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In Opinions, Podcast, Student Experience Podcast

Student Experience Podcast – EP4. Teaching that changes lives; a conversation on student experience

For those looking for some joy and inspiration about the mission of Australian universities, it is right here.

In 20 minutes, this conversation between 2026 Australian University Teacher of the Year Associate Professor Roma Forbes, UQ undergraduate student Madi Piper, and Professor Kelly Matthews offers a grounded reminder of what higher education can be at its best: relational, human, intellectually stretching, and deeply committed to student success.

This is a conversation about teaching that values people, learning that makes room for uncertainty, and why student experience is shaped every day by the cultures teachers create. It will leave you feeling better about the state of the sector.
Join HEDx Associate Sharon Saunders as she hosts an expert-driven discussion about how AI tools are already reshaping doctoral work across disciplines. Discover how AI influences research practices, the importance of balancing AI-assisted productivity with critical thinking, and the ethical dilemmas around authorship in an AI-enabled world. Perfect for doctoral candidates, research supervisors, and policymakers, this episode offers vital insights into navigating AI’s complex landscape.
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.

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In Opinions, Podcast

Podbite#7: Global AI sandboxes

This week’s podbite follows 3 major milestones of Annabel Murphy becoming the first HEDx FT employee, the launch of the Sydney June event program, and the kick off of new AI sandbox projects with collaborators in the UK, US and Australia. Get a summary with this 3 minute overview from the new HEDx offices in Brisbane.

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In Opinions, Podcast, Student Experience Podcast

Student Experience Podcast – EP3: how AI is reshaping doctoral research, writing, and learning

Most PhDs are built on original ideas and critical thinking—so what happens when AI enters the equation? On this episode of the HEDx Student Experience Podcast, three researchers confront the daunting yet exciting challenges AI poses to research integrity, authorship, and the very core of scholarly originality.

Join HEDx Associate Sharon Saunders as she hosts an expert-driven discussion about how AI tools are already reshaping doctoral work across disciplines. Discover how AI influences research practices, the importance of balancing AI-assisted productivity with critical thinking, and the ethical dilemmas around authorship in an AI-enabled world. Perfect for doctoral candidates, research supervisors, and policymakers, this episode offers vital insights into navigating AI’s complex landscape.
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.

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In Opinions, Podcast

Podbite#6: Reconnecting with purpose

This episode reflects on what members in UTS and USyd are bringing to the next HEDx event. It follows meetings making plans for workshops on collective intelligence, AI agents for HEDx content, and the further development of the Castlereagh Statement. And it gives updates on what partners notably MCDS, AWS, Salesforce and many others are collaborating on for shared standards and human capability records to increase equity of access for lifelong learners. This is set in the context of great charitable work to support recovery for victims of domestic violence and sufferers of eating disorders on the Sunshine Coast as we all reflect of what we all do this for. For many of us, it’s not for the money .

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In Opinions, Podcast

EP 206. The future for teaching academics with Prof Barney Glover

Professor Kelly Matthews steps in to host a special Teaching and Education Focused Academics (TEFA) Network conversation. Academics from across Australia come together to speak with Professor Barney Glover, Acting Chief Commissioner of the new national body shaping the future of higher education.

This episode explores the evolving landscape of the sector, offering insights, questions, and perspectives from those at the forefront of teaching and learning.

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In Featured, Opinions, Podcast

EP 209. Building a culture for change in an AI era

Professor Lucy Marshall is DVC of Community and Leadership at University of Sydney. In this episode she joins Peter Chun as CEO of UniSuper to explore the comparative issues of culture, change management and staff wellbeing between academic and commercial organisations. The transformation and disruption facing the sector, and the rapid emergence of AI and changing market demands, are adding to the loss of social license in making universities tough places to be. Stabilising workplace culture as a prerequisite to leading change and caring for staff wellbeing makes tough calls on leaders which this episode explores.

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In Opinions, Podcast, Student Experience Podcast

Student Experience Podcast – Episode 2: Student reflections on the TEFA Network conversation

Hosted by Kelly Matthews, with contributions from Martin Betts, the episode also features insights from David Turvey PSM (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) and Jonathan Davey (CEO, Online Education Services).

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.

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In Opinions, Podcast

EP 205. Looking up and out at Otago

Grant Robertson looks up and out 18 months in as Otago VC. As former Deputy PM of NZ he returns to where he studied and worked in research commercialisation, to lead change in a traditional research-intensive university. As a non-academic VC he reflects on his views as a past-President of the Otago Student Union and a 5 page letter he wrote of what was wrong with universities. He shares experience from the heart of government in how universities are perceived and what they need to do about it. And he reflects on his strategic focus of leading his colleagues to look up to a higher aspiration for students and communities, and out to broader global best practice, to both drive the change he sees is needed.

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In Opinions, Podcast

Podbite#4: Innovating out of a crisis

A Podbite live from London where HEDx joins Rose Luckin of EVR and her colleagues in exploring AI innovation sandboxes. We visit Antony Finkelstein of City St Georges University, Paul Kett of London South Bank University, and Shan Wareing of Middlesex. Off the back of engagement with Duke University’s Future Universities Alliance, HEDx builds further global links in AI innovation best practice. We need this sharing to inform global HE investments in AI. These have to respond to lost social licence and demonstrate public value with a focus on improved student experiences.

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