Campus Talks by Times Higher Education

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.

Universities are public service organisations, educating and researching for the broader societal good. Yet in many countries, the UK and Australia among them, public funding for these institutions has been stripped back forcing them to take a more strategic, commercial approach to generate the income needed to support their work. How can institutions balance social responsibilities against the need to maintain sound finances? How can they improve the quality of teaching and research while driving efficiency and streamlining spending? And how can they remain competitive in an ever-changing global higher education sector? We spoke to two vice-chancellors about how they navigate these challenges. Alex Zelinsky has been vice-chancellor of the University of Newcastle, Australia since 2018. He is a computer scientist and systems engineer by background who has previously worked in government as Australia’s chief defence scientist. Anton Muscatelli has been principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Glasgow since 2009. He will be retiring next year after leading the university through a period of impressive growth. An economist, Anton was chair of the First Minister’s Standing Council on Europe and a member of the Scottish Government’s Council of Economic Advisers until 2021. He has been a special adviser to the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee on fiscal and monetary policy, and has advised the European Commission and the World Bank.

For students to thrive within a higher education setting, they need to feel safe and supported. Universities’ duty of care extends from making students feel welcome and valued to protecting them from serious harm. On this week’s Campus podcast, we discuss the full spectrum of student safeguarding and support. Rachel Fenton, a professor in law at the University of Exeter and one of the UK’s leading academic experts in sexual violence and bystander intervention outlines the scale of the problem in UK universities and explains what can be done to tackle sexual misconduct in all its forms. Catherine Moran, deputy vice-chancellor, academic, at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand, discusses how her institution approaches student support, harnessing data and tech tools alongside human connection to ensure all students get the reassurance or help they need to succeed in their studies. For more advice and insight specific to university safeguarding, head to our latest spotlight collection, made up of resources contributed by higher education professionals from all over the world: Duty of care: making university safe for all

Chas Bountra, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Innovation at the University of Oxford, and Sara de Freitas, an expert in data science and digital technologies, delve into the dynamics of research and innovation. They discuss the power of collaboration across academia and industry, citing the rapid COVID-19 vaccine development as a prime example. Chas highlights Oxford's entrepreneurial achievements, while Sara explores the complexities of data management and the implications of regulations on future research. Their insights emphasize fostering sustainable innovation through effective knowledge exchange.

Eunice Simmons, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Chester, inspires with her commitment to widening participation and sustainability in higher education. She shares innovative strategies like the Citizen Student initiative that enhance student experiences through social capital and community engagement. The conversation delves into the importance of equity, addressing race equality, and fostering inclusivity among students. Eunice also discusses the impact of post-COVID work changes, with a focus on creating flexible, sustainable university environments.

Effective teaching sits at the heart of higher education’s mission to advance learning and discovery. But what are the key components which make up top quality instruction? And how can these be achieved in different and often fast evolving educational contexts? It is this latter question which makes defining good teaching so difficult. So, for this week’s podcast we spoke to two academics who have taught and researched teaching in widely varied settings to dig into the nuances of this most admirable of skills. Leon Tikly is a professor and global chair in education at the University of Bristol, UNESCO chair in inclusive, good quality education and co-director of the Centre for International and Comparative Education in the School of Education. Jason Lodge is associate professor of educational psychology and director of the learning, instruction and technology lab in the University of Queensland’s School of Education. He is an expert advisor to the OECD and Australian National Task Force on AI in Education.

Steve Harmon, executive director at the Center for 21st Century Universities, shares insights on creating 'co-learning' spaces that combine flexibility with collaboration. He discusses how technology, from VR to YouTube, enhances the learning experience. Lev Gonick, chief information officer at Arizona State University, emphasizes the importance of digital infrastructure for inclusive education and explores using immersive storytelling to teach STEM. Both guests highlight the need to align educational technology with the institution's mission, fostering belonging in a global student community.

Julia Chen, director of the Educational Development Centre at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, shares her insights on rethinking education with generative AI. She emphasizes the need for innovative assessment methods that encourage real-world applications. The discussion also highlights the importance of faculty support in adapting course design. Alongside Helen Cocks from the University of Exeter, they explore digital strategies that enhance student experiences and upskill staff, showcasing a collaborative approach to digital transformation in higher education.

Shân Wareing, the new vice-chancellor of Middlesex University, brings over 20 years of leadership experience to her role. She shares her strategic approach to managing university challenges and emphasizes the importance of collaboration and emotional awareness. Shân discusses skills essential for effective leadership, like resilience and emotional control, drawing fascinating parallels between sports and academic careers. Most importantly, she highlights the joy found in one’s work and the profound impact of accessible education on student success.

With frozen tuition fees, falling international student enrolment and the very real possibility of a university going bankrupt, the UK’s new Labour government has inherited a sector in crisis. The need for fast action is apparent, but where should priorities lie? Two higher education leaders share their perspectives on what the sector needs in the short and long term.  For this episode of the Campus podcast, we talk first to Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK, about universities’ valuable opportunity to make a first impression, where Labour might turn for advice on higher education and how the sector may “tilt” in a quest for balance and stability.    Our second guest, Chris Day is chair of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities and vice-chancellor of Newcastle University. He details what is at stake for a sector amid a funding crisis, job cuts and department closures – and where new revenue streams might come from – as well as hope that the 4 July election has brought a chance to reset the sector’s relationship with Westminster.