Category: Podcast
Debate@Go8 is a podcast series canvassing issues affecting the Group of Eight universities, and by extension, Australia’s economy and our society. The Group of Eight comprises Australia’s leading research-intensive universities; The University of Melbourne, The University of Sydney, The University of Queensland, The University of Western Australia, The University of Adelaide/Adelaide University, Australian National University, Monash University, and UNSW Sydney.
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Debate@Go8 – Episode 56 – Professor Amit Chakma, Vice-Chancellor and President, The University of Western Australia
Professor Amit Chakma, Vice-Chancellor and President of The University of Western Australia, discusses the thinking behind UWA’s recent move into India and plans for the wider region; Australia’s long and proud history of international education – both inwards and outwards; the current political environment around international education in Australia; and…
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Debate@Go8 Mini: Go8 Delegation to the United States – LTGEN (Ret’d) Rick Burr AO DSC MVO
Excellent wrap-up of a hugely successful Group of Eight delegation to the United States in this final Debate@Go8 Mini podcast from the US – and the rather noisy streets of Washington DC – with Go8 CE Vicki Thomson and Co-Chair of the Go8 Defence & Security Committee, former Chief of Army, Lieutenant General (Ret’d) Rick…
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Debate@Go8 Mini: Go8 Delegation to the United States – Professor Sharon Pickering
In this Debate@Go8 Mini podcast from the Go8 delegation to the United States, Go8 CE Vicki Thomson chats with our Deputy Chair, and Monash University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sharon Pickering, about the importance of the relationships between Australia’s leading research-intensive universities and our United States partners.
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Debate@Go8 Mini: Go8 Delegation to the United States – Professor Gordon Flake
Great conversation from The Group of Eight Delegation to the United States with Professor Gordon Flake, CEO of the Perth USAsia Centre at The University of Western Australia.
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Debate@Go8 Mini: Go8 Delegation to the United States – Major General (Ret’d) Paul Symon AO
On the train from New York City to Washinton DC for this Debate@Go8 Mini podcast, Group of Eight CE Vicki Thomson and Major General (Ret’d) Paul Symon AO, Co-Chair of the Go8 Defence & Security Committee and Senior Advisor at the University of Melbourne, discuss the Go8 delegation to the United States thus far.
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Debate@Go8 Mini: Anders Henriksen – Leading European expert on research security at Monash Prato
Great conversation with Anders Henriksen – former Head of Counterintelligence at the Danish Intelligence and Security Service (ASIS) and a leading European expert on research security.
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Debate@Go8 Mini: EABC Mission 2026 – Wrap up with the EABC’s Brendan O’Connor and Jason Collins
And that’s a wrap! Go8 CE Vicki Thomson – who is also Co-Chair of the European Australian Business Council (EABC) – gives us a wrap-up of this year’s EABC Mission to Europe along with the Hon. Brendan O’Connor, also EABC Co-Chair and EABC CEO Jason Collins.
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Debate@Go8 Mini: 2026 EABC Mission – David Gall, CEO, National Reconstruction Fund Corporation.
What a great place for a conversation about R&D and innovation with David Gall, CEO of the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation – the Helsinki Shipyards!
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Debate@Go8 Mini: 2026 EABC Mission – Peter Halliday, CEO, Siemens Australia & New Zealand
Back on the European Australian Business Council (EABC) Mission to Europe bus, Go8 CE Vicki Thomson caught up with Peter Halliday, CEO of Siemens Australia and New Zealand, and EABC board member.
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Debate@Go8 Mini: 2026 EABC Mission – Professor Bronwyn Fox AO, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, UNSW
Go8 CE Vicki Thomson chats with Professor Bronwyn Fox AO, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Enterprise) at the University of NSW on a bus in Helsinki during the 2026 EABC Mission to Europe.
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Debate@Go8 Mini: 2026 EABC Mission – H.E. Gabriele Visentin, EU Ambassador to Australia
Vicki caught up with H.E. Gabriele Visentin, European Union Ambassador to Australia, outside NATO HQ during the 2026 European Australian Business Council (EABC) Mission to Europe.
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Debate@Go8 Mini: 2026 EABC Mission – Professor Duncan Ivison, Vice-Chancellor, Manchester University
Just before kicking off the 2026 EABC Mission to Europe, Go8 CE Vicki Thomson had a really great chat with Professor Duncan Ivison, Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester IN Manchester.
