As we approach 2030, higher education plays an increasingly vital role in sustainable development. Universities serve as catalysts for transformation—bridging research, policy, and community engagement to create real-world impact. While significant progress has been made in integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), challenges remain. Accelerating progress toward sustainability is both urgent and necessary. A paradigm shift is needed to enhance efforts, as fragmented implementation and limited community engagement continue to hinder progress. Higher education institutions must drive systemic, multi-sectoral, and science-based change. To be effective, global goals must be adapted to local realities, ensuring solutions are research-backed, culturally relevant, and economically viable.

To create a profound impact, universities must go beyond traditional research and focus on real-world implementation by bridging knowledge with action. This includes action-oriented curricula, expanded field-based learning, and equipping students with problem-solving skills. Real-world applications should extend to policy advocacy, influencing sustainability at national and global levels through research and evidence-based insights. An African proverb states, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” True progress requires strong multi-stakeholder collaboration. Governments, private sectors, and academia must work together to scale impact. A collaborative approach ensures that knowledge is not confined within academic institutions but is actively applied to benefit society at large.

To effectively contribute to sustainable development, universities must integrate sustainability into all core functions—education, research, operations, and capacity building. Leadership, clear direction, and effective communication are essential to embed sustainability in institutional frameworks. Redefining education models by integrating the SDGs into interdisciplinary curricula fosters hands-on, project-based learning. This bridges theory and practice, enabling students to develop prototypes and policy recommendations that drive innovation. Universities should also encourage entrepreneurship by supporting students in developing start-ups focused on sustainability solutions.

Research should address both immediate and long-term societal challenges by advancing community-based innovation. Universities must align projects with pressing local issues, ensuring academic knowledge translates into actionable solutions. Digital transformation plays a crucial role by expanding access to expertise through open-access platforms. Before extending their impact beyond campus borders, universities must first lead by example through sustainable operations. This includes minimizing their carbon footprint, implementing zero-waste initiatives, and adopting green building standards. Becoming sustainability hubs means pioneering innovations in renewable energy, urban planning, and conservation efforts. Universities can further enhance their impact by forming regional sustainability alliances and collaborating with other institutions and industries to develop large-scale solutions.

Through the Empowering Climate-Resilient Communities and Livelihoods project, Mahidol University collaborates with philanthropic organizations to provide renewable energy solutions, promote sustainable agriculture, and deliver green skills training. Initiatives such as converting waste into biogas to improve waste management, transforming waste into fertilizer to support local farming, and introducing alternative farming techniques help communities reduce costs and generate income. This project exemplifies a vision that unites experts across disciplines, translating research into action while fostering community-driven enterprises for economic sustainability.

While Agenda 2030 provides a strong foundation, refining its approach post-2030 is essential for a more effective sustainability framework. Enhancing communication among stakeholders, clearly defining sector roles, and ensuring longterm community engagement must be priorities. Government policies and university research alone cannot guarantee success—strong partnerships, steady funding, and sustained community involvement are key to meaningful progress. Sustainable livelihoods must be central to future SDGs. Building trust and engaging key community members ensures long-term commitments. Strategies should be adaptable, supported by tangible models that strengthen local economies and encourage self-sufficiency. To meet evolving challenges, universities must adopt flexible, interdisciplinary education models that empower students to develop sustainable solutions tailored to regional needs.

Measuring impact requires a holistic approach that goes beyond traditional metrics. Current indicators often focus on quantitative outcomes rather than systemic change. The refined agenda must integrate qualitative impact assessments, particularly in areas like capacity building and behavioral transformation, for a more comprehensive evaluation of progress. Universities should work with global sustainability organizations to standardize measurement frameworks and create benchmarks for meaningful impact.

As we shape the path forward, we invite universities worldwide to embrace their role as agents of transformation. The time for action is now. Through deeper collaboration, redefined priorities, and a commitment to knowledge-driven impact, we can collectively build a sustainable future beyond 2030. By fostering innovation, encouraging interdisciplinary cooperation, and embracing digital advancements, higher education can continue to drive positive global change. The journey toward sustainability is not just an academic endeavor—it is a shared mission that requires unity, resilience, and unwavering commitment.

This article was written in contribution to IAU Horizons Volume 30, No.1. The ‘In Focus’ section of this edition was dedicated to the theme Transforming Our World: Shaping the Path Forward. This edition was published in June 2025. Read the full edition and more IAU Horizons here.

In present times of rapid societal shifts, misinformation, and political polarization, universities remain indispensable. As educators, researchers, innovators, and beacons of truth, we play a vital role in shaping the future. Our societies need knowledge, innovation, and talent for a healthy and future proof economy and society. They need critical thinkers who can navigate complexity and challenge alternative truths. Yet, paradoxically, just as our relevance grows, our institutions are increasingly under pressure.

Across the globe, and here in the Netherlands, trust in science and higher education is being undermined. Some populist politicians question our legitimacy, seek to restrict our autonomy, and propose legislation that curtails internationalization and academic freedom. Scholars face intimidation, and universities are portrayed as elitist or out of touch. Populism thrives on distrust and division, and universities, as institutions of critical thinking and evidencebased knowledge, are often targeted.

The Trust Gap

Although trust in science in the Netherlands remains relatively high, the picture is nuanced. Alongside a significantly larger group with strong trust in science, the group with little or no trust has also grown considerably. This trend is not random; it reflects deeper societal dynamics. Trust in science correlates with political orientation, spirituality, age, and most notably, education level and exposure to scientific results and scientific thinking.

In addition, educational segregation is increasing. Our system is becoming less accessible to newcomers, making it harder today for first-generation students to enter higher education compared to a few decades ago. Research shows that barriers arise early in the educational journey through unequal opportunities and under-advising at primary and secondary school. As a result, many talented individuals never make it to university. For them, higher education no longer feels like it is “for us.”

This growing distance between universities and parts of society is not just a challenge, it is a risk. If we fail to address it, we risk losing our legitimacy, our relevance, and ultimately, our ability to fulfil our mission.

Standing Firm

To respond, we must first of all stand firm. That means defending the core values of academia: independence, integrity, transparency, and excellence. We must protect academic freedom and safeguard researchers from intimidation. We must continue to produce new insights, foster innovation, and educate the next generation. Universities are beacons of truth and critical thinking. We must not shy away from this role. We must continue to stimulate and facilitate our researchers to participate in societal debate. And to teach our students the value of facts, evidence, and reasoned debate, not only as academic skills, but as civic tools. In a world flooded with disinformation, equipping students to recognize manipulation and resist falsehoods is essential, not just for their own development, but for the health of our democracy.

Opening Up

But we need to do more. We must make an effort to become more ‘of’ and ‘for’ everyone. That means actively engaging with society, listening to concerns, and working to reduce the distance between academia and the public.

This requires a new balance, further opening up. Today’s universities in The Netherlands are far less elitist than in the past. We educate more students than ever and are increasingly connected to our surroundings. But we must not slow down and continue along this line.

In research, we must further increase relevance and accessibility. We must ensure that more people engage with science, not just as consumers of knowledge, but as participants. Open science and citizen science are powerful tools. Initiatives like the Dutch National Science Agenda (NWA) show how research can be shaped by questions posed by citizens themselves. Studies show that making science more personal and outward-facing helps build trust. This is how we fulfil our societal role even better.

In education, we must improve accessibility and flexibility. The Dutch government should help by guaranteeing equal access, making transitions between educational tracks easier, and supporting lifelong learning. Universities can contribute by better supporting first-generation students, collaborating more closely with universities of applied sciences, ensuring accessibility and offering flexible learning options beyond initial degrees.

We must also address educational segregation. During their studies, students and teachers should engage with the broader community through service learning, internships, research projects. and partnerships with universities of applied sciences and institutes of vocational education. Each institution bringing its own strength. Working together on real-world projects helps students develop skills that matter beyond graduation. Through these interactions, students learn to apply knowledge in diverse contexts, strengthening their ability to discern truth from noise and contribute meaningfully to society.

A Shared Responsibility and a New Balance

This transformation demands shared responsibility. Governments must ensure stable funding, reduce unnecessary regulation, and guarantee equal access to quality education. Universities, in turn, must fully commit to open science and citizen science, and recognize the value of teaching and societal engagement and reward our staff for their efforts herein.

We must uphold our strengths ‘expertise, independence, transparency, and integrity’, while becoming more inclusive and engaged. This is not a contradiction; it is the foundation of our societal relevance. By standing firm in our values and reaching out to society, we strengthen trust and fulfill our role as institutions that are truly of and for us all. We cannot lean back.

This article was written in contribution to IAU Horizons Volume 30, No.2. The ‘In Focus’ section of this edition was dedicated to Dimensions of Trust in Higher Education. This edition was published in October 2025. Read the full edition and more IAU Horizons here.

Higher education for the 21st century involves strengthening learning capacity and developing a range of crucial competencies tailored to a new technological and social reality. The emphasis is on preparing individuals capable of promoting alternative development models, and thereby contributing to steering countries toward sustainable growth. This requires a diverse set of skills, encompassing conscious decision-making, critical thinking, creativity adaptability for self-reinvention and self-employment, empathy, resilience, a sense of responsibility, adeptness in relationship-building and collaboration, and the capacity to navigate the complexities of human-AI interaction. The question is: How do we ensure that students acquire these competencies that are required for an adequate education in the 21st century?

To achieve this objective, humans must be able to draw on multiple dimensions – cognitive, ethical, physical, artistic, social, and affective. Education must respond to these human needs. Interaction is an important characteristic in learning and to achieve educational objectives. Until recently, interactions were only between living beings. Currently, technological advancements have transformed the dynamics of interactions by including human-AI interaction, which has become both a simple and natural part of everyday life. Prompts play an important role in shaping communication with machines.

The shifting focus toward digital citizenship education has evolved by embracing principles such as safeguarding personal data, respecting the privacy of other participants, acting ethically, and empowering peers to make informed decisions while taking proactive roles in proposed activities. The current ethical dilemmas in AI within education revolve around issues of prediction, decision-making, and the potential impact on students’ behavior. Automated decision-making and text generation may produce skewed results that replicate and amplify existing prejudices. It is therefore essential that students practice critical reasoning skills based on data and facts and that they pose pertinent questions as questions are as important as the answers.

