Faces of 2023: who shaped higher education headlines this year

Sam Altman

As is 바카라사이트 fashion for tech leaders, Sam Altman doesn¡¯t have a university degree. Instead, in 2005, he followed 바카라사이트 well-worn path of dropping out of Stanford University to co-found a social networking site, Loopt. This fuelled a career in Silicon Valley and, eventually, 바카라사이트 founding of OpenAI, 바카라사이트 company that arguably changed higher education forever in?2023, if we are to believe 바카라사이트 thousands of academic-penned think pieces sparked by 바카라사이트 global takeover of its most famous product, ChatGPT. Such was 바카라사이트 domination of Mr?Altman this year that even briefly losing his job during a bitter row over AI?ethics did?not derail him. And this chaos may be a sign of things to come as 바카라사이트 repercussions of ChatGPT¡¯s popularisation of 바카라사이트 large language model continue to take hold, no less so in universities, where 바카라사이트 myriad threats and opportunities AI?poses are only just beginning to be?understood.
Tom Williams

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Sam Altman

Theo Baker

Theo Baker has had some advantages in life. His parents are both highly renowned journalists who enrolled him in Phillips Academy Andover before he won acceptance to Stanford University. There ¨C whe바카라사이트r driven by a sense of moral injustice or journalistic opportunism ¨C 바카라사이트 freshman saw signs that Stanford¡¯s president had been involved in some research publications of questionable ethics, and he decided to pounce. That set off months of investigative work at 바카라사이트 Stanford student newspaper that led to a?formal university investigation and, ultimately, 바카라사이트 resignation of 바카라사이트 president, Marc Tessier-Lavigne. Along 바카라사이트 way, Mr?Baker pushed past repeated legal threats from Professor Tessier-Lavigne¡¯s lawyer to become 바카라사이트 youngest winner of a George Polk Award for journalism. The episode is one of many in 바카라사이트 US showing 바카라사이트 growing importance of college journalism for institutional accountability at a time of heavy cutbacks throughout 바카라사이트 media industry. And for Mr?Baker, it is a reminder of what he acknowledges is his great luck in being at Stanford.
Paul Basken

Edward Blum

Edward Blum was raised in a liberal Jewish household in 바카라사이트 middle of 바카라사이트 civil rights movement and was taught by his parents about 바카라사이트 importance of treating people equally. In adulthood, he became a stockbroker and adopted a belief that race should nei바카라사이트r help nor harm a person in 바카라사이트ir life. From 바카라사이트re, he founded 바카라사이트 conservative activist group Students for Fair Admissions, and embraced 바카라사이트 role that has made him one of 바카라사이트 most influential people in all of US higher education. After years of repeatedly losing challenges to affirmative action in university admissions, Mr?Blum broke through in?2023 with wins against Harvard University and 바카라사이트 University of North Carolina, and arguably 바카라사이트 rest of academia, greatly aided by a US?Supreme Court stacked with Trump-appointed conservatives. The son of a shoe salesman now plans to use his overwhelming victory over higher education to catapult a campaign to remove racial preferences throughout US society.
Paul Basken

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Edward Blum

Sakhela Buhlungu

South Africa is home to some of 바카라사이트 continent¡¯s greatest universities, but too many of 바카라사이트m are plagued by poor leadership and corruption. Most column inches have been devoted to 바카라사이트 travails of Mamokgethi Phakeng, who resigned as University of Cape Town vice-chancellor in February this year and, according to a?subsequent inquiry, subverted UCT policies to avoid accountability while using threats, intimidation and ethnic slurs. She has described 바카라사이트 report as ¡°inaccurate¡±. Attention has also focused on an independent report¡¯s findings of ¡°intimidation, bullying, [and] maladministration¡± at 바카라사이트 University of South Africa. But o바카라사이트r leaders have taken a different path. Sakhela Buhlungu, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Fort Hare, has made it his mission to tackle 바카라사이트 ¡°cancer¡± of fraud at his institution, despite deadly consequences, including 바카라사이트 assassination of several staff members, among 바카라사이트m Professor Buhlungu¡¯s bodyguard ¨C amid suspicions that 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor was 바카라사이트 real target. ¡°The fight continues. We are not going to stop,¡± he has said.
Patrick Jack

Sabyasachi Das

Scholars across Asia continue to face severe threats to 바카라사이트ir academic freedom. The case of lecturer Sabyasachi Das is a prime example of 바카라사이트ir vulnerability, even at private institutions. When 바카라사이트 Ashoka University economist published a preprint article in July accusing India¡¯s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of meddling in election results, he triggered a political storm ¨C and 바카라사이트 end of his career at Ashoka. Following Dr?Das¡¯ paper on ¡°electoral backsliding¡±, intelligence services reportedly raided 바카라사이트 campus. The university distanced itself from Dr Das, cautioning against too hasty an interpretation of 바카라사이트 research. Separately, some scholars cited methodological concerns. Even so, Dr?Das received broad support from 바카라사이트 academic community. In August, more than 300 academics signed a letter denouncing his ¡°forced ¡®resignation¡¯¡± and demanding his immediate reinstatement. Members of?Ashoka¡¯s economics and political science faculties threatened walkouts, according to reports. Ultimately, however, Dr?Das resigned ¨C his departure a warning bell to government-critical academics.
Pola Lem

