By Brendan O’Malley – Managing Editor. In Commentary, Paul Benneworth writes in response to an article carried in last week’s edition that world-class universities, if they are truly committed to the global common good, need to give the most excluded and powerless communities some way to voice their interests and concerns. Jane Knight discusses international joint universities as one form of transnational education or international programme and provider mobility, which is rapidly expanding in scope and scale. Robert Coelen and Jiang Bo ask if China’s education reforms, which seek to create an entrepreneurial, innovative socialist society, go far enough to rival the global competition.
   Also in Commentary, Glen Jacobs suggests it is time for a different approach at medical schools – one that values collaboration among students and faculty and provides ample academic support as opposed to the usual hyper-competitive culture. And Alex Baker-Shelley says the Green Office Model, a student-driven approach to sustainability, requires greater university support, and suggests looking to social and environmental entrepreneurs outside higher education.
   In World Blog this week, Grace Karram Stephenson writes that urban universities need to be real estate savvy in an era of rising property prices, and this could include considering real estate investments in countries to which they export programmes.
   In Features, Brendan O’Malley reports on a storm brewing over falling levels of access for black and socio-economically disadvantaged students to the UK’s top two universities.
   University World News is the media partner for a webinar hosted by StudyPortals this Wednesday 1 November entitled ‘The Innovation Imperative for a Globally Relevant and Impactful University’, for which you can register here.
   Last but not least, University World News invites all universities and higher education organisations who wish to raise their profile internationally and connect with a key audience of university leaders, academics, administrators and policy-makers to join its new partnership programme. More...

By Brendan O’Malley – Managing Editor. In Commentary, Goolam Mohamedbhai says the repositioning and growth of private higher education and the blurring of the boundaries between the public and private higher education sectors mean that more attention needs to be paid to understanding the private sector. Mark Paterson discusses a new book which suggests that African governments need to nurture their local academic communities if they want to resist the imposition of policy prescriptions by foreign powers.
   Also in Commentary, Jonathan Benney suggests a way forward for Australian universities in dealing with the conflicts arising from China’s rising influence on their campuses, while Ingrid Hall writes that China is also on a mission Westward, using international education as a form of soft power to grow its global influence, with Central and Eastern Europe now in its sights. And Axel Didriksson Takayanagui explains why the regional context in Latin America and the Caribbean – including high levels of inequality – presents complex challenges for those in higher education seeking to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
   In World Blog, Patrick Blessinger and Enakshi Sengupta say learning how to think and live as global citizens who are able to create a more globally sustainable, fair and just world is a top education priority confronting the world.
   In Features this week, Aimee Chung reports on the squeeze on graduate employment in South Korea, with many graduates having to resort to menial jobs.
   Reporting on a webinar hosted by StudyPortals last week, with University World News as the media partner, Mary Beth Marklein says the speakers concluded that universities need to find innovative ways to democratise mobility, engage staff and leverage technology to achieve a globally engaged campus in today’s testing times.
   Universities and higher education organisations wishing to raise their profile internationally and connect with a key audience of university leaders, academics, administrators and policy-makers are invited to join the partnership programme recently introduced by University World News. More...

By Brendan O’Malley – Managing Editor. In Commentary, Lin Tian, Yan Wu and Niancai Liu say a shift to the global common good in higher education means world-class universities need to confront the challenges facing the world for the benefit of all. Pushkar and Madhvi Gupta write that academic inbreeding is common to most Indian universities even though it is widely accepted that it has a negative impact on institutional performance. Andrei Volkov says recent disagreements about the number of institutions that should be included in Russia’s Project 5-100 programme for elite universities have led to deeper discussions on how many world-class universities Russia should have.
   Also in Commentary, Athene Donald laments that British universities and researchers are having to live with chronic uncertainty on all fronts due to Brexit, but “on a good day” she’s hopeful the challenges can be met. Damtew Teferra urged African higher education stakeholders to strategically support follow-up action on priorities identified at the African Higher Education Summit and subsequent national summits, which aim to transform the African higher education sector. And Adriana Perez-Encinas says universities need to be aware of international students’ views and concerns, and implement strategies to fulfil their expectations.
   In our World Blog this week, Hans de Wit suggests how small, developing countries such as Curaçao might best go about developing a long-term international higher education strategy.
   In Features, Susan Murray and Sioux Cumming elaborate on a new framework which aims to assess and improve online journals in Africa, Asia and Latin America, while Stephen Coan reports on concerns that funding cuts for ‘rated researchers’ in South Africa, recently announced by the National Research Foundation, could have a negative impact on the national system.
   University World News invites all universities and higher education organisations who wish to raise their profile internationally and connect with a key audience of academics, university leaders, administrators and policy-makers to join its new partnership programme. More...

By Sharon Dell – Africa Editor. In Africa Analysis, Mark Paterson discusses a new book which suggests that African governments need to nurture their local academic communities if they want to resist the imposition of policy prescriptions by foreign powers, and against the backdrop of the failure of knowledge transfer between donors and recipient countries, while Goolam Mohamedbhai says the repositioning and growth of private higher education and the blurring of the boundaries between the public and private higher education sectors mean that more attention needs to be paid to understanding the private sector.
   In Africa Features, Munyaradzi Makoni writes about a regional masters programme in public policy that is highlighting the innovative potential of African universities, while Wagdy Sawahel discusses the controversial issue of campus dress codes.
   In news from around the continent, Christabel Ligami reports on a new qualifications framework in Kenya which aims to crack down, inter alia, on the issuing of fake certificates; Ochieng’ O Benny reports on a partnership facilitated by the World Bank between a South Korean research institute and four African universities to improve research capacity; and Kudzai Mashininga reports on the announcement of a lifting of the freeze on academic appointments by Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe during a ceremony at which he received another honorary degree.
   In World Blog, Patrick Blessinger and Enakshi Sengupta say learning how to think and live as global citizens who are able to create a more globally sustainable, fair and just world is a top education priority confronting the world. More...

By Sharon Dell – Africa Editor. As part of our African Scholarly Publishing series, Susan Murray and Sioux Cumming write about a new assessment framework which will reassure researchers and support journals in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
   In Africa Features, Stephen Coan unpacks the implications of the recent cuts by the National Research Foundation in South Africa to its funding for rated scientists, while Sam Otieno outlines some of the potential uses of social media platforms in the higher education context.
   In News from around the continent, Christabel Ligami reports on moves by the Kenyan authorities to tighten up, in the wake of terror and criminal activities, on regulations governing the access of foreign students to Kenyan universities, and Munyaradzi Makoni reports on reaction to the axing of South African Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande.
   In Africa Analysis, Damtew Teferra outlines how the African Higher Education Summit and subsequent national summits are helping to sustain momentum and progress in the sector. More...