Steep cuts in US government funding have thrown much of the field of global health into a state of fear and uncertainty. Whatever emerges from the current crisis, it will look very different from the past, but this may be an opportunity to build a new global health compact for Africa.

As artificial intelligence tools become increasingly sophisticated, university administrators are scrambling to install detection software, rewrite plagiarism declarations, and develop policies to catch students using AI. This frantic focus on policing reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of both the technology’s impact and the purpose of higher education.

An Israeli study tracking 36,000 students shows that easy access to ChatGPT boosts course grades but blurs the information grades convey about underlying skills. The most productive graduates of the AI era will combine robust domain knowledge and critical thinking with the ability to deploy AI judiciously.

The Harvard Educational Review is reported to have decided to cancel a special issue that was to focus on education in Palestine. Approved by its editorial team, it aimed to explore the destruction of Gaza’s education system in the wake of Israel’s military campaign.

In an age where the demands of the workplace evolve faster than traditional curricula can adapt to, universities are rethinking one of their most fundamental components: assessment. This requires a mindset shift where employers are viewed as collaborators in the teaching and learning process.

A shift is urgently needed in how degree programmes are developed in Ethiopia’s higher education system. Programme development must be based on a rigorous needs analysis, labour market data, and strategic foresight to enable the sector to contribute to national growth and be globally competitive.

The current PhD system in South Africa encourages researchers to complete their studies in three to four years, which is seen as efficient, affordable and internationally competitive. But, are we creating researchers who can only do research or professionals who can teach, lead and drive change in society?

Artificial intelligence can serve not as a threat but as a co-intellectual partner in reimagining university structures, pedagogy and public purpose. Given accelerating shifts in climate, technology and democratic institutions, what must higher education confront, and what might it become in the future?

A new book aims to stimulate debate on the democratic mission of higher education in Latin America and the Caribbean, discussing the history of global higher education cooperation on ideas of democracy, as well as working with local communities and developing inclusive, democratic values.

MEF University in Türkiye is an example of innovation in action, responding to modern higher education challenges by closing the gap between ever-evolving industry needs and graduates’ skill sets through using flipped learning and AI to adapt to a fast-changing world that gives students guided control.

Leaders in India, Hungary and the United States are using emotional appeals to nostalgia and nationalism to attack higher education institutions, based on both what they teach and research, and also on what – and who – research and innovation represent.

How can we make space in academia for lives that are not wholly consumed by it? To navigate care, ambition and power in academia, individuals and institutions need to change the vision of the ‘ideal’ 100% committed worker and what it means to succeed.

At a time of rising populism and anti-immigration sentiment, an analysis of United Kingdom-based charitable trusts shows that alumni are continuing to give – and are giving more – to their alma maters in recognition of the impact higher education has had on them.

As generative AI continues to pervade everyday life, research has found university students feeling disturbed about AI use in the classroom and among their peers. It is important to listen to students and consider novel ways to help them – they are more than ready to talk.

Plans for a United Nations-based online university that expands access to higher education for the least developed countries are ambitious and could move the Sustainable Development Goals forward, but they require coordinated action across governments, the private sector, international development partners and philanthropic organisations.

AI is reshaping research, from drafting proposals to automating parts of peer review and assessment. It is both exacerbating the need for research assessment reform and offering potential solutions. AI-augmented assessment models, where technology supports – but never replaces – human judgement, might offer a way forward.

Artificial intelligence may be good at answering questions. But can AI help us to come up with good questions in the first place? We have considered whether Large Language Models may potentially play a role in identifying important and impactful health-related research questions.

After 25 years of relatively free global student mobility, recent changes to fees, visa limits, and constraints on graduate work opportunities in the four main receiving destinations for international students have not only disrupted the marketplace but also reshaped students’ opportunities and increased costs.

In this age where almost 130 million people are forcibly displaced, ensuring higher education reaches refugee communities is vital if we are serious about global development. That means working together to build flexible, accredited, employment-linked programmes that reflect the realities of displacement.

At a time when people are betting on the outcomes of war through unregulated crypto-backed prediction markets, it is time for universities to take a moral stand. Instead, they have capitulated to the market and ‘innovation’. This isn’t a missed opportunity. It’s complicity.

Global university rankings consistently generate media coverage, shape government messaging and dominate institutional communication strategies. But how and why do rankings attract such sustained attention – from universities, media and the public? And how do rankers, governments and media work together to capture our attention?

As 2030 draws near, universities will increasingly morph into hyper-networked centres of scholarship. The university of 2030 must present a vision for growth driven by people, social responsibility, and creative renewal with a strong sense of ethics and humanity at its heart.

The European Universities Initiative needs stronger support from policy-makers to drive institutional transformation in higher education to the extent envisaged by the European Union, but one study shows it is already making a significant contribution to innovation in teaching practices through cross-border collaboration.