In this educational context, it becomes crucial that students acquire skills for self-directed learning. While AI may seem magic, humans need a wake-up call to remain vigilant. Bots can provide good, but not necessarily excellent answers. We must critically explore the content and guide the output generation to obtain the desired result. However, if students use AI to solve a difficult math problem, they risk missing out on the learning process if they simply let AI solve it. Personally, I would not want to study Brazilian history inside the guardrails created by a particular company. In other words, while students should be educated in using AI tools like chatbots to solve problems and act proactively in their learning process, this is a new reality that includes working in teams composed of both intelligent systems and human beings. As this trend continues, human beings will increasingly find themselves sharing opinions and decisions with AI, which will in turn influence other AI outputs and development. The next frontier of generative AI is likely to shift towards the use of agents rather than chatbots, with agents demonstrating proactive behaviour in contrast to their reactive bot counterparts.

We all know that AI systems are developed by a few (OpenAI, for instance, has approximately 1000 employees, and probably a smaller number of people are responsible for establishing guardrails). This leads to the introduction of bias and potential misuse in the data (individual and collective) used for their learning, as well as in the algorithms developed for their operations. It is furthermore impossible to say which input samples generate a particular output.

Given this reality, students must understand the limits of AI. Professors need to foster discussions that go beyond the limits of factual content, encouraging a shift in mentality from a static approach disconnected from other subjects to one that addresses uncertainties, focusing on 'why' questions.

Furthermore, there's a need for the ability to adapt to new social contexts and to seek information from different media and AI tools. For instance, developing critical thinking skills is crucial in several areas, including AI and the government (democracy, legitimacy, and transparency), AI and the business (algorithmic bias and inequality), AI and society (challenges and opportunities), and AI and sustainability (energy expenditure). These aspects may generate debates among students and professors about AI's inherent ethical issues. The key focus should be on educating people about conscious and ethical use of AI. If used appropriately, these technologies hold the potential to level opportunities and raise the level of knowledge.

However, for that to happen, the following dilemma would have to be addressed. AI tools learn from data, yet the large amount of existing data does not consider regional diversity. For example, using a popular AI art generator to create images of intelligent people, led to a result lacking diversity, as only images of white people were used. Secondly, many large language model systems use web content for training without proper attribution to intellectual property.

On the other hand, it is possible to establish global legislation where companies are required to declare their data sources (domain and copyrighted material) and also to authenticate (sign) the outputs produced by their systems (texts, videos, audio, images). Governments worldwide, as both producers and consumers of AI, bear the responsibility for such regulatory initiatives. Ensuring the authenticity of content providers becomes crucial, especially for applications with potential educational uses.

AI technologies have become an undeniable reality. It is now up to the education sector to reevaluate what are the essential competences and skills required by students to navigate this reality that impacts everyday life, education, the economy, and the world of work.

This article was written in contribution to IAU Horizons Volume 29, No.1. The ‘In Focus’ section of this edition was dedicated to Universities and the Interplay of Human Intelligence and Generative AI. This edition was published in June 2025. Read the full edition and more IAU Horizons here.

In the face of unprecedented change in the post-World War II political order, universities increasingly find themselves on the receiving end of criticism, both from the governments that fund them and the communities they serve. While this criticism is broadly cast, the confluence of domestic politics and global uncertainty has led to new and more pressing scrutiny of the international agenda in higher education.

In that context, it is crucial for higher education institutions to reflect not only on the rationales for internationalization in a changing world, but on the positioning of global engagement activities in the eyes of a society which is increasingly nativist and suspicious of views from the outside.

So how did we end up here and what can be done about it?

While commentators have been lamenting a decline in the social licence of higher education for some time (principally tied to concerns about corporatization and executive salaries), it is interesting to reflect on the broader trend to anti-science in society. By way of example, while the global COVID-19 pandemic reinforced the scientific value of vaccines in the eyes of many, it also served to foster increased skepticism in the minds of those who link science with conspiracy, a view subsequently reinforced through government instructions to self-isolate and burgeoning social media technologies that amplify and disseminate false information.

Universities by their very nature are champions of the scientific method, seeking to systematically and iteratively investigate the world through observation, hypothesis, experimentation and analysis. But, if much of society no longer values this method, preferring simple truths or mistruths to complex analysis, then it is hardly surprising that universities (the ivory towers of old) find themselves increasingly distanced from the communities they serve.

Simple parallels can be drawn here with the internationalization agenda, and we should no longer assume that society and higher education institutions share the same core values in relation to global activities. While the global strategies of our institutions speak of global citizenship, inquiry across borders, and reciprocal dialogue on global issues, perhaps it is now the case that our broader society would prefer a more local focus – on employability in a domestic context, for example, or solutions for pressing local issues and concerns.

The flow of international students to our campuses (necessitated in many countries by a decline in domestic funding for higher education or in response to demographic needs) has led to increasing concerns about the focus of our institutions. While governments have previously encouraged international student flows, societal concerns about immigration and housing now see those same governments adjusting policies to reduce the numbers of inbound students, as has happened in both Australia and Canada. Ironically these measures appear to be driven by short-term populist sentiment and appear disconnected from longer-term analysis of skills needs in society.

So, how should we respond to criticism about the international focus of an institution’s activities?

One approach has been to speak about the economic impact of international education, providing analysis of the financial contribution made by international students to a given country. For example, statistics published by the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA) indicate that international education is the fourth largest export industry in that country, contributing $51.5 billion to the Australian economy in 2024 and supporting 240,000 jobs.

However, there is a growing sense that economic arguments (at the national level) do not shift the dial in public perceptions (at the local level). An alternative approach here might be to frame economic impact at a smaller scale, breaking down datasets to present information that is more tangible and relevant to local communities and their government representatives. During the recent Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA) conference in the USA, this localized approach was trialed during a pilot AIEA Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill and appears to have had stronger cut-through with government representatives.

Another option is for institutions to create stronger connections – in strategy and practice – between their global engagement and their local communities. In that context, Prof. Chris Glass of Boston College advocates for a focus on narratives in international education, urging institutions “to tell the ‘micro stories’ about international students and (…) to use evidence to counter factually inaccurate, emotionally charged narratives”.

As Prof. Glass proposes, we should move away from talking about the economic impact of international students and answer the question that really matters to people: “How do international students impact me and my community, here, where we live?”

In my experience, higher education institutions direct their global communications towards international audiences, rather than towards domestic ones. So this is perhaps where global strategies need to re-focus over the coming period, thereby (re-)engaging and connecting local communities with this key aspect of our work . This should serve to build greater (bottomup) societal support for international activities, hopefully leading to longer term (top-down) support from governments. In a changed world, we can certainly argue that doing more of the same is not going to lead to a different outcome.

This article was written in contribution to IAU Horizons Volume 31, No.1. The ‘In Focus’ section of this edition was dedicated to Repositioning Internationalization in a New Geopolitical Era. This edition was published in June 2026. Read the full edition and more IAU Horizons here.

As we approach 2030, higher education plays an increasingly vital role in sustainable development. Universities serve as catalysts for transformation—bridging research, policy, and community engagement to create real-world impact. While significant progress has been made in integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), challenges remain. Accelerating progress toward sustainability is both urgent and necessary. A paradigm shift is needed to enhance efforts, as fragmented implementation and limited community engagement continue to hinder progress. Higher education institutions must drive systemic, multi-sectoral, and science-based change. To be effective, global goals must be adapted to local realities, ensuring solutions are research-backed, culturally relevant, and economically viable.

To create a profound impact, universities must go beyond traditional research and focus on real-world implementation by bridging knowledge with action. This includes action-oriented curricula, expanded field-based learning, and equipping students with problem-solving skills. Real-world applications should extend to policy advocacy, influencing sustainability at national and global levels through research and evidence-based insights. An African proverb states, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” True progress requires strong multi-stakeholder collaboration. Governments, private sectors, and academia must work together to scale impact. A collaborative approach ensures that knowledge is not confined within academic institutions but is actively applied to benefit society at large.

To effectively contribute to sustainable development, universities must integrate sustainability into all core functions—education, research, operations, and capacity building. Leadership, clear direction, and effective communication are essential to embed sustainability in institutional frameworks. Redefining education models by integrating the SDGs into interdisciplinary curricula fosters hands-on, project-based learning. This bridges theory and practice, enabling students to develop prototypes and policy recommendations that drive innovation. Universities should also encourage entrepreneurship by supporting students in developing start-ups focused on sustainability solutions.

Research should address both immediate and long-term societal challenges by advancing community-based innovation. Universities must align projects with pressing local issues, ensuring academic knowledge translates into actionable solutions. Digital transformation plays a crucial role by expanding access to expertise through open-access platforms. Before extending their impact beyond campus borders, universities must first lead by example through sustainable operations. This includes minimizing their carbon footprint, implementing zero-waste initiatives, and adopting green building standards. Becoming sustainability hubs means pioneering innovations in renewable energy, urban planning, and conservation efforts. Universities can further enhance their impact by forming regional sustainability alliances and collaborating with other institutions and industries to develop large-scale solutions.

Through the Empowering Climate-Resilient Communities and Livelihoods project, Mahidol University collaborates with philanthropic organizations to provide renewable energy solutions, promote sustainable agriculture, and deliver green skills training. Initiatives such as converting waste into biogas to improve waste management, transforming waste into fertilizer to support local farming, and introducing alternative farming techniques help communities reduce costs and generate income. This project exemplifies a vision that unites experts across disciplines, translating research into action while fostering community-driven enterprises for economic sustainability.

While Agenda 2030 provides a strong foundation, refining its approach post-2030 is essential for a more effective sustainability framework. Enhancing communication among stakeholders, clearly defining sector roles, and ensuring longterm community engagement must be priorities. Government policies and university research alone cannot guarantee success—strong partnerships, steady funding, and sustained community involvement are key to meaningful progress. Sustainable livelihoods must be central to future SDGs. Building trust and engaging key community members ensures long-term commitments. Strategies should be adaptable, supported by tangible models that strengthen local economies and encourage self-sufficiency. To meet evolving challenges, universities must adopt flexible, interdisciplinary education models that empower students to develop sustainable solutions tailored to regional needs.

Measuring impact requires a holistic approach that goes beyond traditional metrics. Current indicators often focus on quantitative outcomes rather than systemic change. The refined agenda must integrate qualitative impact assessments, particularly in areas like capacity building and behavioral transformation, for a more comprehensive evaluation of progress. Universities should work with global sustainability organizations to standardize measurement frameworks and create benchmarks for meaningful impact.

As we shape the path forward, we invite universities worldwide to embrace their role as agents of transformation. The time for action is now. Through deeper collaboration, redefined priorities, and a commitment to knowledge-driven impact, we can collectively build a sustainable future beyond 2030. By fostering innovation, encouraging interdisciplinary cooperation, and embracing digital advancements, higher education can continue to drive positive global change. The journey toward sustainability is not just an academic endeavor—it is a shared mission that requires unity, resilience, and unwavering commitment.

