Reimagining HigherEd

Professor Petra Wend - a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2015, Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2021 New Year Honours, and former Vice-Convener of Universities Scotland - says her roles and contributions have been driven by trying to make things better for students.

In half an hour, Judyth and Petra discuss starting from a place of disadvantage, family pressure, a 'sink or swim' university culture, and what universities should be working on now - from digital gaps, flexibility and support, inclusivity and fundamentally changing the public's definition of a university.

In this special episode, Dr Tim Renick - Founding Executive Director of The National Institute for Student Success at Georgia State University and preeminent national adviser on student equity - meets with our guest host, leading student equity researcher and advocate for change, President of the Australian Learning and Teaching Fellows (ALTF), and Studiosity Academic Advisory Board Member - Prof Sally Kift. Dr Renick shares his personal experience as both a student and leader, and shares evidence-led approaches to student satisfaction and completion. The two advocates discuss outcomes and what’s still needed - a critical conversation in light of growing impetus for universities to personally and ethically support every enrolled student.

Professor Braden Hill, DVC Students, Equity and Indigenous at Edith Cowan University, spoke candidly with Professor Judyth Sachs about the shifting dialogue around reconciliation, ECU's unique culture and success with educational equity, and the Voice referendum.

Professor Peter Radoll, DVC Indigenous, Equity and Inclusion at Victoria University, sits down with Professor Judyth Sachs to discuss reconciliation in a higher education context and why "we're better together"; a new focus on First Nations engagement, research, and outcomes; and the upcoming Voice referendum.

Professor Michelle Trudgett, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Indigenous Leadership at Western Sydney University, joins Professor Judyth Sachs to share her inspiring career journey, what it means to be an Indigenous female leader, representation in Australian boardrooms, her thoughts around reconciliation in higher education, and the Voice. Tune in to hear Professor Trudgett's thought-provoking insights.

We're bringing back a great episode from last year featuring Prof Jane den Hollander AO - former VC Deakin University - who worked to transform the student and digital experiences in her time as leader. In this episode, Jane and Judyth discuss - is higher education being truly exceptional right now in its thinking? Are students getting a degree and innovating somewhere else? What's stopping students from thinking wider, higher, deeper, for success and immersion in university life? Jane reflects on privilege, history, politics, why she pivoted from research to teaching and learning, international student experience and skills, why education and a university degree are not the same, and her advice to Education MP Jason Clare.

For anyone who missed this conversation last year, Prof Merlin Crossley speaks to Jack about the octopus, and how the natural world shaped his career, plus the 'balloon' effect of growth in Australian Higher Education, the importance of local communities and belonging, scorecards for teaching and learning, the reality of the '40 40 20' model, what to do with QILT data, and more in this sprawling conversation of an episode.

One year on, Professor Iain Martin’s conversation with Prof Judyth Sachs is still a great listen.

From surgeon to academic, from the UK, to New Zealand, to Australia. Professor Iain Martin brings along a de Havilland DH98 Mosquito to his conversation with Judyth... as well as reflections on his own undergraduate experience, being unfazed as a leader, on transient care of a university, return to campus, and advice to students and future HE leaders.

On 26 July 2023, this panel came together to discuss how technological, economic, and political disruption has impacted students’ engagement, motivation, and resilience - and how Australian and New Zealand universities are responding.

The panel:

Visit studiosity.com/studentsfirst for video recordings and previous sessions.

This week Professor Renée Leon, Vice-Chancellor and President of Charles Sturt University, and Professor Judyth Sachs explore the parallels between universities and public service, and where higher education can learn from government. Renée shares insights from her first six months in role, why multidisciplinarity is the answer to complex problems, shared direction as key to a journey of change, and the one thing she would change for students to give them an experience reminiscent of her own.