From THE, there was never a golden age in which academic values such as universalism and disinterestedness were not at risk, argues Bruce Macfarlane — but in an age of sponsorism and insecurity, all scholars must hold fast to the precepts that make our intellectual endeavours worthwhile; the Ivy League's autonomy has allowed its members to conquer the world — the UK must loosen the reins on its universities and establish an equivalent, Terence Kealey argues; is the balance of power in world universities rapidly tilting eastwards? The THE World University Rankings do not signal a power shift, but rather show just how far Asia still has to go, Michael Cox argues; and here are the full results of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2012-13. From University World News, is the Magna Charta Universitatum still relevant? Lee Adendorff wants to know. Who needs college? The majority of Switzerland’s students opt for vocational training instead of college — and that does not mean the country is dumbing down. With legislation to open India to foreign universities still unforthcoming, it remains a difficult environment for Western institutions hoping to secure a lucrative prize. Yojana Sharma on public policy studies, a discipline whose time has come.
