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 system”. Forward College, for example, aims to train students to use AI and work with it daily. Business schools are also expanding their teaching on AI. INSEAD, for instance, has introduced more than 15 AI-related electives and is experimenting with new teaching methods, including living case studies…