South Africa’s upcoming National Dialogue process could become a platform for rebuilding the social fabric of communities from the ground up. Through its role in ethical dialogue, public pedagogy and community engagement, the university can and must play a key role in this process.

Skills-based hiring is rapidly becoming the dominant recruitment paradigm and has big implications for higher education systems, emphasising demonstrable competencies over traditional indicators like degrees, job titles or experience. Universities must adapt by integrating practical competencies while reaffirming their broader educational and civic missions.

European universities face several challenges when it comes to funding. To ensure they are sustainable into the future, they need to work with their local communities and develop lifelong learning streams as well as other sources of revenue.

Through an ambitious agenda, the respected Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico is integrating Education for Sustainable Development across curricula while expanding student access through scholarships and inclusive practices, encouraging a more diverse student body to drive social change and tackle real-world sustainability challenges.

To raise a generation of critical thinkers who act sustainably, higher education must look beyond prestige and profit to a more profound commitment to student access and success. Through opening access, we unleash potential. Through building capacity for success, we gain the agency to achieve our goals.

The internationalisation industry in higher education may be worth up to US$1.5 trillion annually, but it faces a series of crises on many fronts. It can survive while demand remains, but it will have to adapt to new realities, quality and ethical concerns.

Music education is not an add-on when it comes to addressing the Sustainable Development Goals and global rupture. It rebuilds what violence and displacement tear apart and should be treated by universities and others as a core component of any humanitarian response.

The United Kingdom has the talent and research institutions to lead in AI. But leadership has to be earned through strategic investment, unified vision and inclusive action. Whether the country rises to this challenge will depend on how boldly we can rethink education for the age of intelligence.

As global economies strain under the pressure of technological disruption, demographic shifts and tightening job markets, universities must recognise that the true measure of international education is not enrolment figures but employment outcomes, and they must act to support the transition to jobs back home.

These days we are in a world of hyperauthorship, with ever-growing lists of names on journal articles, but with early career researchers often not getting the credit they are due. A new system which categorises contributions makes the credit system more transparent.

Many universities are struggling financially. Budget deficits are spiralling, triggering staff redundancy programmes, department shutdowns and the mothballing of degree programmes. Instead of resorting to traditional crisis management practices, universities should adopt a more flexible approach and embrace a trial-and-error mindset.

The university student population is diverse, and it is likely that a proportion have unpaid caring responsibilities, which can compromise academic performance, mental and physical health and engagement with the broader student experience. To create meaningful change, student carers must be involved in shaping the conversation about their support.

The larger financial and policy risk for higher education and the research ecosystem posed by United States President Donald Trump’s proposed budget will be decided by Congress. But are there enough moderate Republicans willing to stand up to Trump and his allies in Congress to moderate the erosion?

Transnational education, shifting mobility patterns, curriculum reform and evolving institutional identities are converging in ways that invite new thinking. For universities in the Global South, there is an opportunity to imagine new models of innovation, rooted in local realities, yet connected to the world.

The Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence is focused on regulating AI systems in a way that emphasises human rights, democracy and the rule of law. It provides an opportunity for universities to shape the future of AI systems, governance, education and research.

Autonomy is a vital prerequisite for the success of research universities, but it is not a standalone solution. The government of Ethiopia should have, following the establishment of research institutions, provided the resources, governance structures and academic freedom to drive high-quality research and scholarly excellence.

Efforts to digitise international admissions, instead of relying on traditional paper-based student applications and entrance examinations, will not only help Japan achieve its international student enrolment goals but also contribute to the broader digital transformation and global competitiveness of the higher education sector.

It is only a matter of time before more of Asia’s universities are among the top 10 and top 50 and in all top bands in the QS World University Rankings, and as leading universities from other regions continue to suffer from limited investment.

Among the grave consequences of Israel’s current war on Gaza is the substantial increase in disabilities among the Gaza population, which will likely shape academic life at Gaza’s universities. In the reconstruction of Gaza’s higher education system, people with disabilities cannot be an afterthought.

As Chinese students increasingly make return-on-investment calculations when choosing overseas education, the lack of clear post-study pathways in social science disciplines can diminish the appeal of UK degrees, posing risks to recruitment and to the equitable inclusion of this vital international student population.

While national and international policy can impact academic careers, it is ultimately higher education institutions that need to ensure that their policies, practices and cultures are attractive enough to convince talented professionals to pursue academic careers – and support them in reaching their potential.

The exponential growth of the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings shows that universities have an appetite for assessing their performance on the Sustainable Development Goals, but the results are volatile, and many research-intensive universities don’t take part. Would regional or national rankings be better?

AI dominance could mean that decisions on the future of humanity will be based on patterns already engraved in our recorded data, which are in turn based on the values of tech oligarchs who have the power and resources to shape our world.

