In this episode, Steven Warburton reflects on his experience leading institutional digital innovation in Australia, the UK and New Zealand. Through his conversation with Linda Castañeda, he explores:

• Why competence frameworks need alignment with institutional processes to work.

• How universities moved from initial panic (“ban generative AI”) to thoughtful enablement of AI tools.

• The existential questions raised by AI: What is knowledge? How do we teach? What’s the role of the university today?

• The risk of tokenism in student voice and how to instead build real student partnerships with authority.

• How decision-making ecosystems, not just individual competencies, shape the success of digital transformation.

• Why not all academic leaders need to be tech experts, but institutions need structures that elevate expertise into leadership spaces.

• And finally, a reminder that we’re already on the transformation journey—the key is to decide on direction, pace, and impact, rather than chase every new tool.

Warburton closes with practical advice:

“You don’t have to be at the bleeding edge. Being a fast follower—surfing the second wave—can be powerful, if you’re clear on your theory of change and how to measure it.”