Where the jobs are, what skills matter, and how universities are adapting for the next decade By Global Nexus Team The world of work is changing faster than degrees can keep up By 2030, the World Economic Forum (WEF) estimates that 1 billion people will need to reskill. Rapid changes driven by automation, AI, climate… Continue reading The Future of Work and Study: What Fields Hold the Most Promise for Graduates

How online and blended learning reshaped global higher education and the future of skillsBy Xiaodong Wu and Liang Cheng What began as an emergency response in 2020 has matured into a durable model. Governments and universities now treat digital learning as core infrastructure for access, equity, workforce development, and resilience. UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring 2023… Continue reading The Post Pandemic Pivot Becomes Permanent

What students and faculty are experiencing now, and what truly helps By Yang Song and Rob McLay The picture in 2025: severe strain, some hopeful trends Mental health remains a major concern across universities worldwide for both students and employees. Large multi-campus data show high, yet gradually improving, rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality. The… Continue reading The Present State of Mental Health in Global Higher Education

By: Georgia Alexander and Rob McLay Abstract Canada is admitting fewer international students as stricter rules decide who can come and when. Campus budgets are already feeling it as hiring slows, student services shrink, and building plans pause. Fewer students now can mean smaller first year classes and fewer graduate researchers later. Canada stays competitive… Continue reading Canada’s International Student Puzzle: What New Study Permit Limits Mean for Campuses and Budgets

By: Xiaodong Wu, Yang Song and members of the GNX team Abstract Public trust in higher education is wobbling, but it is not gone. Families want straight answers on price, time to finish, and what graduates actually earn; students want steady rules and learning that leads to real jobs. When schools publish clear outcomes, set… Continue reading Trust in Higher Education Is Earned Not Assumed

By: Liang Cheng, Georgia Alexander and Rob McLay Introduction Classrooms from Toronto to Auckland are running on empty: UNESCO counts a 44 million teacher shortfall by 2030 and burnout is rising even in wealthy systems. Quick fixes fall short; what moves the needle is pay that competes, smaller classes and time to plan, safer schools,… Continue reading The Classroom is Running on Empty: Global School Systems Face a 44 Million Teacher Shortfall as Burnout Deepens

By Yang Song, Xiaodong Wu, Liang Cheng, (Global Nexus Team) At Global Nexus, we’re passionate about pushing the boundaries of traditional education—not by running these programs ourselves, but by helping students and families discover them in fresh, experiential ways. Imagine learning about innovative opportunities like Semester at Sea or Sea|mester while joining us for an… Continue reading Rethinking Education: Innovative Opportunities and Global Nexus Advisory Journeys

By Rob McLay and Kasto Festo Ng’itu Africa is experiencing the most rapid climate shifts in its history, with rising temperatures, severe droughts, unpredictable rainfall, and extreme weather events threatening livelihoods, economies, and ecosystems. Higher education institutions (HEIs) have a unique and urgent role to play in meeting this challenge. They are not just centers… Continue reading Climate Change & Sustainability in African Higher Education

By Rob McLay, Yang Song, Liang Cheng, and Xiaodong Wu PrefaceThis commentary was inspired by the article 12 Challenges Facing Higher Education in 2025 (and Exemplars Addressing Them) published on Changing Higher Ed. We want to acknowledge and give full credit to the authors of that piece for framing the conversation so clearly. What follows… Continue reading Adapt or Fade: 12 Higher-Ed Challenges in 2025—and Institutions That Might Outlive Them

By Yang Song and Xiaodong Wu – some translation and research by AI tools As global labor markets undergo rapid transformation, higher education institutions face growing pressure to realign programs with the skills, competencies, and pathways that learners need to thrive in a rapidly shifting economy. From AI disruption and demographic transitions to regional talent… Continue reading Reimagining Higher Education: Workforce Partnerships and Career Alignment in a Global Context