Think Education

Conferences Part 1 – Attending, Speaking, Engaging

In this first part of a series on conferences, Judith and Chris discuss recent conference attendance and engagement and reflect on the value of discussion, uncertainty and working through ideas.
Chris reflected on his attendance at COP28 in Dubai and outlined his participation in a panel organised and chaired by Dr Zeenath Reza Khan.  The panel session was Academic Integrity as key competence for UN SDG 13 - Climate Change and brought together speakers for high schools, university, policy makers and students – from university and high school.  Chris talked about his experience being on a panel with no fixed presentation agenda and where speakers reflected on practice and were not defending an institutional position.  This can be liberating.
Judith reflected on her attendance at UKENIC 23 – Reconfiguration and her participation in a plenary session looking at the future of international higher education.  Judith discussed the nature of the event and how the audience make-up can alter the conversation that takes place on stage.  Diversity in the audience, and a move away from a specifically focused academic conversation, provides an opportunity for reflection and debate.
We talked about the need for engagement and reflection and the value in being able to disagree with colleagues.  As a result of the loss of activity and physical engagement during the pandemic, it does seem that we have emerged more willing to share, to be honest and to reflect.
 
It’s OK not to agree with each other, and even with ourselves at times!
 
https://www.cop28.com/en/schedule
https://www.ecctis.com/universities%20and%20colleges/Annual%20Conference/Default.aspx 
 
#conferenceattendance #engagement #sustainabilty #highereducation #COP28 #UKENIC23 #presentationskills #activelistening

International Voices - Tim Rottleb on International Branch Campuses

In this episode, Judith and Chris talk to Tim Rottleb -  science manager at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) @BTUCS where he is an officer in the Department for Regional Transformation.
Before joining the BTU, Tim worked as a researcher at the Leibniz-Institute for Research on Society and Space (IRS) where he was part of a research group investigating international branch campus development from urban and economic geographic perspectives.  He recently submitted his PhD thesis in geography at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Tim studied Politics and Economics of the Middle East at Philipps-Universität Marburg and worked for UN organizations in Cairo and Berlin.
We asked Tim about his work with international branch campus development and he talked about his recent work on gateway cities and educational hubs and the motivations for engaging in this space.  He pointed out that motivations here are often in conflict – or at least not entirely complementary – with the sending nation looking to establish research intensive institutions but the reality on the ground needing capacity building programmes that can be recruited to.
We talked about identity and values – how internationalisation is viewed in different places and how the art of compromise is absolutely necessary.
Tim compared the German and UK higher education systems and talked about the rationale for German internationalisation and the underlying contradictions and motivations.
We talked about spaces of exception and academic values – reflecting on the narrative that one side is right and the other wrong, and how this impacts the decision making process for where we go and what we do.  We reflected on the fact that on an individual academic level, there is often partnership and engagement activity in place but this becomes more problematic at the institutional level.
Universities are certainly capable of setting up more and more branch campuses but the real question is perhaps, should they?
 
Recent articles by Tim:
Gateway cities for transnational higher education? Doha, Dubai and Ras al-Khaimah as regional amplifiers in networks of the ‘global knowledge-based economy’ (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/glob.12429)
Circulation and containment in the knowledge-based economy: Transnational education zones in Dubai and Qatar (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0308518X221077105)
 
#transnationaleducationhubs #internationalisation #spacesofexception #motivation #internationalhigheredcuation #postcolonialism #developmentalnarrative #germanhighereducation

Attending Going Global - A Glimpse Behind the Scenes

Have you ever wondered what goes on at a big international conference?  How sessions are organised?  How people prepare for them, or engage with them?  If so, this is the podcast for you.
In this latest Think Education podcast episode, Judith reflects on her recent attendance at Going Global 2023 in Edinburgh.
Judith talked about the style and structure of Going Global and outlined the interactive nature of the panel sessions.  We talked about the interactive nature of these type of panels and the value of engaging the audience and leveraging their expertise.  I asked Judith how she prepared for these types of events – both from the perspective of a presenter and a chair (session, not furniture).
We rounded off the episode discussing identity and Judith reflected on how this issue was framed and discussed during Going Global.  Internationalisation is an opportunity to engage with, and learn from, others.  Judith was struck by the openness of colleagues to discuss this issue and the clear focus on transparency and a willingness to adapt to new environments and a need to respect different cultures.  We talked about the parallels between the international and the local here and how any university has an impact on its community and brings together a variety and diversity of people. 
We talked about the possibility for change but also recognised that there are times when compromise is not possible.  The reality of this debate is positive, however, for increased sustainability in the international partnership model.
#goingglobal #britishcouncil #panels #researchengagement #collaboration #partnership

