Academic freedom is under threat across the globe and a wave of substantial academic freedom declines affects not only autocracies but also (liberal) democracies. However, although the development of academic freedom has generated scholarly attention, this article presents the first systematic conceptualization and measurement of academic freedom…

As we approach this Labor Day, the Pennsylvania economy is growing steadily. Working families are sharing in prosperity in a more sustained way than at any point since 1980--although many families still struggle to make ends meet and, in our polarized nation, a big partisan divide exists in perceptions of whether the economy is better than four…

China's higher-education system has been shaped in recent years by a trio of factors: the COVID-19 pandemic, the ambitions of Chinese leader Xi Jinping to make his country into an innovation superpower that is loyal to the Communist Party, and western alarm about those ambitions. But a fourth development, the slowing of China's formerly…

This paper demonstrates how the innovative application of a Collective Intelligence approach enhanced Local Skills Improvement Planning information for employers, education and skills training organisations and regional economic policy organisations. This took place within a Knowledge Transfer Partnership between a Chamber of Commerce and a…

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered the biggest disruption to EU countries' societies and economies, including their education systems, since World War II. Responding to the crisis has forced national governments to increase their spending to keep the economy and public services afloat. This situation has brought about significant opportunities as…

This article addresses the significance of degrowth for education as a social institution and field of practice in the context of the climate crisis and need to develop a powerful climate justice movement. Drawing on a close reading of the degrowth and education literature, the article argues against claims made by some degrowth advocates that…

Global disruptions are marking our days and calling on individuals, institutions, and the State for institutional change. Given the need to understand changing processes and their implications for society and public policy, it is vital to equip Public Administration students with the knowledge of relevant theories to assess the complexity of such…

The quest for structural transformation has been a crucial challenge in Africa in spite of the huge amounts of aid disbursed, investments undertaken, policies implemented, etc. Notwithstanding several important reasons highlighted in the literature, they are insufficient because they focus on the role of financial resources but neglect…

The Leeds Anchor Network (or system) was established in 2017 with eight founder organizations. In 2024, membership was 14 and represented 1 in 7 of the Leeds city workforce. Leeds Beckett University is a founding member. This paper explains how the system originated and developed, the role Leeds Beckett University has played in that process, and…

Through higher education-migration ('edugration') systems, many immigrant-dependent countries have become structurally reliant on the retention of post-secondary international students as a source of the so-called global talent. This emerging area of research focuses primarily on the "potential" economic contributions international…

This paper evaluates the economic impact of a university in a country characterised by the scarcity of significant data and quantitative information. It uses an input--output model that permits the use of gross domestic product (GDP) deflators to portray the economy of years following a year for which a complete data set input is possible. Using…

Devolution has seen a number of fundamental education developments since the establishment of the Welsh Government. Key policies have earmarked the higher education sector as a driver of economic growth on both a local and a global level. This article explores how an agenda of internationalisation in the context of higher education in Wales can…

Even before the COVID-19 crisis, the United States was overdue for a transformation of its postsecondary education and workforce development systems to meet the vast skill and employment needs of today's workers and employers. The pandemic has exponentially increased this need for change, with millions of Americans permanently out of work and in…

In the face of complex and changeable world, the smooth development of civilization needs the guidance of Karl Marx's thought. The era Marx faced was not fundamentally different from the times we live in today, and Marx's theory, which was born in that era and directly used to analyze it, is not outdated yet. Some of Marx's basic standpoints and…

This paper unpacks our efforts as external evaluators to work toward decolonizing our evaluation practice. Undertaking this writing exercise as a form of reflective practice demonstrated that decolonization is much more complex than simply translating materials, organizing locals to collect data, and building participants' capacity around Western…