By Sarah Brown, The Chronicle of Higher Education. It’s a little strange to hear students being referred to as "potential test subjects" by a college president. But when the college in question is online-only and enrols 80,000 students worldwide, it makes more sense: The possibilities for institutional researchers are just about endless. More...

By Wagdy Sawahel. A demonstration by students protesting against the living and studying conditions at the Abdou Moumouni University campus in Niger's capital Niamey has forced the authorities to shut down the university following violent clashes between students and security forces. More...

By Maina Waruru. Two of Kenya’s largest universities are suffering leadership crises after operating without permanent or substantive vice-chancellors for nearly a year – in contravention of the law. More...

By Suluck Lamubol. All 13 vice-rectors at Thailand’s prestigious Mahidol University resigned en masse at the end of last month after Thailand’s anti-corruption agency announced that the vice-rectors of public universities needed to declare their assets under a new law. More...

By Eugene Vorotnikov. Amid the ever-growing cost of tuition at Russian universities, increasing numbers of local students are choosing to study in European universities, according to data of the Moscow city government, as well as some leading experts in the field of higher education in Russia. More...

By Brendan O’Malley. Some 51% of international graduates remain in New Zealand five years after completing their qualification and some 39% remain after eight years, according to a Ministry of Education report published earlier this year. More...

By Brendan O’Malley. India has pledged to work with the Australian government, universities and vocational education trainers to establish themselves in India following the two-day visit to Delhi of a 130-strong delegation of Australian university and training leaders led by Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham and joined by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull last week. More...

By Brendan O’Malley. The world’s first March for Science will be held on Saturday 22 April, led by a flagship event in Washington DC in the United States, and satellite events in 514 locations across the world. More...

By Brendan O’Malley – Managing Editor. In News, organisers of the world’s first global March for Science on 22 April, being led in Washington with satellite marches in 514 locations worldwide, say we must stand together against a possible future where people not only ignore scientific evidence but seek to eliminate it entirely, reports Brendan O’Malley.
   In our World Blog, Patrick Blessinger says the ability to think creatively is vital in this era of automation and innovation and argues that creative learning is an intentional process that can and should be developed in students.
   In Commentary, Tom P Abeles says universities need to adapt to transformational pressures which are changing the world of work, the traditional job seeking models and the academic world. Roger Chao Jr and Stig Arne Skjerven call for a comprehensive approach to refugee education from the international community, including recognition of prior learning and widening access to higher education. And Marcelo Barros gives 10 reasons why a reduction in numbers of international students in the United States could be a positive development.
   In a report-back on the webinar on international student mobility trends held on 12 April and hosted by University World News in partnership with DrEducation and StudyPortals, Nic Mitchell writes that brand awareness is the surprising key challenge facing universities in recruiting international students, according to a poll of the audience.
   In Features, Ameen Amjad Khan reports that violent attacks on scholars, students and universities in Pakistan continue unabated, even as the international community speaks out against them, with the latest victim being a student killed by a mob on Thursday. Venilla Yoganathan writes that universities in South Africa are experimenting with high-tech predictive computer programmes which help identify at-risk students early, in a bid to arrest overly high dropout rates. And Jan Petter Myklebust outlines research that reports dramatic improvements in Swedish doctoral education over the past 70 years, although the value of a PhD is still disputed by employers. Read more...