March 2026

This question is posed in the light of overwhelming student debt and non-completion in the US, the call for an employer levy by Bill Shorten in Australia, and the debate about student loans schemes punishing students in the UK. It has insights drawn from Lev Gonick at ASU, Helen Bartlett and her innovative colleagues and partners in Australia, and from a visit to Antony Finkelstein at City University St Georges,. This podbite brought to you from London, outlines the bold innovation that we must replicate if this avenue to sustainable funding for HE is to become real.The panel brings together diverse perspectives from across the sector all united by a shared belief in the power of asking better questions and truly listening to students. Together, they explore why student voice matters and how meaningful dialogue can shape the future of higher education.

This second short and snappy podbite describes changes in the program of HEDx activities made in response to feedback. New new member of the HEDx team, engagement strategist Annabel Murphy joins the podbite. She brings experience of industry university engagement and content strategy from Europe and Australia. She using AI to align HEDx activities and content to members and partners needs. She discusses the recent survey completed of 20 members and partners. This led to a tweaking of podcasts, events and new projects being developed with members of the eco-system. These will give impact, continuity and reach for us in a mission to facilitate disruption to change higher education for good.
The panel brings together diverse perspectives from across the sector all united by a shared belief in the power of asking better questions and truly listening to students. Together, they explore why student voice matters and how meaningful dialogue can shape the future of higher education.

This is the first in a series of snappy short podcasts called podbites. They are updates on a key topic and question with inputs from various members of the HEDx ecosystem at the time. This one follows a visit to Canberra and Sydney during the UA conference of 2026 and argues that we need more inputs from external sources including students, out-of-sector innovators, and international sources to avoid being stuck in an echo chamber or loop of conservative thinking. That is commonly called hallucinating and we need to avoid it. Thats what HEDx is doing as it facilitates sector disruption.
The panel brings together diverse perspectives from across the sector all united by a shared belief in the power of asking better questions and truly listening to students. Together, they explore why student voice matters and how meaningful dialogue can shape the future of higher education.