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In this latest episode of the Think Education podcast, Chris and Judith are joined by previous podcast guest and frequent contributor, Stephanie Martin. We talked about normality and disruption, not just here in the Gulf where Stephanie and I are based, but in higher education more broadly. Chris and Judith talked to Stephanie about her work and research on learning patterns and the need to use different lenses when we approach teaching and learning.  Students today are not who they used to be, obviously, but how do we explore this and situate ourselves as educators within this dynamic? We reflected on the impact that place and identity has on belonging.  Are we trying to replicate the home experience in TNE abroad or are we trying to create an open learning space?  How do we create the balance between sense of attachment and learning spaces?  Stephanie used the metaphor of school uniform to reflect on place and identity and why we do the things we do, and what message this is sending. We talked about social conditioning and how it impacts our understanding of what teaching should look like, how we perceive quality, how we accept or reject it. We talked about student learning patterns, cultural norms and exposure and how we, as educators, need to adapt our approach.  Both in terms of content but also pedagogy given the use of technology.  This morphed into a conversation about place and adaptation again. Where we go, there we are.  Adaptation works both ways and there needs to be an understanding of place. Make sure to come back next week for Part Two! Listen here: Podbean: iTunes:   TedX talk: Rewarding Sameness isn’t Leadership https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pcFd2EonFY

In the latest Think Education episode Prof Hill and Prof Lamie are joined by friend of the show and frequent contributor, Douglas Proctor, Assistant Vice-President, Global & SIO, York University.  Douglas joins us from Canada, by way of previous experience in Ireland, Australia, Malaysia. It is always a pleasure to chat to Douglas and today we had the opportunity to learn about his first seven months in post in Canada and his reflections on the differences between Australia and Canada, in particular the role of leadership. Douglas stressed the value of communities within the education sector and how their absence is acutely felt.  Douglas reflected on his time in Australia where he was an active member of leadership structures and peer groups but notes that in Canada the system is very different.  There is no national department of education or federal mandate for education.  There are ten provinces with their own respective approaches and so coordinating these can naturally be a challenge.  What Douglas is looking for is the connective tissue that exists in other countries – Ireland in particular – that would support engagement and interaction. We talked about the intersection between internationalisation and collaboration at an institutional level and Douglas raised the need for increased engagement in Ontario in the field of transnational education.  There is plenty of information about certain elements of the TNE process but not in the area of the actual ‘how’ you would go about it.  From this perspective there is a need for a guidebook and handbook and increased dialogue and regulations to support activity. Douglas then delved a little deeper in definition of terms and what is actually meant by different elements of TNE and the need for clarification and standardisation in places as this would naturally help the sector to grow. What does competition look like in this space? What is the benefit of cooperation? Judith reflected on the value of previous Canadian strategic approaches and how much the UK was able to draw on these in the past.  While there is scope for further development in this area it does raise the questions about knowledge exchange and interaction across national borders, not just within them as we discussed earlier in the episode.  Douglas reviewed national strategies here from a value perspective, a call to arms and what this actually means on the ground. What comes across clearly in this conversation is the extent to which Douglas is enjoying his new role, challenges and all, and the privilege it is to be able to work in a sector where you can have an impact and bring about positive change. Please also take the time to listen to our previous episode with Douglas discussing issues with international student recruitment: https://thinkeducation.podbean.com/e/is-debacle-too-strong-a-term-or-not-strong-enough-international-student-recruitment/

In the latest Think Education podcast episode, Chris and Judith are joined by third time guest and frequent contributor, Dr Vicky Lewis, to discuss recent developments in international education and the unresolved tension between international values on the one hand and financial issues on the other. Vicky discussed the shifts she has seen in how universities are thinking about international education strategy and how recent events have impacted and are impacting activity and responses.  Vicky talked about work she did during the pandemic that looked at university strategies through the lens of global engagement and the disconnect between making a global contribution and the success KPI metrics in place – recruitment; student numbers and income generation. Vicky reflected on the success measures that institutions have in place and the extent to which these may have changed since the pandemic.  There has in fact been very little in the way of change – although notable additional KPIs in terms of sustainability. We talked about how TNE is embedded/aligned with institutional international strategies and the fact that it can perhaps now be seen as a tactical action to address challenges in current international strategies. We explored the idea of placing students at the heart of internationalisation strategy and what this means in practice.  We then went on to think about what this means within the TNE sphere and the extent to which students are indeed at the heart of it all.  There is certainly a diverse set of student experiences, and it is not helpful to homogenise this when we try to capture the lived realities of TNE students.  Vicky asked the question as to what extent students should be involved in strategy development and cited examples from IAU. We rounded off our conversation talking about equitable partnerships and sustainability within international higher education.  As always, an insightful and though provoking conversation with Vicky that added to our understanding of recent activity and raised some interesting questions about what will happen next in international higher education. How do we put students at the heard of our international strategies? Do students have a role to play in strategy development? How do we ensure equitable partnerships in TNE?

