The World Wise Podcast

By Rajika BhandariSociety & Culture

The World Wise Podcast episodes

October 04, 202225. From importing the peace symbol to founding international higher education: The Journey of Phil Altbach
This episode is a must-listen for anyone who is interested in the field of international higher education or has studied it in some shape or form, perhaps by taking a class or by being a scholar-practitioner whose work draws both on the study and practice of international higher education. Today’s guest, Professor Philip Altbach, is widely known as the “founding father of the field of international higher education.” Many of us have learned extensively from his work and regard him as a mentor whose scholarship and ideas have influenced generations of international education experts both in academia and in the field. Dr. Altbach is a Research Professor and Distinguished Fellow at the Center for International Higher Education at Boston College which he founded. He has been a Fulbright scholar multiple times, has received numerous distinguished awards, and has taught at universities in India and the U.S., and has authored over 50 books. In this episode, we have a wide-ranging conversation about his journey into international higher education and his views on where things stand today.
Episode Themes:
How Phil’s early experience of growing up and being educated in Chicago shaped his future interest in all things global and international

Why the U.S. has an “instability problem” that is affecting higher education and the appeal of the U.S. as a destination

Phil’s views on recent, global developments in higher education and things that cause him concern, especially the growing commercialization of international higher education

Why universities continue to be important and why a higher education matters.

Phil’s introduction to India and his life-long involvement with Indian higher education. Is India poised for genuine higher education reform?

As the “founding father” of the field, Phil reflects on what he considers his most important contributions

Phil’s advice for the next generation of emerging scholars and practitioners in our field

Phil and the famous peace symbol!
Episode Resources:
International Higher Education, the journal that Phil launched at the Boston College Center for International Higher Education

My book: America Calling: A Foreign Student in a Country of Possibility

Sign up for America Calling: my take on the intersection of education, culture and migration

Connect with me: LinkedIn, Twitter
38 min
September 22, 202224. Do you know your Chinese students? A conversation with Professor Yingyi Ma
Chinese students have always been a source of fascination for universities and countries around the world. What motivates these students and how best to attract them? Are their numbers increasing or dwindling? This last question is important because Chinese students are the largest group of globally mobile students, and the ebb and flow of their numbers can have a positive or negative impact on universities in countries like the U.S., Canada, and the U.K that often rely on Chinese students to make up a large part of their international student population. In today’s episode, we look beyond the numbers and instead try and understand today’s Chinese students who are “ambitious and anxious.” Today’s guest is Dr. Yingyi Ma, a Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in sociology and Director of the Asian/Asian American studies program at Syracuse University in New York. A scholar of education and migration focusing on the U.S. and China, Dr. Ma has published three books, numerous articles, and is a frequent contributor to global media. Her most recent book, Ambitious and Anxious: How Chinese Students Struggle and Succeed in American Higher Education, also helps us understand the broader social and cultural context of China that has helped shape today’s Chinese students.
Episode Themes:
Why Chinese students can be characterized as being ambitious and anxious

Prevailing stereotypes about recent Chinese students, and key ways in which Chinese students are a diverse group as opposed to being a homogeneous group

Dr. Ma’s personal experience of being a Chinese student in the U.S., how today’s students are different from her generation, and how her experiences have inspired an interest in studying education and migration

How the pandemic has affected Chinese students

What Chinese students are seeking when they study abroad, the concept of cultural capital, and what U.S. institutions can do to better support their Chinese students

Being an Asian American herself and a scholar of Asian American Studies, Dr. Ma reflects on the geopolitical situation and the current sentiment amongst Chinese students and families about studying abroad in the West

The rise of China as an educational destination in its own right, and one that attracts international students
Episode Resources:
Dr. Ma's book: Ambitious and Anxious: How Chinese Students Struggle and Succeed in American Higher Education

My book: America Calling: A Foreign Student in a Country of Possibility

Sign up for America Calling: my take on the intersection of education, culture and migration