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Debate@Go8 – Episode 55 – Maria Cristina Russo, Deputy Director-General for Innovation, Prosperity and International Cooperation, European Commission
We examine the importance of Australia’s imminent association to the world’s largest research and innovation programme with the European Commission’s Chief Negotiator for Horizon Europe, Maria Cristina Russo – the Deputy Director-General for Innovation, Prosperity and International Cooperation at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. Recorded June 2026.
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Debate@Go8 – Episode 54 – Professor Marco Fiorentini, Director, ARC Centre in Critical Resources for the Future
Professor Marco Fiorentini, Director of the ARC Centre in Critical Resources for the Future, from The University of Western Australia, discusses why Australia’s strength in critical minerals is not just about what’s in the ground – but about the research capability, skills and innovation needed to find, extract and process…
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Debate@Go8 – Episode 53 – Professor Sharon Pickering, Vice-Chancellor, Monash University
Professor Sharon Pickering is an internationally renowned criminologist who has worked with governments worldwide to combat sex trafficking and family violence and is a passionate advocate for the benefits of international education. Recorded May 2025.
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Debate@Go8 Mini: Professor Raina MacIntyre on the Consequences of the MRFF Funding Cap
Renowned epidemiologist, Professor Raina MacIntyre from the Kirby Institute at UNSW, tells Go8 CE Vicki Thomson how the $650 million cap on funding from the Medical Research Future Fund is not only putting at risk her own project for an AI-enabled early-warning system for pandemics – one-of-a-kind innovation in Australia…
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Debate@Go8 Mini: Dr Adam McKay on the Consequences of the MRFF Funding Cap
Dr Adam McKay from the Monash Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre at Monash University tells The Group of Eight CE Vicki Thomson that missing out on MRFF funding for his research around best-practice care for people suffering traumatic brain injury, was a lost opportunity to improve the way that care is…
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Debate@Go8 Mini: Dr Amanda Poprzeczny on the Consequences of the MRFF Funding Cap
Dr Amanda Poprzeczny from the University of Adelaide Medical School, wanted to fund research into obstructive sleep apnea in pregnant women – and whether treatment for the condition can improve outcomes for mother and baby. Sleep apnea during pregnancy can lead to hypertension, pre-eclampsia and potentially, pregnancy loss. But her…
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Debate@Go8 Mini: Professor Simon Craig on the Consequences of the MFRR Funding Cap
Professor Craig tells Go8 CE Vicki Thomson in this Debate@Go8 Mini that without the MRFF grant for a trial – which was to run across several hospitals across Australia and New Zealand – doctors will miss out on the information that they need to properly inform their care of kids with chronic asthma in this…
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Debate@Go8 Mini: Professor Graham Hillis on the Consequences of the MRFF Funding Cap
Professor Hillis also tells Go8 CE Vicki Thomson in this Debate@Go8 Mini podcast that loss of access to international trials for Australian researchers poses a risk to our ongoing international research collaboration if international partners were to give up on us – leaving us behind.
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Debate@Go8 Mini: Associate Professor Lexine Stapinski on the Consequences of the MFRR Funding Cap
The latest data shows that 1-in-3 young people at the age of 24 have an alcohol-use disorder, says Associate Professor Lexine Stapinski from the University of Sydney. To deal with that astounding finding, she wanted to develop and trial an innovative e-health treatment program, co-designed with young people and service…
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Debate@Go8 Mini: Professor David Mackey AO on the Consequences of the MRFF Funding Cap
In this Debate@Go8 Mini podcast episode, Professor Mackey tells Go8 CE Vicki Thomson that the loss of this research will cost Australia much more than the cost of the MRFF grant, due to the expense of interventions that will be needed to deal with the effects of myopia on kids’ eye health as they grow…
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Debate@Go8 Mini: Dr George Karystianis on the Consequences of the MRFF Funding Cap
Dr Georgios Karystianis from UNSW is now on his fourth attempt to secure a Medical Research Future Fund grant to fund his research aimed at filling serious gaps in national domestic violence surveillance, by developing new data infrastructure based on text-mining millions of police reports. The insights gained from this…
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Debate@Go8 – Episode 52 – Lieutenant General (Ret’d) Rick Burr and Major General (Ret’d) Paul Symon – Part 2
Part 2 of a thought-provoking two-part episode featuring the Co-Chairs of the Group of Eight Defence & Security Committee – Lieutenant General (Ret’d) Rick Burr, former Chief of Army and Major General (Ret’d) Paul Symon, former Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service. In Part 2, these distinguished defence and…