to what extent are researchers actively working to include international students in this work? What can research collaboration with international students look like? How should we consider inclusive definitions of international students? And what are some examples of g...

Although the international student mobility sector has always been in flux, it feels as if change and disruption have been more acutely a part of our lives since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. ‘Policy rollercoasters’ have been apparent in a wide range of countries around the world, including the Netherlands, the UK, Canada, and Australia. A ‘whiplash effect’ brought on by changing policies ha...

In January 2023, the EAIE discussed internationalisation's definitions and the need for change with Oxford's Professor Simon Marginson. Following this, Hans de Wit critiqued existing definitions in a Journal of Studies in International Education (JSIE) essay, urging a shift in focus towards guiding the phenomenon's direction rather than defining it. Which directions should we move i...

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation in February 2022, the EAIE has engaged in a series of conversations with two Ukrainian higher education institutions, Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) in Lviv and Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (KNU),  In observance of the two-year anniversary of the February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Feder...

Over the past few years, the EAIE Podcast has paid particular attention to the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, celebrated annually on 11 February. This day promotes the full and equal access and participation of females in the fields of science, technology, engineering, medicine and mathematics. It also serves as a reminder that women and girls play a critical role in the global s...

ChatGPT, artificial intelligence, chat prompts… It’s 2024, and whether we like it or not, artificial intelligence and all the challenges and opportunities that come with it are here to stay. Like many others, the EAIE is captivated by the developments in relation to artificial intelligence and what impact it will or could have on international higher education, in particular. During the 2023 EAIE...

Happy New Year! We find ourselves at the start of a new calendar year, 2024, which is usually a moment in time for people to think of (and try to stick to) new year resolutions. Many professionals in the international higher education field struggle with managing their workload, and it can feel as if there are not enough hours in the day. There's a whole new year filled with possibilities on...

In this last EAIE podcast episode of the year 2023, we are honoured to welcome a special guest who has made a real difference to the EAIE and the international higher education community over the years. Hans-Georg van Liempd is currently the Secretary of the University and Director University Services at Tilburg University, the Netherlands, and in the past, served as both Vice-President and Presid...

Sustainability continues to be a topic that is top of mind within the international higher education field. Earlier this year, the winners of the International Green Gown Awards were announced, an initiative that recognizes exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by higher education institutions across the world. In the category ‘Sustainability Institution of the Year’, there were...

The use of agents by higher education institutions to support their international student recruitment efforts is a very accepted practice in some national and institutional contexts around the world, but it’s also considered quite controversial elsewhere. This debate has been ongoing for years, but what is currently at the heart of this discussion? In this EAIE podcast episode, we talk to the thre...

It’s a turbulent time for students across Europe as they deal with pressing issues, such as the lack of student accommodation and the fight against climate change, alongside their studies. Two highly active and visible student organisations have their backs, though: the European Students’ Union (ESU) and the Erasmus Student Network (ESN). Both organisations work hard to ensure the student voice is...

In this episode of the EAIE podcast, host Laura Rumbley talks to two guests who have found themselves at this ‘back to school’ moment numerous times already in their careers and whose senior leadership roles require them to guide international office teams through many such key moments.   So how do seasoned team leaders like Sabine Pendl, Director of the Office of International Relations at the Un...

The 2023 EAIE Award winners were announced in August 2023, and at the conference in Rotterdam, they will all be given some of the attention they rightfully deserve. In this podcast episode, the EAIE is honoured to have had the opportunity to talk to Ligia Deca, the current minister of Education for Romania and this year’s winner of the EAIE Award for Vision and Leadership.  Several topics are touc...

Never graduated, eternally honoured. This is the guiding notion behind the ‘Unissued Diplomas’ project, set up by the Ukrainian Canadian Students’ Union (SUSK) and a group of volunteers with different backgrounds. The purpose of the initiative is to put the spotlight on a group of 36 Ukrainian higher education students who will never receive their diplomas because their lives were ended too soon b...

The International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA) is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary. Between 22 and 25 August the association organised its 25th annual conference, this time bringing together international higher education professionals from around the world in Durban, South Africa. For Europe, partnership with Africa is a key priority – whether in terms of economic devel...

The European Year of Skills will run from 9 May 2023 until 8 May 2024 and put the spotlight on skills. This year is all about helping people get the right skills and addressing important skills shortages in the EU. Since 2014 the United Nations has also observed World Youth Skills Day every July 15th. This month's podcast episode relevantly focuses on the synergies for skill-building within i...

In April 2023, the EAIE published its annual international student admissions survey report , which includes interesting insights into current and future dynamics of (international) student admissions across the European Higher Education Area. The data from the survey showed, amongst other things, that the issue of inflation/cost of living is currently a ‘moderate’ barrier to international student...

Several months ago, Universities UK International (UUKi) and the British Council released a report titled ‘ The scale of UK higher education transnational education 2020-21’ . This report offered a snapshot analysis of what’s happening with UK transnational education (TNE) across the globe. Since the UK’s departure from the EU, TNE programmes have become more attractive to European students as acc...