Everything has gone global at the Olympic-style university This episode of My Imaginary University was, excitingly, recorded live in front of an audience at the recent Wonkhe Festival of Higher Education. Many thanks to Wonkhe for inviting me and special thanks to Jim Dickinson for all the help with making the recording happen. Our creative force on this occasion is Graeme Wise who is Director of Strategic Programmes and Engagement at University of London who has imagined a big and bold institution operating on a genuinely global scale. World Multilateral University – also known colloquially as Olympic University – is a worldwide research institution operating under a treaty which brings the world’s best academics together in focused groupings to address the biggest research challenges there are for four years at a time. There’s a well-staffed permanent secretariat based in a pleasant city and all staff enjoy some special privileges, including magic passports which get them through all borders without delay. Every four years the University has a two month long in person plenary session to review progress and plan the next round of research – it sees itself as the opposite of the Davos experience. Our audience chip in with some excellent questions for aspirant president Graeme covering topics ranging from strategic planning to IP to secret handshakes, We also learn that the University’s theme tune leads staff to imagine they are running along a beach whenever they hear it played. Or maybe not. Anyway, it is a terrific proposition and a really good discussion.

And now for something completely different. Based on an original idea by Jenny Lawrence and Jackie Potter, who came up with it on their way to a meeting of the Heads of Educational Development Group, it is time for the Higher Education Shipping forecast.  With a general synopsis and reports from the major Higher Education and Shipping areas, your full forecast can be heard here.