Campus podcast: How to look after yourself in higher education

Campus podcast: How to look after yourself in higher education

Author: Campus by Times Higher Education April 17, 2025 Duration: 27:03
For this episode, we asked academics and university staff from around the world to share their own strategies for staying positive, healthy and maintaining balance in a sector in which stress and overwork are commonplace. At a time when higher education feels under attack in many countries, in more ways than one, it is important for those working in the sector to find coping strategies that work for them and build collective support. Thank you to all who contributed their personal wisdom: Lucas Lixinski is a law professor and associate dean at UNSW Sydney, which he joined after completing a postgraduate fellowship at the University of Texas School of Law. Maha Bali is a professor of practice at the Center for Learning and Teaching at The American University in Cairo (AUC).  Doune Macdonald is an emerita professor at the University of Queensland and a visiting professor at the University of Sydney. Debbie Riby is a professor of developmental psychology and associate pro-vice chancellor for postgraduate research students at Durham University Bhawana Shrestha is a research fellow at the Learning Institute for Future Excellence at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University. Chris Wright is a senior lecturer and co-ordinator of the Drawing Centre at De Montfort University. Chin Moi Chow is an associate professor of sleep and well-being in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney. Pippa Caterall is a professor of history and policy at the University of Westminster. Patrice Sewou is an associate professor of learning and teaching and the director of the Centre for the Advancement of Racial Equality at the University of Northampton. Aster Cosmos is a learning designer at Monash University. For more insight and advice on protecting the well-being of those working and studying in universities, take a look at our latest spotlight guide on making mental health a priority in higher education.

What does it really take to run a modern university? Campus Talks by Times Higher Education moves beyond the headlines and policy papers to explore the human stories and practical challenges shaping colleges and universities today. Each episode features candid conversations with the academics, administrators, and staff on the front lines, offering a ground-level view of the forces transforming education globally. You’ll hear nuanced discussions about reinventing teaching methods, navigating the complexities of international partnerships, pursuing meaningful research, and building institutions that are both excellent and sustainable. This isn’t a series of abstract lectures; it’s a forum for genuine problem-solving and shared experience. The podcast draws on the extensive network and editorial expertise of its host, Campus by Times Higher Education, to connect listeners with diverse voices from campuses worldwide. Whether you’re a faculty member, a university leader, or simply fascinated by the inner workings of higher education, these dialogues provide actionable insights and a deeper understanding of the academy’s evolving role in society. Tune in for thoughtful analysis that respects the complexity of the issues while searching for tangible solutions.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Campus Talks by Times Higher Education
Podcast Episodes
Campus: Microcredentials are knocking. Will higher education answer? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:21
From employers to policy makers, universities and their students, everyone agrees that alternative credentials are a good thing for the economy and for expanding access to higher education. But it’s one thing to think it…
Campus: How to do public engagement [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:39
In the lead-up to the Times Higher Education Awards 2023, for this episode, we talk to two winners from last year, both of whom share their advice, insights and best practice for engaging the public. King’s College Londo…
Campus: What to do when principles of free speech are tested [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:08
Academic freedom and free speech are the defining values of higher education institutions. But sticking to those principles becomes very difficult when polarising political events divide communities on and off campus. In…
Campus: Unlocking people power through citizen science [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:13
Find out how engaging non-academics in research can uncover and disperse new knowledge and ways of thinking that could help shape solutions to seemingly intractable problems
Campus: How to be a good mentor and mentee [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:56
For this episode of the podcast we handed the mic over to the Campus network to get their top tips on how to be a good mentor and mentee. These relationships can make or break academic careers so getting them right is cr…
Campus interview: Ngiare Brown, chancellor, James Cook University [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:11
Ngiare Brown is the first female and the first indigenous chancellor of James Cook University. She’s joined the institution at a time when efforts to indigenise Australian higher education are taking root, with the recen…
Campus: The AI university is coming [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:21
In an episode last year with the chief scientist at Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities Ashok Goel, we asked: Is AI in higher education worth the hype? It turns out that, yes, it is. Ashok is back to help…