What now? What next? Insights into Australia's tertiary education sector

In this episode of the podcast Claire is joined by Prof. Michelle Trudgett, DVC Indigenous Leadership, Western Sydney University. Here are the links mentioned in the interview: Know your worth: valuing Indigenous leadership positions in Australian higher education https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2026.2670000 Indigenous Centre of Excellence at Western Sydney University:  https://www.westernsydney....

In this episode of the podcast Claire is joined by Alex White, the CEO of the Victorian TAFE Association, to discuss a new research report and Alex's broader insights into VET and the public TAFE sector. The VTA's new TAFE Employment Outcomes report is available on their website: https://vta.vic.edu.au/employment-outcomes-report/ Contact Claire: Connect with me on LinkedIn: Claire Field...

In this episode of the podcast Claire is joined by the founder and CEO of Voyage, Matthew Donlon, to discuss student perceptions of and questions about studying in Australia, how they are reacting to conflict and global uncertainty and what they want from institutions as AI reshapes the graduate jobs market. The Voyage website is:  https://myvoyage.io/app/thesocialsource And details of the the rec...

In this episode of the podcast Claire is joined by Prof. Phillip Dawson from CRADLE at Deakin University. During the episode you'll hear them mention the following resources: The Castlereagh Statement:  https://castlereagh.ai/ Research on academic cheating by Prof. Guy Curtis and colleagues:  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40979-026-00215-z (open access) Prof. Dawson's Linked...

In this episode of the podcast Claire is joined by Rishen Shekhar to discuss his experiences in the Australian international education sector and where it needs to head to next. Here are links to some of the articles and reports Rishen discusses: Jon Chew 'Implications of rising inexplicable student visa rejections' https://thekoalanews.com/implications-of-rising-inexplicable-student-vis...

In this episode of the podcast Claire is joined by Prof. Kevin Ashford-Rowe, Pro Vice Chancellor Learning and Teaching at QUT and Dr Erin Jancauskas, Chief Academic and Partnerships Officer at Online Education Services (OES) to discuss how we can assure learning and encourage aspiration as AI transforms teaching and learning.  In the episode they discuss the following reports and articles: OES - A...

In this episode of the podcast Claire is joined by three senior leaders at the Analytics Institute of Australia (Pankaj Goel, Sarthak Goel and Rolf Baum) to learn about what it's like leading an international private higher education provider as the sector goes through a number of policy changes, as well as educating and preparing students for work in an AI-era. During the interview - Sarthak...

In this episode of the podcast Claire is joined by the CEO of Canberra Institute of Technology, Dr Margot McNeill, to discuss some of the key reforms in VET including: TAFE Centres of Excellence National Qualifications Reform the National TAFE Network   women in leadership, and why we need to shift from RPL to "recognition of prior experience". Contact Claire: Connect with me on LinkedIn...

In this episode Claire is joined by Prof. Michael Wesley, Deputy Vice Chancellor Global, Culture and Engagement at the University of Melbourne to hear his views on what's happening in Australian higher education from both a domestic and international perspective. In her introduction to the episode Claire briefly reflects on the recent Senate Committee hearing into the legislation to introduce...

In this episode of the podcast Claire unpacks all of the submissions to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee's inquiry into the "Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 and a related bill". If you want to read any of the submissions you'll find them on the Senate website: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committ...

In this episode of the podcast Claire shares insights from three recent events she's attended: GITEX Global where she learned about: the Canadian government's approach to "sovereignty not solitude" in an era of AI, and Canada's LLM ( Cohere ), the new Open University of Kenya , Estonia's successful digital economy , the UAE's LLM ( Falcon ), the Abu Dhabi governm...

In this episode of the podcast Claire is joined by Distinguished Prof. Keith Dowding and Dr Marija Taflaga from the Australian National University - with some answers to the problems of university governance. In the episode you'll here references to: the paper Dr Taflaga, Dr Markham and Prof Dowding recently published:  https://doi.org/10.25911/MWW4-9781 their submission to the Senate Inquiry...

In this episode, Claire is joined by by Bala Subra, TAFE NSW IT Program Development and Management to discuss their use of a new AI tool, Maya, as a team teacher supporting student learning. In the episode Claire refers to the following resources which listeners working in the VET sector will find particularly useful if you haven't come across them before: TEQSA's GenAI knowledge hub:  h...