This article was written in contribution to IAU Horizons Volume 30, No.1. The ‘In Focus’ section of this edition was dedicated to the theme Transforming Our World: Shaping the Path Forward. This edition was published in June 2025. Read the full edition and more IAU Horizons here.

Trust is not incidental to higher education. It is foundational. Without trust, no university can meaningfully fulfil its mission. In our context, where universities are entrusted with the responsibility of shaping national development, safeguarding knowledge, and nurturing future generations, this trust is both a privilege and a moral obligation.

Yet, trust in higher education appears increasingly fragile. Around the world, and the Maldives is no exception, the purpose and value of higher education are being questioned. At the heart of this growing scepticism lie many interrelated factors. One of the most significant is the transformation of higher education from a public good into a commercial exchange. When universities are seen primarily as businesses that sell credentials rather than cultivate understanding, people begin to disengage. Trust diminishes when education is reduced to a transaction, and learning is valued only for the certificate it provides rather than for the growth it fosters or the contribution it prepares one to make.

In the Maldivian context, higher education is often framed in instrumental terms. For many, the focus is on obtaining a degree with as little resistance as possible. The deeper questions such as: What are we learning? How does it connect to who we are? What kind of society do we want to build?; are too often left unasked. This shift not only weakens the quality of learning but also undermines the social contract between universities and the communities they are meant to serve.

At The Maldives National University (MNU), we believe our mandate must go beyond the production of graduates. As a national university, our responsibility is to serve the country, not only its labour market but its aspirations, resilience, and collective future. Upholding academic quality is central to this mission. We have taken deliberate steps to strengthen internal systems, align our programmes to national priorities, and foster a culture of critical reflection. These efforts are not ends in themselves but part of a broader commitment to honour and sustain the trust placed in us by students, families, and the wider public.

But quality alone does not build trust. Relevance is equally important. Universities must be present in the lives of people. Through research, outreach, and community engagement, institutions like MNU are trying to listen more carefully, respond more thoughtfully, and remain close to the communities we serve. We do not always get it right, but this effort is grounded in the belief that trust is not declared but is earned through consistency, humility, and genuine presence.

Trust also requires honesty. Universities must examine themselves with the same critical lens they apply to the world. Are our governance structures inclusive? Are admissions and assessments fair? Is our research serving the public interest? Where we fall short, we must be willing to reflect and reform. At MNU, we are strengthening mechanisms that make our internal systems more accountable and transparent, recognising that integrity does not mean perfection but a willingness to take responsibility.

This is also a moment that demands a renewed commitment to the values that define higher learning. The rise of artificial intelligence, the spread of misinformation, and the blurring of lines between opinion and knowledge all present new challenges. Yet, this is precisely when universities must hold firm. We must remain places where evidence matters, where complexity is not feared, and where knowledge is pursued with care and responsibility. These are the foundations on which trust in higher education must stand.

We must also work to shift public attention away from credentials and towards capabilities and character. At MNU, we are emphasising graduate attributes such as critical thinking, ethical reasoning, creativity, empathy, and civic responsibility. These are the qualities that prepare students not just for employment but for meaningful participation in public life. When graduates leave university with a strong sense of purpose and care for others, they are more likely to contribute constructively to their communities and to the development of the nation.

In a small island nation like the Maldives, where every decision today shapes our ability to thrive tomorrow, universities must continue to serve as trusted public institutions. We must help society ask better questions, seek wiser answers, and prepare with clarity for an uncertain future. Trust is not built in grand declarations. It is built day by day, in classrooms and offices, in communities and on islands, through the slow and steady work of listening, learning, and serving.

At MNU, we do not claim to have all the answers. But we are committed to learning together with our communities, staying close to our students, and upholding the values that define higher education at its best. We believe that through this steady commitment, trust can be renewed, not only in our own institution, but in the broader idea of education as a force for national progress and shared human dignity.

This article was written in contribution to IAU Horizons Volume 30, No.2. The ‘In Focus’ section of this edition was dedicated to Dimensions of Trust in Higher Education. This edition was published in October 2025. Read the full edition and more IAU Horizons here.

The advent of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) calls for a paradigm shift in the way we learn and teach, with universities having no choice but to address it. As societies grapple with increasing mistrust and uncertainty moving forward, how can students and professors collaboratively utilise GenAI to advance learning and teaching? From the most populous yet least heard voices in institutional discussions —students, among whom a third express dissatisfaction with their university [1]— we propose the following three recommendations.

1) Towards a learning-by-doing approach

After the release of ChatGPT and other large language models (LLMs), students increasingly rely on GenAI for learning, with 35% of students in Sweden regularly using ChatGPT [2]. Simultaneously, 72% of college professors express concerns about ChatGPT's potential impact on cheating [3]. We – the students – challenge this mainstream depiction by advocating for an AI-university synergy through a learning-by-doing approach. In pedagogy, “learning by doing” refers to hands-on and taskoriented methodologies that draw upon student engagement as the main driver for learning. Thus, a learning-by-doing approach with and through GenAI could potentially represent a goldmine for higher education by changing students’ attitudes toward knowledge acquisition. Picture a classroom with active and conscious students using GenAI to trigger their capacity to ask questions, augmenting their sensibility towards local and global challenges. They are guided by a professor using GenAI as an assistant to showcase opportunities and drawbacks beyond LLM-generated content. To foster innovative learning and teaching, universities worldwide need to open spaces for dialogue on GenAI, allowing professors and students to build the road, together, as they walk it. However, with existing power imbalances within the classroom, this road cannot be built by one actor over another.

2) A redefinition of students-professor power balance

While professors are rarely seen to flatter inside the classroom, students are more vulnerable and open to failure. By prioritizing the professor’s creation and dissemination of knowledge over the student’s learning process, our academic culture encourages students to separate from professors rather than to connect [4]. Therefore, we advise redefining student-professor asymmetric power balances by enhancing students’ agency.

From our perspective, striving for greater student-professor intellectual and empathic connections is an ongoing and muchawaited process. Nonetheless, GenAI presents us – students and professors – with an opportunity to explore often-unseen teaching dynamics, where GPT-empowered students take more active roles in their learning journey and professors serve as guardrails of knowledge. GenAI’s transformative potential could elevate the students’ position within the classroom, by amplifying their voices and rearranging the asymmetries with professors.

Acknowledging a power position, whether it be from the professor's or students' perspective, requires trust among each other and towards universities at large. To ensure universities remain at the forefront of society and serve as beacons for best practices, it is vital to expand reflection on the conditions of GenAI praxis beyond the classroom.

3) Institutional actions on fairness and transparency

Major international organisations are currently progressing in establishing the legal and ethical boundaries for AI use on a global scale (see, e.g., the forthcoming EU’s AI Act). While crucial for the responsible use of AI in societies, institutional efforts are also needed to cultivate open and conscientious mindsets among all stakeholders in higher education. Hence, we assert that combining a global response with a parallel institutional effort is paramount for growing critical and social human beings in the long term.

From an institutional standpoint, transparency and fairness when using GenAI emerge as fundamental principles – especially among professors and students. Transparency entails openness and clarity in academic activities, with both professors and students declaring whether they have used GenAI and how. Fairness ensures its equitable and just application, with all students and professors having access and training to GenAI tools.

Against this backdrop, we propose the following actions. In the short term, the creation of an ethical code of conduct on the use of GenAI by all university stakeholders – including students – to promote fairness and transparency within the institution. On a mid-term level, a concerted revision of university strategic plans to consider GenAI’s impact on learning and teaching, research and community engagement. Lastly, on a long-term note, the establishment of a multi-stakeholder observatory where institutional actors can holistically voice needs and discuss new regulations, to pursue fairness and transparency further.

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, universities must harness GenAI not to lag behind and to prepare students for work life and society at large. In this transition towards a GPT-empowered student body, a learning-by-doing approach, a redefinition of professorsstudents power balances and institutional actions are essential to enable students to thrive in the GenAI era. Ultimately, we believe that our recommendations could serve as a compass for universities to leverage the opportunities in the interplay between GenAI and all institutional actors. In the end, we have no choice but to learn by doing together.

This article was written in contribution to IAU Horizons Volume 29, No.1. The ‘In Focus’ section of this edition was dedicated to Universities and the Interplay of Human Intelligence and Generative AI. This edition was published in June 2025. Read the full edition and more IAU Horizons here.

Dear Members, partners, and colleagues,

After a well-deserved summer break, the IAU secretariat is back to work and gearing up for the busy months ahead. We are particularly looking forward to the IAU 17th General Conference, which is fast approaching and promises to be a key moment for our global university community. This year’s event will focus on “The Value of Universities in the Era of Artificial Intelligence” and will welcome expert speakers from around the world to speak on sessions such as ‘Positioning the University in the Era of AI’ and ‘Probing the Limits of Academic Ethics and Scientific Integrity.’

We look forward to seeing many of you at upcoming events and activities—read on to discover more about what’s happening at the IAU and how you can engage with our work.

Hilligje van’t Land, PhD
Secretary General, International Association of Universities (IAU)
Executive Director, International Universities Bureau

Highlights

Don't miss your last chance to register with discounted rates for the IAU 17th General Conference. The conference, focused on the theme "The Value of Universities in the Era of Artificial Intelligence," will welcome 400+ delegates from 100+ countries to discuss the fundamental questions about what it means to know, to learn, and by consequence how we perceive the world, in the age of AI. Discover the full programme and register here.

Register now to listen in to the launch of the new IAU-authored UNESCO guidance tool on Transforming Futures: Enhancing practice for ESD for 2030 through action research on 17 September from 13:00-14:30 CEST. The launch webinar will bring together educators, policymakers, and researchers to explore outcomes and discuss pathways for scaling and strengthening ESD practice globally. Learn more and register here.

The IAU Executive Leadership Programme is still accepting applications for the 2026-2027 cohort. This one year hybrid capacity building programme provides university leaders a framework with which to confront the big managerial, ethical, economic and societal questions universities face. Learn more about the ELP and how to apply here. Act now: applications close on 18 September.

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IAU Administrative Board Elections: Help shape the future of the association—Learn how to stand for election and vote for the Association’s leadership in the 2026-2030 Administrative Board Elections

Save the date: IAU 17th General Conference on The Value of Universities in the Era of Artificial Intelligence to be hosted by Murdoch University in Perth, Australia from 3-6 November 2026

Join the webinar Accessing the Evidence Base for Climate Education: How Education Policy Makers Can Advance Climate Action on 1 October from 09:00-10: 00 CEST

Help your students to engage with sustainable development and join the 2026-2027 cohort of the Responsible Futures International Programme

More news and opportunities from the IAU.

