Higher Education Beyond the Public Good

In this episode of the World of Higher Education Podcast, host Alex Usher is joined by Simon Marginson, Emeritus Professor of Higher Education at Oxford University, to discuss his new book 'Global Higher Education in Times of Upheaval: On Common Goods, Geopolitics and Decolonization.' They cover a range of topics, including the rise of right-wing nationalism, China's scientific advancement, and the challenges posed by neoliberalism and neocolonialism to the higher education sector. Simon emphasizes the need for higher education to be oriented towards the common good and discusses the distinctions between public goods and common goods in this context. The conversation explores the differences between higher education systems in the Anglosphere and other parts of the world, as well as the implications of internationalization versus globalization.

👉 Episode Links:

• Global Higher Education in Times of Upheaval: https://www.bloomsbury.com/ca/global-higher-education-in-times-of-upheaval-9781350540064/
• The World of Higher Education Podcast S3 E1: Higher Education in a Polarized World with Simon Marginson: https://worlded.transistor.fm/episodes/higher-education-in-a-polarized-world-with-simon-marginson
• Focus Friday: Sign up to receive our daily newsletter and register for our biweekly webinars for free: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/rU6cAhC
• HESA Transnational Education Strategy Project: https://higheredstrategy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2026-01-25-TNE-Strategy-Project_web.pdf