Global recognition for Ingenious podcast

Just over a year after its launch, the Ingenious research podcast has earned one of the highest honours in higher education communications, being recognised with a bronze award in the CASE Circle of Excellence Awards, alongside some of the world's leading university podcasts. 

Launched in 2025, Ingenious uses immersive storytelling to bring Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland research to life, taking listeners behind the discoveries and the people driving them. 

It is researched, written and hosted by Nikki Mandow in the University’s central communications team. 

After two seasons, Ingenious has attracted more than 14,500 plays and downloads, putting it in the top 10 percent of podcasts worldwide. 

The Circle of Excellence awards are hosted by Washington DC-based Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), and recognise “outstanding work” in communications, marketing, alumni relations and fundraising at universities and other educational institutions.

There were 4,185 entries for the 2026 awards.

The judges said: “This entry stands out for its high level of craft and clear differentiation from traditional interview-style podcasts, using an immersive narrative approach. It has strong performance metrics, including… 60–80 percent retention and broad marketing reach. 

“The polished production quality, distinctive intros, and engaging storytelling contribute to a compelling listener experience. 

“Overall, it presents a highly effective and replicable model for research-focused institutions.”