It’s been another great year for the University Innovation Alliance (UIA), and we’re happy to share our top six episodes from the Innovating Together Podcast. These must-listen shows represent just a few of the innovations and challenges that were top of mind for higher education leaders in 2024. Whether you’re ready to try a new approach at your own institution or looking to see how other higher ed leaders might have handled something that you’re currently going through, the UIA invites you to sample the wisdom that has enriched us this year
Weekly Wisdom With Kim Wilcox, Chancellor of University of California Riverside
On August 26, 2024, we spoke with UCR Chancellor Wilcox about:
- Serving more people with every step up the leadership ladder
- Budget priorities and the downside of special committees
- Understanding other people’s concerns and letting them do their jobs
- How collaboration is a process rather than an endpoint
- A balanced view of student affairs
- Leadership advice and reading recommendation
You can find the podcast audio on Apple and Spotify, the video on our YouTube channel, and a summary on our UIA blog.
Weekly Wisdom With Barbara Gellman-Danley, President of the Higher Learning Commission
On August 19, 2024, HLC President Gellman-Danley shared her experiences in and approaches to college accreditation, including:
- The importance of recognizing and fostering talent
- The challenges of micromanagement
- The value of learning from both positive and negative leadership examples
- The role of coaching in leadership
- Guiding others to find their own solutions
Listen to the podcast audio on Apple and Spotify, or watch the video on our YouTube channel.
Innovating Together Special Episode Featuring Michael Crow, UIA Board Chair
On July 3, 2024, we rebroadcast the keynote from the 2018 UIA Summit. Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University and a founding member of the UIA, delivered an eye-opening talk about:
- The ineffectiveness of traditional academic models in the 21st century
- Reimagining higher ed as an engine of social transformation
- Setting ambitious educational attainment goals at the national level
- The necessity for collaboration among institutions to meet any such goals
- The critical role of large-scale innovation and partnership toward this effort
The audio for this podcast is available on Apple and Spotify.
Innovating Together GSV AIRSHOW Fireside Chat With Ben Nelson, Minerva Founder & CEO
On June 12, 2024, we rebroadcast an earlier conversation with education reformer and tech entrepreneur Ben Nelson, Founder and CEO of the Minerva Foundation. Minerva brings innovative and disruptive strategies to higher ed institutions, and Mr. Nelson spoke about:
- The significance of durable skills in education amidst the evolving landscape of AI
- Shifting the academic mindset from simply acquiring knowledge to broadly applying it
- The practical challenges and opportunities of integrating durable skills into traditional learning models
- The ongoing value of metacognitive capacities, critical thinking, creative problem solving
You can find the podcast audio on Apple and Spotify.
Innovating Together’s Ed on the Edge Episode Featuring Bridget Burns, UIA Founder and CEO
On May 5, 2024, we rebroadcast Bridget Burns’ appearance on the December 20, 2023 episode of Ed on the Edge. The podcast, hosted by Michael Moe of Global Silicon Valley Holdings (GSV), explores the entrepreneurial mindset and the forms it takes across many sectors. In this conversation, Bridget spoke about:
- Scaling student success
- The origin of the University Innovation Alliance
- Ten years of leading the way in student success innovation
- Repositioning higher ed to better serve the American Dream
- Breaking individual institutions out of their silos
- How to get involved with the UIA’s mission
You can find the podcast audio on Apple and Spotify, and a summary on our UIA blog.
Weekly Wisdom With Mung Chiang, President of Purdue University
On September 9, 2024, President Chiang celebrated Purdue’s first day of classes with us, as well as his university’s recent CHIPS award from the U.S. Department of Commerce. He shared his wisdom about:
- The benefits of a public university partnering with the federal government
- Leadership as a platform for elevating and celebrating institutional success
- Engaging the entire campus in Purdue Day of Giving activities
- Leadership advice and a reading recommendation
Enjoy the podcast audio on Apple and Spotify, the video on our YouTube channel, and a summary on our UIA blog.
About the Innovating Together Podcast
The University Innovation Alliance partners with Inside Higher Ed to create the Innovating Together Podcast. In our ongoing Weekly Wisdom series, we talk with a sitting college president or chancellor about how they're specifically navigating the challenges of this moment. These conversations are filled with practical things you can do right now by unpacking how and why college leaders are making decisions within higher education. Hopefully, these episodes will also leave you with a sense of optimism and a bit of inspiration.
We invite you to subscribe to the podcast on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. We sometimes add bonus episodes to the feed, and if you’re not subscribed, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out.