Post Conference Energy - Getting Things Done

This Think Education podcast was prompted by our last few episodes on travel (Bulgaria and China) and two recent LinkedIn items: one post by Cheryl Yu on power politics of English in global higher education and the subsequent comments on how we as a community can effect change; and one post by Vicky Lewis, and The IC Global, on leveraging post-conference energy to keep the momentum going?  This got us thinking about discussions we have with colleagues and the impact this can have back at home.

Judith and Chris reflected on their own experiences of balancing trip energy with office expectations and discussed the reality that at times, the day to day can simply overtake the best of intentions.  We talked about the need to carve out space to keep the momentum going – taking a leaf from Vicky and writing a blog post, or having a conversation (or podcast) to further develop ideas and identify possible avenues for action.

We looked at this issue from both the institutional level: the challenges in developing relevant TNE partnership activity; the likelihood that many initiatives will fail; the energy needed to push things through university processes, and from the individual level: the need to find space and time to develop and reflect on ideas; the opportunity to try things out in our classrooms; the need to connect with others.

Greater understanding of internal capability, of expectations, of outcomes, increases the likelihood of sustainable approaches and impact.  Chris reflected on a presentation he attended at a recent conference, given by Worada Apirat and Phanita Pooteang, from Mahidol University, that focused on the role that administrative staff can play in doing research, highlighting activity and supporting change.

Our conversation drifted, as it is so often wont to do, to the purpose of a university and how it can in fact demonstrate – or attempt to explain – this to the wider community.  Academia is driven by quality assurance and by reputation and is therefore more comfortable with longer term returns on activity.  Students often want to see progress and change with more immediacy.  And in this dilemma is the need to better communicate aims, demonstrate activity, measure impact and empower all members of a university to be part of the process. 

 

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7124319661915009025/

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7127574530201382913/

 

https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-iwd4n-14eb3b6

https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-qt877-14c24d3

 

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