17 November 2019  Issue No: 575

In the new Cold War between the United States and China, academic freedom and autonomy in the West may be threatened as much by Western security agendas as by Chinese party-state activity. How did we get here and what can universities do to tackle it?

Academics from Hong Kong and international academics, including from the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, have condemned police for storming four campuses in Hong Kong, with international academics saying they may have to reconsider partnerships with Hong Kong universities if student safety is at risk.

There has been little focus on either internationalisation of higher education in the Caribbean or on the internationalisation of technical and technological institutions of higher education (TTIs). A new report highlights challenges – including lack of funds, facilities or strategies – and opportunities in both areas.

The goalposts for the kind of university education needed to attain good quality jobs are no longer the same. We need to ensure that internationalisation of higher education does not increase inequality by focusing on how a regional approach can improve social mobility.

Ahead of next week’s African Research Universities Alliance conference – Africa and the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Defining a role for research universities – University World News canvassed the views of a selection of experts in higher education on the state of readiness of Africa’s research universities for the next 'revolution'.