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A silent revolution has filled lecture halls worldwide¡ªbut not everyone has a seat at the table. Global higher education enrolment has more than doubled in two decades, rising from about 100 million students in 2000 to 269 million in 2024, reflecting surging demand and expanding access. Women now outnumber men in higher education but lag behind at doctoral level, and international student mobility has tripled, though it still involves only a small share of learners. Yet this rapid growth masks deep inequalities: participation ranges from around 80% in Western Europe and North America to just 9% in sub-Saharan Africa. Completion rates fall behind enrolment gains, and many countries lack free public education. A new from UNESCO urges stronger investment and inclusive policies.

¡°Growing up, I learned very early that the biggest challenge in my life was not my disability but the barriers¡­ especially in the built environment,¡± says Esther Nagetey, a youth fellow at the International Disability Alliance from Ghana, reminding us that exclusion is often designed, not inevitable. A new UN Human Rights shows that inaccessible housing and transport systems exclude millions of persons with disabilities from daily life. Although they make up about one in 15 people globally, mobility barriers up to 15 times greater, often due to unaffordable or unavailable services. Accessible infrastructure is not optional but a human right, enabling access to education, work and healthcare. Inclusive design is also cost-effective when built early and helps prevent institutionalization. The report urges governments to invest in barrier-free systems, uphold rights, and build communities that foster independence, dignity and full participation.

Athletes increasingly treat signature celebrations¡ªlike Usain Bolt¡¯s pose or Michael Jordan¡¯s dunk¡ªas valuable intellectual property, registering them as trademarks to capture their commercial identity. Trademark law can protect either motion sequences or stylized images tied to a specific person. However, generative AI now challenges this system by replicating gestures without copying original footage, blurring concepts like ownership and consumer confusion. The story from the World Intellectual Property Organization argues (WIPO) that traditional trademark frameworks may no longer suffice, suggesting a need for stronger personality or publicity rights to safeguard identity in an era of synthetic media and digital imitation.