We explore the intersection of higher education and podcasting. Each episode of Continuing Studies features insights from seasoned university podcasters who share tips, best practices, and stories from their podcasting journeys. Hosted by Jennifer-Lee Gunson and Neil McPhedran, this series covers everything from the technical aspects of podcasting to the art of storytelling and conducting interviews. Continuing Studies is more than just a podcast; it's a community. Connect with fellow higher...
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Episode List

Opening Doors for Academic Voices

Mar 23rd, 2026 12:00 PM

How can podcasting bring diverse voices and forms of academic work to a larger audience?Neil and Jen sit down with Will Brehm, creator of FreshEd, to talk about how a decade of academic podcasting has evolved from a simple interview show into a broader platform for research, storytelling, and new voices. Will shares how FreshEd grew into a multi-show network, why moving beyond English-language content matters, and what he’s learned experimenting with formats like narrative series and audio journals.The conversation digs into bigger questions, too: what it would take for podcasting to be recognized as legitimate scholarly output, how institutions can start to value non-traditional research, and why building an audience is just as important as creating the work itself. It’s a thoughtful look at where academic podcasting is today and where it needs to go.Episode Links:Connect with Will | Bio |LinkedInFreshEdConnect with UsShare Feedback & Ask Questions: hello@continuingstudiespodcast.comLearn More: Continuing Studies PodcastFollow: Continuing Studies LinkedIn PageJoin LinkedIn Group: University Podcasters NetworkConnect w/ Jen: LinkedIn or  jpodcreations@gmail.com Connect w/ Neil:  LinkedIn or neil@podiumpodcastco.comTwitter:  @namcphedran / @podiumpodcastcoYoutubeHigherEdPodsHigher Ed Pod ConChapters:(00:00) - Introduction (04:31) - Fresh Ed’s Mission and Making Research Accessible (08:15) - Will & Fresh Ed’s Journey (14:42) - Flux and Putting Students at the Center (14:56) - The Thinking Ear and the Idea of an Audio Journal (19:13) - Funding, Open Access, and Staying Ad-Free (22:22) - Advice for Recognizing Podcasting as Research Output (25:44) - Lessons Learned After 10 Years of Podcasting (27:51) - What Needs to Change for Podcasting in Academia (32:45) - Conclusion Join us at Higher Ed Pod Con in Cleveland, OH, July 16 - 17 2026Sign up by May 29 for Early Bird Pricing

From the Classroom to Industry Jobs: Inside a Master’s Program in Podcasting

Mar 9th, 2026 12:00 PM

Can you actually study podcasting at university—and does it lead to a career?Neil and Jen talk with Chloe Sackur and Max’ed Aadan, recent graduates of the MA in Podcasting program at City St. George’s, University of London, about what it’s really like to learn podcasting in a university setting. They share how the program blends technical training, storytelling, pitching, and industry placements—and how that hands-on approach helped them move directly into podcasting careers. From a Spotify scholarship to producing a UN podcast series and industry roles after, Chloe and Max walk through the opportunities that came from the program and what surprised them most along the way. The conversation also touches on where podcasting as an industry is heading, why practical experience matters so much, and what advice they’d give anyone considering studying podcasting or trying to break into the field.Episode Links:Connect with Chloe | LinkedIn | Chloe’s PodcastConnect  with Max’ed Women’s World Equity by DesignMA Podcasting - Master's degree • City St George's, University of LondonContinuing Studies Ep 53: Class is in Session: Building the Future of Podcasting Through Education with Brett SpencerConnect with UsShare Feedback & Ask Questions: hello@continuingstudiespodcast.comLearn More: Continuing Studies PodcastFollow: Continuing Studies LinkedIn PageJoin LinkedIn Group: University Podcasters NetworkConnect w/ Jen: LinkedIn or  jpodcreations@gmail.com Connect w/ Neil:  LinkedIn or neil@podiumpodcastco.comTwitter:  @namcphedran / @podiumpodcastcoYoutubeHigherEdPodsHigher Ed Pod ConChapters:(00:00) - Introduction (04:36) - What the MA in Podcasting Program Teaches (05:54) - Chloe and Max’ed’s Backgrounds (09:18) - Why Podcasting? (10:51) - Hands-On Learning and Industry Placements (12:12) - Roles After Graduation (15:51) - Producing a Podcast Series with the United Nations (20:45) - Where Podcasting Is Heading as an Industry (25:08) - Advice for Students Considering Podcasting Programs (30:42) - Networking and Building a Portfolio After Graduation (32:32) - Conclusion Join us at Higher Ed Pod Con in Cleveland, OH, July 16 - 17 2026Sign up by May 29 for Early Bird Pricing

