Universities 2030: Learning from the Past to Anticipate the Future is edited by Adam R. Nelson and Nicholas M. Strohl (University of Wisconsin, Madison) and was commissioned by the Global Higher Education and Research Steering Group.

Covering more than a century of change – from the late 19th century to the early 21st century – the report explores different approaches to internationalisation across Europe, Asia, Australia, North America and South America. Notably, while the choice of historical eras was left entirely open, the essays converged around four periods: the 1880s and the international extension of the ‘modern research university’ model; the 1930s and universities’ attempts to cope with international financial and political crises; the 1960s and universities’ role in an emerging postcolonial international development apparatus; and the 2000s and the rise of neoliberal efforts to reform universities in the name of international economic ‘competitiveness’.

The report includes essays by:

• Tamson Pietsch, Brunel University (UK)
• Glen A. Jones, University of Toronto (Canada)
• Geoffrey Sherington, University of Sydney (Australia)
• Renato H. L. Pedrosa, University of Campinas (Brazil)
• Christopher P. Loss, Vanderbilt University (United States)
•  Shen Wenqin, Peking University (China)
• Gilsun Song, Zhejiang University (China)
• Yang Rui, University of Hong Kong (China)
• Justin J. W. Powell, University of Luxembourg (Luxembourg)

The full report is available to download as a PDF, or can be read online at the Inside Higher Ed blog.