Why would someone decide to create a show about people building institutions of higher education? In this introductory episode, host Steve Foerster explains the experiences that led him to ask a question that rarely gets asked: How does an institution of higher education actually get started?

Drawing on more than two decades working in higher education, educational technology, online learning, instructional design, and international education, Steve introduces himself and explains why he believes the founders of new institutions have stories that deserve to be documented. Instead of focusing on established universities, Building the Modern University explores what happens before the first student enrolls—when vision, leadership, governance, regulation, and perseverance come together to create something entirely new.

Whether you're an educator, entrepreneur, policymaker, investor, or simply curious about how institutions come into existence, this episode sets the stage for the conversations to come.

New and exciting things are happening in higher education!

Hosted by Steve Foerster, Building the Modern University is a show focused on how new universities are actually being built—from the people doing the work.

Rather than criticizing what exists, this show focuses on what’s being created through conversations with the people building new institutions.

These conversations explore what it takes to build a modern university: what’s working, what isn’t, and what’s changing.

There is no single model. The goal is to share real-world approaches so that informed listeners can draw their own conclusions.