Innovation Fuel 2.0: The Evolution of Podcasting in Case-Study Learning

Feb 23rd, 2026 1:00 PM

What happens when a classroom podcast turns into peer-reviewed scholarship, an AI teaching tool, and its own academic platform?When Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian first launched Innovation Fuel, the goal was simple: bring real entrepreneurial stories into the business classroom. Five years later, that idea has grown into something much bigger.In this episode, Neil and Jen catch up with Dave and Gelareh to talk about how their podcast evolved into published peer-reviewed podcast episodes and papers, and now an AI-powered classroom tool called Innovation Fuel Studio. They share how they’re turning podcast episodes into scholarly outputs, getting them into academic journals and libraries, and building a system that lets students role-play directly with AI versions of founders and CEOs.It’s a wide-ranging conversation about case-based learning, ethical AI use, peer review, and what happens when podcasting becomes part of the academic infrastructure itself. If you’ve ever wondered how a higher ed podcast can grow beyond marketing and become part of teaching, research, and innovation, this one’s worth a listen.Connect:Share Feedback & Ask Questions: hello@continuingstudiespodcast.com Learn More: Continuing Studies PodcastFollow: Continuing Studies LinkedIn PageJoin LinkedIn Group: www.linkedin.com/groups/14115712/ Connect w/ Jen: LinkedIn / jpodcreations@gmail.com  Connect w/ Neil:  LinkedIn / neil@podiumpodcastco.com Twitter:  @namcphedran / @podiumpodcastcoYoutubeHigherEdPodsLinks:Innovation Fuel PodcastInnovation Fuel StudioContact Dave & GelarehMarketing Corner Talks PodcastDouglas College LibraryChapters:(00:00) - Introduction (04:19) - How Innovation Fuel Started and Where it is Now (08:50) - Podcasting as Scholarly Output and Peer Review (11:59) - Expanding the Research and Educational Impact (13:37) - Keeping Case Study Content Current for Students (16:51) - Bringing Cases Back Into the Classroom With AI (18:02) - Entrepreneurs, Students, and the Broader Ecosystem (18:45) - AI Chatbots and New Tools in Development (21:30) - Academic Libraries, Indexing, and Visibility (23:32) - Reflecting on Innovation and What’s Ahead (25:11) - Outro Join us at Higher Ed Pod Con in Cleveland, OH, July 16 - 17 2026Sign up by May 29 for Early Bird Pricing

"University 3.0 and the Podcast Revolution: Who Owns Knowledge Now?"