Featured Resources

• Learn more about Identifying the ‘Building Blocks’ of a Transformative Whole-institution Approach to Education for Sustainable Development

• Read the report Building Global Partnerships for Sustainable Development: The IAU HESD Cluster and the Road Ahead to 2030

• Consider How COVID-19 changed the internationalization of higher education: A scoping review of the literature and the field

• Take a closer look at how the IAU is Advancing Education and Science for Sustainable Development

• Watch a recording of the book launch of New Conversations on Global Citizenship Education, to which the IAU contributed a chapter

• Dive into a new University World News article on how International HE needs to be sustainable and inclusive

• Watch the recording: Two Students, Same Exchange, Completely Different Skills on the EASEC European Soft Skills Certifications series

• Consider how we are Repositioning Internationalization in a New Geopolitical Era in IAU Horizons vol. 30, iss. 2

• Higher Education Policy vol. 39, iss. 2 covers issues ranging from student employability in Kazakhstan to policy tensions between internationalization and gender in Sweden.

• Discover the IAU-UNESCO webinar series on The Academic Conscience and Artificial Intelligence

• Learn more about higher education institutions and systems around the world via the World Higher Education Database (WHED)

• Discover information about the IAU 17th General Conference on the event website

Members and Partners

• Resource: Issue 127 of International Higher Education (IHE) is now available, including an article co-written by IAU Manager for Internationalization, Giorgio Marinoni

• Event: Join the conversation shaping the future of higher education in Africa at the 16th ANIE Annual Conference, taking place 14–16 October 2026 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

• Event: Meet with IAU representatives at the Bologna Process Researchers’ Conference (FOHE-BPRC6) taking place on 16-17 September 2026 in Bucharest, Romania

• Event: Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas International Relations Office welcomes registrations for the next edition of its webinar series on the University of the Future on 23 September 2026 (en español)

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The international system has undergone various developments, evolving from state centric international engagements based on power politics towards multilateralism and mutually beneficial collaboration. The post-Cold War era made apparent the significance of international cooperation and emphasized the role played by international institutions in fostering cooperative solutions for global advancement and stability. This transition towards liberal internationalism became the prevailing global governance ideology, which increased international cooperation and presented a collaborative form of multilateralism among actors. Higher education in particular has been instrumental to utilize the framework of global interconnectedness to advance science, culture, student and staff mobility, and optimizing a broader funding envelope to support global research.

However, recent geopolitical developments have revealed a shift from this paradigm. The geopolitical landscape has witnessed the rise of nationalist and protectionist policies at the expense of international cooperation. As a result, globalization is argued to be in decline as international actors, particularly states, shift their orientation from multilateralism and cooperation to more nationalist policy positions. This shift poses a threat to institutions engaged in internationalization such as those in Higher Education, limiting institutional autonomy, agency and opportunities for collaboration.

The shifts in the global landscape have seen the resurgence of great power rivalry and growing geopolitical tensions, posing a threat to international cooperation and non-competitive collaboration. States are moving towards selective cooperation and engagement and are using political justifications as motivations for anti or reduced internationalization. This impacts on the agency of institutions of higher learning in their ability to autonomously decide on who to partner with and on the scope and types of partnerships to pursue. The often-cited security justifications for selective engagement by states places limits on institutions of higher learning and contradicts the principle of free exchange and movement.

These conditions also impact on funding mechanisms and affect investment into the higher education sector. The current geopolitical landscape places impediments on Universities’ access to funding mechanisms that previously contributed to significant advancements in research, capacity and institutional development. This undermines the progress that has been made in research, teaching and learning and established partnerships, and can only negatively impact the advancement of global knowledge.

Recent immigration restrictions have created hurdles for international students hoping to access further education in the world’s top destinations. All the top four countries hosting international students have introduced immigration restrictions that are aimed at reducing the number of international students admitted into their institutions of higher learning. These restrictions are significantly reducing students’ mobility, and some of the reasons cited for the introduction of these restrictions include pressure placed on host countries’ health and housing systems by the high numbers of international students.

Although these changes impede on the autonomy of higher education institutions and limits traditional engagements between institutions in this sector, they also present an opportunity for restructuring engagement. Institutions are forced to find alternative and new ways of engaging that adapt to the geopolitical changes while also strengthening their agency.

The current challenges faced by the global higher education sector necessitate the strengthening and formalization of academic networks to maximize and sustain the sharing of resources between institutions. These networks need to actively advocate for institutionalized mobility agreements that ease restrictions on student movement and promote collaboration over nationalistic competition.

It is also imperative for universities to maintain and strengthen their autonomy and agency, acting as independent agents committed to promoting and safeguarding academic freedom. Knowledge diplomacy becomes central to these efforts, requiring universities to be more proactive, assertive and intentional in the use of knowledge as a bridge across diverse landscapes. Universities hold a unique position that if used strategically, can shape the international higher education sector rather than constantly reacting to global shifts in geopolitics.

As a response to the restrictions on movement, traditional student mobility from the Global South to the Global North is shifting towards South-South mobility. This shift should be leveraged for establishing new partnerships within the South and expanding those that already exist. The restrictions placed on internationalization programs in the North should not translate to the decline of internationalization. Rather, this shift should be perceived as an opportunity for universities to explore new partners and destinations for collaboration on higher education.

The current shifts within the international environment call for the reassertion of the importance of collaboration that is based on collective values, norms and interests. It requires universities to maintain and further advance cooperation and uphold the academic principles of free mobility, equitable access and (positive) global impact. The academic community needs to start rethinking its own agency and the role it plays in determining the future of higher education in a constantly evolving world.

The COVID-pandemic has had a major impact on the strategic adaptability of internationalization approaches. Higher education needs to deepen the use of online learning platforms and the range of digital resources as components of a flexible comprehensive approach to internationalization.

This article was written in contribution to IAU Horizons Volume 31, No.1. The ‘In Focus’ section of this edition was dedicated to Repositioning Internationalization in a New Geopolitical Era. This edition was published in June 2026. Read the full edition and more IAU Horizons here.

The milestone year for the UN Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is approaching and it is crucial to assess both progress and shortcomings in achieving these ambitious targets. Higher education institutions (HEIs) have played an instrumental role in this journey, leveraging research, partnerships, and institutional transformation to advance sustainability. The German Sustainability Strategy explicitly recognizes this important role [1]. However, progress towards sustainability remains fragmented, and without a concerted effort to accelerate change, the transformative potential of HEIs risks being underutilized. To truly shape the “future we want” as stated already in 2012 at the Rio+20 UN Conference for Sustainable Development, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) must become the cornerstone of institutional strategies, equipping all learners—students, faculty, leaders, and administration alike—with the necessary skills and perspectives to navigate an increasingly complex and interconnected world [2].

A Whole-Institution Approach (WIA) is vital in embedding sustainability across all facets of HEIs— Teaching, Research, Knowledge Transfer/Community Engagement, Governance, and Campus Operations. This approach recognizes that sustainability is not an isolated endeavor but a systemic challenge requiring interdisciplinary collaboration. By fostering environments where sustainability in its ecological, social, and economic dimensions is integrated into academic and administrative frameworks, HEIs can become living laboratories for innovation. This means not only teaching sustainability but embodying it in institutional practice, from carbon-neutral campus initiatives to researchdriven partnerships that address real-world environmental and social challenges.

Interdisciplinarity lies at the heart of effective ESD. The challenges faced by humanity—climate crisis, biodiversity loss, resource depletion, social inequities, and rising authoritarianism—are not confined to a single discipline, nor can they be solved within the silos of traditional academia. HEIs must break down these barriers, fostering collaboration between sciences, technology, arts, and humanities. This integration is crucial to bridge the gap between technological advancements and ethical, social, and cultural considerations. Without this holistic perspective, sustainability efforts risk becoming technocratic exercises that overlook the human context and impact. Germany’s diverse higher education landscape plays a pivotal role in sustainability transformation by uniquely blending cutting-edge technical expertise with social and policy-oriented research, creating innovative, holistic solutions. This synergy between fields like sustainable urban planning, social justice, and inclusive economics enables groundbreaking approaches to societal challenges such as equitable resource distribution and fostering resilient communities.

By creating interdisciplinary environments where learning is sustainability in action, HEIs—as centers of innovation— act as living laboratories for transformation, co-creating, testing, and scaling solutions with societal partners. By fostering collaboration between academia, practice, and society, emerging technologies can be developed and deployed ethically, aligning with long-term social and environmental goals. HEIs are uniquely positioned to catalyse innovation that aligns technological advancement, industry needs, and global injustice. Furthermore, by equipping students with a combination of disciplinary expertise and future skills, HEIs prepare future leaders to guide industries toward low-carbon, resource-efficient, and socially just practices. Scientific contributions are essential to shaping resilient economies, otherwise the transition to a truly sustainable and equitable economy will remain fragmented.

Despite the progress made, the SDG framework has not sufficiently emphasized the role of science and culture in driving sustainable development. To unfold scientific innovation as a powerful tool for addressing environmental and societal challenges, it is important to connect it to cultural narratives and values that shape behavior. Similarly, the arts and humanities play a critical role in shaping public consciousness and fostering an ethical approach to sustainability. Creative disciplines have the power to inspire change, challenge prevailing paradigms, and imagine alternative futures. By incorporating these dimensions into sustainability education, HEIs can cultivate a generation of changemakers who are not only technically proficient but also ethically and culturally aware.

HEIs must recognize their role as catalysts for broader systemic shifts, ensuring that the knowledge and practices developed within academic settings translate into real-world impact. Going further than the institutional level, the Whole-Society Approach calls for HEIs to extend their influence beyond academia, actively engaging with communities, policymakers, and industries to co-create innovative solutions. This requires rethinking traditional university-community relationships, combining knowledge dissemination and knowledge co-creation. By partnering with local and global stakeholders, HEIs can help implement scalable solutions that drive sustainable change at multiple levels.

As we look beyond 2030, HEIs should sharpen their mission as drivers of systemic transformation. Strengthening ESD, fostering interdisciplinarity, and embracing cultural engagement are fundamental to this vision. HEIs must continue to move beyond their traditional role as knowledge providers and become enablers of action, preparing students, faculty, and partners not just to understand sustainability but to practice it in diverse settings. The future we want is not predetermined; it is shaped by the decisions and commitments we make today. HEIs have the responsibility and opportunity to take part in this transformation and to give strong impulses, ensuring that sustainability is not an aspirational ideal but a lived reality for the present and generations to come.

