The VICTVS Podcast

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Latest episode

May 2026

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About the show

Learning is not just about exams and qualifications. It’s about exploring new horizons, overcoming challenges, and developing our skillsets and knowledge as individuals and as members of the global community. At VICTVS, we invite guests from diverse backgrounds and fields to appear on our podcast, to share their stories and insights. We also chat with our friends and colleagues from different cultures and backgrounds, and experts from various industries and sectors, to seek out valuable lessons from their experiences and perspectives. If you are interested in how education and learning can help you achieve your goals, and in hearing about how people who share our values of honesty, integrity, professionalism, and courage have achieved incredible things, then the VICTVS podcast is for you. The VICTVS podcast is all about helping you grow as an individual and as a global citizen. If you enjoy our content and would like to support us, please subscribe, and share wherever you listen. Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/victvs Follow us on Instagram: @Victvsglobal

Listen to episodes

18 recent

May 7, 202646 min

Episode 12 - Finding the Balance: AI in Higher Education

In Episode 12 of The VICTVS Podcast, our hosts Xanthe Mitten and Kat Barnett talk to guest Richard de Blacquière-Clarkson, AI Hub Lead at the University of Leeds and Strategic Lead for Research Ethics at the Leeds Institute for Teaching Excellence (LITE). Having previously spoken to AI advisor and author of TheWhiteBox newsletter, Nacho de Gregorio Noblejas, in this episode we focus on AI in higher education through the lens of an academic himself. Through his work at the University of Leeds, Richard fosters discussion between academics around the use of AI, particularly focusing on how to prepare students for an AI-powered workplace whilst simultaneously preserving academic integrity. We talk about the practicalities of this in depth across the course of our conversation, as well as deskilling and the possibilities of sovereign AI. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.You can also connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richdebc/ /

March 17, 202623 min

The VICTVS Podcast: Revision Notes – March Industry News

Our hosts Xanthe Mitten and Katherine Barnett are back for another edition of Revision Notes - the series where we give you the latest news in assessments, education, and the ed-tech space. In this episode, we cover some of the most interesting stories we’ve read since the start of 2026, including teachers helping their students cheat, outrage over a sommelier scandal, and the criminal syndicates exposing students and universities to blackmail and fraud. You can read more about each of the stories covered in this episode by visiting the links below:Yorkshire teacher 'whispered answers' to students during GCSE exam: https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/leeds-news/yorkshire-teacher-whispered-answers-students-33429373College staff ‘directed students towards essay mills and AI: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/college-staff-directed-students-towards-essay-mills-and-aiUS law school admissions test ends online option over cheating concerns: https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/us-law-school-admissions-test-ends-online-option-over-cheating-concerns-2026-02-11/Cheating at Australian universities: Criminal syndicates make millions from students under pressure: https://www.smh.com.au/national/sydney-hong-kong-kenya-how-criminal-syndicates-make-millions-off-university-cheating-20260212-p5o1nh.htmlUncorking a scandal: Inside the sommelier lawsuit over exam cheating: https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/uncorking-scandal-inside-sommelier-lawsuit-over-exam-cheating-2026-03-04/ www.victvs.co.uk

November 20, 202549 min

Episode 11 - The Optimist’s Guide to AI in Education

In episode 11 of The VICTVS Podcast, our hosts Carly Culver and Ben Clayson talk to guest Nacho de Gregorio Noblejas — AI advisor and author of TheWhiteBox newsletter — about AI in education. While most news focuses on the negatives of AI, Nacho offers a more balanced perspective on the technology—he discusses with us the benefits of AI-enhanced learning, the need to stay focused on the realities of AI and its current capabilities, as well as the real risks of people (especially children) humanising and forming unhealthy bonds with chatbots like ChatGPT. If you enjoyed this episode of The VICTVS Podcast, please subscribe and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. You can also connect with Nacho on LinkedIn: Ignacio de Gregorio Noblejas | LinkedIn sign up to his newsletter here: https://thewhitebox.beehiiv.com/ and read his blogs at https://medium.com/@ignacio.de.gregorio.noblejas /