Connect with me: LinkedIn, Twitter
39 min
September 16, 202223. The Many Shades of Asian America: Neil Ruiz of the Pew Research Center
To celebrate Welcoming Week 2022, a week when communities and organizations across the entire country come together to recognize America’s diverse heritage and to reaffirm that everyone is welcome here, today's conversation focuses on one of the largest immigrant groups in the U.S.: Asian Americans. This episode's guest is Dr. Neil Ruiz, associate director of race and ethnicity research at the Pew Research Center in Washington DC, who has spent his career studying the international movement of people across borders, high-skilled immigration globally, and in recent years his focus has been studying the Asian American population in the US, something that resonates with him as he is himself Asian American. Prior to joining the Center, Neil has held roles at George Washington University, the Brookings Institution, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. Today’s episode focuses on a large and new research initiative that he has been leading called Being Asian in America and that released new findings just last month in August 2022.
Episode Themes:
The Being Asian in America initiative, its narrative and storytelling approach, and how it contributes to our understanding of Asians in America

Why we need to use “hard” and “soft” data to understand immigrant communities and their stories and how the project has shaped Neil’s own growth and understanding as a researcher

The challenges of summarizing and extracting common themes from conversations with 264 Asians across the US, representing 18 distinct Asian ethnic origin groups and numerous languages

How the mainstream American understanding of Asia as a region and what constitutes Asia has changed and evolved over time, and what the Pew project adds to our understanding of the diversity of Asians and the Asian identity in America

The challenge of cultural adaptation vs identity: key differences between different generations of Asian American immigrants.

How racial and ethnic identity intersects with other aspects of identity such as gender or being LGBTQ+

How Asians in the U.S. perceive their own identity? Where are we now and do Asian Americans feel a sense of belonging in the U.S., especially given the recent wave of hate crimes against Asians?

What leading a project on Asian Americans means for Neil personally, as the child of Filipino immigrants to the U.S.
Episode Resources:
The Pew Research Center's Being Asian in America project

Check out the documentary film from the project!

Follow Neil: Twitter, LinkedIn

My book: America Calling: A Foreign Student in a Country of Possibility

Sign up for America Calling: my take on the intersection of education, culture and migration

Connect with me: LinkedIn, Twitter
48 min
September 02, 202222. Shaping tomorrow's leaders by educating today's women: Kamal Ahmad, founder of the Asian University for Women
In this first episode of Season 2 of the podcast, I had the opportunity to sit down with Kamal Ahmad, the Founder of the Asian University for Women, and learn about the mission of the university and how it has become a global model for educating some of the most disadvantaged young women in Asia and beyond—including Rohingya refugees and students from Afghanistan. The university was founded on the belief that education for women is a critical pathway to leadership development, economic progress, and social and political equality in societies.
A lawyer by training, Kamal has devoted his life to forging social change through education and, during his career, has worked with the World Bank, Rockefeller Foundation, UNICEF, and the General Counsel of the Asian Development Bank. He is a recipient of several awards including the United Nations Gold Peace Medal & Citation Scroll, given by the Paul G. Hoffman Awards Fund; a Time magazine Award; and the World Economic Forum Global Leader for Tomorrow Award. He serves on several boards, including on the Council of Luminaries of the Yidan Education Foundation in Hong Kong.
Episode Themes:
Kamal’s early awareness of lack of educational access in Bangladesh which led him, at the age of 14, to found a group of schools for underprivileged children. His subsequent journey from Bangladesh to the U.S. as a high school student, and the influence of a global education in his family.

The early inspiration and vision that led to the creation of the Asian University for Women, and the reason for focusing on women.

The experience of repatriating 148 Afghan students who are now studying at campuses across the U.S., including at Brown University and Arizona State University. Read the recent NYT article about this here.

The importance of the humanities in educating global citizens and how AUW is expanding its humanities offerings with support from the Mellon Foundation.

