UIIN Podcasts

In this episode, we examine how universities can move beyond reacting to disruption and become institutions that actively shape the future with Heba Chehade , Head of Foresight Research at Dubai Future Foundation. We unpack how universities can use foresight to rethink their value proposition, strengthen partnerships, and design more resilient approaches to learning, research, policy, and public v...

In this episode, we explore how academic innovation can be recognised, rewarded and embedded in university career structures with  Kirsty Collinge , Head of Research Strategy at the University of Edinburgh. We unpack how the University of Edinburgh is rethinking academic career structures to recognise and reward innovation more explicitly. From developing an innovation career pathway across recrui...

In this episode, we explore what it takes to make external engagement more strategic, coordinated and impactful with Professor  Dan Johnson , Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Enterprise at Macquarie University. We unpack how Macquarie’s history, location within the Macquarie Park Innovation District and strong industry-facing culture have shaped its approach to partnerships. From...

In this episode, we explore what it takes to rethink technology transfer for real-world impact with Anthony Francis , Associate Vice President of Innovation, Commercialisation, and Entrepreneurship at the University of Texas at San Antonio. We unpack why traditional, IP-first approaches continue to limit the flow of innovation from universities into society, how institutions can move beyond linear...

In this episode, we explore what it takes to build a corporate engagement function that truly works across the whole university with  Mark Nolan , Associate Vice President of Corporate Engagement at the Georgia Institute of Technology. We unpack why fragmented structures and siloed interactions with industry often lead to missed opportunities, how universities can move beyond disconnected touch po...

In this episode, we spoke with Cameron McCoy, founder of the Adaptive Group, about why many transformation efforts in higher education fall short and what it really takes to create lasting change. We unpacked the idea of adaptive evolution: Moving beyond quick fixes to address root causes, rethink core systems, and build institutions that are truly change-ready, learner-centred, and capable of evo...

In this episode, we dive into the future of doctoral education with Hélène de Burgh-Woodman , Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research Training at the University of Western Australia. Drawing on her work on entrepreneurial doctorates and her contribution to our latest  Future of Universities Thoughbook , we explore why the traditional PhD model is under pressure, how universities can better prepare resear...

For this episode, we spoke with Sebastiaan Berendsen, Director of Value Creation and Impact at Wageningen University & Research, about how universities can move beyond traditional measures like patents and spinouts to focus on real societal outcomes. Drawing on his contribution to the Future of Universities Thoughtbook | Entrepreneurial Edition , we explored what it takes to build mission-driv...

In this episode, we speak with Andrew Petter, former President and Vice-Chancellor of Simon Fraser University, about the challenges universities face today and why staying innovative and engaged with society is critical for their future. Drawing on his contribution to the Future of Universities Thoughtbook | Entrepreneurial Edition , Andrew reflects on why universities risk isolating themselves wh...

For this episode, we spoke with Richard Lamb , Programme Manager for Knowledge Transfer Partnerships at Innovate UK , about one of the UK’s longest-running innovation instruments. For 50 years, KTP has embedded university expertise directly into businesses to solve strategic challenges and build lasting capability. We unpacked what makes the model distinctive, the pivotal role of the associate bri...

In this episode, Todd Davey, A/Prof. of Entrepreneurship at IMT-BS and Associate Partner at UIIN, speaks with Judy Raper, former CEO and Dean of ASU London, about what it really takes to design interdisciplinary, industry-connected education from the ground up. Drawing on her experience launching a brand-new university model, Judy reflects on how project-based learning, curiosity-driven education,...

In this episode, Balzhan Orazbayeva, Manager Strategic Initiatives at UIIN, is joined by Rebecca Robinson, Associate Vice President for Economic Development and Industry Relations at Oregon State University, to take a close look at what it really takes to design partnerships that work at scale. Moving beyond one-off collaborations, Rebecca shares how Oregon State has built a more coordinated, sect...

