17 February 2019  Issue No: 539

There has been much research on internationalisation of higher education, and this has mainly focused on student mobility, but mobility from whose perspective? Viewing it through an organisational lens means students’ voices and reasons for studying abroad are rarely heard. This needs to change.

Both the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University have banned future research collaboration with Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, and other top research universities are reviewing their ties with the company, after warnings from the United States administration about alleged intellectual property and spying risks.

A court case alleging Harvard University’s admissions policy discriminates against Asian-Americans has generated national headlines and is being seen as an attempt to undermine affirmative action. It could go to the United States Supreme Court where the political balance has shifted under President Donald Trump.

Responding to popular pressure, the Ontario government has cut tuition fees. But it has not made up the shortfall in university funding, making cuts to student services plus a reduced quality of education more likely. It could also mean tuition fee increases for international students.

The growth of microcredential offerings is just one strand in a broader trend towards more continuous, more industry-aligned and competency-focused post-secondary learning and an era of greater overlap and integration between education and experience, with real-world employer projects and micro-internships.

Business schools are entering an era of hyper-competition to attract international talent, earn reputation and grow resources at a time of tightening visa rules and post-work opportunities and increasing activity from alternative providers. How can they survive and thrive in this context?

The government investigator into governance and resources in higher education in Sweden has delivered her report. It calls for an overhaul of the way funding for higher education and research is allocated, switching to a form of funding per student plus 50% direct government funding of research.