The Bridge Shortlisted for Outstanding Student-Led Podcast in Global Awards
We are delighted to share that The Bridge: A Disagreeing Well Podcast, co-produced by Research Podcasts in collaboration with UCL and Students’ Union UCL, has been named a finalist for the Outstanding Student-Led Podcast Award at the 2026 Higher Ed Podcast Awards.
The nomination follows a highly competitive and rigorous judging process. This year, a panel of 29 volunteer judges from the higher education podcasting community evaluated 155 entries across five categories, listening to more than 5,000 minutes of content. The organisers noted that the evaluation relied on a balanced rubric with multiple judges per entry to ensure a consistent, transparent, and credible process.
From this substantial international field, The Bridge was selected as one of the few finalists. Organisers highlighted that the student-led category was particularly impressive this year, with the finalists representing three different countries – reflecting the increasingly international nature of higher education podcasting.
Student-Led Content with a Global Purpose
Produced through Students’ Union UCL, The Bridge is shaped entirely by students who select the topics, host the conversations, coordinate guest appearances, and manage promotional activity.
The nomination reflects the relevance of the podcast’s core mission. At a time when public discourse can often feel divided, The Bridge provides a constructive space for respectful disagreement, encouraging listeners to engage with differing viewpoints through curiosity, empathy, and active listening. Rather than attempting to determine a definitive right or wrong answer, the series focuses on exploring the complexities behind challenging debates, demonstrating that disagreement can be handled productively.
Exploring Pressing Societal Debates
The recognition arrives alongside the launch of Series 2, which continues to address complex social and political themes. Recent episodes look at pressing issues such as whether populism threatens democracy, potential caps on international student numbers in the UK, the impact of AI on education, climate action, asylum policy, and Britain’s relationship with the European Union.
This follows a successful first series that introduced audiences to student-led discussions on social media use among children, ethnic minority voting patterns, masculinity, and national service.
Beyond the production quality, the project is notable for its commitment to developing students’ practical skills in communication, critical thinking, and constructive dialogue – qualities that align closely with the criteria for the Higher Ed Podcast Awards.
Recognising the Collaborative Team
The nomination is a testament to the professional technical craft behind the scenes and the exceptional dedication of the student team.
The series is led by our Senior Producer Catherine McDonald, with Anton Jarvis editing Series 1 and Alex Canner editing Series 2. Essential production support is provided by Christine Garrington, Krissie Brighty-Glover, Lauren White and Jamie Adam, working alongside Jane Yelloly, Indianna Dimmer, Leanne Yu, Freddie Gough, Tom Kinnersly, and Melanie Garson from the UCL Podcast and Students’ Union UCL team.
Most importantly, the award celebrates the hard work of the students driving the conversations – Lea Hofer, Tara Constantine, Diego Lacheze Beer and Marva Khalid.
The winners will be announced at the Higher Ed PodCon event in July. Regardless of the final outcome, being named among the leading student-led higher education podcasts globally is a significant achievement and a credit to everyone involved.
Our congratulations go to the entire collaborative team on this well-deserved recognition.
How we can support you
The Bridge is an excellent example of how higher education institutions can use audio to foster critical thinking, public engagement, and student development.
At Research Podcasts, we specialise in end-to-end production, bespoke mentoring, and training for universities and research groups. If you are looking to launch a project or would like to develop a similar high-impact podcast for your institution, book a free consultation with our Director of Training and Production Krissie Brighty-Glover now.
