Podcasting as a Tool for Internationalisation: Past Examples and Future Opportunities

Today's global economy requires students to develop the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to live and work across borders and within diverse cultural contexts. Following Britain’s exit from the European Union and the Erasmus programme, internationalisation has become even more important in the strategic planning and curriculum design of higher education in the United Kingdom. This paper examines how podcasting can serve as a pedagogical tool to enhance the internationalisation of curricula and support meaningful learning outcomes. While international educational partnerships, and transnational student collaborations across institutions are widely practiced, they often face challenges such as lack of immediacy and personal connection. However, with its accessibility and widespread appeal, podcasting offers an ideal medium for fostering international student collaborations.

This paper uses a wide-ranging review of literature to explore practical approaches to the use of podcasting in educational projects, demonstrating its effectiveness as a cost-efficient, engaging method for facilitating cross-cultural experiences. It also reflects on the historical use of radio as an educational tool and considers how it has shaped the pedagogical application of podcasting and other distance learning technologies. Collaborative podcasting projects between international universities have the potential to equip students with valuable practical skills while developing a more global perspective. The paper will present examples of case studies that illustrate the effectiveness of transnational podcast projects and outline practical strategies for their implementation. As a tool for internationalisation, podcasting not only promotes intercultural understanding but also aligns with the HEA’s vision of preparing students to contribute meaningfully to a globally interconnected society. However, studies have identified several challenges associated with podcasting as an educational tool Higher Education Authority, Internationalising Higher Education Framework (HEA, 2016) which should be acknowledged, such as limited interaction hindering real-time discussions, technical difficulties and concerns about increased absenteeism when lectures are available as podcasts.