Global rankings present ethical, proprietary and governance challenges, making it essential that universities fully understand the rankings business model, how the fusion of data and capitalism is influencing education and research, and to what extent rankings encourage policies that undermine universal higher education.

In response to threats to academic freedom, and geopolitical tensions, the return of flying universities – institutions created to provide an alternative, independent educational space free from political reprisals – offers fertile ground to investigate models of institutional resistance and the role of academic solidarity.

Today’s campus experience, whether in-person, hybrid or remote, depends on frictionless networking: fast, secure and easy to configure wireless networks that scale dynamically across departments and buildings, adapt to new demands and minimise IT overheads. The goal is connectivity so reliable, it’s invisible.

Progress in meeting the evolving challenges presented by transnational education in terms of governance, quality assurance and recognition of qualifications will depend on sustained international collaboration, the development of robust and adaptable regulatory frameworks and an unwavering commitment to student interests.

With generative artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT and Claude, the line between student work and machine-generated content has become blurred. It is no longer sufficient to look at the final product; we need to ask how the student got there.

The use of artificial intelligence to assess higher education qualifications, the value of skills, automatic recognition, and the need for increased global cooperation are at the top of the 2025 recognition agenda and are shaping discussions and reflections at the international level.

There has been an explosion of problematic research in the health field, as bad actors use open-source big data and AI to mass-produce poor-quality papers. People need urgently to know that not all research is created equally – and some maybe not by humans at all.

A decade after its optimistic incorporation into the Sustainable Development Goals, global citizenship education stands at a critical juncture. The escalating complexity of global challenges means it is more urgently needed than ever, yet the sociopolitical context in which it operates has shifted.

The Australian government has adopted a broader intersectional approach to diversity in STEM education, but without clear action plans, inclusive design – which ensures STEM initiatives genuinely serve people of all backgrounds – and robust monitoring, the new direction may be symbolic rather than transformative.

United States President Donald Trump’s executive order, which radically reforms the country’s longstanding accreditation framework, presents an opportunity to explore a hybrid accreditation approach which is marked not by deregulation alone but by thoughtful reform anchored in public accountability, social purpose and international cooperation.

Articles on internationalisation in response to US President Donald Trump’s attacks on higher education are welcome, but we must do our best to be clear about what we mean by internationalisation, and keep asking ourselves questions about its meanings, even if we have no clear answers.

In a world in which all boundaries are hardening, global learning can help to forge new geographies and nurture learners who can easily cross boundaries, embody our interdependence and challenge the mappings of our world(s) that are increasingly becoming siloed and singular.

Students and faculty in universities in Belarus continue to face persecution for any form of criticism or dissent against the authorities, with most of the cases taken out being connected to past actions in the aftermath of protests in 2020 or the full-scale war in Ukraine.

International students seek an institution that sees them as more than just a student ID, one that answers questions and listens to their worries. The future of international recruitment belongs to those who combine technology with human-centred engagement, turning applications into lifelong students.

An academic career is not simply a profession; it is the foundation of society’s future. This makes it imperative that universities and national policy-makers take a structured, inclusive and thoughtful approach to building academic careers – to ensure both professional growth and institutional sustainability.

There is a growing trend among universities in which symbolic reforms – ranging from AI rollouts to the expansion of online degrees – are increasingly used to signal innovation while leaving deeper institutional challenges unaddressed. We need to consider what true renewal in education might entail.

A genuinely progressive science education fosters both professional competence and ethical reasoning. It portrays science as a human, cultural and ethical activity and creates a sense of global consciousness and collective responsibility. It enables students to face uncertainty with resilience, humility and integrity.

Starvation is not only a health or humanitarian issue – it is also an education emergency. Despite all of Gaza’s universities having been fully or partly destroyed, some institutions remain partially functional. Although remarkable, such resilience is fragile – and deepening hunger undermines all efforts.

Transnational higher education can be beneficial for universities seeking to diversify income streams and extend international reach, but poor employment practices, toxic workplace cultures, lack of adjustment support and underdeveloped infrastructure at international campuses can lead to workplace challenges and high staff turnover.

A recent study in Latin America and the Caribbean underscores the importance of microcredentials, not only as a complement to traditional education, but as a strategic necessity for the region’s future, and offers recommendations for policy-makers and providers, laying the groundwork for a regional framework of minimum standards on microcredentials.

Over the next five to 10 years, as geopolitical uncertainty continues to reshape traditional patterns of international student mobility, India has a unique opportunity to emerge not just as a major talent exporter, but as a compelling destination for domestic and international students.

The revocation of Chinese student and scholar visas by the Trump administration not only contradicts America’s carefully developed legacy as a global leader in research and innovation, but it also endangers the future of United States leadership in science, technology and higher education.

