‘It takes years to prepare candidates for academic leadership': Vacancies at SA universities
Vacancies at some universities include those of deputy vice-chancellors, deans of faculties, chief financial officers, registrars, heads of departments, heads of schools and directors.
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New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
Silicon Valley's enthusiasm for Pentagon is just beginning
In the span of a few years, Silicon Valley executives have shifted from viewing Pentagon collaboration as war-mongering to joining the US Army Reserve. And if the response Palantir chief technology officer Shyam Sankar — who has joined the newly formed Detachment 201: Executive Innovation Corps — has received is any indication, the tech industry's enthusiasm is just beginning. Sankar told me he has been inundated with messages from people in the industry who want to do the same. 'Hundreds of people have reached out to me,' he said. 'Service is contagious and people respond.' Advertisement 7 Palantir chief technology officer Shyam Sankar he has been inundated with messages from people in the tech industry interested in serving in the Army Reserve: 'Hundreds of people have reached out to me.' Getty Images for 137 Ventures/Founders Fund/Jacob Helberg Last Friday, Sankar was sworn into Detachment 201, along with Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth, OpenAI Chief Product Officer Kevin Weil and Bob McGrew, OpenAI's former Chief Research Office. The four will serve part-time as senior advisors. The purpose of the new initiative, the Army said in a statement, 'is to fuse cutting-edge tech expertise with military innovation.' Sankar envisions a future where the Department of Defense will prioritize recruiting in the Bay Area. Advertisement 'You need to be where the innovative talent is,' he said. 'We have the facilities they don't have.' 7 OpenAI chief product officer Kevin Weil is joining the US Army Reserve as a part-time senior advisor. Getty Images for HumanX Conference This surge of patriotism marks a dramatic change for an industry that has, in recent years, shunned defense tech firms. Scale CEO Alexandr Wang told me his company's decision to work with the Department of Defense five years ago was enormously controversial at the time. Advertisement 7 Meta Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth is joining Sankar at the newly formed Detachment 201: Executive Innovation Corps. REUTERS 'We were a bit of a pariah in the AI industry because all the other AI companies were were going the other way. They were moving away from working with on defense or security applications,' Wang said. 'And now I'm seeing that pendulum swing back where, even in Silicon Valley, there's a clear recognition and moral imperative that we need to be utilizing AI to support, support our war fighters, support our natural security mission.' Over the past year, OpenAI secured a $200 million contract with the DoD to develop AI capabilities for national security, marking its first major government contract. Advertisement 7 In the last year, OpenAI — where Sam Altman is CEO — secured a $200 million contract with the Department of Defense. Getty Images Meta partnered with Anduril Industries to develop augmented reality (AR) products for US military use. Google has re-entered the defense sector by reversing earlier AI policies that prevented it from supporting national security. That's a big switch from 2018, when Google walked away from the Pentagon's Project Maven (which used AI and machine learning for military targeting) after thousands of employees — touting the company's 'Don't be evil' mantra — signed a letter demanding the company abandon the project. David Ulevitch founded a16z's American Dynamism firm, which invests in founders and companies that support the national interest, including in the fields of aerospace, defense, public safety, education and housing. He told me that Google's overreaction was a 'watershed moment' that spurred others in the industry to return to working on defense and warfare. 7 In 2018 Google walked away from the Pentagon's Project Maven after thousands of employees — touting the company's 'Don't be evil' mantra — signed a letter demanding the company abandon the project. JOHN G MABANGLO/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock 'The history of Silicon Valley is rooted in supporting the national interest ,' he said, 'but somewhere along the way, many lost sight of that. 'Founders have realized that building in the national interest doesn't just feel good and patriotic — which it is — but represents a generational opportunity to build the iconic companies that will power and advance our country for decades to come.' Advertisement During World War II, Frederick Terman, the Stanford engineering dean often called the 'father of Silicon Valley,' built a defense tech ecosystem at the university, securing government contracts and establishing the Stanford Industrial Park. And companies like Hewlett-Packard, Varian Associates, Shockley Semiconductor and Fairchild Semiconductor supplied critical electronics for military radar, missiles and communication systems. 7 Alexandr Wang said concerns over China and the geopolitical tensions have pushed tech leaders to work with the US government. REUTERS This story is part of NYNext, an indispensable insider insight into the innovations, moonshots and political chess moves that matter most to NYC's power players (and those who aspire to be). The stakes might be higher now, with AI's potential to transform governance or even create an extinction event. And many tech leaders have worked with China — and recognize how that country doesn't play fair. Advertisement Wang warned: 'If China gets ahead and America's brightest minds don't tackle national security, what does that world look like?' Silicon Valley's embrace of patriotism coincides with a cultural shift as companies crack down on all things 'woke,' decreasing DEI requirements and curtailing climate pledges. Of course, along with patriotism comes the potential for enormous profit. 7 The Department of Defense, headquartered in the Pentagon, has a budget of nearly a trillion dollars each year. Getty Images/iStockphoto Advertisement Palantir, which relies on the government for more than 40% of its revenue, has come under scrutiny — with lawmakers asking the company to share details of a project that could help the government create a database of Americans, according to a New York Times report. Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) has concerns about data privacy and tech companies getting too close to the government, emphasizing the need for a balance between innovation and security. 'You can innovate while safeguarding information,' he told me. He said technologies like blockchain, which could track access to American data, offer a promising solution to enhance privacy protections. Relying on American companies is arguably the best way to do that. Advertisement 'Ninety percent of all tech is American… it's one of our greatest assets,' Sankar said. 'This is about the importance and primacy of people. When we look at history, innovators like John Boyd, who created the F-16, [have from] the private sector.' Send NYNext a tip: nynextlydia@
