The Not Alone Podcast: Leaders in conversation

In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in conversation, host Rafael Bras talks to Professor Karin Markides about what university leaders can learn by choosing hard institutions in very different countries, then using those lessons to build stronger research cultures and real societal impact. We explore why trust in higher education is slipping, how sustainability needs systems thinking, and what AI and other disruptive knowledge mean for the university mission. 

Topics include:

• Transition to Academic Leadership
• Okinawa Institute Experiment 
• Leadership Advice and Governance 
• Trust in Higher Education 
• Sustainability and Climate Challenges
• AI and Disruptive Knowledge
• Universities and Economic Development and
• Fourth Generation University Network

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In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in conversation, Rafael interviews chemist and university leader Andrew Hamilton, whose career moved from Exeter and Cambridge to UBC, a postdoc in Strasbourg, and faculty roles at Princeton, Pittsburgh, and Yale, before senior leadership as Yale provost, Oxford vice chancellor, and NYU president (2016–2023). Hamilton describes how setbacks and “sliding door” moments shaped his path, and why he maintained an organic chemistry lab during leadership roles for personal grounding and faculty credibility. 

Topics include:

• Chemistry of Art Teaching
• NYU Priorities Then Now
• Case for Global Campuses
• Trust in Universities
• Europe vs US Governance
• Leadership in Complexity
• Neutrality and Future Crises

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In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in conversation, host Rafael Bras sits with President Lily Kong to probe trust, purpose, and the future of universities through the lens of Singapore’s model and global headwinds. From neutrality to rankings and the 100-year life, we explore how institutions can rebuild relevance without losing their soul.

Topics include:

• Singapore’s planning state and education-led growth
• first-generation academic journey and gender in leadership
• causes of trust erosion and ROI pressures
• universities leading versus lagging across economic phases
• liberal orthodoxy and cultivating true viewpoint diversity
• institutional neutrality versus passivity and red lines
• rankings, bad metrics and perverse incentives
• the case for humanities and experiential learning
• crisis of direction and diverse institutional missions
• lifelong learning, demographics and the 100-year life

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In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in conversation, we trace how university leadership split between internal stewardship and external politics, and what that means for mission, trust, and culture. Robert A. Brown lays out why research finance is fragile, how immigration and AI shape the future, and where focus and courage will be required.

Topics include:

• Growth of constituencies and the provost–president divide
• Declining public confidence driven by cost, access and politics
• Research economics, indirects and the risk to Endless Frontier
• Subcritical departments and the culture of merit
• Teacher‑scholar model under pressure and reputational incentives
• Immigration as talent strategy and soft power
• Demographics, consolidation and institutional resilience
• AI shifting teaching from facts to judgment and identity
• Focused research priorities and harder leadership choices

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In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in conversation, host Rafael Bras speaks with Tony Chan about building a Western-style research university inside a rapidly changing Saudi Arabia, the rising political pressure on US academia, and what AI can and cannot do. The through line is leadership that protects the university’s soul while adapting to new realities.

Topics include:

• Why KAUST adopted US-style research culture and governance
• Vision 2030 expectations and national impact pressures
• Fitting KAUST into the local academic ecosystem
• Recruiting global faculty and top Saudi students
• Mobility risks amid US–China tensions for scholars
• Political pressure on US universities and funding threats
• How top institutions might evolve by 2040
• AI hype versus evidence, and the risk of another AI winter
• Practical regulation that protects innovation and society
• Access, inequality, and the power of big tech in AI

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In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in conversation, Prof. Ana Mari Cauce reflects on her decade-long presidency at the University of Washington, exploring how authenticity, values, and a commitment to both diversity and free speech guided her leadership through turbulent times.

