News Tank Academic presents its best of since January 2026

The first half of 2026 showed just how much pressure European higher education and research are facing. Demographic change, financial constraints and international competition are not new challenges. But universities are now having to deal with them alongside the rapid development of artificial intelligence, geopolitical tensions and changing labour markets, raising broader questions about what universities should do and what they should prepare students for.

AI was one of the most prominent themes in the higher education debate. As access to knowledge and cognitive capabilities becomes increasingly mediated by generative AI, universities are increasingly looking at what other skills and forms of human development they should foster. Some institutions are exploring a “post-AI education…