Guided Meditation Day 1

In this episode of So Now What, host Catherine Galloway engages with Gates Cambridge scholars Julie Pham, Chris Tooley, and Robin Scott to explore the nuances of leadership in turbulent times. The conversation delves into the importance of moral leadership, the opportunities presented by crises like COVID-19, and the significance of self-leadership and community building. The guests share their experiences and insights on how to lead effectively, emphasising curiosity, respect, and the power of local action.

Takeaways

Leadership is about bringing people with you, not telling them what to do.
Curiosity can transform workplace dynamics and leadership styles.
Crisis often creates opportunities for innovation and transformation.
Moral leadership is crucial in times of flux and uncertainty.
Local leadership is essential for meaningful change.
Self-leadership involves being open to learning from others.
Community building can counteract polarization and division.
Radical honesty in leadership fosters trust and collaboration.
Cultural forms of leadership can have transformative potential.
Leadership should be shaped by lived experience and engagement.
Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Leadership in Turbulent Times

09:50 The Role of Moral Leadership

20:05 Crisis as Opportunity: Leadership During COVID-19

30:09 Self-Leadership and Community Building

Moral leadership in a time of crisis

Description About the Artist’s Process and Technique

Guests Catherine Barnard and Emmanuelle Auriol discuss how migration affects labour markets, legal protections and social cohesion, how economic incentives and border regimes shape who migrates and why, and what smarter, fairer migration policies could look like in the years ahead.

In this final episode of season 4, Richard Westcott is joined by Catherine Barnard (University of Cambridge) and Emmanuelle Auriol (Toulouse School of Economics) to unpack the economic, legal, and social dimensions of migration.

Drawing on insights from law and economics, the conversation explores how migration affects labour markets, legal protections, and social cohesion, from post-Brexit realities in Great Yarmouth to global questions of fairness and opportunity. The episode examines who moves and why, the limits of current border regimes, and what more effective and ethical migration policies could look like.

Season 4 Episode 10 transcript – Word / PDF
Listen to this episode on your preferred podcast platform
For more information about the Crossing Channels podcast series and the work of the Bennett School of Public Policy and IAST visit our websites at https://www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/ and https://www.iast.fr/.

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With thanks to:

Audio production by Steve Hankey
Associate production by Burcu Sevde Selvi
Visuals by Tiffany Naylor and Aurore Carbonnel
More information about our host and guests:


How does migration change our world?

Wendy Ayres-Bennett and Benjamin Pitt join Richard Westcott to explore how speaking multiple languages shapes our identity, thinking, relationships, and boosts economic opportunities.

In this episode, Richard Westcott is joined by Wendy Ayres-Bennett and Benjamin Pitt to explore a big, everyday question: what is the value of speaking other languages? The conversation looks at how the languages we speak shape our sense of identity, influence how we think and reason, and affect how we relate to others. We explore how multilingualism can foster social cohesion, support cognitive flexibility, and even boost economic opportunities.

Our guests discuss why language is never just a tool for communication and why recognising its deeper value matters for how we design education, shape public policy, and navigate life in an increasingly interconnected world.

This episode is hosted by Richard Westcott (Cambridge University Health Partners and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus), and features experts Benjamin Pitt (IAST) and Wendy Ayres-Bennett (Cambridge University). 

Season 4 Episode 9 transcript Word / PDF
Listen to this episode on your preferred podcast platform
For more information about the Crossing Channels podcast series and the work of the Bennett Institute and IAST visit our websites at bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk and iast.fr/

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With thanks to:

Audio production by Steve Hankey
Associate production by Burcu Sevde Selvi
Visuals by Tiffany Naylor and Aurore Carbonnel

What is the value of speaking other languages?