Topics include:

• The journey from "reluctant administrator" to transformative university president
• Why diversity is not the enemy of excellence and the importance of remaining authentic in leadership roles
• Navigating free speech controversies on campus, including the painful personal connection to her brother's death in the Greensboro Massacre
• How today's campus protests differ from previous eras in their coordination and destructiveness
• The broken compact between government and academia that threatens research progress
• Rebuilding public trust in higher education by creating space for debate and addressing affordability
• The importance of place and staying at one institution to build something meaningful
• Future plans for writing about higher education and fostering greater cooperation among universities

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In this episode of Not Alone: Leaders in conversation, host Rafael Bras speaks with Prof Dawn Freshwater, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland, New Zealand. The conversation covers Prof Freshwater’s unique journey, from leaving school early to becoming a prominent academic leader across multiple continents. They delve into the challenges of higher education; the importance of fairness and justice; the effects of politicization on research; diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI); the role of universities in contemporary society; and leadership qualities in times of global crises. Prof Freshwater also reflects on her motivations, values and the critical importance of moral courage in leadership.

Topics include:

• Meet Prof Dawn Freshwater: A journey across continents
• Early life and influences
• Challenges and triumphs in mental health
• Gender equity and mentorship
• Facing discrimination and cultural differences
• The role of education in society
• Global research and collaboration
• Navigating institutional neutrality
• Leadership in challenging times

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Academic leaders engage in a candid exploration of higher education's role in society, examining how universities can better articulate their value while staying true to their missions amidst rapid technological and social change.

• The relationship between academia and private industry through the lens of Jurassic Park, where university research prioritizes public good over profit
• Universities as places where humanity is remembered through the integration of sciences, arts, and humanities
• The challenge of maintaining truth and facts in an era of misinformation, with arts education fostering necessary nuance
• The critical need to better communicate university research impacts to the general public
• Addressing affordability concerns by explaining the difference between sticker price and actual cost of attendance
• Moving beyond traditional metrics and rankings to measure what truly matters based on institutional mission
• The unique challenges of keeping pace with accelerating knowledge development while maintaining focus on institutional purpose

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Academic leaders gather at Elsevier's 2025 Impact Conference to discuss how higher education can respond to global disruption and inspire hope through evidence-based solutions.

• Judy Verses (Elsevier) discusses rebuilding trust in academia through open conversations and finding alignment on shared goals
• Trust erosion patterns differ between US and European higher education systems due to structural differences in access and affordability
• Cyril Oberlander (Cal Poly Humboldt) reframes libraries as connectors of people and ideas rather than mere repositories
• Libraries empower students through co-creation, digital publishing, and connecting scholarship to learners in innovative ways
• Catherine Stollar Peters (SUNY) emphasizes the vital role of arts and humanities alongside sciences in research advancement
• SUNY measures impact through strategic research investments driven by bottom-up faculty input in areas like AI and quantum computing
• Leaders discuss the importance of moral courage in academic leadership during challenging times
• AI integration offers opportunities to reduce manual processes and generate valuable insights when trained with reliable data

Join us for part two of this special episode where we continue exploring leadership perspectives on the future of higher education.

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In this episode of Not Alone Leaders in conversation, hosted by Rafael Bras, Dr. Timothy Killeen, President of the University of Illinois System, shares his vast experience and insights from an extensive career spanning physics, geophysics, and academic leadership. Dr. Killeen discusses his early life in Cardiff, his shift from pure physics to atmospheric sciences, and the various leadership roles he has held in prominent academic and research institutions.  

The conversation covers critical topics like climate change, the role of academia in policy-making, and the importance of maintaining public trust in science. Dr. Killeen emphasizes the significance of student success, inclusivity, and the need for universities to lead societal change. He also touches on the impact of AI, the responsibility of public universities to serve their communities, and the challenges of managing free speech on campuses. Tune in for a compelling discussion that underscores the complexities and responsibilities of modern higher education leadership.

Topics covered include:

• Meet Dr. Timothy Killeen: From Cardiff to the US
• Early Life and Academic Journey
• Transition to Atmospheric Sciences
• Climate Change and Societal Impact
• Public Trust in Science and Higher Education
• Role of Universities in AI and Technology
• Collaborative Networks for Global Solutions
• Empowering Students in the Age of AI
• The Role of Higher Education in Societal Challenges
• Addressing Inequality in Education
• Balancing Free Speech and Safety on Campus
• Leadership and Influences

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