How Kamal’s training as a lawyer has helped him focus on international development and building a university.

Kamal shares his lessons learned as a university founder
Resources:
Follow the Asian University for Women on Twitter
My book: America Calling: A Foreign Student in a Country of Possibility
Newsletter sign-up: www.rajikabhandari.com
LinkedIn: @rajikabhandari
Twitter: @rajikabhandari
50 min
August 13, 2022 21. At the Stroke of Midnight: What was gained and what was lost
Season 1 of the podcast draws to a close just as India--my country of birth--is poised to celebrate its 75th anniversary of independence from British Rule on August 15. But while this day is marked by much pomp and celebration, it is also a moment to pause and remember the price of this freedom: the Partition of India and Paklstan and the millions of lives that were lost, the thousands that became homeless overnight, and how the future of the Indian sub-continent was altered forever. The refugee crisis that followed remains--to date--the largest human exodus of modern times. In this episode I bring you a chapter from my book in which I share my family's history of Partition and that, ironically enough, I learned more about the Partition after arriving in the US as an international student and that sometimes we just have to leave home to better understand our histories. Take a listen!
Resources:
My book: America Calling: A Foreign Student in a Country of Possibility
Newsletter sign-up: www.rajikabhandari.com
LinkedIn: @rajikabhandari
Twitter: @rajikabhandari

22 min
August 02, 202220. Building Bridges Between the U.S. and China, One Book at a Time: Dori Jones Yang
One of the most profound ways in which we learn about different cultures and countries is through books. This episode focuses on bridging divides and fostering understanding between the U.S. and China through journalism and books. Today's guest, Dori Jones Yang, has spent her life and career immersed in understanding China and interpreting the country, its culture, and its politics for a U.S. audience through her work as a former foreign correspondent for Business Week and as an author. Her latest book, When the Red Gates Opened: A Memoir of China’s Reawakening, is a fascinating and deeply personal book about the China of the eighties and beyond and of ultimately building bridges.
Episode Themes:
Dori's journey from the American heartland to China and becoming the first female reporter for Business Week in China, and how the Princeton in Asia program and the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins played a key role.

What it felt like for Dori to arrive in China in the eighties as the youngest of Business Week's foreign correspondents and at an exciting time when the country was beginning to open up to the world, and Washington and Beijing had just established diplomatic relations.

Dori's experience of being at Tiananmen Square when the protests happened, which she also writes about in her book.

As an author of books for adults and younger readers, Dori has consistently shared the message of cross-cultural understanding and people-to-people exchanges. She reflects on writing about China for a younger audience and why we need more diverse and multicultural children's literature in the U.S. today.

Dori's memoir is also about the journey of her relationship and marriage to a Chinese man. She shares her thoughts on the recent hate crimes and xenophobia against Asian Americans in the U.S.

Dori and I discuss the similarities between our books, which are both memoirs anchored in a personal journey, but that also include analysis and history. We also share reflections on what was hardest about writing our books.
Episode Resources:
Follow Dori on Facebook
Check out Dori's books!
My book: America Calling: A Foreign Student in a Country of Possibility
Newsletter sign-up: www.rajikabhandari.com
LinkedIn: @rajikabhandari
Twitter: @rajikabhandari
52 min
July 15, 202219. Connecting global talent with diaspora communities: Ronit Avni
For immigrants who have left one country and adopted another, an enduring question is how to give back, in some way, to the country and society they come from. This is especially a dilemma for those who come from lower income countries. Financial remittances, or the concept of sending money back home, are of course one solution and reached $540 billion in 2020. But what are some other important ways in which immigrants and diaspora communities can contribute to their home economies and societies? And how can we, as part of large global diasporas, have an impact not just where we have chosen to live and work, but also elsewhere?
Enter Localized, an organization and tech platform that helps connect highly accomplished immigrants in the diaspora with young and emerging talent and graduates in their home countries. This episode's guest is Ronit Avni, is the founder and CEO of Localized. A highly accomplished tech and media entrepreneur and Peabody award-winning producer, Ronit has been named a Young Global Leader through the World Economic Forum, a “New DC Power Woman in Tech,” has won dozens of media prizes, and her team’s work has been featured in nearly every major news outlet and viewed by tens of millions of people on TV, online and in influential settings from TED to the UN, and she has also appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show! Previously, Ronit founded the media organization Just Vision. Ronit sits on the jury of the MacArthur Foundation’s 100 & Change Competition and the Global Teacher Prize.
Episode Themes
How the Localized model leverages a tech platform to connect university students and recent graduates from emerging markets to industry experts and employers looking for top talent.