In this latest Think Education podcast Judith and Chris are joined by Malgorzata Drewniok, Assistant Director for International Student Success at The University of Bristol.  And yes, there is a Welsh connection – even if only by happenstance. Once we got past Judith’s exuberant support of linguistics, linguists and general language degrees, we were able to talk to Gosia about her work supporting international students in UK higher education – with a key focus on removing barriers to engagement and success. We have a clear duty of care to those students already in our institutions.  Gosia’s life as an international student has firmly shaped her approach and philosophy to student support. Gosia talked about her experience as an international student from Poland studying in the UK and her subsequent professional journey working in the UK higher education sector.  This conversation provides a real insight into the paths we think we should take in academia, the ones we end up on, and the wisdom to understand where real success and happiness can be found. I asked Gosia how she defines success, both in her own career and in how she supports students.  The answer was deeply reflective and insightful.  Doing what matters to us; doing the things we are passionate about; and doing the things we are good at where we can see an impact.  We need to worry less about what others say/think and follow our passion and interests. We did talk about measurables – particularly in how they relate to success – as this remains a key function of universities but can often hide the people within the conversation.  This very much ties into work Judith and I have been working on in our previous (and forthcoming) book.  What is the fundamental purpose of a university, how does it see itself and how does it understand and place the students themselves? We talked about integrating and supporting international students in our classroom and the extent to which these conversations and notions of inclusion impact pedagogy and curriculum. This was a deeply reflective, insightful and practitioner-led conversation about the, often hidden, realities of supporting international students at our universities.  And the journeys we take along the way. #internationalstudents #studentsupport #professionalservices #universities #integration #BALEAP #linguistics #culture

In this latest Think Education episode, we continue our conversation about leadership and managing change but were prompted for this session by recent articles regarding the impact of reduced international student numbers on university jobs. This led us think about the role of leadership within a university and how are leaders trained?  Chris talked about a recent IC Global event that highlighted the need for training as colleagues move to more senior levels and how relevant this is when, as is now the case, training budgets are among the first things to be cut.  Chris therefore naturally turned to Judith to learn more about her diverse leadership experience, both throughout the UK and internationally. A good senior leader is a good communicator.  You might not always agree with what is being communicated but you value the explanation.  This communication can of course be challenging given the size of some universities and requires a particular set of skills, training and of course, institutional support. How do we train for these types of roles?  What skills should a university leader possess?  Leaders have moved through different pathways – professional services and academic – and have therefore been exposed to different types of training. To be a senior academic leader you have to be a senior academic, but does this prepare us for leading a university?  Would a university run by a business professional be less of a university? Would having experts in the senior team be sufficient? Judith explained that this debate can often come down to the use of specific words.  Words like client, customer, business.  The use of these will more than likely spark a heated debate across university campuses.  Judith talked about her curiosity in how polarising the use of the term business can be and how much opposition it can yield in discussions.  A university is a place of learning and research but in order to be this, it needs some form of ‘coin’ in order to keep the lights on and pay people’s salaries. To what extent is a university becoming more of a transactional experience for students with a greater focus on employability?  And if it is, does this mean that students see themselves more as clients?  Within this conversation, what is the role of the leader?  What do we expect them to do?  What should their priorities be given the fluid nature of higher education? What a university produces as a product is graduates so in essence, we are asking our ‘products’ to pay for their own production.  They then become product, client and customer all at the same time and if their numbers dip, we don’t have the means to produce them at all – and feel the associated knock-on effect across the institution. #leadership #strategy #communication #universityidentity #directleadership #indirectleadership #book4 #managingchange #crisis

