Campus talks: a Times Higher Education podcast

Hear academics and university leaders reflect on their professional journeys and address some of the biggest questions facing higher education today. Campus talks gets under the skin of the issues and individuals defining the future of teaching, research, EDI, digital transformation and sustainability in the academy.

Campus talks: the real-world power of soft skills

How do universities ensure their curricula meet the demands from industry, government and students for career-ready graduates equipped with vital transferable skills? Three experts explain how institutions are working to align higher education and skills development

David Bell, Dawn Bennett, Derek Harding

University of Sunderland, Independent consultant, Swinburne University of Technology

Campus talks: why teaching with artificial intelligence is ‘like a giant field experiment’

THE Award-winning educationalist Jenny Moffett talks about using AI so it supports learning rather than risks deskilling students, dealing with uncertainty in the classroom and the value of boredom

Jenny Moffett

RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

Campus talks: the role of universities as bastions of free speech and open debate in polarised times

An expert in constructive dialogue and a free speech campaigner explain how universities can nurture productive disagreement and uphold the principles of free speech and academic freedom in the face of growing polarisation

Caroline Mehl, Abhishek Saha

Constructive Dialogue Institute, Queen Mary University of London

Campus talks: the future of doctoral research funding for arts and humanities

An award-winning historian shares insights on changes to the PhD funding landscape in the UK and how early career scholars can maximise their chances of securing support

Alice Taylor

King’s College London

Campus talks: how to unlock motivation and beat procrastination in your students and yourself

Two academic researchers and lecturers discuss the many factors that boost short- and long-term motivation and how to get yourself started when procrastination threatens

Ian Taylor, Helena Seli

Loughborough University, University of Southern California

Campus talks: why ‘grit’ and knowing when to say ‘no’ are vital skills in academia today

In this week’s podcast, two professors discuss the skills and characteristics needed to achieve long-term academic career success and fulfilment

Jeffrey McDonnell, Sarah Robinson

University of Saskatchewan, IÉSEG School of Management

Susan C. Aldridge, president of Thomas Jefferson University, speaks to Campus editor Miranda Prynne

Campus interview: Susan Aldridge, president of Thomas Jefferson University, on educating career-ready graduates

The leader of a US institution discusses how to set students up for future success in uncertain times and why working across disciplines is so powerful

Susan C. Aldridge

Thomas Jefferson University

Campus talks: what today’s hyper-connected students need from their first weeks on campus

Students taking their first steps on to university campuses this month will arrive more informed – thanks to AI and social media – and more focused on career outcomes than previous intakes. So, how should universities tailor their welcome to set incoming cohorts up for success?

Rachel Gable

William & Mary

Campus talks: getting back to the basics of equity, diversity and inclusion in higher education

Two US experts in EDI discuss how universities can continue to support and advance equality of opportunity in the face of mounting challenges to ‘diversity’ work

Paulette Granberry Russell, Frank Dobbin

National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, Harvard University

Campus talks: are we facing a crisis in critical thinking in higher education?

Two academic experts in strategic decision-making and education discuss critical thinking, why it is under threat and what role it plays in preparing students for their digitally curated futures

Olivier Sibony, Tony Wagner

HEC Paris, Learning Policy Institute

Campus talks: using social media not as a tool but as a teacher in higher education

What can university educators learn about teaching and audience engagement from social media? Two experts – a psychologist and a professor of public relations – share strategies for connecting with students, finding wider audiences for niche research, and fighting misinformation

Peter Lovatt, Cayce Myers

Doctor Dance, Virginia Tech

Campus talks: university libraries – and librarians – that are leading the change

Learn about the efforts of US librarians to protect valuable public data from sudden erasure by the Trump administration and a pioneering project which saw a UK university partner with a local council to create a joint library that is open to anyone

David Green, Lynda Kellam

University of Worcester, University of Pennsylvania

Campus talks: what does it take to successfully commercialise research?

