Podcast

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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