New UK government policy requiring minimum GCSE grades for student loans could cost universities over £200m annually. This move disproportionately affects institutions reliant on students without formal qualifications, potentially narrowing access to higher education for disadvantaged learners.
A former French diplomat, Vassy, warns the EU's economic share has fallen from 30% to 17% between 2008-2025, a decline three times faster than China's Qing dynasty. He urges the EU to embrace power politics over international law.
US university graduates are booing commencement speakers promoting AI, fearing job displacement and the uncritical embrace of AI by institutions. Universities risk prioritizing efficiency and profit over learning and mentorship.
Mackenzie Scott has donated $26.4 billion in less than seven years, including $7.2 billion in 2025, making her one of the biggest individual donors globally. She was recognized on Forbes' Iconoclast 50 list for her significant contributions, particularly to HBCUs.
Cybercrime group ShinyHunters claims to have hacked Oracle PeopleSoft servers at over 100 organizations, including many universities. Data exfiltrated includes student, financial, and administrative information. The group's initial goal was to target an FBI server.
While AI's growth might suggest a need for STEM focus, humanities are crucial for human uniqueness and thriving in an AI-driven world.
Malaysia's government now permits students with the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) from Chinese independent secondary schools and other non-mainstream institutions to apply to public universities, provided they meet specific requirements like passing Malay language and history.
Brazilian universities, particularly federal institutions in Rio de Janeiro, have seen a decline in the 2026 Center for World University Rankings (CWUR), especially in research. While USP, Unicamp, and UFRJ show distinct profiles, the overall trend points to a need for sustained investment in basic science.
Long Châu Pharmacy, Urgo Foundation, Red Cross HCM City, and two universities signed a strategic partnership to enhance community first aid and emergency response. The initiative includes establishing Long Châu first-aid stations, training pharmacists as volunteers, and expanding public health education nationwide.
Shanghai universities are launching new undergraduate programs in cutting-edge fields like robotics, embodied intelligence, and marine intelligence for the 2026 admissions season, aligning with national strategies and future industry development.
Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee led a delegation to Kazakhstan, witnessing partnership agreements between Hong Kong universities and Nazarbayev University. The move aims to deepen academic collaboration and strengthen ties, building on the Belt and Road Initiative.
The Sydney Morning Herald retracted an opinion piece defending AI use in universities after its author, Cath Ellis, used AI to write it. The university confirmed Ellis used AI to summarize her work, sparking debate on AI in journalism.
Nearly 5,000 academics and students from Belgian universities have signed an open letter demanding an end to all institutional collaborations with Israeli institutions involved in violations of international law, citing the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that the educational module 'Russian Language as a State Language' should become an integral part of the unified core of higher education in Russia. This initiative aims to strengthen the role and study of the Russian language within the national educational framework.
Reports indicate that several Chinese universities with close ties to the military have attempted to procure Nvidia's advanced H200 chips. Procurement records suggest at least seven universities, including members of the "National Defense Seven Universities," have sought these chips, raising concerns about US technology reaching the Chinese military.
Italian universities are losing ground globally, with 79% dropping in rankings. Sapienza University of Rome remains top in Italy but slips globally. The decline is attributed to underfunding, research performance, and intense global competition.
Spanish universities are using frequency detectors to prevent cheating in entrance exams, affecting around 300,000 students. Students expressed mixed feelings about the new measures, with some seeing them as fair and others concerned about the pressure.
Former Fed Chair Jerome Powell received the JFK Profile in Courage Award for defending the central bank's autonomy. He stressed the importance of institutional independence, warning against political interference in policy decisions.
Nankai University and Sun Yat-sen University in China have removed deans and deputy directors due to scientific misconduct, including data and image errors in published papers.
Indian students are increasingly choosing European and Japanese universities over traditional anglophone destinations, driven by lower tuition fees and language proficiency requirements
Universities in Brandenburg, Germany, require millions in renovations. The University of Potsdam faces the highest costs, estimated in the high triple-digit millions. Other institutions like Europa-Universität Viadrina and BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg also report significant needs for modernization and safety upgrades.
A Russian State Duma deputy has proposed that universities should subsidize housing rental costs for full-time students from low-income families. The proposal also includes direct payments to landlords and the construction of affordable student housing.
Turkish President Erdoğan has reversed his decree to close Istanbul Bilgi University, one of Turkey's oldest private institutions. The university, seized by the state in a fraud investigation, faced protests from students and lecturers demanding its reopening.
A Jongro Academy analysis of 2025 academic year data for 1,695 general high schools in South Korea revealed that average scores in core subjects like Korean, English, Math, Social Studies, and Science increased by 3.5 points to 70.4 compared to the previous year. The proportion of students receiving an 'A' grade (90% or higher) also rose to 24.1%. This contrasts sharply with the much lower percentages of students scoring 90 or above in CSAT-style mock exams, suggesting a widening gap in difficulty between internal school assessments and the CSAT. Jongro Academy's CEO, Lim Sung-ho, predicts universities may enhance their own entrance exams, such as interviews and essays, to compensate for the diminished differentiation in internal grades.