In this episode Claire is joined by Shae McGregor, Pathways Course Transitions Manager at TAFE Gippsland to discuss some phenomenal work they are doing to help learners experiencing intersectional disadvantage to make profound changes to their lives. Contact Claire: Connect with me on LinkedIn: Claire Field Follow me on Bluesky: @clairefield.bsky.social  Check out the news pages on my website: cla...

In this episode of the podcast Claire is joined by the Vice Chancellor of the University of New England, Prof. Chris Moran to discuss the work UNE is doing to engage and support students from less privileged backgrounds to consider university study and find a place at UNE despite many not having an ATAR. During the conversation Claire referred to this new report from Jobs and Skills Australia: htt...

In this episode of the podcast Claire is joined by Dr Tabatha Griffin from the NCVER and Tamie Cousins and Elcin Gul from Melbourne Polytechnic to discuss the next generation of VET educators and the support they need to be great educators. Recent research Dr Griffin has undertaken with her colleagues at the NCVER on the VET workforce, teaching, and learning includes: Effective teaching and learni...

In this episode of the podcast Claire is joined by Dr Julia Anaf from Stretton Health Equity, at the University of Adelaide to discuss the Stretton Health Equity submission to the Senate inquiry into university governance and why university leaders need to be paying much more attention to the psychosocial safety of their staff - particularly as they restructure. During the podcast Dr Anaf discusse...

In this episode of the podcast Claire is joined by Assoc. Prof. Mark Bassett, Director  Academic Quality, Standards and Integrity at Charles Sturt University to discuss generative AI, AI detection tools and how institutions can help their staff safely use GenAI tools. During the interview Assoc. Prof. Bassett discusses the following: S.E.C.U.R.E Framework: https://secureframework.ai   AI detectors...

In this episode Claire is joined by QUT's Prof. Gavin Nicholson to discuss his submission to the Senate Committee's inquiry into university governance. If you want to read a copy of Prof. Nicholson's submission (Submission 21) - you can find it at: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Education_and_Employment/UniversityGovernance/Submissions And if you hav...

In this episode Claire is joined by QUT's Dr Natasha Arthars to discuss her recent research on VET in Schools enrolments and the questions that arise for students labour market prospects and future study pathways.  Dr Arthar's research paper can be accessed at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1360080X.2025.2478962 The OECD research Claire mentions on high school students&apo...

In this episode Claire unpacks some of the changes happening in the tertiary sector as both regulators (ASQA and TEQSA) start thinking about how AI is changing the world of work and what that means for what providers teach. Claire references the following reports, frameworks and research in the episode: NSW Audit Office (2025)  Universities 2024 https://www.audit.nsw.gov.au/our-work/reports/univer...

In this episode of the podcast Claire is joined by the Vice Chancellor of Charles Sturt University, Prof. Renée Leon to discuss why funding for universities, and not institutional governance, is the biggest issue facing the sector. Prof. Leon also points out the substantial challenges facing regional universities and their students - who are often first-in-family, low SES, mature age and First Nat...

In this episode of the podcast Claire speaks with Emeritus Prof. Erica Smith on the state of apprenticeships in Australia and how a raft of recent reforms are privileging traditional male trades over apprenticeships/traineeships in feminised industries. Claire and Erica discuss the recent Strategic Review of the Australian Apprenticeship Incentive System and the government's interim response...

In this episode Claire gives a summary of the submissions to the Senate Committee's inquiry into the Quality of governance at Australian higher education providers. During the episode Claire references her interview in episode 123 with NTEU representatives Emily Foley and Tony Williams about their experiences working as casual academics in Australian universities. The submissions to the Senat...

In this episode Claire speaks with Adam Kilburn, CEO of NEAS Australia. They discuss: NEAS' 2025 conference:  https://neas.org.au/conference-25/ The ASEAN Australia Education Dialogue: https://www.aseanaustraliadialogue.com/aaed-2024   Claire's initial analysis of the Coalition's proposed international student caps:  https://clairefield.com.au/unpacking-the-coalitions-plans-for-inte...