This article was written in contribution to IAU Horizons Volume 30, No.1. The ‘In Focus’ section of this edition was dedicated to the theme Transforming Our World: Shaping the Path Forward. This edition was published in June 2025. Read the full edition and more IAU Horizons here.

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming every aspect of our lives — how we live, work, think, and learn. At the centre of this transformation stand universities, long regarded as the pillars of knowledge and innovation. But today, the very foundation of higher education is being questioned. As AI reshapes human capabilities and access to knowledge, the world is watching closely and asking: Can universities still prove their value and purpose in this new era?

Let’s be clear — AI is not simply about more powerful machines or faster data processing. It represents a paradigm shift in how knowledge is produced, accessed, and applied. It challenges the university’s long-standing role as the primary gatekeeper of advanced knowledge and expert training. For centuries, universities were where rare knowledge was preserved, deep research conducted, and groundbreaking ideas cultivated. Even as higher education became more accessible, the university’s role remained respected and largely unchallenged.

That is no longer the case. AI has made powerful tools and deep information available to anyone with an internet connection. What once took years of specialized study can now be accessed through a few clicks. AI can summarize dense academic papers, generate code, write essays, solve complex equations, and even design business strategies. Unsurprisingly, more and more students are asking: Why should I spend four years and so much money going to university? This isn’t just a practical question — it’s a philosophical one. It forces us to confront the deeper purpose of higher education in the 21st century.

Alternative forms of education — such as micro-credentials, MOOCs, and short-term bootcamps — have also struggled to keep up with the pace of AI. As AI continues to reduce the value of technical skills that can be automated, the entire knowledge economy is evolving beyond existing educational models. Simply offering more online courses or adding digital tools is not enough. What is needed is not a superficial update, but a profound transformation.

So where does that leave us? Do universities still matter? The honest answer is: only if we change. If we continue to operate as we always have, we risk becoming irrelevant. But if we respond with boldness, innovation, and a renewed sense of mission, universities can be more vital than ever. This moment demands revolutionary change — not as a luxury, but as a matter of survival.

First, we must place human character and values at the heart of education. In a world where machines can handle increasing amounts of intellectual labor, our human distinctiveness will lie in ethics, empathy, and our capacity to build meaningful communities. AI can optimize systems and process data — but it cannot teach compassion, cultivate integrity, or foster a sense of belonging. That is the university’s new frontier. At Dongseo University, we emphasize what we call learning with the heart. We begin not with content delivery, but with character formation — helping students discover their unique gifts, grow in self-awareness, and develop a moral compass. This is not a peripheral activity. It is our core mission. In a hyper-digital world, human spirit matters more than ever.

Second, we must radically rethink how students learn. According to The New York Times, while AI may displace millions of existing jobs, it will also create around 78 million new ones — roles that demand creativity, adaptability, and collaboration. Many of these jobs will require the judgment of someone with a decade of experience, even for entry-level positions. Traditional lecture-based models cannot meet this demand. Universities must fully embrace experiential learning — hands-on problemsolving, interdisciplinary teamwork, and real-world application. We must create environments where students ask their own questions, navigate uncertainty, and learn by doing. This is where universities can shine — by offering what AI cannot: the uniquely human experience of learning together, face-to-face, in community.

Third, we must redesign the structure of the university itself. As Ben Nelson, founder of Minerva Schools, argues, higher education must focus not only on access but also on effectiveness and productivity. This requires breaking free from outdated structures: four-year degrees, 15-week semesters, and 90-minute lectures. At Dongseo University, we are responding to this challenge. We are merging three of our colleges — Design, Film/Acting/Musical, and Media Content — into one interdisciplinary College of Arts and Innovation, set to launch in 2027. This new model breaks down rigid academic silos, embraces hybrid formats, and fosters creativity across domains. Our aim is to prepare students not for yesterday’s jobs, but for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.

Fourth, we must open our doors to the world. The university of the AI age cannot be a walled garden. It must be a global platform for collaboration — with industries, governments, communities, and, most importantly, with other universities. That’s why institutions across Asia are preparing to launch Asia Alliance University (AAU), a shared initiative that brings together students and faculty to co-create solutions to regional and global problems. These are not just exchange programs; they are joint missions in innovation and problem-solving. Through AAU, students learn to collaborate across cultures, tackle real-world challenges, and grow as global citizens. They don’t just absorb knowledge — they become creators, connectors, and changemakers.

In sum, the emergence of AI presents both a crisis and a calling for higher education. The crisis is clear: if we cling to old paradigms, we will become obsolete. But the calling is even greater: to reimagine the university as a place where students grow — not just in knowledge, but in wisdom, character, and purpose.

The road ahead will not be easy. But if universities embrace change with courage and vision, we can once again prove our purpose — not as relics of the past, but as architects of the future.

This article was written in contribution to IAU Horizons Volume 30, No.2. The ‘In Focus’ section of this edition was dedicated to Dimensions of Trust in Higher Education. This edition was published in October 2025. Read the full edition and more IAU Horizons here.

Higher education in North America is experiencing an era of intersecting crises. Many of us remain committed to the promise of universities as critical sites for confronting these challenges, and we harbour an enduring belief that our faculty and students can and do help our societies to imagine solutions. Yet we live in an era defined by a profound and seemingly deepening crisis of belief in higher education, at least here in the United States. Public opinion polls present evidence that our citizens have grown critical of our institutions. Political leaders regularly question the value of higher education. Federal policy shifts and executive orders over the last years have translated general public disenchantment into acute budgetary and operational constraints on many American campuses. The outside world, at least here in the U.S., is sending powerful messages to our campus communities.

Equally troubling are the internal dimensions of this crisis of belief that have become evident over the past years, and especially during and after the pandemic. The erosion of institutional self-confidence and belief manifests itself in a worrying malaise among faculty, staff, and administrators on many campuses. One senses a loss of confidence in the larger project of higher education, and a deepening doubt about our institution’s potential for transforming the lives of young people while strengthening communities and nations. Those who want to find a way forward for higher education amid this era’s myriad challenges must find a way of rebuilding belief and trust, both with our societies and within our campus communities.

Some historical thinking may prove helpful for making sense of our current bind. The International Association of Universities was one of many international bodies created in the years immediately after the Second World War. These new organizations were dedicated to forging enduring forms of cross-national connection and building trust in the wake of the global catastrophes of the first half of the twentieth century. While the growth of the IAU and like-minded institutions was uneven and at times contested, national systems of higher education came into more regular and productive contact over the second half of the last century. The localistic orientation of many colleges and universities in North America slowly gave way to a steady internationalization of the curriculum, the faculty, and the student body. That internationalization varied considerably across institutions, but the horizons of American higher education broadened substantially between 1950 and 2000.

As a graduate student in New York City during the 1990s and a scholar faculty member since 1998, the years leading to the turn of the century featured growing enthusiasm for globalization across American higher education. Student mobility grew. University mission statements and strategic plans began to imagine preparing students for global citizenship. Memoranda of understanding between institutions proliferated, and branch campuses brought American-style higher education to variety of locations around the globe. At Boston College, our Center for International Higher Education’s establishment in 1995 signaled a recognition of the significance of the field.

It is somewhat disorienting to look back at the optimism that accompanied much of the institutional planning around internationalization in and around the year 2000. The past quarter century here in North America has been marked by populist insurgencies in large part fueled by distrust of internationalization and by contempt for contemporary higher education. Policy changes are threatening student and staff mobility, and the postwar social compact underlying the rise of the American research university is under profound stress. “America first” rhetoric challenges the fundamental assumptions of those whose careers and institutions had recently been committed to the project of internationalization. The worrying instability in institutional leadership among the great universities only adds to the sense of crisis.

How, then, might university leaders and faculty and students begin to find opportunities for rebuilding belief in the larger project of higher education in the face of such mighty headwinds? Must those committed to making the case for our institutions as committed to the common good privilege the national over concern for the international?

The early months of 2026 remind us of the important work that our students and faculty are doing to grapple with the challenges of our age. Universities must confront the complex problems that the next generation faces---geopolitical instability, growing inequality, climate change, among so many others. To do so requires that individual institutions, and organizations like the IAU, work to imagine how we might hold - in a productive and animating tension - our commitments at the local and national level with our call to partner across national and regional boundaries. The problems of the 21st century demand a global moral imagination, and new forms and structures of cross-national solidarity. What suited the years 2000s is clearly no long sufficient. This generation of university citizens must locate new ways of working together in hopes of reminding our fellow citizens of the critical roles that our institutions can play in creating a just and peaceful and sustainable future.

This article was written in contribution to IAU Horizons Volume 31, No.1. The ‘In Focus’ section of this edition was dedicated to Repositioning Internationalization in a New Geopolitical Era. This edition was published in June 2026. Read the full edition and more IAU Horizons here.

We are at the cusp of the next industrial revolution – the age of intelligence. More specifically, the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

AI has coursed through the gates of higher education institutions around the world, whether we are ready or not. In the face of this fast-growing and indomitable phenomenon, it is vital for universities to pick up speed on how we integrate AI into the fabric of our institutions, through our programmes, people, and research.

Learning and thinking form the foundations of education, and it is imperative to ensure that the development of intellectual skills of learners are not compromised in an age where there is a rising use of and undeniable reliance on AI in educational institutions. For example, it is typical for us to search online for information through search engines such as Google, pick out relevant materials and consolidate these. This task may now be delegated to ChatGPT that has developed the capability to source, extract and consolidate relevant information on a particular topic, and as a result, eliminate the need for human agency. If learners grow overly reliant on AI tools, this foundational skill might be lost. In short, education, especially tertiary education, must be reimagined.

This is a call for educators to move beyond their comfort zone of instructionism (teacher-focused, skill based, productoriented, non-interactive, and highly prescribed) and instead employ hands-on constructivism (student-focused, meaningbased, process-oriented, interactive, and responsive to student interest).*

Additionally, an increased and more meaningful engagement with learners will allow educators the opportunity to emphasise humanness in education.** This includes navigating the nuances of human interaction, empathy, and ethical decision-making.

Educators should also take a transdisciplinary approach in the development of learners’ AI competencies to build their multidimensional understanding of AI’s relevance and its intersection with various fields. On the part of learners, they will need to be adept in both critical thinking and problemsolving skills.