Judith and Chris are back again in this latest episode of the Think Education podcast but alas, still no theme song. Our podcast began with a chat about names, sweets, and old radio DJ’s.  And yes, Chris got the name wrong despite having enjoyed a lamington on multiple occasions.  A sweet by any other name, would still taste as, well, you get it.  We recovered quickly and turned our focus to life in Dubai, in this our latest installment of on the ground conversation.  As of Monday 20th April, education in Dubai returned to a sense of normalcy.  For a given value of normalcy of course as not everybody is back and many students still remain online.  This is part of the flexible hybrid approach still in place – a legacy of decisions made during the fully online and remote period of a few weeks ago – and requires careful management from a technical and pedagogical perspective.  Hybrid teaching is hard. Chris talked about the approach undertaken in Dubai and the clear and rigorous ministry guidelines in place.  The return has been staggered and is still ongoing.  Universities and schools began to open as of Monday, and teachers were back on campuses and in the classrooms.  Safety measures are in place, drills have been drilled, training has been done and a new normal is here. We talked about the environment and how this impacts the sense of community and engagement by influencing the degree of mobility you have – or want to have.  The heat has jumped the past few days but still remains cooler than it will get.  The campus and surrounding area are not as busy as they would have been a few months ago, but the city is filling up.  Even during the height of the war, there were still people sat outside at cafes, walking dogs, running, and just getting on with their lives.  This is a hopeful reflection of human nature and a clear indication of the level of security and safety we, the Dubai residents, have felt throughout this turbulent period.  Loud noises can still cause a scary reaction however and makes you realise that no matter how safe you may have felt, there is often a mark left. We talked about infrastructure and communication and the need to respond to shifting realities and adapt accordingly.  What has remained the consistent message has been the safety of students and the quality of the learning experience.  What has been interesting is seeing the renewed interest, on the part of students, regarding online learning – particularly as it is supported by social mobility, unlike during the pandemic.   #community #inpersonlearning #safety #Dubai #hybridlearning #infrastructure #adaptation #shifitingexpectations #emerginglearningpatterns #innovativepedagogy #familytime

In this latest Think Education podcast, we talk about an actual thing we have done recently, as opposed to things that we have been thinking about, or have been done to us.  Chris reflected on his panel involvement at an International Conference on Transnational Education (TNE) in Mauritius - Reimagining Transnational Education: Partnerships, Quality Assurance and Regulation, Innovation and Global Impact. Both Chris and Judith have connections with Mauritius: Judith, much more so with her time with Middlesex University and setting up the campus in Mauritius and Chris having supervised Mauritian students Roshan and Deeptee during their Masters in Malaysia and the interest in visiting since then.  Chris came very close to being able to go this time round and then decided it would be more fun to fracture his ankle instead. Chris reflected on the positives that many delegates had been able to attend the event in person, despite the flight restrictions and safety concerns.  The conference had many familiar faces such as Fabrizio, Nitesh, Mark Edwards and Cheryl Lu, and took a very mature view on the branch campus model, identity, key considerations and the integration of research and teaching. We talked about the ongoing evolution of the branch campus model and its place, and even name within the conversations about equitable partnerships.  Partnerships are moving increasingly towards strategic and capacity building alignment.  The conference very much highlighted the appetite for TNE growth in Mauritius and the opportunities that connecting research and teaching offer. The identity of a TNE operation is changing and offers a wealth of new avenues for exploration.  The last few decades of development, of trial and error, dramatically facilitates new partnership creation.  The starting point has naturally moved, and this supports innovative activity and of course, the student experience. Increased collaboration, through increased dialogue and understanding leads to more equitable partnerships and a better student experience. We also debated our need for a theme tune for the podcast and our realization that our only expertise in this area would involve taking an existing one from the 1980s and just changing the words.   #branchcampus #digitalcampus #research #collaboration #studentsupport #engagement #mauritius

In this latest Think Education podcast Judith and Chris carry on their discussion about education in Dubai and look again at how the changes are being implemented, managed and experienced. We discussed the true impact that this current situation is having on students and teachers amid the recent cancellation of IB exams across the region.  We talked about how decisions like this are never taken lightly and the clear evidence of how the ministry is working to ensure that those students impacted are not disadvantaged beyond the necessary. With that having been said, the disruption to education has of course been felt by all.  Many universities have recently announced the continuation of distance learning until the end of the semester and this decision has been made as a direct response to our collective duty of care to our students.  Creating a semblance of balance and continuity is important as we can then plan and work accordingly. Keeping safe and following formal guidelines, both in daily life and for education. This brought us back to the notion of community.  What is it and how do we support it?  The current climate is not one of lock-down, as it was during the pandemic, and so students are more mobile and have more ability to engage in person with their peers.  We follow the official guidelines to protect our safety and remain grateful for the level of care and security we are offered living here in Dubai. Judith wondered whether technology is breaking down barriers to engagement or creating new ones?  We talked about the digital community and the advantages this has during times like this.  Chris also reflected on the presence of students on his campus and the constant sense of discussion and engagement that he sees on a daily basis.  Students are not a purely digital community, and we need to support this where we can. Somethings are very normal and somethings are very different.  In this time of crisis, we are experiencing small changes and big changes, and the key is in how we manage this through our communities and the way in which we communicate the message. Normal is as normal does.   #distancelearning #resiliance #community #communication #managingchange #students #university

