WUN Think Tank

We have got the talent, the knowledge, and the vehicles through the policy institutes

Op-ed from UWA VC Professor Dawn Freshwater on international engagement. 

WUN member The University of Bergen is organising a major conference on the role of Norwegian universities in relation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

The Europe University Ranking 2017 by Times Higher Education.

A statement from the Senior Leadership Group of the University of Cape Town.

Professor Dr Martin Paul reflects on the consequences of Brexit for higher education.

Sir Keith Burnett reflects on what he learned about international students while in India with the UK prime minister.

Research in Focus: in-FLAME

“It has been very difficult to get these [results] published, because the concept of adolescent boys, having impact on their offspring born years later is new and editors could not believe our findings. I think that the WUN can inspire further research to support our findings and convey the new concepts to public health policy makers…”

Professor Dr Martin Paul reflects on the consequences of Brexit for higher education.

Higher education and research are no longer privileged pursuits pursued by high priests in isolated ivory towers. That history and stereotype, itself only partly true, has given way to the increasing catalysis of change. The change is fuelled by rapid development and competition, and by a concert of factors and global dynamics affecting the international research universities that are the subject of this discussion.

On 7 April, WUN Presidents, as well as distinguished representatives from the European Parliament, European Commission, European Research Council and national embassies, convened in Brussels for the sixth annual WUN Presidents Forum. Titled ‘Open Doors: European Opportunities in Research & Education,’ the Forum took place alongside the WUN Conference and AGM 2016.

Professor John Hearn, Executive Director of WUN and Chairman of the Australia-Africa Universities Network, discusses the prolific threats that continue to plague public health and outlines initiatives in place that promote education and prevention.

Today’s higher education landscape is changing rapidly as a direct result of globalisation and technological advancement. Key issues include access and affordability, public/private collaboration, technology’s impact on research, and the evolving roles of academics, students and administrators in light of increased internationalisation. 

Academic leaders from across WUN and local Chinese universities came together for the fifth annual WUN Presidents Forum at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen on 30 April.

Getting heard in the world’s most populous country can be a hard task. As China’s economy continues to drive forward and the nation’s political clout on the world stage grows, more and more international organisations recognise the importance of building a strong profile in China.

In the spring 2014 edition of the IIE Networker Magazine, WUN Executive Director, Professor John Hearn writes about the convenient and inconvenient truths of international higher education.

It is a time of turbulence for higher education and research around the world. The effects of the global financial crisis continue, with reductions in resources from all sides. In contrast, the demand for higher education increases, with international student mobility likely to double according to the OECD. For research intensive universities, there are great challenges in maintaining quality and competitiveness, the cost of which increases constantly. In teaching and learning, new methods and technologies are also more costly. There is also a shortage of talent and availability of senior, experienced academics and research leaders, while conversely there is unemployment among new graduates as the generational transition is postponed along with retirement.