Critical thinking skills include having an astute knowledge of what AI tools are capable of as well as their shortcomings. This would enable learners to ask relevant and specific queries, leading to improved outcomes and valuable insights.

To understand and handle the algorithms powering AI tools, learners must grasp the basics of computational thinking – a mode of problem-solving which is the basis of prompt engineering that is taught alongside the use of ChatGPT. In doing so, educators and learners alike will be able to link theory and practice with projects.

The advancement of AI has also paved the way for personalised learning, where learners are empowered to dictate their learning goals, the pace of their learning, how they learn and more. Aside from being technically proficient, learners need to be Curious, Creative and Collaborative – capable of adapting to new and unexpected scenarios.

Given that AI will likely displace large numbers of blue-collar and bottom-rung white-collar workers, one of the biggest challenges in the Continuing Education and Training (CET) sector is how to retrain and reskill displaced workers. CET will need to provide them with new meaningful career pathways.

For research-intensive universities, AI can play a significant part in expediting research. To harness AI’s full potential requires the development of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary teams and an enhancement of research infrastructure to boost computing power. Examples include DeepMind’s Alphafold, Huawei CLOUD’s Pangu-Weather and Fusion Science’s advancement through AI.

Unquestionably, there are some inherent risks in the use of AI tools, from inaccurate information to inherited biases in data as well as intellectual property and copyright issues. As such, regulation will have to move in tandem with technology developments, and must be considered at the different stages, from data collection to model training and model output.

In view of AI’s voracious appetite for energy, another major consideration is its impact on the environment. Currently, the National University of Singapore (NUS)’s School of Computing has 127 Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) servers.

If all were run at full capacity, they would consume 630 kilowatts (kW) in just an hour. At the university-level, servers housed within our three data centres expend over 12 million kW annually, with almost 30% contributed by GPU servers. Besides electrical consumption, the heat and carbon dioxide emitted contribute to AI’s overall carbon footprint, which is certain to grow.

NUS hopes to reduce our carbon footprint by 30% by 2030. With the soaring interest in the use of AI for education and research, we are seeking more efficient ways to cool our data centres. Numerous prototypes are in place including the Sustainable Tropical Data Centre Testbed – the world’s first tropical climate data centre.***

As man and machine compete for dominance, higher education institutions have a key role to play in ensuring that human intelligence reigns supreme over machine. Let us respond to the call to transform education, drive innovation, and shape the future.

* https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED490726
** https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/age-ai-teach-your-students-how-be-human
*** https://news.nus.edu.sg/worlds-first-tropical-climate-data-centre-testbed

This article was written in contribution to IAU Horizons Volume 29, No.1. The ‘In Focus’ section of this edition was dedicated to Universities and the Interplay of Human Intelligence and Generative AI. This edition was published in June 2025. Read the full edition and more IAU Horizons here.

In 2015, the United Nations launched Agenda 2030, a global commitment to tackle poverty, climate change, and conflict through 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Universities were named partners, their potential implied but not defined. Yet, as we near the midpoint of this transformative Decade, progress is uneven.

According to the 2024 Sustainable Development Report, only 16% of global SDG targets are currently on track, with the remaining 84% either stagnating or reversing due to COVID-19, conflicts, and climate shocks (SDSN, 2024).

The SDG framework, with its structured yet often prescriptive approach, has encountered limitations in fully addressing the complexity of these challenges. This underscores the need for a more inclusive, bottom-up approach—one that actively integrates local knowledge systems. Leveraging institutions like universities could further catalyze systemic transformation. The question, then, is what role universities, particularly in Africa, must play in this process?

At UM6P, our approach is guided by the belief that transformation begins with redefining the very purpose of universities. As institutions at the intersection of research, education, and impact, we must act as engines of change, integrating sustainability into our core strategies. This vision is founded on three pillars: redefining purpose, fostering innovation, and building bridges.

Redefining Purpose

Universities have long been seen as reservoirs of knowledge, producing research that often circulates within academic circles. Today, especially in Africa, they must become engines of action, not just reflection. The continent’s most pressing challenges demand solutions that go beyond theory and connect to societal needs.

Consider food security. Africa is endowed with the land, the talent, and the knowledge to feed itself, yet 282 millions of its people are undernourished. The issue is not a lack of resources but a systemic one. The missing link is not knowledge but the ability to translate it into scalable, localized solutions. Universities have a key role to play – not in isolation, but as part of broader innovation ecosystems.

At UM6P, this principle is embedded in initiatives like the African Sustainable Agriculture Research Institute (ASARI), which focuses on developing climate-resilient crops and sustainable farming practices tailored to arid regions, ensuring research drives tangible progress.

Transformation is also about people. Africa’s population is set to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, with over 60% under 25. This youth bulge represents immense potential, but only if universities step up. Education systems must go beyond conventional learning models by shaping graduates who can think critically, adapt rapidly, and build solutions that matter.

Fostering Innovation

Innovation drives progress, yet too often, it remains trapped in academic silos—circulating in journals, confined to labs, and disconnected from real-world challenges. Universities must bridge this gap, ensuring breakthroughs in research do not end at this discovery stage but translate into tangible solutions.

At UM6P, we believe innovation must be tested, refined, and scaled in dynamic ecosystems. Our Living Lab fosters collaboration among researchers, students, communities, and industry, ensuring that ideas are not only groundbreaking but also practical and responsive to real needs.

This approach is particularly crucial in the Global South, where universities have the potential to serve as Research and Development hubs, but innovation without local capacitybuilding remains unsustainable. Agriculture exemplifies this challenge.

Africa holds immense potential, yet smallholder farmers—who produce 80% of the continent’s food—lack access to modern irrigation and scalable solutions. Addressing this gap requires more than technology; it demands training, entrepreneurship, and adoption pathways that align with national development priorities. At UM6P, innovation is action.

Through UM6P Ventures, we invest in startups tackling SDG challenges in agritech, renewable energy, and sustainable materials—ensuring research fuels impact, not just ideas.

Building Bridges

No institution, no matter how visionary, can achieve the SDGs alone. The challenges we face are too complex, interconnected, and global. Collaboration is not just an option, it is imperative.

In this context, universities are uniquely positioned to facilitate global cooperation. Through research networks, academic partnerships, and policy advocacy, universities can act as bridges between diverse actors, fostering collaboration that leads to sustainable outcomes. This is especially important in Africa, where financial, technological, and infrastructural gaps constrain the capacity for development.

UM6P exemplifies this collaborative approach through partnerships with industry, governments, and other academic institutions. Our collaboration with industrials on sustainable agricultural practices demonstrates how cross-sector cooperation can drive impactful change, benefiting communities across Africa.

In conclusion, universities must reimagine their role as dynamic, action-oriented hubs of innovation and collaboration, bridging knowledge and practice to drive the systemic transformations needed to achieve the SDGs and secure a sustainable future for all.

This article was written in contribution to IAU Horizons Volume 30, No.1. The ‘In Focus’ section of this edition was dedicated to the theme Transforming Our World: Shaping the Path Forward. This edition was published in June 2025. Read the full edition and more IAU Horizons here.

In a world where information flows faster than reflection, and where knowledge is often reduced to a search bar and a scroll, the question facing universities is urgent and existential: how do we remain worthy of the young generation’s trust?

Trust is no longer a given. It is not inherited with tradition, nor guaranteed by reputation. Like a delicate bridge, it must be rebuilt each day—plank by plank, with transparency, accountability, and responsiveness. In the face of disinformation, conspiracy theories, and polarized ideologies, trust has become both a moral compass and a strategic resource. Societies that cultivate trust in institutions— governments, science, media, and yes, universities—are more cohesive, less vulnerable to manipulation, and more capable of withstanding crises.

Higher education is no exception. If anything, our responsibility is greater. We are expected not only to deliver facts but to cultivate discernment; not only to transmit knowledge, but to teach how to question it. The university is not a sanctuary removed from society—it is an active participant, a dialogical space where the academy listens as much as it speaks.

To earn trust, we must engage with humility. That means acknowledging our own fallibility, correcting our course when necessary, and remaining open to scrutiny. It also means educating for resilience—helping students develop the critical faculties needed to sift truth from falsehood, signal from noise.

But trust also depends on access. Although the global student population has grown significantly—from 239 million in 2020 to 264 million in 2025, according to UNESCO—the uneven accessibility of higher education remains a glaring issue. In some regions, the disparity is not measured in percentages, but in multiples. Bridging this gap requires more than academic discourse—it demands coordinated national policies and international solidarity. And yet, geopolitical isolationism, such as the U.S. withdrawal from UNESCO, risks deepening the divide.

International mobility and academic exchange are powerful antidotes. In Lithuania, despite demographic decline, our enrolment rate rose from 72% to 77%—and the number of international students has increased nearly tenfold in the past decade. Today, they arrive from 129 countries. At Mykolas Romeris University, over 14% of our student body comes from more than 20 nations across four continents. This multiculturalism is not a trend—it is a foundation for mutual understanding and trust.

Still, we cannot afford complacency. The world is shifting rapidly. Armed conflicts displace students and scholars. Academic freedom is under siege. Populist and radical movements politicize education and threaten democratic values. And amid all this, a dangerous paradox grows: as access to information becomes effortless, the perceived value of science and structured learning diminishes. When answers lie a click away, what need is there for deep study—or for the university itself?

But is this digital convenience truly a substitute for education? Can knowledge be "purchased" like a product, consumed in fragments from an AI assistant, without the mentorship, ethical grounding, and critical thinking that a university provides? The answer lies in what young people seek from us—not just data, but meaning.

Recent surveys, including Deloitte’s global research on Gen Z and millennials, reveal this generation's aspirations: not simply to succeed, but to grow. They seek purpose over hierarchy, mentorship over management. They want their work—and by extension, their studies—to contribute meaningfully to society. Learning and development are among their top priorities, even as they anticipate working in collaboration with generative AI. But along with technical skills, they crave the cultivation of soft skills: empathy, leadership, a sense of belonging.

Here lies both our greatest opportunity and our most pressing challenge. Universities must commit to continual selfrenewal—evolving into laboratories not only for technological advancement but also for the cultivation of human values. Integrating the social sciences with technical disciplines, fostering emotional intelligence in tandem with innovation, and nurturing meaningful dialogue between humanity and machines—these are the frontiers that will define our relevance.

We must strive to be institutions our students do not merely attend—but trust. And that trust is earned not through prestige, but through a promise: to help them discover not only what the world is, but what their place in it can be. To guide them through an uncertain future—not as passive users of technology, but as active, thoughtful, and empathetic human beings.