Nobody Puts Students in the Corner - Student Experience and Engagement in TNE

In this latest Think Education podcast, Chris reflects on two recent events he attended – The IC Global Café TNE: Impactful Collaborations, Meaningful Student Experience and Achieving Sustainability and Equity, delivered by Dr Vangelis Tsiligiris and the 4th TNE Hub Research and practice symposium – Advancing Horizons: Transnational Education Partnerships in a Pluralizing World.  TNE’s role in Empowering Graduates, Fostering Impact and Promoting Equity.
Vangelis spoke about the need to place students in the centre of partnership activity, particularly in the TNE space and Dr Katherine Lupton, Lead for Academic International Partnerships, Leeds Trinity University, presenting in the 4th TNE Hub symposium, outlined the approaches taken at Leeds Trinity to support student engagement and used the excellent phrase of ‘name not a number’ to indicate their connection to each of their TNE students.
These two presentations got us thinking about how we view students in the TNE space and how we should perhaps view them.  We debated the metrics of university success as opposed to the more qualitative narrative of experience and acknowledged the challenges in this process.
We talked about the student experience and student identity and went back and forth on the value and purpose of TNE; how we measure success; how we view its expansion; and ultimately, how we demonstrate value.
 
 
#studentengagement #namenotnumber #TNE #partnerships #studentsatisfaction #educcationalvalue #measuringsuccess #impact #TNEHub #NottinghamTrentUniversity #TheICGlobalCafe #LeedsTrinity

Taiwanese Higher Education and Language Teaching

In today’s somewhat blurry eyed episode of the Think Education podcast, Chris reflects on his (very) recent trip to Taiwan and talks about his long standing relationship with Taiwan and with colleagues there, like Angela.  Chris talked about the content of his recent trip and discussed his experience in light of recent podcasts about travel and value.
Judith and Chris talked about language development and classroom practice – both as a tool to support international recruitment and mobility, and as a capacity building approach and Judith shared her reflections and experience on the Japanese example of international teachers.  Chris talked about his experience working with EMI teachers in Taiwan and the changes to government policy – over the past few years – that have dramatically increased the percentage of teaching conducted in English in Taiwanese universities.
Judith asked Chris about his experience working with students in different contexts and the types of research they conduct and the challenges they face along the way.  Chris talked about the absolute value and intellectual stimulus that can come from meeting with and listening to students from a variety of contexts.
And we learned how easy it is for a, seemingly straightforward question to, quite literally break your brain!
 
#EMIteaching #internationalisation #studentdevelopment #research #universitycollaboration #studyabroad #whatisaninternationalconference

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
 
#conferenceenergy #community #transformation #academicpartnerships #gettingthingsdone #internationalhighereducation #mahidoluniversity #institutions #teaching #professionaldevelopment #whatisauniversity

TNE in Bulgaria - Reflections, Realities and Opportunities

In this latest Think Education podcast, our intrepid hosts talk about Judith’s recent trip to Bulgaria.  Judith was part of a delegation, with the British Council, to discuss TNE activity and collaboration opportunities. 
Many of our listeners might not be as aware of the current capability and appetite for TNE in Bulgaria as they could be. Many of our podcast hosts, may likewise not have been as aware of the opportunities as they could have been.  It is always deeply gratifying, not to mention really interesting, to learn about TNE development and activity in ‘non-traditional’ TNE hubs/markets.  There are more things out there than often dreamt of in our philosophies after all.
What seems very encouraging, is the desire to produce something tangible, rather than relying on the MoU collection process.  Judith highlighted the diversity of current approach and we talked about the real value of exploring research partnerships in TNE and not solely focusing on student exchange.  We talked about the role of industry in possible TNE partnership development and the need to increase dialogue between academia and industry. 
Over the course of this podcast, we reflected back on previous conversations we have had with Bola, Cheryl, Leina Shi, Stephanie and of course, Vicky Lewis, about language learning, knowledge ownership and the need to increase contextual understanding.  This increases awareness but also increases sustainability. Judith marveled at some of the stories of language learning she had heard during her visit and we reflected back on Vicky’s findings about the types of skills and capabilities this must open up for people.
Judith was clearly impressed by The University of Sofia and encourages all listeners to give them a quick google.
Hard to beat a university that has a Mammoth!
 
