The politicisation of higher education governance: Insights from the USA and UK

Observer

25-05-2025

The higher education sector is transformative, with immense power to influence and shape individual minds through inquiry, research and knowledge. But today, the academic independence of top universities and colleges in some countries; and the fate of international students are hanging over the axe of political scrutiny and power.
The education sector, notably higher education, is experiencing a tectonic landscape shift under the tremendous pressure of advanced technological implications and increasing influence of political houses in advanced economies like the USA and the UK.
Leaders in power are now exercising their power to restrict funding, curriculum, faculty appointments, diversity initiatives and deny international students access to education.
After being appointed to the White House for the second term, Donald Trump has issued executive orders that have not only influenced and disrupted international trade and supply chains but also targeted diversity, equity and inclusion programmes at universities with sweeping implications for federal funding, which has forced prominent historical colleges and universities to make budget cuts amounting to tens of millions of dollars.
The trump administration has also questioned prestigious universities like Harvard, Columbia, MIT and several others with threats of funding withdrawals for failing to address campus anti-Semitism biases.
The consequences of the limiting research grant affect cancer, tuberculosis and environmental health research. Harvard has around 6800 international students, making up 27 per cent of its enrolled students for the year. The students hail from China, the UK, South Korea, India and Canada. If international students are eliminated from Harvard, they will lose much of their finances.
Harvard University has sued the Trump administration for violating the law and free speech rights. A judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration's plan to stop Harvard University from enrolling international students.
Amidst the tussle between the government and the university, the international students are scuttling hither and thither with heightened anxiety. They fear for their future in America and, more importantly, are under the constant threat of deportation.
Across the world, even the UK has imposed policies restricting international students in 2024. Beginning in 2024, international students were stopped from bringing their dependents unless they enrolled in specific STEM programmes.
The Graduate Route Visa, which allowed graduates to remain in the UK for up to two years post-study, is under review, with proposals to reduce its duration and impose stricter eligibility requirements. The outcome of this decision is evident; most universities reported a drop of 17 per cent in enrollment rates, with a 50 per cent decrease in the number of overseas students in the UK. If this trend continues, the universities that depend on a £30 billion annual contribution could face contraction and diminished global standing. These policies, released by the USA and the UK, affect the participation of international students and lead to more homogeneous learning environments, which research shows can reinforce stereotypes, limit peer learning and stifle critical thinking.
Homogeneous classrooms are associated with less stimulating environments, higher teacher turnover, limited knowledge and a shift to developing a fixed mindset. Students from such classrooms are unlikely to build character skills essential for success, like empathy and cultural sensitivity, which could further exacerbate social polarisation.
The ongoing federal funding cuts, policy changes and financial uncertainty will prompt prominent US universities, both public and private, to tighten their budgets through hiring freezes, spending limits and increased budget oversight. These measures already lead to layoffs and could further slow job growth nationwide.
Rising tuition is a likely consequence, as universities attempt to offset lost federal support by passing costs onto students and families. This could make higher education even less accessible for many Americans, especially those from lower and middle-income backgrounds. The combination of staff reductions and higher fees threatens college affordability. It may ignite broader economic anxieties, including fears of a recession, as job losses mount and consumer spending is affected.
Today, the world's leading universities stand as beacons of open inquiry, diversity and global cooperation, but they are challenged to defend those foundational institutional pillars.
As leaders tactfully use funding and immigration policy as tools of ideological control, the risk grows that knowledge generation and access will become the privilege of a narrowing few, with profound consequences for society. Are the actions of these leaders combating discrimination and immigration issues, or are they about exercising control over academic independence, decision making and research funding?
Dr Mythili Kolluru
The writer is an assistant professor at the marketing and management department of the College of Banking and Financial Studies in Muscat.