Send us a text

A working class hero, Damien Page (New Buckinghamshire University) is a Vice Chancellor who isn't interested in anything other than making a difference to real people, in the real world. He joins the TFTDL flight crew to tell us how a full moon party in Thailand started a voyage into education that transformed his life and many other along the way. 

Like three grumpy old mean, we reminisce over what was the golden age of travel and education. From food tours to food poisoning, we cover everything from the full English breakfast to seeing a cow for the first time. Proper podcasting, for proper folk. We continue. 

Final boarding call: Bangkok, Thailand

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com

Send us a text

Professor Eunice Simmons (University of Chester) is our first Vice Chancellor on the show! Proving we have listeners at the top of higher education food chain (one for the haters) this episode takes listeners on a trip to the tropical forests of Borneo, digging the Channel Tunnel and close encounters with a jaguar in Belize! 

The tallest trees in the forest often face the strongest winds - so what's it like to be a Vice Chancellor? What about a female Vice Chancellor? This is a fascinating insight into the vision, values and life-balance of someone leading by example and wanting to influence change. We are honoured to have Eunice as a guest, and she doesn't disappoint. 

Final boarding call: Sabah, Borneo

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com

Send us a text

Andy and Nick explain their extended absence from the podcast with a shocking revelation that a former guest had a job offer rescinded for appearing on the show because it was seen as 'unprofessional'! The podcast folklore grows but this can't be real, can it? 

Once we got over the sadness followed by incandescent rage - we decided to prove these haters wrong - by featuring Vice Chancellors and Pro Vice Chancellors in the next series of episodes. We literally couldn't get any more senior people to disprove this notion nonsense. 

We are also offering anonymity for those of you who want to share their stories but don't want to live in fear of not getting a really good job. How has it come to this? Upside is we might have enough content for a book! 

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com

Send us a text

Buy-a-donkey or more accurately "Baie Dankie" is the Afrikaans for thank you - a gratitude we owe the lovely Lesinda Leightly (PSI) for the sensory overload that is this episode. She takes the TFTDL flight crew on a road trip along the Garden Route to Cape Town. We stop to ride an ostrich, swim with sharks, ride a foofy slide and drink buckets of wine (sensibly). 

In the words of Shakira - Tsamina eh, eh / Waka waka, eh, eh / It's time for [South] Africa. So break out your baby wipes, wipe away your prejudices and live life like a millionaire on the Rand. 

Final boarding call: Cape Town, South Africa 

This episode is sponsored by The PIE Live leadership conferences taking place in Mumbai, Gold Coast, London and Boston in 2024. Find out more about tickets and sponsorship opportunities at www.thepielive.com 

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com

Send us a text

Recorded on Australia Day, Nik Higgin's (The Ambassador Platform) beams us in to Sydney, a harbour view and the smell of eucalyptus. Drink it in... and then blackout at a 7-Eleven. A loveable character with his own unique style, Nik's life view is to live and let live, including his desire to take off his shoes. He has some excellent travel hacks for frugal entrepreneurs doing business travel that are essential listening. 

It was always going to work. And with Nik championing TAP around the world, how could it not? Special thanks to the Melbourne family who looked after our man in his hour of need.

Final boarding call: Sydney, Australia 

This episode is sponsored by The PIE Live leadership conferences taking place in Mumbai, Gold Coast, London and Boston in 2024. Find out more about tickets and sponsorship opportunities at www.thepielive.com 

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com

Send us a text

At the age of 48, James Rice (IBT College) weighed 300 pounds (135kg/21.5 stone) was pre-diabetic, with high blood pressure and arthritis and could barely fit into XXXL shirts. Then one day a former student who he had supported to study in Canada, opened a gym, and James began a total life transformation. This episode is so surreal you couldn't make it up. From finding the Ark of the Covenant to becoming friends with Arnold Schwarzenegger, get ready to feel motivated for miracles.

'Put the cookie down' is reference to the line in Arnie film Jingle All The Way and James is the best-selling author of his body transformation memoirs in the The 100 Pound War. James encourages anyone to reach out for advice on health and weight loss inspired by this episode. www.100poundwar.com/

Final boarding call: Tigray, Ethiopia. 

This episode is sponsored by The PIE Live leadership conferences taking place in Mumbai, Gold Coast, London and Boston in 2024. Find out more about tickets and sponsorship opportunities at www.thepielive.com 

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com

Send us a text

In this short interlude episode we get to know Nat Cole, director of operations at The Ambassador Platform who have been sponsoring the podcast. We discuss the incredible student stories that have featured in recent episodes and Nat's own adventures learning to drive in India. 

Your stories, features the winners of our 'Road Warriors' photo competition on LinkedIn. Thank you all for your entries! We've loved your over-sharing and confessions. Until next time, safe travels everyone. 

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com

Send us a text

Life is full of risks - including starting your own business, having a picnic in the Maasai Mara or saying way too much on a podcast.  In this episode we take listeners on an audio safari with Jeff Williams (CEO and founder of Enroly). He tells us about his close encounters with a Dik-Dik, surviving the mean streets of London and quitting his job. Aged 14 he was a partner in A&J Mulberry Fresh, aged 19 he co-founded a successful TV production company, and aged 24 he was the Head of International at the University of Bolton. Too much, too young? He's built another successful business since and is feeling his age. 

Cheap therapy for industry leaders and even cheaper promotion for BagBuddy, take a walk on the wildside with TFTDL. This ain't no zoo. 

Final destination: Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

This episode is brought to you in partnership with The Ambassador Platform, a leading peer-to-peer marketing and recruitment platform that connects your current students to prospective students for honest advice. Check out www.theambassadorplatform.com 

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com

Send us a text

Nothing ventured, nothing gained for our tiger queen, Ula Tang-Plowman (University of Central Lancashire). Forged in the steel city of Wuhan, she came to the UK as a student with a pocket full of cash and a taste for the hottest chillies on earth. Little did she know how much her inner strength would be tested in life and how she would need her global network of friends and colleagues in the saddest of circumstances. Vulnerable, honest and inspiring - prepare to be amazed and moved in equal measure.

不入虎穴，焉得虎子 Chinese proverb:  If you don't enter the tiger's den, how will you catch the tiger's cubs?  aka it is impossible to achieve success without experiencing danger.

Final boarding call: Wuhan, China

This episode is brought to you in partnership with The Ambassador Platform, a leading peer-to-peer marketing and recruitment platform that connects your current students to prospective students for honest advice. Check out www.theambassadorplatform.com 

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com

Send us a text

Is there a party at mother's? You bet there is. Life is just one big playground for Adam Pettit (AECC Global) who joins the TFTDL crew to discuss being a player in a global game of ‘tag’. After reading about a group of players in the New York Times, Adam and his friends decided to play the game themselves. A decade later, with players spread all over the world, the stakes are high and the tagging scenarios are extreme! 
 
This is a chatty episode that explores singing R Kelly songs in a Ugandan church to cycling to international education conferences. Adam is the Intled Forrest Gump and you never know what you're going to get! What we do know, is an adventure is about to happen. 

Final destination: Lincoln, United Kingdom 

This episode is brought to you in partnership with The Ambassador Platform, a leading peer-to-peer marketing and recruitment platform that connects your current students to prospective students for honest advice. Check out www.theambassadorplatform.com 

Tales from the Departure Lounge is a Type Nine production for The PIE www.thepienews.com