In this new era, values-led leadership is essential—rooted in academic freedom, integrity, inclusion, and service. These are not lofty ideals, but the scaffolding of trust. And trust, once built, becomes the bridge between education and transformation.

Let us continue to build that bridge, together—with open minds, open hearts, and an unwavering commitment to the next generation.

This article was written in contribution to IAU Horizons Volume 30, No.2. The ‘In Focus’ section of this edition was dedicated to Dimensions of Trust in Higher Education. This edition was published in October 2025. Read the full edition and more IAU Horizons here.

For African universities, international collaboration has long been central to research development, post-graduate training, infrastructure growth, and academic visibility. Yet the geopolitical environment surrounding higher education is undergoing profound change. Rising nationalism, securitization of research, tightening mobility regimes, and renewed state assertion over universities are reshaping global engagement. In this context, internationalization must be repositioned rather than abandoned, and recalibrated toward agency, equity, and resilience.

Historically, internationalization in Africa has been framed around access: to funding, laboratories, mobility opportunities, and global publishing networks concentrated in the Global North. While these partnerships have delivered important gains, they have often been asymmetrical, leaving African institutions vulnerable to shifting geopolitical priorities and donor agendas.

The present moment demands movement from participation to agenda-setting. African universities must define research priorities rooted in national and continental needs and engage partners as co-creators rather than just beneficiaries. Internationalization must therefore strengthen institutional self-determination while sustaining global cooperation. This shift is already underway.

The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA), offers a compelling example of how internationalization can be reimagined from within Africa. Bringing together leading research-intensive universities, ARUA advances collaborative post-doctoral training, shared research infrastructure, through Centres of Excellence addressing challenges such as climate change, migration, food systems, energy transitions, and governance. Its distributed networks pool intellectual capacity and leadership, reducing institutional isolation while strengthening Africa’s collective research agenda. Its collaboration in Africa–Europe Clusters of Research Excellence with the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities, demonstrates how continental coordination enables more balanced global partnerships.

ARUA illustrates an important lesson: effective internationalization begins regionally. Strong continental ecosystems allow African universities to engage globally from positions of collective strength rather than individual dependency.

Despite progress, a structural constraint that limits subregional collaboration is the enduring Anglophone, Francophone, and Lusophone divide inherited from colonial histories. Differences in language of instruction, academic systems, and administrative frameworks complicate joint programs, mobility schemes, and research collaboration even among neighbouring countries confronting similar challenges.

Internationalization within Africa can be impeded not by distance but by language. Addressing this requires deliberate institutional strategies: multilingual programs, harmonized accreditation mechanisms, expanded academic translation infrastructures, and incentives for bilingual scholarship and teaching. Language is not merely a communication tool but an architecture of participation. Overcoming linguistic silos is essential for meaningful continental collaboration.

Repositioning internationalization also requires confronting inequities in global research collaboration. Too often, research in Africa has followed extractive patterns. Data are collected locally but analysed, owned, and disseminated elsewhere with limited local capacity retention. The Africa Charter for Transformative Research Collaborations, supported by the Association of African Universities, represents an important response. It advances principles of equitable partnership, shared agenda-setting, fair data governance, mutual accountability, and sustainable capacity strengthening.

Its significance lies in repositioning African universities as norm-setters within global knowledge systems. Increasingly, institutions and funders are being challenged to align partnership agreements, authorship practices, and governance frameworks with these principles. The Charter moves internationalization beyond transactional collaboration toward genuine co-creation.

At the same time, universities worldwide face growing governmental scrutiny. International research partnerships are increasingly viewed through national security or economic competition lenses. For African universities often publicly funded, yet globally networked, this creates delicate balances between national accountability and institutional autonomy.

Universities must therefore demonstrate that international collaboration strengthens national development rather than undermines sovereignty. Advances in public health, climate adaptation, artificial intelligence, governance, and food security depend on cross-border knowledge exchange. Internationalization should be understood as development infrastructure serving the public good. Traditional indicators such as student mobility and international recruitment are becoming less reliable amid rising costs, visa restrictions, and geopolitical instability. For many African institutions, mobility has always been unequal. A more resilient model prioritizes collaborative knowledge production: joint post-graduate supervision, shared laboratories, co-authored scholarship, and fair data ownership.

From an African perspective, repositioning internationalization requires certain commitments. African universities must exercise greater agency, setting partnership agendas that reflect continental priorities. Platforms such as ARUA should be strengthened for engaging the world from positions of collective strength. The Anglophone-Francophone-Lusophone divide must be addressed through multilingual strategies that enable deeper collaboration. Equitable partnership principles, as articulated in the Africa Charter for Transformative Research Collaborations, must guide research governance. Above all, internationalization must demonstrate public value, showing how global engagement contributes to societal transformation and sustainable development.

The current geopolitical situation presents both uncertainty and opportunity. If universities move from dependency toward collective agency, from fragmentation toward integration, and from extraction toward co-creation, internationalization will not diminish but mature into mutually beneficial endeavours. For African universities, the task is neither retreat nor uncritical globalization but purposeful engagement with the world on terms that are principled, reciprocal, and transformative.

This article was written in contribution to IAU Horizons Volume 31, No.1. The ‘In Focus’ section of this edition was dedicated to Repositioning Internationalization in a New Geopolitical Era. This edition was published in June 2026. Read the full edition and more IAU Horizons here.

Dear Members, partners, and colleagues,

As fans around the world have gathered to support their national teams this month, we are reminded of the profound power of international collaboration and friendly competiton. At the IAU, we strive to foster interculturality and cultural exchange through higher education and research collaboration. Through our work, we aim to connect diverse peoples, generate and disseminate new knowledge, create insights and find sustainable solutions to local and global challenges. This newsletter provides a brief overview of upcoming events, recent news, and key resources relevant to the higher education community. Please take the time to peruse these updates and engage with our global network.

Hilligje van’t Land, PhD
Secretary General, International Association of Universities(IAU)
Executive Director, International Universities Bureau

Highlights

Registrations for the IAU 17th General Conference are open! The conference, focused on the theme “The Value of Universities in the Era of Artificial Intelligence,” will welcome 400+ delegates from 100+ countries to discuss the fundamental questions about what it means to know, to learn, and by consequence how we perceive the world, in the age of AI. Discover the full programme and register here.

The IAU Executive Leadership Programme is open for applications for the 2026-2027 cohort. This one year hybrid capacity building programme provides university leaders a framework with which to confront the big managerial, ethical, economic and societal questions universities face. Learn more about the ELP and how to apply here.

Apply now to participate in the OpenEU Study Visit to the Universidade Aberta, organised by the IAU. Join the IAU and OpenEU on 20-21 October 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal to learn about UAb’s institutional approaches to the successful delivery of online HE, pedagogical innovations in virtual classrooms, and more. Learn more and apply to participate in this opportunity here.

Register for the Official UN-HLPF Side Event organised by the IAU and SDG: 11 Cluster Lead Siam University on Sustainable Cities and Higher Education: Partners and Accelerators for Sustainable Transformation online at 12:30 CEST on Wednesday 8 July 2026. Register here. Learn more about Higher education at the HLPF 2026 here.

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

• IAU Administrative Board Elections: Learn how to stand for election and vote for the Association’s leadership in the 2026-2030 Administrative Board Elections

• Save the date: IAU 17th General Conference on The Value of Universities in the Era of Artificial Intelligence to be hosted by Murdoch University in Perth, Australia from 3-6 November 2026

• Learn about IAU contributions and the role of Higher Education at the UN High Level Political Forum (UN-HLPF) 2026

• Listen-in to the virtual book launch: New Conversations on Global Citizenship Education: Plural Voices, Ethical Commitments, and Emerging Futures on 22 July, 14:00 CEST

• Register for the joint IAU-ISC webinar on Teaching Hazards and Risk in Higher Education, 15:00 CEST on 2 September 2026

• Help your students to engage with sustainable development and join the 2026-2027 cohort of the Responsible Futures International Programme

More news and opportunities from the IAU.

Featured Resources

• Consider how we are Repositioning Internationalization in a New Geopolitical Era in IAU Horizons vol. 30, iss. 2

• Higher Education Policy vol. 39, iss. 2 covers issues ranging from student employability in Kazakhstan to policy tensions between internationalization and gender in Sweden.

• Read the newly published article Navigating forcibly displaced learners’ pathways to higher education and beyond: Ukrainian students in French higher education (available via Open Access)

• Peruse IAU Contributions to the Université Côte d’Azur International Digital Week 2026

• Learn more about how the IAU helped to Strengthen Academic and Cultural Ties at the 35th Meeting of the AULP

• Explore IAU contributions to the GaragErasmus Annual Meeting 2026

• Consider how we are moving Toward a High-Impact University That Changes the World

• Read about Advancing Women’s Leadership in European Higher Education Amid Rising Geopolitical Tensions

• Learn about Pillars of Freedom: Safeguarding Knowledge and Building Institutional Resilience

• Discover the IAU-UNESCO webinar series on The Academic Conscience and Artificial Intelligence

• Learn more about higher education institutions and systems around the world via the World Higher Education Database (WHED)

• Discover university actions and initiatives developed around the world to promote sustainability and contribute to the SDGs on the IAU Global Portal for HESD

• Discover information about the IAU 17th General Conference on the event website

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Members and Partners

• Resource: Issue 127 of International Higher Education (IHE) is now available, including an article co-written by IAU Manager for Internationalization, Giorgio Marinoni

• Event: Join the conversation shaping the future of higher education in Africa at the 16th ANIE Annual Conference, taking place 14–16 October 2026 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

• Event: Register now and meet with IAU representatives at the Bologna Process Researchers’ Conference (FOHE-BPRC6) taking place on 16-17 September 2026 in Bucharest, Romania

• Announcement: IAU Member Université Catholique de Lille assumes the Lead for IAU HESD Cluster for SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• Opportunity: UNESCO Education beyond 2030: Global youth and student consultations to shape the future education agenda

More news and opportunities from IAU Members

Become an IAU Member

Is your institution or organisation not yet a Member of the IAU? Learn more about IAU Membership benefits here.

Urashima Tarō: Urashima Tarō is a young fisherman who rescues a turtle and is taken to a magical undersea palace. Despite enjoying the wonders, he yearns for home and in parting, is given a mysterious box — with instructions that it never be opened. Upon return he's surprised by the passage of time and eventually gives into nostalgia and curiosity. He opens the box and in a puff of smoke, finds himself transformed into an old man.