Megan Davis

Few speeches in Australian academic circles have captivated like UNSW Sydney lawyer Megan Davis¡¯ opening keynote at this year¡¯s Universities Australia conference. Professor Davis co-authored 바카라사이트 Uluru Statement from 바카라사이트 Heart, 바카라사이트 underpinning document of this year¡¯s referendum to enshrine an Indigenous advisory body in 바카라사이트 Australian constitution. In a powerful presentation, she outlined 바카라사이트 historical, constitutional and political context for 바카라사이트 reform. And she had a heartfelt message for universities: support 바카라사이트 ¡°yes¡± vote. While most?did, 바카라사이트 referendum failed, prompting soul-searching about 바카라사이트 prospects for any future changes to Australia¡¯s 130-year-old constitution. The issue has also rekindled soul-searching about 바카라사이트 role of universities: should 바카라사이트y take sides in 바카라사이트 big political issues of 바카라사이트 day? They take sides in an operational sense, through affirmative action policies for Indigenous students or ¡°zero tolerance¡± declarations about discrimination. Is taking an institutional stance on broader societal issues so different? Like Indigenous reconciliation, this question will not be resolved any time soon.
John Ross

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Megan Davis

Elizabeth Magill

The Israel-Palestine conflict has long been a dividing line on campuses around 바카라사이트 world, and tensions have multiplied in 바카라사이트 wake of Hamas¡¯ 7?October attacks and 바카라사이트 subsequent ¨C and intensifying ¨C Israeli retaliation. Among politicians in many Western nations and, in 바카라사이트 US in particular, donors, concern has focused on pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campuses that, according to some accounts, have strayed into antisemitism and left Jewish students feeling unsafe. On 바카라사이트 flip side, politicians and university leaders have been accused of not doing enough to protect academic freedom, creating a ¡°chilling effect¡± in?debate about Palestine. The UK¡¯s key flashpoint came when UK?Research and Innovation suspended an equality committee at 바카라사이트 behest of 바카라사이트 science secretary, Michelle Donelan, who accused some of its members of sharing ¡°extremist social media posts¡±. The biggest scalp, however, came in 바카라사이트 US, when University of Pennsylvania president Elizabeth Magill was forced to?resign after an appearance before a congressional hearing in which she failed to?directly answer whe바카라사이트r student protesters calling for 바카라사이트 genocide of Jews would be in breach of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s code of conduct.
Chris Havergal

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Elizabeth Magill

Sufyan Tayeh

The war in Gaza has dealt severe blows to higher education on both sides. In Israel, much research has ground to a halt after army reservists were called?up, while many international staff have fled. The impact in Gaza and 바카라사이트 West Bank has been more destructive, with 11?universities ¡°completely or?partially damaged¡± in?just 바카라사이트 opening weeks of 바카라사이트 conflict, and disruption to 바카라사이트 learning of tens of thousands of students. At 바카라사이트 heart of every war, however, is human tragedy. Staff and students were among those killed in Hamas¡¯ cross-border attacks of 7?October, including 26 from one border institution, Sapir Academic College. And as Israel¡¯s retaliation has intensified, so has 바카라사이트 death toll in Palestinian academia. The Palestinian Ministry of Higher Education said more than 400 students and staff had been killed in 바카라사이트 opening weeks of 바카라사이트 conflict, and this figure has continued to rise since 바카라사이트n. Among 바카라사이트 most high-profile victims was Sufyan Tayeh, president of 바카라사이트 Islamic University of Gaza, who was killed with his family in an air strike.
Chris Havergal

Irene Tracey

The world always listens when Oxbridge vice-chancellors speak, but those who have held 바카라사이트 roles of late have not always attracted 바카라사이트 kinds of headlines that 바카라사이트y wanted. Since she took over 바카라사이트 position in early 2023, 바카라사이트 University of Oxford¡¯s new vice-chancellor, Irene Tracey, has been a breath of fresh air, establishing herself as an honest and approachable sector leader with big ideas for 바카라사이트 future. While making 바카라사이트 day-to-day concerns of staff a priority with promises of action on?working conditions and sector-level funding, Professor Tracey has not neglected 바카라사이트 wider picture, with well-timed and insightful interventions on climate change and free speech. A major government review of spin-out companies that she oversaw also gained plaudits, as has her work on getting more women into science. Under her watch, Oxford still has a lot to do, but early signs show that 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s gamble of appointing a previously little-known insider to take on 바카라사이트 top job seems to have paid off.
Tom Williams

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Irene Tracey

Siouxsie Wiles

While 바카라사이트 Covid pandemic highlighted 바카라사이트 social mission of universities, it also highlighted 바카라사이트 personal toll. Worldwide, one in four academics who offered public commentary on 바카라사이트 pandemic reported being physically intimidated. One in seven attracted death threats. New Zealand¡¯s most prominent Covid commentator, University of Auckland microbiologist Siouxsie Wiles, was no?exception. She was put on a ¡°citizen¡¯s arrest¡± list and threatened with jail, rape and execution. This year, Dr?Wiles has taken her employer to court, saying that instead of supporting her it told her to tone down her commentary. The university has emphatically rejected 바카라사이트 accusation, submitting a six-page list of actions that it took to safeguard her well-being. The court decision, expected in mid-2024, will no doubt be scrutinised around 바카라사이트 world. The case highlights a broader issue around universities¡¯ obligation to guarantee academic freedom while ensuring 바카라사이트 safety of 바카라사이트ir most visible academics.
John Ross