Universities Warn: “We Can’t Leave Education to Political Leaders”
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Universities across the world are urging greater unity as international education becomes increasingly entangled in political agendas. Speaking at the Reinventing Higher Education Conference 2025 in London, academic leaders stressed that institutions must remain independent spaces for debate, sanctuary and long-term thinking.
Baroness Usha Prashar, an independent member of the UK House of Lords, emphasised that politics operates on short cycles, while education is inherently long-term. She warned universities not to be “buffeted by the political pressures of the day”, urging leaders to safeguard academic values through creativity and resilience. Citing the United States as an example, she noted that some institutions have resorted to renaming equality initiatives to protect them from President Trump’s anti-DEI policies.
The United States remains at the centre of current tensions as the Trump administration continues reshaping American higher education. The government recently expanded its controversial “compact” for higher education, offering preferential funding only to institutions willing to adopt policies widely viewed as threats to academic autonomy.
Faith Abiodun, executive director of United World Colleges, warned that isolated universities are more vulnerable. “We can’t leave education to political leaders,” he said, highlighting the difficult position US institutions face in choosing between compliance and losing crucial federal funding. He added that the US once attracted 60% of UWC students, but rising political hostility is pushing many away.
While Europe attempts to capture this diverted talent—seen in the EU’s new “Choose Europe for Science” campaign—IE University president Santiago Iñiguez de Onzoño cautioned that global mobility is not a “zero-sum game”. He stressed that disruptions in the US have negative consequences for all countries, including South Korea, Canada and the UK, which rely heavily on cross-border academic collaboration.
With tightening visa rules across the major study destinations, universities are increasingly turning to overseas branch campuses. Yet Iñiguez warned that transnational education, though offering new opportunities, may also signal a retreat from globalisation.
Speakers across the conference reiterated that universities must remain neutral, open spaces—places where difficult conversations can happen without political interference. Julie Sanders, vice chancellor of Royal Holloway, underlined the importance of protecting debate while also acting as a refuge for vulnerable students, including recipients of the UK’s Chevening Scholarship.
As political influence grows, sector leaders agree that safeguarding academic independence is critical to maintaining global education’s integrity.
Source: THE PIE NEWS
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