Ngugi wa Thiong’o, who passed away on 28 May 2025, leaves behind one of the most enduring and transformative legacies in the world of letters. Ngugi, a towering intellectual figure, a fierce advocate for linguistic decolonisation, and a political dissident of global resonance, has produced an oeuvre that extends far beyond his fiction.

A new British Council report includes several policy recommendations aimed at strengthening bilateral academic ties between the United Kingdom and Italy, but the recent announcement of a new UK-EU agreement, which involves plans for deeper collaboration through a ‘youth mobility scheme’, is particularly encouraging.

Sustainability cannot depend solely on individual enthusiasm – it needs a systemic approach, institutional structures, dedicated resources and a coherent narrative that connects the SDGs with the university’s mission. Real impact comes when sustainability is no longer a parallel agenda but embedded in the institution’s DNA.

To practise academic hospitality in 2025 means refusing to let government policies and physical borders dictate who belongs at a university. As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us, technology can be leveraged to create visa-independent pathways for international scholars and students.

A contribution to the Second Annual Walter Parry Honorary Lecture at Stellenbosch University in South Africa calls for the adoption of a philosophy of moral excellence in higher education – a way of doing science that demands exquisite rigour alongside an unwavering commitment to human dignity.

A recent study in a postgraduate academic setting in China supports the notion of a transformed university environment where the integration of generative artificial intelligence with supervisors’ academic expertise actually helps to create a more enriching and humanised research experience for postgraduate students.

There is an assumption that industry funding can jeopardise the independence of research, as the industry partner seeks certain results. In fact, university autonomy can be a strong cementing factor that helps collaborations move on. This value should be communicated to industry partners.

The internationalisation of higher education is undergoing a transformation: less defined by expansion and more by governance, risk calibration and civic responsibility. In this context, institutions must avoid overdependence on any single geopolitical bloc and foster mutually respectful collaborations that reflect shared global challenges.

The attack on Harvard’s ability to enrol international students is a bellwether case; a moment when the world’s most powerful university was made to kneel because of what it represents: porous borders, shared knowledge, and cosmopolitan belonging. What happens now will echo across institutions everywhere.

In the face of attacks on international higher education, we need to move beyond the limited framework of internationalisation and focus on the importance of the more holistic approach of global learning for the well-being of the planet and everyone on it.

Gaza’s university leaders are attempting in various ways to keep some semblance of higher education delivery going amid relentless existential crises. Their experiences offer us key insights into the kind of higher education system that will be needed after the conflict ends.

The United States government’s ban on Harvard University enrolling foreign students exemplifies the growing control states are asserting over global academic mobility. Amid global tensions and rising nationalism, rather than defending international higher education, we must reimagine it as a commitment to shared futures.

The latest developments in the Donald Trump versus Harvard University saga show that university autonomy has always been limited by political and systemic forces. The challenge now is to redefine what ‘internationalisation’ means in ways that recognise intercultural knowledge and epistemic justice.

The Trump administration’s attempt to bar international students from Harvard is an act of political reprisal that strikes at the heart of the university’s global mission. Global engagement is not an ancillary value or an administrative preference – it is the engine of innovation and understanding.

The current challenges facing Harvard University in its confrontation with the Trump administration in the United States are not confined to admissions policy – they interrogate the very conditions under which universities can continue to function as autonomous spaces of ethical inquiry and global engagement.

Collaboration, not competition will unlock the breakthroughs we need. Around the world, universities are playing a role as conveners and connectors – designing ecosystems of collaboration to meet the grand challenges of our time with shared knowledge, shared action and shared hope.

There has been a backlash against integrating generative AI in education. There are valid concerns, but the more urgent question universities must ask is: What kind of education belongs in a world already shaped by intelligent systems – and what kind of human agency must we cultivate within it?

The ‘Swedish Paradox’ and ‘Makerere Conundrum’ serve as important reminders of the complex dynamics involved in optimising research returns and continue to contribute to the ongoing dialogue about research productivity in resource-constrained settings and the importance of coherent national research and innovation policies.

Due to the lack of political will within the government and institutions, we are unlikely to see a truly decolonised university in South Africa any time soon. But organising critical engagements within universities will be key if we are to see any changes.

A recent conference under the banner of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC, University Leaders’ Forum represented a collaborative call to action – a recognition that if AI is to serve humanity, then humanity must first decide what kind of intelligence we value most.

A small, new Washington-DC based college, which offers an affordable university education to mainly first-generation students, shows how alternative university models that follow an ascetic path to education provision, can and should peacefully coexist with established models that take a more abundance approach.

Under the banner of ‘knowledge security’ and an increased focus on dual-use research, doctoral candidates and their research are increasingly becoming the focus of security policy debates and geopolitical strategies. If we let it, this could change the course and culture of doctoral education.