#TNE #internationalhighereducation #academiccollaboration #studentexchange #research #industrylinks #sustainabilty #Bulgaria #universityofsofia

Learning Languages and Language Learning - Dr Vicky Lewis

Welcome, Bienvenido, مرحباً, Wilkommen, 欢迎, and Bienvenue
Friend of the show Vicky Lewis joined us again today for a conversation about language, learning languages and the advantages this can bring.
This episode began when we saw Vicky’s LinkedIn post on language learning a few months ago.  We wanted to have a conversation about this to learn more about Vicky’s perspective but she sensibly asked to wait until she had time to review the feedback and responses she had received.  Clearly, this was the right approach as it brought us here today!
Vicky walked us through her own experience of learning languages in school, university and further afield – she had reached a clear level of success when people thought she was French speaking German!  We talked about immersing yourself in another culture and language and how this can significantly increase our empathy towards others experiencing the same thing.  Being confused and frustrated when trying to communicate is a great leveler and makes us better educators and people.
Vicky presented some of the findings from her recent study and highlighted that common responses to the skills gained as a result of language learning included: flexibility, patience, resilience, problem solving and looking for alternative solutions, cross-cultural teamwork capability, and a willingness to fail and try again.
We talked about the need for an educational philosophy that places value and importance on language learning and the value that this can have for the individual and society more broadly.
We pondered the question as to why there is a relative absence of language provision in university internationalisation strategies and discussed the need to better connect university strategy and civic mission.
AI can personalize the language learning experience but it can’t substitute human interaction.  Language is alive and should be experienced accordingly.
 
#languagelearning #internationalhigereducation #studyabroad #eduationalphilosophy #skilldevelopment #teamwork #culturalcommunication
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/drvickylewis_knowledge-of-languages-is-the-doorway-to-activity-7097492253153071104-VuEG?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Decolonising the Curriculum - Stephanie Martin

In this latest #ThinkEducation podcast episode, Chris and Judith talk to Stephanie Martin, co-founder of Edvance Education Consultants, about decolonising the curriculum: what this means from both a philosophical and practical perspective – including some tips on how we might approach this at a nursery level!
 
We asked Stephanie for her thoughts on the process of decolonisation within TNE and how we can attempt to navigate this process – and sometimes dichotomy – of expectations, quality and reality.
 
Stephanie talks passionately about the need for representation and multiple voices to be heard; not for the deletion of history but rather for a more critical awareness towards motivations and contexts.
 
We talked about the difference between diversity and decolonisation and how simply including multi-cultural examples in our teaching is a good start but more must be done to critically address issues and discuss varying perspectives.
 
We talked about the term decolonisation itself and how it can be viewed negatively, or even misunderstood.  The need to reflect and anlayse the past should not be conflated with its eradication.  Increased awareness and understanding comes through discussion and engagement and to remove history is not the same as changing the way that we view our future, or even our present.  Perhaps we need a new term that more accurately reflects what we are trying to achieve with this process.
 
As is often the case, we ended up talking about Shakespeare and the way we can provide access points to our students by elevating their status and raising the profile of their own experiences through placing them firmly within the narrative in our classrooms.
 
Decolonisation is about how are we evolving, what have we learnt from the past, and what lessons can it teach us about our future. There is a beauty in this discussion as we are all learning from each other.
 
#decolonisingthecurriuculm #diversification #curriculumstudies #internationalisation #internationalhighereducation #languagelearning #ESL #windowsandmirrors #madeleinemiller #nataliehaynes #patbarker #littlepeoplebigdreams
 
https://www.edvanceconsultants.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-martin-0118638b/?originalSubdomain=ae
 
Recent Publications by Stephanie;
Breaking Chains of the Past: Decolonizing Education for a Brighter Future
Ethics and Integrity in Teacher Education (Springer, 2022)

International University Partnerships: What? Why? Where? How?

In this latest Think Education podcast episode, Judith and Chris discuss the partnerships in international higher education: how they come about; how we sustain them; how we measure their value and impact.
In a call back to our first book together (with our colleague Tim Gore) we discussed the purpose of partnerships and the motivation behind entering into them.  Chris reflected on his time in Malaysia and the wonder that is collecting MOU’s.  We talked about how the balance of power has shifted in TNE partnerships over the past decade and how this is a positive thing by increasing the need for accountability and transparence, while also promoting more targeted development and capacity building.
Judith reflected on partnership activity during the pandemic and we discussed the way in which approaches to it have changed since the pandemic and how this aligns to our previous conversations about international education travel – we need to demonstrate value for money and ensure we are getting the most out of our endeavors.
We thought a bit more broadly about the nature of partnerships and how these naturally exist on multiple levels within a university and we wondered how this can be better captured and leveraged for sustainable activity.   
It is not always easy to measure the value of interaction but it is also equally difficult to discount interactions completely and the impact they have had on our career.
 
#partnerships #academiccollaboration #internationalhighereducation #globalreach #equity #trust #risk
https://www.routledge.com/The-Evolution-of-Transnational-Education-Pathways-Globalisation-and-Emerging/Hill-Lamie-Gore/p/book/9781032126036