In this commission for Cambridge Timeline Choir, composer Charlotte Baskerville invokes the power of saints to drive out vermin (from a manuscript at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, MS 457/395, f. 1v, ). Performed by Cambridge Timeline Choir and recorded for Cambridge University Library, July 2025

A Charm Against Rats

This episode of 'So Now What' explores the multifaceted challenges of gender equality, focusing on personal stories, the impact of climate change, and the implications of technology on women's rights. The conversation highlights the ongoing struggles for reproductive freedom, the importance of storytelling, and the need for proactive engagement from men in the fight for gender equality. The guests share their insights on the current backlash against women's rights and the necessity of protecting spaces for dialogue and dissent.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Gender Equality Challenges

04:08 Personal Stories and Experiences

08:07 The Impact of Roe v. Wade Overturn

12:18 Climate Change and Early Marriage

16:43 Backlash Against Gender Equality

19:59 Engaging Men in Gender Equality

24:13 The Role of Technology in Gender Issues

28:55 Understanding the Danger for Women and Girls

34:06 Confronting and Comforting in Conversations

37:18 Final Thoughts and Calls to Action

Is gender equality going backwards?

How do we address the challenges of an ageing world?

In this first episode of series five of Crossing Channels, podcast host Richard Westcott welcomes three affiliated experts - Jonathan Grant, François Bonnefon and François Poinas - to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming higher education.
Welcome to the fifth series of our Crossing Channels podcast, co-produced by the Bennett School of Public Policy (UK), and the Institute for Advanced Studies in Toulouse and Toulouse School of Economics (France).

In this first episode, our host Richard Westcott welcomes three affiliated experts to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming higher education.

Jonathan Grant (Affiliated Researcher at the Bennett School of Public Policy), Jean-François Bonnefon (Toulouse School of Economics (TSE) & the Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse (IAST)) and François Poinas (TSE & IAST) share different perspectives rooted in public policy, psychology, and economics.

They examine how AI is reshaping the way universities teach, conduct research, and connect with government, business, and civil society. They look into how generative tools are changing learning and assessment, how students and academics can build trust in AI systems, and what the rise of these technologies means for the skills and values that universities aim to foster.

Listen to this episode on your preferred podcast platform

Season 5 Episode 1 transcript: Word / PDF

To find out more about the work of the Bennett School of Public Policy and IAST visit our websites: https://www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/ and https://www.iast.fr/

Follow us on Linkedin and Bluesky

With thanks to:

Audio production by Alice Whaley
Associate production by Burcu Sevde Selvi, Bennett School of Public Policy
Visuals by Tiffany Naylor and Pauline Alves, IAST, TSE

Are universities ready for the age of AI?

Richard Westcott chats with Jack Newman, Angélique Acquatella and Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg about what really drives inequality — from technology and trade to health and local policy — and how institutions can bridge the gap between national goals and everyday realities.

In this podcast episode of Crossing Channels, Richard Westcott talks to Jack Newman, Angélique Acquatella and Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg about the forces that shape inequality today. 

Drawing on economics, politics and public policy, our guests examine why gaps persist, look at the roles of technology and trade, explore evidence on health inequalities in the UK, and discuss the delivery gap between national ambitions and local capacity. They share examples of when place-based approaches can work, what gets in the way, and how institutions can support more inclusive growth.

Season 5 Episode 2 transcript: MS Word / PDF

Listen to this episode on your preferred podcast platform: 

For more information about the Crossing Channels podcast series and the work of the Bennett School of Public Policy and IAST visit our websites at https://www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/ and https://www.iast.fr/.

With thanks to:

Audio production by Alice Whaley
Associate production by Burcu Sevde Selvi
Visuals by Tiffany Naylor and Pauline Alves


What really drives inequality?

Richard Westcott talks to Diane Coyle and César Hidalgo about how knowledge, ideas and intangible assets are becoming central to modern prosperity.
In this episode of Crossing Channels, Richard Westcott talks to Diane Coyle and César Hidalgo about how knowledge, ideas and intangible assets are becoming central to modern prosperity. They discuss what makes intellectual capital distinctive, how AI may widen or narrow inequalities, and why some places benefit more than others. The conversation also explores the challenges of measuring intangible value and what kinds of skills, institutions and infrastructure are needed for countries and regions to turn intellectual capital into broader, long-term growth.

Season 5 Episode 3 transcript: PDF / MS Word

Listen to this episode on your preferred podcast platform

For more information about the Crossing Channels podcast series and the work of the Bennett School of Public Policy and IAST visit our websites at https://www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/ and https://www.iast.fr/.

Follow us on Linkedin and Bluesky.

With thanks to:

Audio production by Alice Whaley
Associate production by Burcu Sevde Selvi
Visuals by Tiffany Naylor and Pauline Alves

Guided Meditation Day 1

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