In this latest episode of the Think Education podcast, Chris and Judith talked to Rachelle Viader Knowles, Head of International for the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Manchester School of Art about her journey through international higher education and her work in trans local dialogues. Rachelle talked us through her international background from Mauritius, to Wales, to Canada and to the UK.  Her undergraduate experience in interactive arts in the countryside outside Newport that focused on experimental thinking, interdisciplinarity and collaboration – all strands that have continued throughout her career.  She became interested in cross-cultural conversations while studying in Canada and that became a further launching pad for her professional interests and career developments. The power of networks and collaboration has played a key role in Rachelle’s journey, and she stresses how important this is to develop and support.  This has been of particular relevance in the COIL projects currently underway – including those around ethical ways of working in this space. Rachelle and Chris talked about their experience of teaching during their respective degrees and how this helped to set them on their path to academia, in addition of course to providing financial support during studies.  This is of particular relevance to all of us involved in international student recruitment and the opportunities available. We talked about creative research and how we view research from a process and output perspective.  We talked about the origin and ownership of knowledge and how this perspective changes our understanding of research as a discipline and how this can better be connected to internationalisation.  Rachelle gave examples of her work in Regina, Saskatchewan and her exposure to indigenous methodologies.  One such was a project with Judy Anderson, now a Professor at the University of Calgary, where Rachelle was taught how to do indigenous beading and Rachelle taught Judy how to do digital editing to create a conversation between somebody of indigenous heritage and somebody of white settle heritage about their experiences with digital learning. Rachelle talked about internationalisation at home and the importance this has within institutions and for students.  She argues that this sort of practice should be sector wide and supported in order to move away from an island to global mentality. Be together when you can but use technologies when you can’t.   #translocaldialogues #collaboration #networks #creativeresearch #internationalhighereducation #firstnations #indigenousmethodolgies #practicebasedresarch #COIL stephaniemartin

In this latest Think Education Podcast episode, Chris and Judith reflect on week two of the war, further changes to the education landscape in Dubai, the nature of community and the impact that changes can have on us all. Perception and reality are very much a contextual construct.  Travel and exposure help us to better understand people and circumstances.  Chris reflects on the perception that he is seeing in the press and social media about the people in Dubai and Dubai more broadly.  He explains what it is to actually live here.  To have a family here.  Community is a strange thing.  How it is constructed, understood, seen from within and without. The education system in Dubai has been a key tool in this development. It recognises and responds to the diversity of the population.  It provides a diversity of schooling and university options to encourage people to stay.  To study here, to work here, to live here.  To make this place home.  This is at the heart of the move to the knowledge economy. Chris explained the recent changes to the Spring Break schedule and the impact that this has had on teachers and learners alike.  These changes, efficiently put in place, enabled uniformity of response and experience.  Educational institutions follow the guidance put in place and ensure that nobody is disadvantaged, or everybody is disadvantaged equally depending on how you look at it. International students everywhere are being impacted.  Judith talked about international students in the UK who might want to go home and be with their families but also want to keep studying and are unable to do so.  Travel may not be possible and the options for online learning are not in place to facilitate this.  Chris talked about the international student community in Dubai who are still here – even if on break – and need looking after.  Institutions have a responsibility to care for students, as do countries.  When you actively promote international student recruitment, you need to provide the full support ecosystem that this requires and not just treat them as numbers.  They are people.  Young people, often away from family and their support systems. Everything is connected.  You move one piece on the board, change one element of the supply chain, remove one piece of the ecosystem, and the ripples are felt.  We talked about how changes in visa systems and policies have a knock-on effect on students, universities, jobs, and local economies. Chris talked again about the conversations he is having with people who want to arrange study visits to Dubai and develop partnerships – as soon as things calm down – and how this is a message of hope and trust.  This too shall pass and the future continues to be about the student experience and how we can best support it. Empathy is needed.  Judith and I know full well from our own experiences in international education that travel broadens the mind and exposes us to differences that allow us to reflect, learn and grow. Not having all the answers is not a weakness.  Asking questions is a strength.  Communication is essential.   Listen here: Podbean: iTunes:   #Dubai #UAE #community #internationaleducation #empathy #communication #askquestions

