Redefining Higher Education: Pathways and Solutions for Global Challenges in the 21st Century

Introduction 

This special issue aims to explore how higher education institutions can be reimagined and restructured to better serve global society in the 21st century. The objectives are to:

• To showcase innovative solutions in curriculum design, pedagogy, and institutional governance that pave the way for academic advancements and operational excellence in higher education.
• To critically examine the capacity of higher education institutions to effectively respond to complex societal issues such as climate change, social inequality, digital transformation, and erosion of public trust.
• To facilitate meaningful interactions among scholars, practitioners, and policymakers, focusing on re-envisioning universities as proactive agents of social good.

These aims will be met through rigorous empirical research, conceptual frameworks, policy analysis, and practitioner perspectives from global contributors.

This special issue offers a timely and distinctive approach to reimagining higher education by integrating insights from different areas, including education, law, arts, sciences, social sciences, business, public administration, and media and communication studies. It positions higher education as a central driver of global solutions, rather than as a passive responder to external pressures. Theoretically, it advances new frameworks that highlight the transformative role of universities in society. From a policy perspective, it contributes fresh analysis of how institutions and governments can reform governance, funding, and accountability models to meet complex global challenges. Methodologically, the issue encourages diverse research approaches (e.g., case studies, empirical research, systematic review) across different cultural and national contexts. Practically, it highlights real-world applications, including curriculum reform, institutional strategies, and technology use, to guide educators, administrators, and policymakers. The special issue fills a gap in the literature and outlines a forward-looking agenda for research and practice. It fosters global dialogue and collaboration with strong implications for building equitable, sustainable, and future-ready higher education systems.

Higher education stands at a pivotal moment, as universities around the world are being called upon to tackle complex, interwoven global challenges that exceed the scope of conventional disciplinary boundaries (Barnett, 2018). Recent reports by UNESCO (2021) and the OECD (2022) highlight the urgency of reshaping the purposes and practices of higher education in light of disruptions such as climate change, rapid technological development, deepening social inequality, and global geopolitical shifts. At the same time, higher education institutions face increasing pressure to enhance graduate employability, foster civic responsibility, and contribute meaningfully to sustainable development (Barth, 2016).

Existing literature points to many critical trends that higher education must urgently address. These include the integration of sustainability into institutional strategy and curriculum (Gorski et al., 2023), the ethical use and impact of artificial intelligence in teaching and governance (Yadav, 2024; Selwyn, 2019), and the importance of inclusive and decolonial pedagogies to address historical marginalization (Le Grange et al., 2020; de Oliveira Andreotti et al., 2015). Furthermore, the emergence of lifelong learning and micro-credentialing, the growing mistrust in public institutions, and the global skills mismatch continue to challenge traditional university models (Siivonen et al., 2023). While these studies and initiatives provide important insights, the academic discourse often remains fragmented, limiting its capacity to drive large-scale reform. There is an increasing need for a more holistic, solutions-oriented approach that connects theoretical, policy, and practical perspectives into a coherent vision for the future of higher education.

This special issue, Redefining Higher Education: Pathways and Solutions for Global Challenges in the 21st Century, directly addresses this need. By inviting contributions from across education, law, business, public administration, social sciences, arts, sciences, and media and communication studies, this issue encourages collaborative thinking and cross-sector dialogue. It provides an opportunity for scholars to reimagine the future of higher education in theoretical and policy terms, and through methodological innovation and practical application. Ultimately, the goal is to map out actionable solutions that empower higher education to become a proactive force for equity, sustainability, and resilience. In doing so, this special issue seeks to align scholarship with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), while charting new pathways for the role of universities in the 21st century.

References: 

Barnett, R. (2018). The ecological university: A feasible utopia. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315194899 
Barth, M. (2016). Routledge handbook of higher education for sustainable development. Routledge.
de Oliveira Andreotti, V., Stein, S., Ahenakew, C., & Hunt, D. (2015). Mapping interpretations of decolonization in the context of higher education. Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society, 4(1).
Gorski, A.-T., Ranf, E.-D., Badea, D., Halmaghi, E.-E., & Gorski, H. (2023). Education for Sustainability: Some Bibliometric Insights. Sustainability, 15(20), Article 14916. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152014916 
Le Grange, L., du Preez, P., Ramrathan, L., & Blignaut, S. (2020). Decolonising the university curriculum or decolonial-washing? A multiple case study. Journal of Education, 80, 25–48. https://doi.org/10.17159/2520-9868/I80A02
OECD. (2022). Trends shaping education 2022. OECD Publishing. https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2022/01/t…;
Selwyn, N. (2019). Should robots replace teachers? AI and the future of education. John Wiley & Sons.
Siivonen, P., Isopahkala-Bouret, U., Tomlinson, M., Korhonen, M., & Haltia, N. (2023). Introduction: Rethinking Graduate Employability in Context. In: Siivonen, P., Isopahkala-Bouret, U., Tomlinson, M., Korhonen, M., & Haltia, N. (eds). Rethinking graduate employability in context. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-20653-5_1
UNESCO. (2021). Futures of education. https://www.unesco.org/en/futures-education 
Yadav, S. (2024). Artificial Intelligence (AI) Integration in higher education: Navigating opportunities and ethical frontiers in education with advanced technologies. In Impact of artificial intelligence on society (pp. 43-59). Chapman and Hall/CRC.

List of topic areas

We invite contributions from different regions and educational settings that address, but are not limited to, the following areas:

• Transformations in higher education systems: analyses of changing governance, leadership, or institutional missions, and their implications for society.
• Technology, ethics, and governance: examinations of artificial intelligence, digital innovation, data responsibility, and public trust in higher education.
• Skills, learning, and future work: studies on curriculum design, pedagogical innovation, and the role of universities in fostering transferable skills and lifelong learning.
• Universities and global challenges: research on how higher education responds to issues such as climate change, inequality, or public health crises, and on collaborative approaches with governments, industry, and communities.
• Equity, inclusion, and social justice: explorations of diversity, accessibility, decolonial perspectives, and institutional strategies for building more just and inclusive systems.

Submissions Information

Submissions are made using ScholarOne Manuscripts. Registration and access are available here.

Author guidelines must be strictly followed. Please see here.

Authors should select (from the drop-down menu) the special issue title at the appropriate step in the submission process, i.e. in response to “Please select the issue you are submitting to”.

Submitted articles must not have been previously published, nor should they be under consideration for publication anywhere else while under review for this journal.

Key deadlines

Opening date for manuscripts submissions: 01/11/2025

Closing date for manuscripts submission: 31/03/2026    

Closing date for abstract submission: 31/10/2025   

Email for submissions: cyuzhuo@eduhk.hk, anatoly@eduhk.hk, hocs@eduhk.hk