12 May 2019  Issue No: 551

Internationalisation of higher education has come in for strong critique since the rise of nationalism. While it does need a new model based on collaboration and values, it is far from being finished: A new great age of internationalisation is just beginning to dawn.

Germany’s federal and state governments have agreed to permanently provide joint support for higher education and launch new funding measures for higher education and research. Some €41.5 billion (US$46.5 billion) in extra funding is being given over 10 years to universities to enhance quality and make Germany more competitive in the academic world.

The number of international branch campuses has increased by 65% since 2009. But in today’s turbulent world, trans-border higher education operations carry many risks so it may make more sense to limit any cross-border higher education activities to offices abroad rather than branch campuses.

Latin American universities stand out for the way they have prioritised social engagement and pioneered innovative community programmes, from technology incubators for cooperatives to compulsory community service, which could provide a model for universities in other regions that are interested in transformative leadership.

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.

Undergraduate admission into Uganda’s universities may take a new turn as several academic units at the country’s oldest university, Makerere University, mull the introduction of pre-entry examinations aimed at assessing students’ suitability for their course. However, some experts argue this is a sign of a weakening university system with broad quality problems.