This latest Think Education podcast covers familiar territory in unfamiliar times.  Judith and Chris talk about many of the themes from their previous book – Insider’s Guide to International Higher Education – and some of the themes from the book we are currently writing - communication, identity, perception, crisis and managing change. What is different of course, is that this podcast – recorded on Tuesday 3rd March – took place against the backdrop of the third day of the current war in the Middle East.  Based in Dubai, Chris reflected on issues of safety and preparedness from a personal perspective, the experience of the last few days of uncertainty and the extent to which people can and do feel secure in Dubai despite the circumstances. We then turned our focus to education and the move to online learning once again.  The transition to online learning was swift and controlled in Dubai and as Chris reflected, this is due to a series of key factors: investment in digital infrastructure, staff preparedness and capability, clear communication and directives from ministry, a sense that we have been here before – even though of course, we haven’t. What is evident from the current situation, and indeed from the pandemic lockdown, is the need for a strong foundation of technical capability to support online learning, clear lines of communication to facilitate engagement, and a community in order to survive. Chris discussed the fact that he had received multiple messages of support from colleagues around the world – in some cases from people he hadn’t heard from in years and had perhaps only a partial professional connection.  This sense of community throughout international higher education is heartwarming and a true reflection of the network that exists to support us. We ended by hoping that all remain safe and that this ends as soon as possible and we return to talking as a way forward.   Listen here: Podbean: iTunes:   #internationalhighereducation #community #crisis #onlinelearning #digitalinfrastructure #Dubai #UAE

In this our triumphant return to podcasting – after a ‘brief’ sojourn due to job changes, retirement and broken bones – we are in familiar stomping grounds of all things international. Judith reflects on her recent professional changes and what this actually means to her day-to-day life and the opportunities that are open to her and the freedom she can embrace. This morphed into a conversation about the role of ‘the international’ within institutions.  Called by many names with many connotations – pro vice chancellor, deputy vice chancellor vice president of global, international, engagement, partnerships - the role of senior international leaders within universities has changed over time and continues to do so.  We discussed how ‘international’ is seen within the context of university activity and home and abroad; and how this relates to transnational education and of course, to student recruitment itself.  The roles themselves cut across many aspects of university activity and life and it is often challenging to define but we know it when we see it. We talked about the term ‘global university’ and what this means on the ground for the student experience and the very identity of a university.  Often terms like global, international and transnational are used interchangeably and nailing down what this means from a practical perspective can be a fun afternoon chat. Or podcast. We reflected on the design of international strategies and how these are bought into, accepted, driven, managed and understood by key stakeholders.  The ‘international’ has become a central and key voice within universities and can serve to support wider activity throughout the institution and abroad. We would be interested to hear from colleagues working and operating in this space as we are always keen to learn more about how these issues are being discussed and shaped throughout our global community. Answers on a postcard please.  Or message us on this post of course if you prefer.   #internationalisation #globalengagement #transnationaleducation #TNE #universities #leadership #studentrecruitment #partnerships #collaboration

Dr Paula Sanderson, Chief Operating Officer and University Secretary Cardiff University joins the Think Education podcast to talk about TNE, branch campus development in Kazakhstan and to field our prods to write about her experiences for our next book. Paula’s experience is truly global, and she reflected on her initial work in Malaysia and the tensions that exist in the international learning spaces – around access, identity and representation.  We talked about the ways in which these approaches can be adapted, developed and improved through conversations, discussions and transparency.  It is important to sit with people you disagree with and not assume that you are always right.  Places of true inclusivity are those where we have difficult conversations and work on issues. Several key questions that arose from our discussion: How does TNE improve cross-cultural competence? How do we just listen to others and engage accordingly? Do we self-censor? If we meet the needs of the host country, why can’t we also be seen as meeting the needs of our institutions? Paula discussed the way in which our narrative about TNE has changed and the focus is now more on learning from other communities, as opposed to the previous, much more colonial approach.  While there should be pride and value placed on the UK higher education sector, this does not mean that there isn’t scope for learning from others and approaching this from a more equitable TNE space and sense of mutual engagement. Access is a global phenomenon and TNE is a powerful tool for diplomacy. TNE can be seen as a response to humanitarian crises. Paula talked about Cardiff’s recent campus development in Kazakhstan and outlined the process from ideation to creation with the truly staggering reality of having established a fully operational TNE endeavor with an initial cohort of 316 initial students in 12 months!  Paula was very clear to point out the sheer amount of work involved here and the exceptional value of the 102 people involved in the process.  One of the key success factors here is the regulatory and policy framework in Kazakhstan and the access they have to the Minister – and his full support of the development of TNE. This was a fascinating conversation looking at perception, values, integration, awareness and the potential for activity.   #access #engagement #internationalisation #criticalspace #academicdiscourse #conversations

