Bridget Burns, CEO of the University Innovation Alliance, and Doug Lederman, Editor and Co-Founder of Inside Higher Ed, speak with M. Brian Blake, President of Georgia State University as he approaches his one-year anniversary of leading the institution. Dr. Blake talks about how his early private sector career shaped his approach to academic leadership, the guidance and opportunities that he's offering his students, and managing the perceptions around a job well done. Topics include:

 

• The similarities between industry and academia
• A four-pillar strategy for the shared aspirations of Georgia State
• 
Human connections as the X factor in any strategy
• 
The importance of high-quality deliverables
• Recommended reading for any future president

Bridget Burns, CEO of the University Innovation Alliance, and Doug Lederman, Editor and Co-Founder of Inside Higher Ed, speak with Freeman Hrabowski, retiring President of University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Dr. Hrabowski talks about what he's learned over the years, what incoming leaders can expect from the current state of higher ed, and how they can best prepare themselves for the challenges of leadership. Topics include:

• Developing a sense of when to speak and when to listen

• Communicating the value of higher ed at a time when it's being questioned

• Learning more about students and helping them grow as people
• 
Universities' role in the future of democracy

• How strong leadership must include humility and self-care

Bridget Burns, CEO of the University Innovation Alliance, and Doug Lederman, Editor and Co-Founder of Inside Higher Ed, speak with Michael Rao, President of Virginia Commonwealth University. He talks about VCU joining the UIA, positivity among like-minded leaders, the benefits of shared experience and data, and the importance of maintaining an affirmative, human tone. Topics include:

• The broader mission of higher ed institutions and their leaders

• Previous experience with and future hopes for collaboration between presidents

• His strategy for minimizing partisan politics on the university board

• How he plans to announce VCU's new membership in the UIA