The UIA National Summit Register Now

Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts.

Bridget Burns, CEO of the University Innovation Alliance, and Candice Staples, the UIA’s Senior Director of Alliance Engagement, speak with Dr. Becky Takeda-Tinker, President of Colorado State University Global on the Weekly Wisdom Podcast. President Takeda-Tinker shares her thoughts about higher ed for working adults, how university leaders must balance positivity and assertiveness, and the increasing role of data in running an institution and in leadership decisions. Topics include:

  • Her own leadership as a legacy of her father’s hard work and determination
  • How to lead through human connection while demanding accountability
  • Relying on data in responding to the needs of students who are working adults
  • Leadership through communication, inclusion, grit, and joy

Bridget Burns, CEO of the University Innovation Alliance, and Doug Lederman, Editor and Co-Founder of Inside Higher Ed, speak with Dr. Mark Milliron, president of National University. As someone who's served at a variety of higher education institutions and nonprofits, as well as on corporate boards, President Milliron joins the Weekly Wisdom Podcast to share his broad experience in leadership positions, the workings and role of a board of trustees no matter what the institution, and the ups and downs of leading actual people, the backbone of any organization. Topics include:


  • The role of serendipity, curiosity, and service in shaping his career trajectory
  • Lessons learned from serving on at least 30 boards
  • How the human factor can be the greatest challenge and greatest reward in any organization
  • Six nuggets of leadership wisdom, from big strategies to daily mindfulness
  • Recommended reading for leaders

Bridget Burns, CEO of the University Innovation Alliance, and Doug Lederman, Editor and Co-Founder of Inside Higher Ed, speak with Dr. Cindy Larive, chancellor at University of California, Santa Cruz. As the leader of a campus world-renowned for its progressive values and unconventional approaches, Chancellor Larive visits the Weekly Wisdom Podcast to talk about how she went from avoiding to embracing administrative leadership, the pandemic's lessons about collaboration and community, and her view of what it will take to reenergize higher ed. Topics include:

  • Distilling the essence of "leadership" from the baggage of "administration"
  • Becoming a more agile and effective institution during the pandemic
  • Bringing purpose, inspiration, and community back to the education sector
  • Career advice for rising and future higher ed leaders

Stay Current! Check out our Blog

or watch our videos on YouTube