Campus by Times Higher Education

The delivery of quality research is central to the mission of most universities. But there is more to research excellence than headline-grabbing “ground-breaking” discoveries. This podcast episode explores what good research looks like, how it can be supported at an institutional level, and what feeds into a healthy research ecosystem that enables robust studies of all types, at all stages to be carried out and knowledge advanced. We also delve into research security to find out how such scholarly work can be protected from misuse or being weaponised amid ever-changing geopolitical power struggles. You will hear from: Marcus Munafò, who is currently associate pro vice-chancellor for research culture and professor of biological psychology at the University of Bristol, but will, in May, take up the post of deputy vice-chancellor and provost at the University of Bath. He is co-founder of the UK Reproducibility Network (UKRN) and leads a major project funded by Research England to accelerate the uptake of open research practices across UK higher education sector. Jacqueline Littlewood, director of research security at the University of Alberta in Canada. She took up this role leading the university’s safeguarding research office in 2023 after a 20-year career in government as a policy analyst and adviser, including working with Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. For more advice on this topic, check out our resources offering insight on delivering top quality research, including a spotlight collection on how to demonstrate research excellence.

Susan D. Blum, an anthropology professor at Notre Dame, critiques traditional teaching methods. Catherine Wehlburg, president of Athens State University, focuses on effective assessment practices. Josh Eyler, director at the University of Mississippi, discusses how grades can harm learning. They explore the detrimental effects of 'schoolishness' and the pressures of prestigious institutions on student mental health. The conversation advocates for feedback-based assessment methods, emphasizing authentic learning experiences over mere grades.

Join Gabriele Bammer, a leading voice in interdisciplinary sciences, and Kate Crawford, a pivotal scholar on AI's societal impacts, as they explore the crucial need for breaking down academic silos. They discuss the challenges faced in integrating interdisciplinary methods into education and how collaboration can address complex global issues. Bammer emphasizes effective teamwork and communication, while Crawford highlights the inconsistencies in AI development, advocating for a diverse approach to tackle ethical concerns around technology.

Joining the discussion are Shaolei Ren, an expert in AI's environmental impacts at UC Riverside; José Bowen, co-author of a practical guide on teaching with AI; and Shushma Patel, pro vice-chancellor for AI at De Montfort University. They explore the environmental costs of AI, including its significant water footprint, and argue for a balanced approach to its integration in higher education. The conversation covers strategies for sustainable AI implementation, the need for AI literacy among educators, and the transformative potential of AI for personalized learning experiences.

In this discussion, Paul Ayris, a pioneer in open access at UCL Press, and Philipp Koellinger, a social science genetics expert and CEO of DeSci Labs, tackle the pressing issues in academic publishing. They explore new models aimed at enhancing research visibility and dismantling paywalls. Ayris shares insights about UCL’s groundbreaking open access initiatives, while Koellinger introduces DeSci Publish, a pre-print network revolutionizing research dissemination. Together, they highlight the critical need for transparency, equity, and innovation in scholarly communication.

Citizen science, in which researchers work alongside members of the public to collect or analyse data, brings multiple benefits, extending the capabilities of research teams and aiding public engagement. But there are still sceptics who question its validity as a research model. Find out why concerns are often misplaced and hear some of the ways enthusiastic amateurs have helped advance human knowledge. On the broader question of public impact, hear how universities could provide a framework that supports academics to carry out more community-engaged research, designed to serve the public good. On this episode, we talk to: Chris Lintott, professor of astrophysics at the University of Oxford, presenter on the BBC’s The Sky at Night program, author and co-founder of citizen science platform Zooniverse. He explains how his interest in citizen science was sparked and why he believes it is such an effective model. Neeli Bendapudi, president of Penn State – Pennsylvania State University – discusses a new coalition of university leaders from across the US and Canada who are working with funders, government agencies and others to develop a roadmap for the future community-engaged, public-impact research. For more insight into the global higher education sector, visit Campus. 

For this episode, we talk to British social artist, designer and researcher Helen Storey about a career that has taken her from runways to scientific collaborations to refugee camps in the Middle East and Africa. Storey is a professor of fashion and science at the London College of Fashion in the Centre for Sustainable Fashion at the University of the Arts London (UAL). In May, she donated her 30-year Helen Storey Foundation Archive of about 2,000 digital and physical pieces to UAL. In this interview, she details her journey – how she transitioned from award-winning commercial fashion designer to working with scientists on projects that, among other explorations, translate the first 1,000 hours of human life into textiles – and how she hopes the archive will benefit students. Storey, who was awarded an MBE for Services to Arts in 2009, also shares insights from her humanitarian work, from creating Dress 4 our Time to becoming the UNHCR’s first designer-in-residence, and how these experiences are now intertwined with her work at UAL. The conversation covers what the arts and science bring to each other, the value of the tactile, and how art can be a conduit for people to connect with overwhelming issues such as climate change, plastic pollution and global displacement. For more insight into the global higher education sector, visit Campus. 

Angie Bruce, a Red River Métis leader at the University of Manitoba, shares insights on overcoming systemic barriers to Indigenous participation in education. Te Kawehau Hoskins, a pro vice-chancellor from the University of Auckland, discusses the integration of Māori perspectives and the need for collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. They both highlight the importance of decolonizing academia and fostering inclusive environments that celebrate Indigenous knowledge and culture, ultimately enriching the educational experience for all.

Learn from the winners in three very different THE Award categories how they developed the strategies and projects that saw them take home a trophy in 2023 – and how these have evolved in the 12 months since. We speak to: Roderick Watkins, vice-chancellor of Anglia Ruskin University, which was named 2023 THE University of the Year Mark Brown, a professor in evolutionary ecology and conservation at Royal Holloway, University of London, who won Outstanding Research Supervisor of the Year Joanne Pledger, a senior lecturer in astrophysics, and Ruth Spencer, a senior lecturer in dance, both at the University of Central Lancashire who, with colleagues, worked on the Into Our Skies: Space in Schools project, which took home the award for widening participation or outreach initiative.

With world leaders gathered in Azerbaijan for the COP29 climate change summit, this week’s podcast focuses on universities’ role in advancing sustainability and reducing carbon emissions. As centres of teaching, research and innovation, universities are uniquely positioned to educate on environmentally aware leaders and help find ways out of this crisis. We spoke to two academic experts in this space to find out how they and their institutions are driving action on climate change. Tripp Shealy is associate professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Virginia Tech. His research looks at how climate and environmental issues are handled in land development and construction. Liz Price is deputy pro-vice chancellor for sustainability at Manchester Metropolitan University and a professor of environmental education. She is responsible for driving sustainability across education, research and partnerships and developing Education for Sustainable Development, Carbon Literacy and Net Zero skills at the university. For more inspiration and advice on how to advance efforts on climate change within your own inspiration, take a look at our latest spotlight guide: A greener future for higher education.