5 May 2019  Issue No: 550

Fake news is not a new phenomenon. It does have some strikingly modern features, including its rapid dissemination via the internet using social media platforms. States remain the main distributors, and when used against historians it is as insidious as any form of censorship.

The results of the latest evaluation of research in New Zealand’s tertiary institutions, which is used to allocate more than NZ$1 billion (US$668 million) from the Performance-Based Research Fund, shows the proportion of researchers whose work is world class has risen by 3% since 2012.

Economics, as taught in universities, does not reflect or speak to many of the issues of the real world. We need a new approach that does not hide behind the self-imposed limits of 19th century physics-style modelling, and values the societal role of economists.

Universities seem driven by what is easiest to administer rather than the learning needs of students. But students deserve to be challenged and extended in their intellectual development and that means putting in place practices that cater better for those who are more able.

The World Technology Universities Network is a collection of universities dedicated to exploring best practice in how technology can change the world for the better, addressing the most pressing global challenges and contributing to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

To celebrate 25 years of publication, International Higher Education is inviting contributions from masters and doctoral students and postdocs to an essay contest on “Unprecedented Challenges, Significant Possibilities”, key challenges and opportunities for international higher education in the coming decade and beyond.

A Norwegian professor leading research on the trend towards illiberal democracy in Eastern Europe – one of the University of Bergen’s most sought-after speakers – is on a mission to educate secondary school students about how illiberal parties gain and consolidate power.