Think Education

In the latest Think Education podcast episode, Chris and Judith are joined by third time guest and frequent contributor, Dr Vicky Lewis, to discuss recent developments in international education and the unresolved tension between international values on the one hand and financial issues on the other. Vicky discussed the shifts she has seen in how universities are thinking about international educa...

In this latest Think Education podcast Judith and Chris are joined by Malgorzata Drewniok, Assistant Director for International Student Success at The University of Bristol.  And yes, there is a Welsh connection – even if only by happenstance. Once we got past Judith’s exuberant support of linguistics, linguists and general language degrees, we were able to talk to Gosia about her work supporting...

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...

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 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...

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 li...

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.  He...

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...

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...

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 abo...

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 sp...

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 feel...

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 ma...

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....

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 universi...

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...

Memory and the Impact of Learning In this episode of the Think Education podcast, Chris and Judith talk about memory, the past, the present and the future.  We ponder the student experience, motivated by our own understanding of what impacted us along our respective journeys. The impact of a good teacher should not underestimated, nor should the road less travelled.  The intangibles have been inst...

Following on from our recent conversation with Prof Ian Mabbett, Prof. Christopher Hill and Prof. Judith Lamie revisit the issue of partnerships – how they are changing and how we are responding to these changes in international higher education. We discuss teaching and learning, research and innovation and the increasingly explicit nature of the integration of all of these elements in our thinkin...

Cher.  Madonna.  Elvis.  People so significant to culture and context that they went by one name.  To this list, we add Janet. Christopher and Judith are delighted to be able to present our recent Think Education podcast with Dr Janet Ilieva, founder and director of Education Insight .  Known by all in the international higher education sector, Janet is a font of knowledge and expert analysis and...

Professor Ian Mabbett Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor for Research Culture, Swansea University Returning to our former pattern of having a Welsh connection in our Think Education podcast, Chris and Judith are joined by Professor Ian Mabbett.  In a deeply engaging conversation that was parts philosophical, ethical and practical. Ian talked about his background in chemistry and revealed the wonderful tit...

As a continuation of our last episode, and indeed part of the current podcasting series, Prof Judith and Prof Christopher discuss change in the university context. Over the course of this session, we think about change as a concept and how we approach and respond to it.  How do we manage change itself?  What are the mechanisms in place?   How do we assess needs and then respond to them? Judith pon...

Just under a year ago, Judith and I talked about the value of reflection and taking time away from the office to recharge. We clearly took this far too literally as this is our first podcast since August 2024!!  In the time since then we have reflected, and we have continued talking and thinking about all things international education.  And we finished writing and submitted our third book – and e...

I have seen quite a few posts on Linkedin in the past week or so about fake reviews, fake journals and general fakeness all around.  It reminded me of a fascinating conversation I had with Professor Perry Hobson last year about fake conferences and their impact on academia. For those who didn't get a chance to hear this when first published, please enjoy.   In this latest Think Education podcast @...

In this latest Think Education podcast, Christopher talks to friend of the show, Dr Tendai Charles – Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, British University in Dubai – about AI and its function to support an inclusive learning environment. Tendai talked about his recent attendance and presentation at the Advance HE Teaching and Learning Conference 2024, held at Nottingham Trent University, U...

In this latest Think Education podcast, Chris and Judith talk to Jessica Turner, CEO of QS, about her journey from Australia to the USA to the UK – with all stops in between. This marks the second in our current series looking at women in leadership and international higher education. Jessica talked about her background in music and how this creativity and willingness to follow her own path – even...