Times Higher Education

A Notre Dame Law School amicus brief is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the question of religious exclusions in higher education funding. The filing argues that programs excluding religious institutions or students from otherwise available public funding raise constitutional concerns and warrant the Court's attention. The brief adds to ongoing legal debate over equal treatment of religious organizations in government benefit programs.

MI5 has alerted British academics and universities, urging them to cut ties with a Chinese-linked institute over espionage concerns. The warning, reported by the Financial Times, is the latest sign of Britain hardening its stance on Chinese influence in higher education, with security services concerned about technology transfer and covert state involvement on campuses.

A commentary argues that universities should stand together and draw on civil society, particularly at a time when higher education faces mounting political and financial pressure. The piece suggests that collective action and alliances beyond academia would strengthen universities' independence and public role. The argument is circulating among higher education observers discussing how institutions can defend their mission.

Johns Hopkins University has placed 17th in the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings. The annual rankings assess universities worldwide on measures including research output, teaching environment, citations and international outlook. Johns Hopkins' position keeps it among the top 20 institutions globally, and the result is being noted in education circles as the new rankings circulate.

Lindsey Johnson, president and CEO of the Consumer Bankers Association, is calling for greater transparency and data reporting around college costs and student outcomes. The statement urges colleges to disclose clearer information on what students pay and the results they achieve, a debate that touches directly on student lending and higher education accountability.

A Washington Post opinion piece argues that American higher education was designed around traditional students—young, full-time, financially supported—and continues to disadvantage older learners, working parents, and others who study later in life. The author draws on personal experience to call for institutions to rethink scheduling, costs, and support structures so that nontraditional students are no longer treated as exceptions.

Times Higher Education has announced the results of its World University Rankings 2027, publishing its annual assessment of universities worldwide. The rankings evaluate institutions on measures including teaching, research quality, citations, international outlook and industry income, and are closely watched by universities, students and policymakers as a benchmark of global academic standing.

A new piece of commentary is offering leadership lessons tailored to shared services teams in higher education. It focuses on how university administrators running consolidated back-office functions can lead more effectively, a topic gaining attention as institutions face budget pressure and push to centralise operations. Readers in the education and shared services community are weighing the practical advice for managing these teams.

Zoom has announced a set of offerings connecting live instruction, video-based learning, and engagement insights for higher education institutions. The move aims to give universities a single platform for teaching and analytics on student participation. It reflects growing competition among education technology providers seeking to support hybrid and online classrooms as universities reassess their digital tools.

US colleges and universities are investing heavily in artificial intelligence education, adding programs and courses to meet growing demand from students and employers. The push reflects a broader effort across higher education to prepare graduates for a job market increasingly shaped by AI tools, though details on specific institutions and spending were not given.

Vermont is working to reinvent its model of college as Americans grow increasingly skeptical of the value of higher education. The effort comes as declining enrollment and public doubts about cost and return on investment put pressure on colleges nationwide. Vermont's attempts to rethink how it delivers and funds higher education have drawn attention as a possible test case for the sector.

A New York Times opinion piece by a college professor argues that writing is not as important as it is often made out to be, challenging a core assumption of higher education. The essay is likely to fuel ongoing debate about the purpose of essays and written assignments at a time when artificial intelligence tools can produce text instantly.

The University of Bristol has announced that government and civic leaders will take part in the Times Higher Education World Academic Summit in September 2026. The summit brings together university leaders, policymakers and industry figures to discuss the future of higher education and research. The announcement highlights the event's aim of connecting academia with public sector decision-makers.