Universities worldwide are up against it like never before. Technological innovations such as artificial intelligence and the global ‘massification’ of higher education pose fundamental questions about what education is for, how it should be delivered and how it should be funded. Faculty members are facing ever bigger workloads and intense competition for funding as research budgets are squeezed. Tightening visa regulations are undermining global student and researcher mobility, while academic freedom is coming under pressure from politicians who see universities as unrepresentative of all parts of the social and political spectrum.
Yet, in all this, universities remains a hotbed of innovation — and a source of huge expertise, knowledge and value for wider society. This Nature special examines all the pressures higher education is under — and, drawing on examples from across the world, asks how the sector can and must adapt to survive. It includes selected articles from journalists as well as editorials and comment from Nature, including subscriber-only content. This site will be updated with more content as it is published.
Editorial: Universities are — and must continue to be — a force for good
