By Daniel Sekulich. Are students and academics free to speak their minds on university and college campuses in North America? And how should higher education institutions respond when one person’s free speech silences or harms another? These issues were highlighted during the fourth annual Worldviews Lecture, held on 5 April at the University of Toronto, Canada. More...

By Karen MacGregor. In a Special Report this week on the 2018 Centre for Global Higher Education conference, Michael Ignatieff, vice-chancellor of the embattled Central European University or CEU, argues that as many countries turn towards authoritarian rule, it is crucial for universities to speak up for truth, even at the risk of opposition.
   Yojana Sharma reports that CEU is setting up operations in Vienna and New York state but striving to stay in repressive Hungary; and she reports on a speech by Simon Marginson describing the emergence of a multi-polar global science network that is open to enter but integrated inside. Bruce Chapman and Lorraine Dearden make the case for well-designed income-contingent student loan systems, while Karen MacGregor looks at why efforts to tackle inequality in higher education have been largely ineffectual.
   In Commentary, Colin Scott contends that organisational cultures need to change to improve diversity in higher education, and Miriam E David writes that universities need to get serious about addressing sexual harassment and assault on campuses. James McCrostie argues that universities must take greater steps to avoid hosting or attending predatory conferences.
   Ayenachew A Woldegiyorgis looks at what a new, pro-education prime minister might mean for higher education in Ethiopia, and Willem Fourie describes a new masters that aims to teach the skills needed to operate in a new development landscape.
   University World News is a partner to the annual Worldviews lectures and in the fourth, held in Toronto, Sigal Ben-Porath looked at free speech on campus. In World Blog, Nita Temmerman explains why listening to stakeholders is important for universities. And in Features, Jan Petter Myklebust explores negative responses to a tax agreement in Denmark that will deter international academic mobility. More...