New York Times
4 hours ago
- New York Times
Tuition Hikes and Layoffs Are Coming to a Broad Set of Universities
Public universities in the Midwest are raising prices for out-of-state students, as Florida schools consider making the same move for the first time since 2012. Cornell and Duke are among the colleges weighing layoffs. The University of Minnesota is cutting hundreds of jobs, even as undergraduate tuition soars as much as 7.5 percent. Just as America's colleges are preparing to welcome what could be the largest freshman class in the nation's history, political and economic forces are unleashing havoc on higher education budgets. Schools are grappling with meager upticks in state support and topsy-turvy economic forecasts, and Republicans in Washington are pursuing federal budget cuts and threatening tax hikes. Students and employees from coast to coast are poised to feel the squeeze. Although the exact consequences will vary by school, administrators are warning that many students may have to pay more, professors may lose their jobs, programs could vanish and support services could shrink. The turmoil is not limited to any one type of university or college, or any one state. A day before Michigan State University trustees opted for tuition increases, a California State University campus minutes from the Pacific Ocean announced that it was trimming its work force. 'If you're a student or family looking to go to college this year, all of the numbers are going in the wrong direction,' said Ted Mitchell, the president of the American Council on Education, who described the mood among higher education leaders as 'dark but resolved.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Deakin University GIFT City Campus, India, announced 'Winner' at Economic Times Education Excellence Awards 2025
NEW DELHI, June 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Deakin University is proud to announce that its GIFT City Campus in Gandhinagar, India, has been awarded 'Winner' in the category of 'Outstanding in Adopting NEP Strategies' at the prestigious Economic Times Education Excellence Awards 2025. The awards ceremony, held at The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel, New Delhi, brought together distinguished educational leaders from across the country. This milestone not only recognises the landmark India's first international branch campus initiative but also celebrates Deakin's three-decade legacy of deep engagement with India. Since becoming the first university to establish an office in India in 1994, Deakin has fostered enduring partnerships across India's academia, industry, and government, forging the path for this transformative new campus. Established in 2024, the campus represents a new model for higher education in India. It is globally benchmarked, digitally empowered, and deeply aligned with the transformative vision of India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. "It's an enormous privilege to be part of India's education transformation and support the Indian Government's NEP 2020 ambitions. Our Deakin GIFT City campus provides access to a world-class education for Indian students on their home soil, whilst building on Deakin's deep and longstanding connection and friendship with India. Being in the heart of GIFT City allows us to facilitate opportunities with key global industry tech and finance players," said Professor Iain Martin, Vice-Chancellor, Deakin University. Deakin's GIFT City Campus is the first international branch campus in India. Focused on preparing students for the rapidly advancing digital economy, it offers a vibrant atmosphere that includes cybersecurity laboratories and state-of-the-art digital classrooms. It also facilitates internship opportunities with onsite industry partners. "This is not just a win for Deakin, it's a win for the India-Australia education partnership," said Ravneet Pawha, Vice President (Global Engagement) and CEO (South Asia), Deakin University. "Our GIFT City Campus builds on years of meaningful collaboration and trust earned in India. It reflects Deakin's unique positioning to bring international education closer to Indian aspirations." The GIFT City campus currently offers postgraduate programs in Cybersecurity and Business Analytics, designed with Indian industry partners and delivered at the same standards as offered in Australia. Its first successful placement cycle concluded recently, with students securing paid internships and future roles at National Australia Bank's India Innovation Centre. Deakin's GIFT City Campus has been purpose-built for scalability and sustainability, both across its physical and academic structure. Powered by Deakin's award-winning advanced tech for education delivery model, students benefit from AI-powered learning platforms, virtual labs, and simulations, alongside holistic learner support systems and access-enabling scholarships. As a campus grounded in Deakin's philosophy of 'In India, With India, For India', this recognition affirms their role in helping India realise its NEP goals through globally relevant, locally delivered education. To know more about the Deakin University GIFT City Campus, please visit About Deakin University Established in 1974, Deakin is Australia's most progressive University with a focus on delivering outcomes that benefit the whole of society through exploring and developing great ideas. Deakin excels in both education and research globally and has more than 65 global partnerships. Deakin's South Asia operations commenced in 1994 at New Delhi, India, making it one of the first overseas education providers to set up operations in this region. Here, Deakin engages with the government, industry, and academia to share its vibrant education and research culture. Our strong global footprint allows us to connect with students and partners around the world through our presence in China, Europe, India, Indonesia, South and Central America, and Sri Lanka. For more information on Deakin University, please visit Photo: View original content to download multimedia: Se produjo un error al recuperar la información Inicia sesión para acceder a tu portafolio Se produjo un error al recuperar la información Se produjo un error al recuperar la información Se produjo un error al recuperar la información Se produjo un error al recuperar la información