September 8, 202537 min

Revision Notes - Devices of Deception

In this episode of Revision Notes, hosts Katherine Barnett and Xanthe Mitten sit down with Niamh Pierce, Head of Research at the Assessment Security Research Group (ASRG), to explore the latest findings on wearable technology, and the growing threat it poses to academic integrity. From smart glasses and spy pens to button-hole cameras, our hosts put these devices to the test, unpacking not only how they’re used to cheat, but also the serious privacy and safety concerns they raise. We also dig into ASRG’s new research on just how accessible this technology has become, and what that means for the future of secure assessments. To read more about Niamh’s research at ASRG, visit: https://assessmentsecurity.com/asrg-whitepaper-2-devices-of-deception/ Find out more about ASRG here: https://assessmentsecurity.com /

June 27, 202553 min

Episode 10 - Contract Cheating: Inside the Business of Academic Fraud

Welcome to Episode 10 of The VICTVS Podcast! This week, our hosts Ben Clayson and Carly Culver are joined by special guest Thomas Lancaster, a computer scientist at Imperial College London, best known for his research into academic integrity, contract cheating and plagiarism.In this episode, we trace the evolution of contract cheating since Thomas Lancaster and Robert Clarke first coined the term in 2006. We also examine how emerging AI tools are reshaping the landscape of academic fraud, and potential next steps for academic establishments going forward.To read more about Thomas Lancaster, visit his blog at: https://thomaslancaster.co.uk/You can also find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomaslancaster/About The VICTVS Podcast:Learning is not just about exams and qualifications. It’s about exploring new horizons, overcoming challenges, and developing our skillsets and knowledge as individuals and as members of the global community. At VICTVS, we invite guests from diverse backgrounds and fields to appear on our podcast, to share their stories and insights. We also chat with our friends and colleagues from different cultures and backgrounds, and experts from various industries and sectors, to seek out valuable lessons from their experiences and perspectives.If you are interested in how education and learning can help you achieve your goals, and in hearing about how people who share our values of honesty, integrity, professionalism, and courage have achieved incredible things, then the VICTVS podcast is for you.If you enjoy our content and would like to support us, please subscribe, review, and rate The VICTVS Podcast on Spotify, Apple and Google Podcasts. /

April 15, 202518 min

Revision Notes - Exam Hack Special

It’s April, and our hosts Xanthe Mitten and Katherine Barnett are back for another edition of Revision Notes - the series where we give you the latest news in assessments, education, and the ed-tech space. In this special episode, we discuss the latest exam cheating scandals shaking up the assessment industry, and shine a spotlight on the VICTVS Exam Hack 2025. The Exam Hack is a one-of-a-kind event where we ask participants to outsmart our exam software and successfully cheat in an online exam. Why do we do this? Because inviting the public to test our systems helps us stay ahead of emerging threats and keep high-stakes assessments secure. Watch or listen to the full episode to hear more about the event - plus how we would cheat (if we were allowed to take part). Think you’ve got what it takes to beat our systems? Find out more about the VICTVS Exam Hack 2025 at:examhack.io Sources: Chosun Biz, ‘Audit agency penalizes 249 teachers for private education bribes in Korea’ Search Engine Podcast, ‘Playboi Farti and his AI Homework Machine’ ‘This Isn’t Fine’ Substack VICTVS Blog, ‘Tackling Academic Dishonesty: Contract Cheating in 2025’ Times Higher Education, ‘Student AI cheating cases soar at UK universities’ The Cheat Sheet, ‘Cases of Cheating With AI at Some UK Universities is Up 15x’ Gulf News, ‘Some UAE schools block AI-powered chatbots including ChatGPT’ /

December 20, 202435 min

The VICTVS Podcast: Revision Notes December

With the new year on the horizon, our host Katherine Barnett sat down with global technology specialist and consultant Geoff Chapman for a special year-in-review edition of Revision Notes.From concerns about the digitalisation of exams to bizarre (and false) stories about exam ceiling height, we look back at some of our favourite stories of the year. We also discuss Geoff’s predictions for 2025, as well as what he would like to see happening next in the education and assessment space.Interested in Geoff’s work? You can read more of his thoughts at geoffchapman.co.uk, and keep up to date with him via Bluesky (@geoffchapman.bsky.social) and Twitter/X (@chappersman.) /