Feb 9th, 2026 1:00 PM

As universities face pressure to evolve, podcasting is emerging as an unexpected catalyst and channel for change.Carola Boehm first caught Neil’s attention with her EPOD abstract suggesting the ivory tower might be starting to crack — a bold (and maybe slightly controversial) take that kicked off this conversation about how podcasting is reshaping the way knowledge gets created and shared in higher education. So this week, Carola “schools” Neil and Jen on her “University 3.0” idea — universities losing their place as the sole gatekeepers of knowledge toward more open, collaborative learning spaces — and what podcasting has to do with that shift. The conversation also touches on the EPOD conference, pressures facing universities right now, and why even small podcasts can play a meaningful role in connecting people, ideas, and communities.Episode Links:Carola Boehm | LinkedInEPOD ConferenceCarla's 2026 EPOD AbstractEmbedding Culture 3.0 and University 3.0 in Leadership Development Programmes for Heritage Organisations and Heritage Sites (2025)Why Podcasting Needs to Lean into Culture 3.0 Connect with UsShare Feedback & Ask Questions: hello@continuingstudiespodcast.comLearn More: Continuing Studies PodcastFollow: Continuing Studies LinkedIn PageJoin LinkedIn Group: University Podcasters NetworkConnect w/ Jen: LinkedIn or  jpodcreations@gmail.com Connect w/ Neil:  LinkedIn or neil@podiumpodcastco.comTwitter:  @namcphedran / @podiumpodcastcoYoutubeHigherEdPodsChapters:(00:00) - Introduction (02:41) - Introducing Carola Boem and the EPOD Conference (03:50) - Podcast Reach, Audience, and Global Communities (05:35) - Culture 3.0, Co-Creation, and Podcasting’s Role (07:10) - Carola’s Background and Creative Industries Research (09:48) - University 3.0 and Podcasting as a Knowledge Shift (10:32) - What EPOD Is and Why It Matters (12:43) - Universities Under Pressure and New Learning Models (14:40) - Gatekeeping, Broadcasting, and Academic Structures (15:26) - University 1.0 to 3.0 Explained (19:16) - How Podcasting Challenges Academic Gatekeeping (23:19) - Governance, AI, and Quality in Podcasting (27:06) - How Universities Can Start Moving Toward University 3.0 (28:40) - Podcasting as a Co-Created Learning Space (29:52) - Conclusion Join us at Higher Ed Pod Con in Cleveland, OH, July 16 - 17 2026Sign up by May 29 for Early Bird Pricing

Do Podcasts Count? Journals, Peer Review, and the Future of Academic Work in Audio

Jan 26th, 2026 1:00 PM

A thoughtful look at how podcasting is expanding the ways academic work is created and shared.Jim Ambuske, historian and producer, is back to share his thoughts on where audio is going in the academic world and what it’s going to take to have it recognized as a scholarly medium. Jim gets into his new work on the In Pursuit project, what he’s seeing in the world of digital archives and oral history, and why he believes audio and video are important ways to share academic work beyond the page. They also dig into the real challenges facing higher education right now—from funding pressures to tenure expectations—and why, even with all of that, Jim is still optimistic about what creators and institutions can build next.Episode Links:Jim AmbuskeJim Ambuske | LinkedInIn PursuitJim Previous Episode: Making History Heard: Bringing the Past to Life Through PodcastsConnect with UsShare Feedback & Ask Questions: hello@continuingstudiespodcast.comLearn More: Continuing Studies PodcastFollow: Continuing Studies LinkedIn PageJoin LinkedIn Group: University Podcasters NetworkConnect w/ Jen: LinkedIn or  jpodcreations@gmail.com Connect w/ Neil:  LinkedIn or neil@podiumpodcastco.comTwitter:  @namcphedran / @podiumpodcastcoYoutubeHigherEdPodsChapters:(00:00) - Introduction (04:42) - Jim’s New Role and the In Pursuit Project (06:50) - Podcasting & Funding Cuts to the Humanities & Higher Ed (09:21) - How to Keep Doing the Work in a Difficult Environment (11:05) - The Digital Archives in the Commonwealth Conference (14:28) - The Growth of Multimedia and Academic Storytelling (16:07) - Why the Monograph Still Dominates Academia (18:54) - What Would It Take for Podcasts to Count? (21:12) - University Presses & Journals in an Audio World (22:59) - Conferences & Accreditation for Podcasting (25:11) - How Institutions Can Support Podcasting Without Breaking It (28:09) - The Future of Higher Ed Podcasting (32:02) - Conclusion Join us at Higher Ed Pod Con in Cleveland, OH, July 16 - 17 2026Sign up by May 29 for Early Bird Pricing

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