The metaphor of Urashima Tarō emphasizes the realities of time, change, and serves as a reminder around responsibility and consequence. I recently surveyed my hundred or so graduate students; which opinion more accurately represented how they've used AI in the past? The results split students straight down the middle into two groups:

• Task-oriented (50%): "I've been using it to accomplish tasks faster and achieve better results even if it means learning less."

• Learning-oriented (50%): "I've been using it to learn more even if it means accomplishing tasks slower and with poorer results."

It's tempting to see the cup as half-empty. Consequently, conversations shift toward whether AI is undermining student attitudes about learning. At worst, it raises suspicions that AI usage might be at odds with the spirit of scholarship and academic honesty. Be wary of opening the box. Yet, the true cautionary tale is presuming that the surface represents reality. If we open the box, we actually find that there's more to this story. In a follow-up, I asked students to expand on how they're using AI. Even for those who report task-orientation, the actual practices engaged in reveal sophisticated learningoriented behaviors.

These very students use AI as powerful cognitive supports in the problem-solving processes they encounter. They use AI to delve into explanations, dissect problems, and emulate expert reasoning. They use it to reflect on their thinking, challenge their understanding, and self-regulate their learning. Interactions with AI are deeply personal, blending learning with their life experiences and interests. If not for the fog of AI, the behaviors exhibited here might be the kinds educators celebrate as signals of thoughtfulness, authenticity, and agency. These healthy and productive markers suggest a hopeful picture of the future, one we should strive to realize.

Momotarō: Momotarō is a boy born from a peach. With each passing year he grows stronger, one day embarking on a journey to defeat the oni (i.e. demon) causing trouble across the land. On this adventure, he befriends a dog, monkey, and pheasant by sharing millet dumplings and together they sail toward Oni Island. In the final battle, each contributes in their unique ways, evil is banished, and they return triumphant.

There's an urgency felt in higher education around the shifting socio-technological landscape. My fellow colleague, Dr. Lalitha Vasudevan inspires us to be "technologically nimble" and this concept resonates with me. It emphasizes agility and adaptability rooted in understanding and empathy of our communities. This spirit reflected in Momotarō's collaborative journey starkly contrasts with Urashima Tarō's isolated tale. It's better to go forward together than alone.

At Teachers College, Columbia University (TC) partners like Dr. Charles Lang and the Digital Futures Institute (DFI) are proactively coordinating institution-wide engagements with the community to understand what AI means for how we work, how we learn, and how it impacts the larger world around us. We embrace a hands-on and exploratory approach where play and experimentation is encouraged. It's about embracing both discoveries and mistakes, inspiring dialogues that lead to genuine insights.

Would Urashima Tarō's journey have ended differently, had he crossed paths with Momotarō and learned from his tale? By embracing and sharing our diverse contributions we are empowered to shape an enriching, collective future. Engaging with colleagues and students has refined my own teaching, guiding students to harness AI not merely for tasks but deeper understanding and growth. This approach, grounded in our shared human experience, ensures our educational practices evolve with technology and not become overshadowed by it. We're not just learning from AI. We're shaping a future with AI, where our wisdom and experiences, like timeless folktales, remain invaluable and enduring.

This article was written in contribution to IAU Horizons Volume 29, No.1. The ‘In Focus’ section of this edition was dedicated to Universities and the Interplay of Human Intelligence and Generative AI. This edition was published in June 2025. Read the full edition and more IAU Horizons here.

Around 12 million immigrants entered the US through Ellis Island. It is estimated that roughly 40 percent of living Americans are descendants of those immigrants. These newcomers, often arriving with little more than the belief that they could build a better life, became pillars of America’s rapid industrial expansion, filling essential roles in industry that powered the US economy’s transformation into a global powerhouse.

Research in economics and social sciences shows that immigration and openness to diversity contribute positively to economic performance. Historically, immigrant workers filled labour market gaps and often contributed in practical ways to business creation and innovation. Multiple studies show a higher representation of immigrants among entrepreneurs and innovators, and that their presence contributes to both GDP growth and economic output. International Monetary Fund research points to immigration as a factor behind higher GDP per capita in advanced economies [3]. Other work also shows that immigrants help sustain economic growth that would otherwise slow down or even halt due to demographic decline [4].

Diversity also enriches the intellectual life of societies and universities. Students and scholars from different cultural traditions bring fresh perspectives that encourage critical thinking, promote innovation, and help global collaboration. Higher education institutions that embrace internationalization produce graduates who tend to be more adaptable in professional and social contexts.

Internationalization can help mitigate population decline. The EU has seen record lows in births, with fewer than 3.7 million births in 2023 [2]. Low fertility rates and aging populations put pressure on labour markets and public finances, challenge social systems, and threaten HEI enrolment.

Even with clear evidence of benefits, many policy environments, including in Croatia, present obstacles that diminish the potential of internationalization. Restrictive laws on work permits and complex visa procedures seriously limit the inflow of foreign students. These regulatory barriers reduce the attractiveness of national higher education systems and often benefit more flexible foreign economies. The Netherlands, for example, currently enrols almost 18 percent foreign students, compared to 2.5 percent in Croatia. A paradox is that it is currently much easier to obtain a work-based visa for an unqualified worker than for a prospective student in Croatia. Addressing these legal constraints is crucial for the future of any country.

This is in harsh contrast to what we have seen in the former Yugoslavia, where a lot of students from countries belonging to the so-called “Non-Aligned Movement” studied at universities across the country. Some settled permanently, some returned home, and often held influential positions in government and industry, opened many doors for Yugoslav companies, and acted as the best informal ambassadors of the country.

Today, higher education internationalization is often challenged by populist narratives that describe it as a threat to national security or cultural identity. These narratives, often rooted in fear or economic anxiety, resemble historical patterns seen in earlier debates on immigration. Social sciences recognize the Dillingham Flaw, a pattern in which “natives” react negatively to the presence of immigrants, forgetting that their own ancestors were also immigrants, some of them decades, some of them centuries ago [1].

In addition, international collaboration in higher education is frequently disrupted by geopolitical dynamics, including political tensions, trade restrictions, and economic sanctions. These factors can make it difficult or even impossible for students and faculty to travel across borders, participate in exchange programs, attend conferences, or engage in joint research projects. Diplomatic disputes may lead to sudden visa denials, funding cuts, or restrictions on academic partnerships, while trade or technology sanctions can limit access to essential research equipment, data, or collaborative platforms. To face the challenges of the new geopolitical era, the higher education community needs to articulate more clearly that openness and diversity are strategic assets. Universities and policymakers should emphasize that internationalization can support demographic resilience and help sustain economies in aging societies. At the same time, institutions must advocate for legal reforms that facilitate mobility, recognition of qualifications, and the integration of graduates into local labour markets. Academic leaders should also highlight that international engagement is not a mere add-on, but essential to excellence in research and teaching, thereby widening the horizons of all members of the academic community.

The historical example of Ellis Island reminds us that societies that have opened their doors to diversity have often achieved long-term benefits, economically and socially. Today’s demographic and geopolitical challenges call for similarly ambitious and forward-looking approaches in higher education. Internationalization, if supported with reasonable policies and strategic vision, can help universities continue to play a central role in sustainable societies.

This article was written in contribution to IAU Horizons Volume 31, No.1. The ‘In Focus’ section of this edition was dedicated to Repositioning Internationalization in a New Geopolitical Era. This edition was published in June 2026. Read the full edition and more IAU Horizons here.

Internationalisation and globalisation of higher education have led to the movement of students and researchers, along with the cross-border mobility of programmes and organizations beyond the confines of nation-states. This shift has occurred as governments have moved from promoting general international understanding to establishing international exchange hubs and formulating education policies aimed at attracting and developing talent. Additionally, rising demand for higher education has expanded mobility, driven in part by the increasing number of privately funded international students. This trend has resulted in a diverse range of joint degree programmes and the introduction of new systems such as credit transfer schemes and micro-credentials. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the growth of online and virtual education, reshaping mobility patterns and transforming the notion of studying abroad. Consequently, higher education regions that transcend national borders are now visible not only in Europe but also in Asia and Africa. Furthermore, global challenges have increased the demand for international joint research through cross-sectoral, multilateral collaboration.

However, geopolitical influences are increasingly casting a significant shadow over the development of international higher education. Internal and international factors both have a significant impact on higher education. The competition to secure human resources affects the development of future generations who will contribute to sustainable social progress. In addition, research security issues--namely dual-use of knowledge and technology, unintended technology transfer issues, and intellectual property protection--are increasingly shaped by geopolitical considerations, particularly regarding how technologies and research outcomes are utilised. Amid calls for international joint research to solve global issues, there are concerns that such issues may hinder research cooperation. Moreover, new issues have arisen around the use of AI, which has recently surged into prominence, including questions surrounding its appropriate use and renewed scrutiny of researchers’ ethical responsibilities.

With only four years remaining until the target year of the current Agenda 2030, the situation is proving even more severe than previously anticipated. Education is recognised as a key driver for achieving the SDG goals, particularly through the lenses of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Global Citizenship Education, and its role in international higher education is receiving heightened attention. However, the development of human resources and the creation of knowledge—originally defined as public goods—and the research outcomes supporting them are increasingly being appropriated for geopolitical strategies and conflicts.

In light of this situation, when attempting to answer the question, “What are the lacunas of the current Agenda 2030? Is there a need for new goals or refined objectives?” I would like to propose the addition of “ethics surrounding ‘caring for others with others.’” This principle serves as a foundation shared across all forms of policy planning, the implementation of specific actions, and educational practice. While ethics may not necessarily be positioned as a goal in itself, its presence becomes vital as geopolitical demands grow increasingly complex and as conflicts intensify. Debates over the legitimacy of national policy principles alone can no longer resolve the problems we face. At the same time, the urgency of addressing global issues prevents us from postponing action. In these circumstances, our thinking and actions should be driven not by calculated assessments of cost-effectiveness or efficiency but by a shared ethical sense of how far we are willing to go to support others, regardless of whether or not such actions align with our own interests.

This shift will necessitate a transformation in the approach to international higher education in terms of education, research, and societal engagement. In other words, where the focus was once on developing human resources for the benefit of the state or particular communities—through targeted programmes and research initiatives—it will become essential to adopt a more multifaceted perspective on what constitutes usefulness and to prioritise equity rooted in caring for others with others.

This article was written in contribution to IAU Horizons Volume 30, No.1. The ‘In Focus’ section of this edition was dedicated to the theme Transforming Our World: Shaping the Path Forward. This edition was published in June 2025. Read the full edition and more IAU Horizons here.