22 October 2023  Issue No: 759

Support from higher education institutions in refugee host countries has helped to increase the global enrolment of refugees in higher education – from 1% in 2019 to 7% in 2023, which is nearly halfway to the United Nations target of at least 15% enrolment by 2030.

The notion of standing in solidarity with those who are suffering and the commitment to creating a more peaceful, just and equitable world are at the core of being a global citizen – with or without national affiliation – which is what international educators should be.

Students at the University of Hong Kong could be expelled or fined over any conduct or activity considered to bring the city’s top-ranked higher education institution into disrepute, according to new university regulations deemed by students to be ‘vague and unnecessary’.

In stark contrast with the United Kingdom, interactions about international higher education between the Australian federal government, state governments, tertiary education institutions and the private sector seem far more collaborative and more squarely aimed at achieving the best outcomes for all parties.

When knowledge comes with a price tag, it is locked behind financial barriers and risks transforming academia from a space of intellectual inquiry and public benefit into a marketplace where one’s financial means can dictate the breadth and depth of intellectual engagement.

As the United Arab Emirates prepares to host COP28, the global summit on climate action and sustainable development, University World News is running a weekly Special Briefing exploring the contribution of Gulf states’ universities to climate action and to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Higher education in Brazil, including graduate education, has suffered a series of setbacks over the past few years, leaving the new administration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva with a string of challenges, which include restoring budgets, ensuring greater social inclusion and addressing regulatory and quality assessment issues.

The Israel Defense Forces have released a video of an air strike on the Islamic University of Gaza which it alleged was being used for military purposes. Meanwhile the death toll of civilians, including Palestinian students and academics, is rising during Israel’s counteroffensive.