Global: U.S. Research at Risk

The country may lose its spot as the world’s leader in scientific research, a report warns. [Global] Hi, I’m Karin Fischer, and I cover international education. Here’s the news I’ve been following this week: U.S. Research Status at RiskThe United States risks losing its status as the world’s leader in scientific research, [a report warns.]( China is on track to surpass America in expenditures on scientific research, while countries including Britain, Germany, and South Korea have national strategies for investment in research and development. The result could be a “second place America,” according to the coalition of research universities, scientific organizations, and companies that issued the report. A ‘War on Intellect’President Trump welcomed Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister, to the White House on Monday. Like the president, the authoritarian leader has relished taking on higher education and, specifically, Central European University, a liberal-arts institution founded by the financier George Soros and accredited in New York. In what [The Atlantic]( calls his “war on intellect,” Orban first sought to make life difficult for the university — and then to drive it from the country. The showdown has turned CEU into a global symbol of academic freedom. Policing Fake NewsSingapore’s parliament [has passed]( a law to police fake news, despite concerns from journalists and academics. Under the new law, the Singaporean government has broad authority to demand corrections, order the removal of content, or block websites that it deems to be spreading falsehoods. Violators can face steep fines and jail time. But professors worry the measure could chill academic speech in the island nation, which has sought to become a [global-education hub.]( Admissions InvestigationAustralia’s national broadcaster has aired an [investigation]( accusing universities there of lowering admissions standards for international students in order to increase enrollments and boost revenue. Higher-education leaders criticized the program, called “Cash Cows,” saying it had cherry picked anecdotes and that students had to meet high levels of English proficiency. International enrollments are big business in Australia – education is now the country’s third largest export. (International) Student SuccessInternational students can face hurdles to academic success — they can struggle with class discussions, become confused about professors’ expectations, or feel uncomfortable working in small groups. At Rutgers University, administrators decided to tackle the problem head on. How did they do it? Hint: It wasn’t about creating a big bureaucracy. In this week’s issue of latitude(s), my global-education newsletter, I take a look at Rutgers’s approach and what other colleges might learn from it. [Read more here.]( Chronicle Top Reads [Academe’s Extinction Event: Failure, Whiskey, and Professional Collapse at the MLA]( By Andrew Kay Taking stock of a vanishing world. PREMIUM ADVERTISEMENT [‘Israel Studies’ Journal Controversy Escalates as June Meeting Nears]( By Alexander C. Kafka The turmoil suggests a deep political rift that puts the Association for Israel Studies’ future into question. PREMIUM Paid for and Created by University of Sydney [Healthy Aging]( While adequate protein intake is critical for maintaining lean mass, the best formula for healthy aging could be a diet low in protein and high in healthy carbohydrates. [Why an Online-Education Pioneer Bucks Some Mega-University Trends]( By Goldie Blumenstyk Penn State World Campus has bypassed the splashy, growth-oriented strategies of some of its largest competitors. But the longtime player in distance education isn’t exactly standing still. [Harvard Bans Former Scholar, Citing ‘Unwelcome Sexual Conduct’ Over Decades]( By Tom Bartlett and Nell Gluckman Jorge I. Domínguez, a former vice provost for international affairs, “engaged in unwelcome sexual conduct” over “nearly four decades,” according to a long-awaited university investigation. He was the subject of a 2018 Chronicle investigation. [Don’t Think Your Campus Needs to Prepare for Climate Change?]( By Peter Ellard The time to improve resilience is now. PREMIUM Subscribe Today Get insight into critical issues and the actionable analysis you need with a subscription to The Chronicle of Higher Education. Get instant access to in-depth articles, faculty and staff salaries, and much more. [Subscribe Today]( Latest Jobs Visit [ChronicleVitae.com]( to view the latest jobs in higher education. [The Chronicle of Higher Education]( [Stop receiving]( this email. [Sign up]( for other newsletters. [View]( our privacy policy. © 2019 [The Chronicle of Higher Education]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037