The sessions covered the images of the Arab in the media, inter-cultural relations, translation of literary works and the literature of travel, to name but a few. The conference – which included a book exhibition, a concert, a film screening and a photography exhibition – was a live event with all the necessary potential to grow beyond the university into the public sphere of cultural activities in Milan.

British Universities have always been considered the global gold standard for quality but Brexit, in combination with reduced government funding, immigration policy, a changing 18 year-old demographic and the Higher Education and Research Bill, has created ‘A Perfect Storm’ for the sector. Universities are big business. Last year there were 2.24 million students at British universities.

The first edition of the Public Diplomacy and Government Communication Forum will open tomorrow at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The one-day Forum is a new event organised by the Government of Dubai Media Office that aims to support government organisations in optimising their communication strategies through a discussion of global best practices and success stories from both the region and the world.

Saudi King Salman’s four-day state visit to Malaysia in late February culminated with an investment deal between Malaysia’s Petronas and Saudi Aramco, as well as key bilateral agreements on the cooperation and exchange of expertise in the fields of trade and economy; labour and human resources; science and higher education; and news exchange. The latter agreements underscore a shift from past engagements.

San Diego youth will have an opportunity this summer to virtually connect with foreign students who, at one time, were temporarily barred from entering the U.S. Through World Learning's Digital Young Leaders Exchange Program, students in this country will use online tools, including video chats and webinars, to communicate with their counterparts in Iraq. The Middle Eastern country appeared on President Donald Trump’s temporary travel ban but was removed in a later version.

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) took over as head of the Taipei-based General Association of Chinese Culture (GACC) on Thursday, outlining three missions for the organization including boosting Taiwan's cultural power and promoting cultural exchanges and cooperation with China.

Chinese universities “stand to gain” from the “anti-global” atmosphere in the US under Donald Trump, especially if they introduce reforms to make academic culture “more lively and open”. That is the view of Gerard Postiglione, chair in higher education at the University of Hong Kong, who said that some academics and students may look to universities in China instead of those in the US in the near future.