December 2, 202447 min

Episode 9 – Investigating Modern Slavery: From Awareness to Action

According to the Global Slavery Index, a shocking 50 million people are currently living in modern slavery worldwide, with 10 million of those being children. The reasons for this are numerous, with the Global Slavery Index citing complex conflicts, widespread environmental degradation and the economic and social impact of Covid 19 as just some contributing factors. In this edition of The VICTVS Podcast, we discuss this complex and challenging issue with help from our expert guests Lucy Mann and Marija Jovanovic. As today is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, there’s no better time to discuss this topic and educate ourselves on what exactly modern day slavery is, how we can spot it and what should be done to prevent it. Lucy Mann works with the British charity Unseen to help businesses monitor for and prevent modern day slavery and worker exploitation, while Marija Jovanovic is a lawyer and researcher at the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights. Marija is also a co-investigator at Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC). Want to join the debate or ask us a question? Let us know in the comments below. You can also follow us on Instagram at @victvsglobal and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/victvs/ VICTVS Assured works to provide Ground Truth Reporting to clients around the world. We help our clients achieve ESG compliance, which includes spotting and stopping modern day slavery. Visit us here at victvsassured.co.uk to find out more. Sources: Walk Free, ‘Global Slavery Index: Understanding the Scale of Modern Slavery’ Splinter, ‘How Modern-Day Slavery Aids Big Businesses Like McDonald’s and Wendy’s’ International Labour Organization, ‘Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage’ Marija Jovanovic for The Conversation, ‘We don’t know how many victims of modern slavery are in prison – why that’s a problem’ /

November 1, 202419 min

The VICTVS Podcast: Revision Notes

Welcome to our first edition of VICTVS Revision Notes, a special (and shorter) episode where we look into some of the latest developments in the Ed tech and assessment spaces. Our hosts, Xanthe Mitten and Katherine Barnett, discuss the digitalisation of exams, driving test limits in Bulgaria as well as other recent news. Want to join the debate or ask us a question? Let us know in the comments below. You can also follow us on Instagram at @victvsglobal and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/victvs/ Sources: Tes, ‘My AI experiment: how many students can beat detection software’ EdScoop, ‘UCLA recruits first chief data and AI officer from JPL’ Novinite, ‘Bulgaria Faces Controversy Over New Driver's License Regulations: Protests Planned’ Independent, ‘Warning over plans to rollout digital exams across country’ UK Parliament, ‘Helen Hayes elected as Chair of Education Committee’ You can read Katherine’s piece on the digitalisation of exams on our blog: https://www.victvs.co.uk/blog/About the VITVS PodcastLearning goes beyond exams and qualifications—it's about expanding horizons, overcoming challenges, and building skills and knowledge. At VICTVS, we invite guests from a variety of industries and cultures to share their insights, offering lessons from their diverse experiences. If you're passionate about education and how learning can help you achieve your goals, the VICTVS podcast is for you. Enjoy our content? Subscribe, rate, and share The VICTVS Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. /

August 21, 202453 min

Episode 8 - Publishing Under Pressure: Data, Fraud and Institutional Complicity

Welcome to Episode 8 of The VICTVS Podcast! This week, our hosts Ben Clayson and Carly Culver are joined by special guest Kim Eggleton, Head of Peer Review & Research Integrity at IOP Publishing. In this episode we explore the pressing issue of research integrity in academic publishing. We examine the motivations behind submitting fraudulent papers, the intense pressures placed on academics by institutions, and the often-overlooked complicity of these institutions. Kim shares her journey in academic publishing, revealing how research integrity has become a crucial issue in the industry over the past decade. The conversation takes a deep dive into the various forms of academic misconduct that Kim encounters. From blatant plagiarism to the rise of “paper mills”—where entire research papers are fabricated for a fee—the episode exposes the dark side of academic publishing. X : @EggletonKim, @IOPPublishing Linkedin: Kim (Foster) Eggleton | LinkedIn IOP Publishing: Overview | LinkedIn -