Dr. Tony Chan President of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

Dr. Senthil Nathan and Dean Hoke, in late 2022, interviewed Dr. Tony Chan, President of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia.  KAUST was founded in 2009; it is the first mixed-gender university campus in the whole of Saudi Arabia. They rank in the top 200 in the world and number 1 in the Times Higher Education Arab University Rankings 2023. KAUST also scored a perfect 100 for research environment, one of only two universities to do so. We discussed Dr. Chan's journey in higher education, leadership, and KAUST.  

What is HigherEd PodCon?

For years, higher education professionals involved in podcasting have asked the same question: Why isn’t there a podcast conference just for our community? My colleagues and I decided it was time to do something about it and take the leap to create a conference just for higher ed podcasters.

On Saturday, July 12, 2025, we invite all higher ed podcasters to attend the inaugural HigherEd PodCon, the first national conference exclusively for podcasting and digital media creators in higher education. Located at the University of Illinois, Chicago, this one-day event brings together faculty, staff, tech specialists, and communicators who are shaping the future of audio storytelling on campus.

With 15 sessions, 40+ presenters, and participation from over 25 institutions throughout the United States—including Purdue, Stanford, Brigham Young, Penn State, and Austin Community College—this is the perfect opportunity to explore how colleges are using podcasts to engage students, alumni, and the broader community. Please go to www.higheredpodcon.com