Rethinking the concept of brain drain, and how talent networks need to be global and distributed.

Ronit's journey from an award-winning film producer to tech entrepreneur and what connects one to the other.

Different ways in which immigrants and diaspora networks can have global impact through diaspora diplomacy and "knowledge remittances" that go beyond financial remittances.

How Ronit's early experiences in Canada and the US have shaped her career and work with immigrants and diaspora communities, and why this is a lived experience for her.

Ronit's reflections on lessons learned as a founder and what she wishes she had known when first starting out. She also shares her words of advice for young entrepreneurs and leaders that are just starting out.
Episode Resources:
Follow Ronit and Localized on Twitter
Ronit's chapter on knowledge remittances in the Routledge International Handbook for Diaspora Diplomacy
My book: America Calling: A Foreign Student in a Country of Possibility
Newsletter sign-up: www.rajikabhandari.com
LinkedIn: @rajikabhandari
Twitter: @rajikabhandari
35 min
July 08, 2022 18. Behind the scenes of chronicling international higher education: Karin Fischer
When we think of reporters on the front lines, we often think of countries ravaged by war. But we can all agree that the pandemic has also felt like a battle-ground with its own share of chaos, upheaval, and suffering. So much has been in flux for the higher education sector over the past few years that the one constant that many of us have relied upon is excellent reporting and journalism. This episode's guest, Karin Fischer, has in many ways served as the eyes and ears for our industry, bringing us timely and candid conversations and breaking news. A chronicler extraordinaire, Karin is a longtime higher-education journalist with a focus on international education, including American colleges’ activities overseas, the globalization of the college experience, study abroad, international-student recruitment, and the experience of international students in the U.S. Karin’s work has appeared in the Chronicle of Higher Education, the New York Times, EdSource, the Washington Monthly, and University World News and elsewhere. She also publishes a weekly newsletter on global education, Latitudes.
Episode Themes:
- What draws Karin to the world of international higher education, and can we even talk about higher education without addressing its global dimensions?
- Karin's early experiences of studying in the US and how this has shaped her understanding of international student issues today
- How the pandemic has affected the work of journalists like Karin
- A behind-the-scenes look at Karin's reporting and writing process--from ideation to production--and of what it is like for a journalist to report on this rapidly evolving and constantly changing world of higher education
- Karin's reflections on some of the most compelling and challenging stories she has reported on over the years
- Who has influenced Karin and her words of advice for the next generation of reporters and journalists
Episode Resources:
Follow Karin: Twitter
Subscribe to Karin's newsletter
The Poynter Institute
The Chronicle of Higher Education
My book: America Calling: A Foreign Student in a Country of Possibility
Newsletter sign-up: www.rajikabhandari.com
LinkedIn: @rajikabhandari
Twitter: @rajikabhandari
45 min
June 30, 202217. How one immigrant's lived experience shaped a career in social impact: A conversation with Esther Benjamin
On this last day of Immigrant Heritage Month (June 2022), this episode's guest is someone for whom all of the issues that we talk about on this show—being an international student, being an immigrant, being displaced and having to leave your homeland, and finding your place, voice and identity as a woman of color—are all lived experiences. Esther Benjamin is the CEO and Executive Director of World Education Services or WES, a non-profit social enterprise dedicated to helping international students, immigrants, and refugees achieve their educational and career goals in the United States and Canada. A first-generation immigrant to the U.S., Esther is a fearless leader whose work has spanned multiple sectors and world regions, including serving under two previous US administrations and overseeing the Peace Corps program in almost 80 countries. Immediately prior to joining WES, Esther worked with Laureate Education, Inc., as CEO for Africa Operations, and as CEO of Monash South Africa, Laureate’s first university in Sub-Saharan Africa, with nearly 4,000 students from throughout Africa.
Episode Themes:
How Esther's work across different sectors—public, private, and civil society—and serving under two previous administrations has been grounded in the idea of creating and scaling social impact

