Sandra Harding, as Australia's current longest serving VC of a single Australian university at JCU in Townsville, joins the HEDx team. She reflects on how the sector's leaders and staff are feeling and of the culture change that is needed for a very different future than that she anticipated as UA Chair in 2013.

She tells the story of how JCU was created and positioned to be unique as a university of the tropics. And she outlines ways in which differentiation could be possible for other new leaders and universities in the period ahead through pursuing teaching excellence and online opportunities. And she sees wisdom in turning these into the best of times and foolishness in thinking former times will ever return.