Host Alex Usher interviews Dr. Lily Yang (University of Hong Kong) about her book, Higher Education State and Society, comparing Chinese and Anglo-American higher education as distinct cultural worldviews rather than just systems. Yang argues cultural traditions shape how concepts like the person/individual, equity, society, and the public good are understood, and why key ideas do not translate cleanly across contexts. They discuss similarities and deeper differences in student development, contrasting human-capital and tuition-fee rationales with China’s view of higher education as a state-supported apparatus serving broader social goods. Yang explains China’s historically encompassing notion of state and society, differing meanings of liberty versus jǐ (free will), and culturally bounded university autonomy and academic freedom.

👉 Episode Links:

• Higher Education State and Society, Comparing The Chinese and Anglo-American Approaches

In this episode of The World of Higher Education Podcast, host Alex Usher speaks with Saeid Golkar, Professor of Political Science at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, about the structure, politics, and recent turmoil within Iran’s higher education system. The conversation explores how Iran built a large but highly centralized university system, the role of elite public institutions and the vast semi-private sector such as the Islamic Azad University, and the state’s extensive ideological oversight of universities.

Golkar also discusses the surprising rise of Iran as a major contributor to global scientific output in the early 2000s and the more recent challenges facing the sector—including demographic decline, economic pressures, and a growing brain drain. The episode examines the historical and ongoing role of students in Iranian politics, from the 1979 revolution to the protests of recent decades, and how universities have become key sites of political dissent. Together they unpack the complex relationship between higher education, state power, and social change in contemporary Iran.

👉 Episode Links:

• Register for free: Focus Friday March 13 | Using AI Across an Institution
• HESA Transnational Education Strategy Project | Learn More

In this episode of the World of Higher Education Podcast, host Alex Usher speaks with Georgi Stoytchev about the structure and future of higher education in Bulgaria.

They discuss how the system evolved after the fall of socialism, the role of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences as the country’s main research hub, and Bulgaria’s distinctive national university ranking system, which uses administrative and graduate earnings data and is linked to performance-based funding.

The conversation also touches on a recent tuition fee controversy, the involvement of Gen Z in anti-corruption protests, and the demographic pressures that are likely to shape the future of Bulgarian higher education.

👉 Episode Links:

• Open Society Institute
• Register for free: Focus Friday March 13 | Using AI Across an Institution
• HESA Transnational Education Strategy Project | Learn More

In this episode of the World of Higher Education Podcast, host Alex Usher speaks with Donatella della Porta, Professor of Political Science at the Scuola Normale Superiore in Florence, about the global rise of youth- and Gen Z-led protest movements.

From Serbia and Bangladesh to Italy and beyond, they explore why today’s movements are increasingly described as “Gen Z protests” rather than traditional student uprisings. Donatella argues that this generation has come of age during a period of “polycrisis”—climate change, economic instability, war, democratic backsliding, and corruption—which has shaped a distinctive form of activism rooted in injustice, inequality, and uncertainty about the future.

The conversation examines how social media enables rapid, leader-light mobilization across borders, why universities may be losing their historic role as hubs of political socialization, and how online and offline organizing now work together. They also discuss the Gaza protests, differences between North America and Europe, and the evolving relationship between campuses, repression, and broader civil society movements.

👉 Episode Links:

• Register for free: Focus Friday February 20 | Academic Program Costing
• HESA Transnational Education Strategy Project | Learn More

In this episode of the World of Higher Education Podcast, host Alex Usher is joined by Simon Marginson, Emeritus Professor of Higher Education at Oxford University, to discuss his new book 'Global Higher Education in Times of Upheaval: On Common Goods, Geopolitics and Decolonization.' They cover a range of topics, including the rise of right-wing nationalism, China's scientific advancement, and the challenges posed by neoliberalism and neocolonialism to the higher education sector. Simon emphasizes the need for higher education to be oriented towards the common good and discusses the distinctions between public goods and common goods in this context. The conversation explores the differences between higher education systems in the Anglosphere and other parts of the world, as well as the implications of internationalization versus globalization.

👉 Episode Links:

• Global Higher Education in Times of Upheaval: https://www.bloomsbury.com/ca/global-higher-education-in-times-of-upheaval-9781350540064/
• The World of Higher Education Podcast S3 E1: Higher Education in a Polarized World with Simon Marginson: https://worlded.transistor.fm/episodes/higher-education-in-a-polarized-world-with-simon-marginson
• Focus Friday: Sign up to receive our daily newsletter and register for our biweekly webinars for free: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/rU6cAhC
• HESA Transnational Education Strategy Project: https://higheredstrategy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2026-01-25-TNE-Strategy-Project_web.pdf

In this episode of the World of Higher Education Podcast, host Alex Usher is joined by Bryan Alexander, the author of 'Peak Higher Ed: How to Survive the Looming Academic Crisis.' They discuss the challenges facing higher education in the United States including demographic shifts, public skepticism, and the impact of AI on education. Bryan elaborates on the peak of growth around 2012 and the subsequent decline, as well as potential strategies for institutions to adapt and survive this crisis. The conversation also touches on the political landscape, economic pressures, and the future of higher education.

👉 Episode Links:

• Peak Higher Ed: How to Survive the Looming Academic Crisis by Bryan Alexander
• The World of Higher Education Podcast S1 E12: Universities on Fire with Bryan Alexander
• Register for free: Focus Friday February 6 | Degree Redesign

Join Alex Usher on The World of Higher Education Podcast as he dives into the remarkable transformation of Uzbekistan's higher education system over the past decade. Komiljon Karimov, Rector of Westminster International University in Tashkent, shares his unique perspective on the fivefold expansion, the role of foreign universities, and the challenges of maintaining quality amidst rapid growth. Discover how Uzbekistan's new leadership and demographic changes sparked a massive overhaul, transforming the country into a burgeoning hub for higher education. Don't miss this in-depth discussion on one of the most extraordinary educational reforms of recent times.

Join Alex Usher on The World of Higher Education Podcast as he engages in a compelling discussion with Frank Ziegele, Executive Director of the Center for Higher Education in Germany. They delve into the intricacies of creating authentic missions for universities in a constantly evolving educational landscape. Ziegele sheds light on his book, 'Authentic Universities: Effective University Identities in Times of Transition,' discussing the importance of differentiation and authenticity. They explore the challenges and strategies for institutions to adopt distinctive missions, the role of government in encouraging diversity in education, and much more. Tune in to explore the complexities and opportunities of authentic university missions.

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast

00:32 Guest Introduction: Frank Ziegele

01:45 The Importance of Differentiation in Higher Education

02:10 Challenges and Opportunities in University Missions

04:17 Spotting Authentic Differentiation

05:15 Strategies for Authentic University Profiles

07:53 Government's Role in University Differentiation

09:12 Examples of Horizontal Differentiation

12:01 Implementing Differentiation Strategies

14:58 Overcoming Faculty Silos

17:47 Pitfalls in Developing Authentic Profiles

21:59 Global Perspectives on Differentiation

22:22 Reception and Impact of the Book

24:33 Conclusion and Farewell

👉 Episode Links:

• Focus Friday: Sign up to receive our daily newsletter and register for our biweekly webinars for free
• Authentic Universities – Effective university identities in times of transition