How Esther and her family's journey from Sri Lanka to the U.S. as international students and immigrants has shaped her life and career, and especially her work with WES which opens the door for international students, refugees and immigrants

Esther's leadership in a new role at the start of COVID-19, and how she led the organization through pivoting and adapting during the pandemic

The Mariam Assefa Fund, the philanthropic arm of WES, and the critical investments it is making in creating positive change for refugee and immigrant groups

How an organization like WES embodies the ideals of diversity, access and inclusion in internally as an organization

Esther's professional and leadership journey as an immigrant, a woman, and a person of color, and her leadership advice for women

What to read when you're vacationing on a houseboat in Kerala: hear Esther's recommendations!
Episode Resources:
Connect with Esther: LinkedIn, Twitter
My book: America Calling: A Foreign Student in a Country of Possibility
Newsletter sign-up: www.rajikabhandari.com
LinkedIn: @rajikabhandari
Twitter: @rajikabhandari
58 min
June 23, 202216. Why should American colleges and universities care about immigration? A conversation with Miriam Feldblum
Immigrant-origin students constitute one of the fastest growing populations of students on American campuses, and now make up over a quarter of all students. Add to this large number the almost 1 million international students from other countries, and it suddenly becomes clear why we need to have conversations about higher education AND immigration. There is no better time to talk about these issues than this month of June which is celebrated as Immigrant Heritage Month in the U.S., and June 20 is celebrated as World Refugee Day. June 15 2022 was also the 10-year anniversary of the DACA (Deferred Action for Children Arrivals) program that provides temporary protection to young people who were brought to the US as children.
To address these issues, this episode features Dr. Miriam Feldblum, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, a group whose membership comprises over 500 presidents and chancellors of U.S. colleges and universities who have come together to advocate for comprehensive immigration reform on their campuses. Miriam previously served in faculty and senior leadership roles at Pomona College and Caltech, and has been a Nonresident Fellow at the Migration Policy Institute.
Episode Themes:
Mid-June 2022 saw major news and developments around higher education and immigration. Miriam shares highlights from the Presidents’ Alliance’s recent work with DACA, immigrant-origin, refugee and international students

Why U.S. campuses need a comprehensive approach to immigration

In an ideal world, what would immigration reform for immigrant and international students look like? Three much-needed solutions.

Miriam’s pivot from a long career in academia, and her journey to co-founding a nonprofit focused on higher education and immigration

What draws Miriam to immigration issues at the personal, professional, and practical level, especially as a second-generation immigrant and as the daughter of a Holocaust survivor

The outlook and vision for the Presidents’ Alliance as its membership and work continues to expand

Miriam is an avid reader and shares her recommendations for summer reading, both nonfiction and fiction
Resources from the episode:
A sign-on statement of support of refugee students and scholars
DACA's precarious future: A conversation with legal experts and advocates
Statement for the record for the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety Hearing on Immigration and Higher Education
Streets of Gold: America's untold story of immigration
41 min

About The World Wise Podcast

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The World Wise Podcast is a weekly take on the intersections of education, culture, and (im)migration. Join Dr. Rajika Bhandari, international higher education expert and author of America Calling: A…

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