Strategy sounds tidy until funding shocks, shifting policy, and the messy reality of local communities hit. We sit down with Craig Hobbs, senior lecturer and systems thinker, to ask a deceptively simple question: what are universities actually for now, and what must change for them to stay viable without losing their public purpose?
We explore universities as social anchor institutions within a wider civic ecosystem of employers, local authorities, health services, voluntary groups, and citizens. Craig shares why some institutions thrive by building open, connected “active campus ecologies”, while others drift by chasing fashionable ideas that ignore local strengths. Along the way, we unpack the UK’s unstable education funding model, the risks of over-reliance on international recruitment, and why governance, culture, and hierarchy often block the voices that most need to be heard.
The conversation turns to place-based education and the growing need for flexible learning models: blended learning, block delivery, degree apprenticeships, CPD, and micro-credentials designed around real working lives. We also explore a theme rarely treated as strategy: physical activity, health creation, and wellbeing. Craig argues that movement and self-care aren't “nice-to-haves” but core conditions for learning capacity, resilience, and long-term employability, especially as health inequality and mental health pressures rise.
If you care about higher education strategy, civic universities, systems leadership, or building healthier communities through learning, this is a practical, challenging listen. Subscribe, share with someone shaping education or policy, and leave us a review with your take: what constraint would you challenge first to make universities work better for everyone?
Connect with Craig: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-hobbs-fhea-fcimspa-ch-7b716727/
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🔗 Full episodes, show notes, and resources: https://www.lbiconsulting.com/strategymeetsreality-podcast
📺 Watch on YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@StrategyMeetsReality
Connect with host Mike Jones → https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-h-jones/