In this episode, we are joined by Oleks Osiyevskyy and Guy Levesque from the University of Calgary to unpack what it really means to rewire entrepreneurial education. Drawing on the work done at the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking, they challenge the idea of entrepreneurship as just startups and commercialisation, and make the case for entrepreneurial thinking as a mindset for creating cha...

In this episode, Richard Cowburn , Head of Strategic Collaborations at Karolinska Institutet, joins us to explore how one of the world’s top medical universities navigates partnerships across pharma, medtech, and public health. From building long-term alliances with companies like AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, to supporting researchers through decentralised systems, Richard offers a behin...

In this episode, Timothy O’Connell , Senior Partner and Director of the Entrepreneurship and Startup Center at H-FARM, takes us inside one of Europe’s most unique innovation campuses. Based just outside Venice, H-FARM blends education, startups, and corporate partnerships into a living lab where ideas turn into ventures—and students become founders, innovators, and intrapreneurs. Whether you'r...

In this episode, Wade Kelly , Senior Lecturer at Deakin University’s Researcher Development Academy and a leading voice in research development and community engagement, unpacks what it really means to be an “impactful academic” today. Drawing on his background in education, public engagement, and researcher development, Wade reflects on why impact is not simply about metrics or outputs, but about...

In this episode, we are joined by Joe Steensma, Professor of Public Health and Social Entrepreneurship at Washington University in St. Louis, to discuss the value of interdisciplinary thinking, the lessons science can offer entrepreneurship, and why imagination belongs at the centre of education. Through powerful storytelling and raw honesty, Joe reflects on what it really means to learn, teach, a...

In this episode, we are joined by Amy Wilson, Head of Student Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Copenhagen School of Entrepreneurship (CSE). With over 400 startups in its orbit and a strong emphasis on experimentation over perfection, CSE is redefining what entrepreneurial education looks like, especially in abusiness-only university context. Tune in to this conversation about mindset, multidis...

In this episode, we are joined by Bronwyn Fox, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Enterprise at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), to explore how one of Australia’s leading research universities is redefining research excellence through collaboration, innovation, and impact. Bronwyn shares how UNSW is transforming its research culture—embedding entrepreneurship across disciplines, inves...

In this episode, we are joined by Florence Magee, Head of Network Development and EU Programmes at Skillnet Ireland, to explore how one of Europe’s leading workforce development organisations is building future-ready talent at both national and European scale. Florence shares how Skillnet Ireland’s enterprise-led model brings industry and education together to co-design training that keeps pace wi...

In this episode, we are joined by Paula Berton, Scientific Innovation Executive and Academic Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Calgary’s Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking, to explore how a research-intensive university is reimagining entrepreneurship from the inside out. Paula shares how the Hunter Hub shifts the focus from startups alone to entrepreneurial thinking as a mindset...

In this episode, we are joined by Paul Harris, Executive Director of the Innovative Research Universities (IRU), to unpack what the evidence really says about university–industry collaboration in Australia. From reframing myths with data, to strengthening long-term structures like the Industry PhD programme, to the case for national coordination, mission-based compacts and a better balance between...

In this episode, we are joined by Lisa Martin , Innovation Lead at the University of Canterbury Centre for Entrepreneurship (UCE), to explore how one of New Zealand’s leading universities is building a generation of innovators and change makers. Lisa shares how UCE is reshaping entrepreneurship education, placing values, community and experiential learning at the heart of its model. From designing...

In this episode, we are joined by Jens Eichler, Hydrogen Technology and Business Architect at 3M, to explore how they nurture ideas through its celebrated 15% Culture, which encourages employees to set aside a portion of their work time to proactively cultivate and pursue innovative ideas that excite them. Jens shares how this approach empowers employees to pursue entrepreneurial projects, foster...

In this episode, we’re joined by Lori Glover, Executive Director of Strategic Alliances at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL). Lori shares how CSAIL built one of MIT’s largest industry collaboration programmes, creating multiple pathways for companies to engage with groundbreaking research. From tiered partnerships and matchmaking between faculty and industry to navigat...