A technology transfer expert and biotech spin-out founder explain the steps involved in moving discoveries from the lab to the market

Mairi Gibbs, Andrew Hammond

University of Oxford, Imperial College London

Campus talks: actions that make a real difference in the fight against climate change

From global finance to the laboratory, hear about two very different ways by which universities can reduce their carbon emissions

Ellen Quigley, Jenna Lowe

University of Cambridge, University of Liverpool

Campus talks: the complex factors that drive students’ sense of belonging

An expert in student belonging and engagement in the digital environment explains the nuances of belonging, mattering and inclusion as well as how to foster well-being in higher education

Karen Gravett

University of Surrey

Campus talks: the secrets of effective policy engagement – from two academics who have worked in government

Two academics who are steeped in policy expertise, having worked in government in the UK and US, share practical insights on what works when trying to get research before the eyes of decision-makers

David R. Garcia, Michael Sanders

Arizona State University, King’s College London

Campus talks: why internationalisation must remain a cornerstone of higher education

Hear academic leaders in the UK and Singapore discuss what is needed for effective cross-border collaboration

Lily Kong, Manuel Barcia

Singapore Management University, University of Bath

Campus talks: how to look after yourself in higher education

Personal insights from a range of higher education voices on how they preserve their own well-being

Multiple authors

Campus

Campus talks: how to achieve research excellence – and protect it

Learn what contributes to quality research across an institution and how that work should be kept secure

Marcus Munafò, Jacqueline Littlewood

The University of Bristol, University of Alberta

Campus talks: the tricky relationship between assessment and learning

Hear three US academic experts discuss what role assessment should play in higher education and how it can be improved

Susan D. Blum, Catherine Wehlburg, Josh Eyler

University of Notre Dame, Athens State University, University of Mississippi

Campus talks: why we need interdisciplinarity in teaching and research

Interdisciplinary thinking is crucial to addressing complex questions but how should it work in practice? Two leading academic proponents of cross-disciplinary working draw on their own groundbreaking scholarship to explain

Gabriele Bammer, Kate Crawford

Australian National University, USC Annenberg, Microsoft Research Lab (MSR) New York

Campus talks: the pros and cons of AI in higher education

How should universities manage the rapid uptake of artificial intelligence across all aspects of higher education? We talk to three experts about AI’s impact on teaching, governance and the environment

Shaolei Ren, José Antonio Bowen, Shushma Patel

University of California, Riverside, Bowen Innovation Group, De Montfort University

Campus talks: a brighter future for academic publishing

Hear from two academics who are developing publishing solutions that encourage and underpin quality research practices and improve access to scholarly work

Paul Ayris, Philipp Koellinger

UCL, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Campus talks: the benefits of citizen science and community-engaged research

Two leading academics explain why everyone benefits when researchers look beyond academia to seek greater understanding and new knowledge alongside the broader public or affected communities

Chris Lintott, Neeli Bendapudi

University of Oxford, Penn State University

Campus talks: social artist Helen Storey on working on the boundary of fashion and science

The UNHCR’s first designer-in-residence Helen Storey talks about why she has donated her creative archive to the University of the Arts London, and how the arts can help people connect with issues such as climate change and the refugee crisis

Helen Storey

University of the Arts London

Campus talks: what Indigenous knowledge brings to higher education

Two Indigenous university leaders explain how their institutions support First Nations’ participation in higher education, create space for community and build trust in postcolonial environments

Angie Bruce, Te Kawehau Hoskins

University of Manitoba, The University of Auckland

Campus talks: what makes an award-winning academic, university or project?

We speak to past THE Awards winners to find out about the work for which they and their institutions were recognised

Roderick Watkins, Mark Brown, Joanne Pledger, Ruth Spencer

Anglia Ruskin University, Royal Holloway, University of London, University of Central Lancashire

Campus talks: educating our way out of the climate crisis

Two academics share strategies for advancing climate action and boosting sustainability at an institutional and individual level

Liz Price , Tripp Shealy

Manchester Metropolitan University, Virginia Tech

Campus talks: two vice-chancellors on maintaining quality and financial stability within a university

Hear Anton Muscatelli of the University of Glasgow and Alex Zelinsky of the University of Newcastle, Australia, discuss the complexities of successfully running a university

Anton Muscatelli, Alex Zelinsky

University of Glasgow, The University of Newcastle, Australia

Campus talks: how can universities ensure students are safe and supported?

A discussion of universities’ duty of care towards students, from tackling sexual misconduct to ensuring they feel supported in their studies

Rachel Fenton, Catherine Moran

The University of Exeter, University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Campus talks: knowledge exchange and data management as drivers of research and innovation

The University of Oxford’s pro vice-chancellor for innovation on how universities and industry can work together for the benefit of all, plus a leading data scientist on why data needs careful handling to protect future research efforts

Chas Bountra, Sara de Freitas

University of Oxford, Birkbeck, University of London, The Open University

Campus talks: supporting student success at all stages of the university journey

University of Chester vice-chancellor Eunice Simmons talks about effective strategies for widening access and embedding equity in higher education

Eunice Simmons

University of Chester

Campus talks: what constitutes good teaching in higher education?