Talking about change has been a constant for us over the past few Think Education podcasts and indeed books we have written.  Today we talk about international students and the changes that are afoot. While we recorded this episode a few months ago, the subject is still as relevant today as it was then.  Political issues are driving actions and students are often at the end of the process and feeling the brunt of action – along with the financial bottom line of many universities, and the communities in which they operate, around the world.  Education may well be a public good, but it is also a political tool – particularly when we consider this within the landscape of transnational education.  Judith reflected on whether this is seen as a ‘blip’ that can be weathered and ‘got through’ or an indicator of a much broader and deeper change in higher education and identified that are conversations about programme pricing models and the reality that costs over the past decade have naturally changed and the need to ensure that this is more clearly articulated and understood.  Judith further explained that research funding loses universities money and so international students are one of the only real ways in which the financial stability can be supported – and the impact that recent changes have had on universities. TNE is not the answer to this, however.  We referred to recent conversations and podcasts we have had with Jazreel Goh and Douglas Proctor about student movement, TNE hubs and changing patterns of recruitment because of policy changes.  Chris talked about the international student movement in Dubai and the relative sustainability of the model.  The aspirations are certainly here to increase international student numbers and the likelihood that this will see positive impact as a result of global trends.  Students still want to travel, and they want education as a means to improve skills and to lead to employability.  Where will they go now and how will this be facilitated?  We talked about the changes that may well be coming and possible growth in the vocational space, apprenticeships, and indeed the work force itself.  This led us to once again consider the purpose and value of a university and how it connects people to the wider world.  How do we demonstrate value to communities?  To students? To parents? To employers?  #yorkies #pricing #costs #highereducation #internationalstudents #strategy

In this latest episode of the Think Education Podcast Judith discussed her recent attendance at Going Global, a panel discussion she attended on Europe – which links to one of our previous episodes, and in particular a plenary session she attended on AI in international higher education. We talked about the nature of fear regarding the use of AI in education and the need to regulate that formed many of the early conversations about AI and how this is changing to focus on the need for relevant training and support.  Chris talked about a recent HEPI study (linked below) that highlights student concern over the use and integration of AI in their learning and the fact that we need to consider how to leverage and integrate AI to support teaching and learning. Chris talked about his work with Dr Tendai Charles on AI in teaching and learning and the UAE initiative, earlier this year, on the integration of AI at all levels of curriculum.  We discussed different possible applications for AI in teaching and learning – and some of the downsides of phantom knowledge/citation creation. Chris outlined the UAE’s approach to leading on the use of AI in both education and wider society. We talked about the ethical use of AI and how we can attempt to harness AI for tomorrow.  Link to Teacher Incubator Programme Middlesex session and ENAI We did talk about access and engagement and the realisation that this is not the solution to everything as it is not available to everybody. Not all TNE projects can fully incorporate online learning due to national regulatory frameworks and accreditation processes. We are not at a crossroads anymore, AI is here to stay, but we are perhaps in a constant state of crossroads.  This ongoing conversation is a good thing as it is forcing us to reflect and think about this in a meaningful manner, even if we can’t keep up with the level of progress. What is the nature of learning?  What are skills?  How long does the traditional schooling approach of memorisation have in the age of AI? The ongoing debates about AI are forcing us to engage with the deeper conversation about the value, application and impact of education.  In the international space – working across cultures, languages and space – we need to think about this even more so.   Hill, C., & Lawton, W. (2018). Universities, the digital divide and global inequality. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 40(6), 598–610. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2018.1531211 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1360080X.2018.1531211 HEPI survey https://www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/08/11/student-wellbeing-in-the-ai-era-stress-confidence-and-connection-a-global-snapshot/ Xidian University Conference ICAI 2025: https://en.xidian.edu.cn/info/1063/2372.htm Going Global: https://www.britishcouncil.org/going-global   https://gulfnews.com/uae/education/new-uae-school-year-brings-ai-curriculum-unified-holidays-and-updated-exams-1.500243448