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Political ambition is not enough. Stable funding, coherent regulation and realistic institutional differentiation are also vital, says Kyuseok Kim

We are witnessing the collapse of the idea that, as civilian institutions, universities should not be targeted in wartime, says Roohola Ramezani

Before the Taliban’s return, many Afghan academics went abroad for PhDs. But the collapse in their prospects has left many in limbo, says a scholar

Unlike those in the West, Iranian students explicitly reject a leftism they see as supportive of the Islamic Republic, says Roohola Ramezani

The Supreme Court’s suspension of the regulations highlights contention about when equity efforts tip into reverse discrimination, says Mukhtar Ahmad

With a thoughtful strategy, Greece could become a leading Mediterranean destination for those seeking European qualifications, says Ianis Matsoukas

Our symposium illustrates the contribution that students outside the scientific mainstream could make if given the chance, says Iván Moya

The targeting of a Netherlands-based online Persian university represents a state grappling with limits on its control of knowledge circulation, says Roohola Ramezani

When Mashreq’s campus was shattered and then occupied by soldiers, we were forced to strip education down to its essentials, says Gihad Ibrahim

The rampant unauthorised use of the SKY university branding is testament to how it has become shorthand for excellence, says Kyuseok Kim

Rigid structures need to be loosened to address the devaluation of degrees and to embrace AI and microcredentials, says Carlos Olivares

Decolonisation is not just about scholars’ colour. It is as much about welcoming a diversity of non-Western ideas, from South Africa and beyond, says Srila Roy

Poorer students are shut out of the vast industry that has grown up around Konkur preparation, says Roohola Ramezani

I foresee that we will go back to the situation of 25 years ago, when only a small Chinese elite was able to study abroad, says Sabrina Wang

Rather than spreading resources thinly, better to build two or three true educational hubs in key regions beyond the capital, says Theodore Jun Yoo

The government’s huge loan scheme for firms to collaborate with academia could be a game changer if the benefits are widely spread, says Eldho Mathews

South Korea hopes to enrol 300,000 international students by 2027, but more teaching in English could deepen domestic inequalities, says Kyuseok Kim 

Western countries should reflect on whether their approach is privileging certain forms of knowledge, language and mobility, says Cheryl Yu

Inviting student applications without disclosing faculty information could impact reputation, enrolments and stakeholder trust, says Eldho Mathews

Iranian HE was once an engine of social mobility. But now it is buckling under economic strain, mismanagement and political neglect, says Roohola Ramezani

An internationally supported online institution could give hope to the country’s young women, now confined to their homes, says an Afghan scholar

Disputes over the trustworthiness of India’s state-run university rankings raise questions over quality assurance efforts, says Pushkar

To boost the scale, quality and affordability of Indian HE, collaborations that leverage local strengths are the best option, says Francois Therin

The development of a healthy academic environment requires inclusivity, dialogue and mutual respect, says Eldho Mathews

The recent arrest of accreditation council members only underlines that competence of regulation is as much of an issue as its degree, says Pushkar

But domestic universities must also raise their game if the country is to become a major destination for international students, says Pushkar

The country’s leaders must recognise that emigration is not a betrayal but a symptom of deeper societal issues that must be addressed, says Roohola Ramezani

Scholars who win foreign scholarships will have no jobs to return to in Afghanistan if they decide to take them up, says an Afghan academic

The controversy over Dhankhar’s poor choice of words has overshadowed the wisdom of calling for poorer Indians to be better informed, says Pushkar

Civil servants appreciate a relational approach that responds to their needs and convenes evidence they will actually find useful, says Sally Hogg

Veterans face many barriers to attending university. Let’s give those who have served our country free access, says Zlatko Skrbis

The new administration must also adopt systemic measures to rebuild trust within the academic community, says Roohola Ramezani

A boom in international enrolments has brought many benefits, but public concerns about visa abuse are rising, says Kyuseok Kim 

Boosting access to higher education is important, but closures and mergers will create better institutions for students to attend, says Manigandan Ganesan 

Degrees taught in Hindi might play well with Modi fans but this shift risks IITs’ global reputation for producing outstanding graduates, says Eldho Mathews

Successive governments have a long history of suppressing freedom of speech, thought and association on campus, says C. Rashaad Shabab

The government must recognise that lower international revenues will make research costs unsustainable, says John Carroll

Ministry support will be vital, but a lack of political imperative could limit motivation, say Hyejin Kim, Erik Mobrand and Sylvia Schwaag Serger 

Students’ aspirations to succeed in the high-tech job market are reshaping Indian higher education, says Eldho Mathews

Reversing the gains made by the protests against a woman’s death in police custody could see the nation erupt again, says Roohola Ramezani

Leaders’ claims that their appointments owe nothing to their political affiliations are wide of the mark, says an observer

The troubled excellence initiative has approved only one new institution since 2020. Has the government lost interest, asks an observer

The BJP’s ideological pressure is causing religion and politics to intrude into academia, risking a disastrous brain drain, says Eldho Mathews

New legislation opens the way for quality-focused branches to drive up standards across a traditionally public HE sector, says Ianis Matsoukas

India’s surge in patent applications and awards resembles China’s pathway towards becoming a knowledge economy, says Pushkar

Historical ties and cultural cachet mean that even as outbound South Korean student numbers fluctuate, the US remains the top choice, says Kyuseok Kim

Amid creeping political influence over universities, both academics and students are oddly quiet, says Mukhtar Ahmad

The recent election result underlines that international student recruitment is encountering limits, both physical and political, says Michèle Wera

As academics are replaced by religious scholars, those that remain fear the worst, while student interest is plummeting, says an Afghan observer

Government retaliation against criticism could undermine not just the universities but also their founders’ businesses, says an Indian scholar

Young women’s mental health has been badly hit by the Taliban’s ban on their attending school or university, says a scholar in Afghanistan

Grouping the likes of Brazil or Argentina with much bigger spenders will only raise the barriers to publication even higher, say three researchers

The internationalisation process should centre on quality assurance â€“ but this is not necessarily a top priority in post-conflict regions, says Michèle Wera

The changing nature of work and technology, as well as an evolving population and environment, call for a more inclusive system, says Alec Cameron

BJP ministers and supporters are largely limiting themselves to discrediting and suppressing evidence of government failings, says an academic

Rationalising resources is the official reason for proposed mergers, but Albanian history suggests a darker motive, says Arjan Shahini

While domestic student numbers are declining, India’s vast underserved student cohort offer solutions for both nations, says Kyuseok Kim

Working together to tackle specific teaching and research needs could seed high-quality research institutes, say Diya Dutt and Sudarshan Saha

It is proving difficult to accommodate even the fraction of South Sudanese students who have already made it back home, says Kuyok Abol Kuyok

Use of the CSAT is likely to increase US enrolment of South Koreans but could bode ill for some of the latter’s domestic institutions, says Kyuseok Kim