Two academics with experience in delivering and researching teaching in varied educational contexts discuss the complexities of effective instruction

Leon Tikly, Jason M. Lodge

The University of Bristol, The University of Queensland

Campus talks: how technology is reshaping the 21st-century campus

When hybrid learning and immersive technology can connect and engage students working in any location, where does that leave all those lecture halls and libraries? We ask two US experts about how universities are adapting to the digital transformation

Stephen W. Harmon, Lev Gonick

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities, Arizona State University

Campus talks: university success stories in managing AI and building digital capacity

Find out how two universities, in Hong Kong and the UK, are embracing generative AI and building institution-wide digital expertise

Julia Chen, Helen Cocks

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, The University of Exeter

Campus talks: how to prepare for university leadership

Middlesex University vice-chancellor Shân Wareing talks about the need to make the path to senior roles transparent and why confidence is not the be-all and end-all of leadership

Shân Wareing

Middlesex University

Campus talks: higher education leaders on their priorities for the new UK government

What will the UK’s new Labour-led parliament mean for university funding, research impact, international student flows and free speech on campus? Two higher education leaders share their perspectives on the challenges ahead

Vivienne Stern, Chris Day

Universities UK, Russell Group

Campus talks: cross-cultural communication in the international classroom

Whether it’s teaching creative writing and media in a multilingual course or providing future doctors with clinical communication skills, two experts share tips for connecting with students and bridging language and culture divides

Lucy Palmer, Katalin Fogarasi

University of Central Asia, Semmelweis University

Campus talks: what does the UK election mean for higher education?

Does the UK general election offer a ray of hope for the beleaguered university sector? Two higher education policy experts give their take on what university leaders can do to make a case for the sector and how a new parliament might tackle hot topics such as international students and research funding

Nick Hillman, Diana Beech

Higher Education Policy Institute, London Higher

Campus talks: bringing an outsider’s eye to primary sources

What happens when a literary scholar turns her attention to local archives such as inventories and court records? English professor Alexandra Harris talks about writing history, uncovering centuries of silent lives for her new book, and the interdisciplinary power of the humanities

Alexandra Harris

University of Birmingham

Campus talks: how to lead a university from the front

De Montfort University vice-chancellor Katie Normington talks about leadership, why change is best undertaken quickly, what ballet taught her about resilience and persistence, and how to empower others to realise their potential

Katie Normington

De Montfort University

Campus talks: the future of XR and immersive learning

Immersive technology expert Monica Arés explains how the combination of artificial intelligence and extended reality in education has the potential to unlock curiosity and learning, the costs that come with these tools and what she thinks teaching technology will look like in 2034

Monica Arés

Imperial College London

Campus talks: interview with Mark Thompson, professor of digital economy at the University of Exeter

Academic, practitioner and policy commentator Mark Thompson shares his concern that UK higher education is drifting from its true north of research, teaching and impact in the wake of complex digital change and the prisoner’s dilemma of whole-sector transformation

Mark Thompson

The University of Exeter

Campus talks: human connection and the student experience

Two Australian academics take on the role of person-to-person contact in student success and well-being in higher education – whether that’s the benefits of in-person teaching or the effects of using AI for academic work

Jan Slapeta, Joseph Crawford

University of Sydney, University of Tasmania

Campus talks: what is open access?

Experts demystify what open access and open research are, tips for best practice, and where the movement and research culture are heading

Heather Joseph, Steven U. Vidovic

Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition, University of Southampton

Campus talks: an interview with Sian Beilock, president of Dartmouth

Sian Beilock, the first woman elected president of Dartmouth in the institution’s 250-year history, speaks about female leadership in higher education and performing under pressure

Sian Beilock

Dartmouth

Campus talks: an interview with Kathryn Sikkink, Ryan Family professor of human rights policy at Harvard Kennedy School

Human rights scholar and award-winning author Kathryn Sikkink talks about her work with the Harvard Votes Challenge, how young people are more savvy about misinformation than older generations and why, in this year of elections, democracy needs protection

Kathryn Sikkink

Harvard University

Campus talks: how to turn university students into engaged citizens – and voters

Political scientists, in the US and the UK, discuss how universities can support Generation Z to engage with the democratic process, how to foster safe and open political discussion and why voting is like bungee jumping

Elizabeth C. Matto, Michael Bruter

Rutgers University, The London School of Economics and Political Science

Campus talks: an interview with James Purnell, president and vice-chancellor of University of the Arts London

The president and vice-chancellor of the University of the Arts London talks about how AI will affect the creative sector, the connection between cities, commerce and creativity, and how UAL plans to pioneer online creative education

James Purnell