Princeton Scientist Bonnie Bassler Awarded Royal Society’s Copley Medal
Renowned microbiologist Bonnie Bassler, the Andrew K. Golden University Professor at Princeton University and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, has been awarded the Royal Society’s 2026 Copley Medal, the world’s oldest scientific prize. Bassler is among 28 scientists and researchers recognized this year by the Royal Society for contributions to scientific discovery, public engagement and research culture. The awards were announced Aug. 27. The Copley Medal is the Royal Society’s most prestigious scientific award. Established in 1731, it recognizes sustained and outstanding achievements in any field of science and carries a £25,000 prize. Previous recipients include Nobel laureate Dorothy Hodgkin, Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, Jocelyn Bell Burnell and Charles Darwin. Bassler was recognized for research that has transformed scientists’ understanding of how bacteria communicate and coordinate their behavior. Her work has shown that single-celled bacteria are capable of acting collectively by exchanging chemical signals through a process known as quorum sensing. Rather than functioning solely as individual organisms, bacteria can use these signaling systems to detect the presence of other cells, coordinate behavior and respond collectively to changes in their environment. The research has implications for medicine as well as basic microbiology. By revealing how bacteria communicate, Bassler’s work has opened up the possibility of developing therapies that disrupt bacterial signaling and potentially target disease-causing bacteria without relying solely on conventional antibiotics. Sir Paul Nurse, president of the Royal Society, said Bassler’s research had “transformed our understanding of how bacteria communicate with each other.” He added that her discoveries could contribute to the development of drugs that serve as alternatives to antibiotics by interfering with bacterial communication systems. “This well-deserved award recognises her invaluable contribution to science, as well as the extraordinary creativity with which she approaches research,” Nurse said. The Copley Medal is the latest recognition for Bassler, whose research has helped establish quorum sensing as a major area of microbiological research. Her work has examined how bacteria use chemical signals to regulate collective behaviors, including processes that can contribute to infection. The Royal Society’s 2026 awards recognize 28 recipients across scientific research, public engagement and research culture. The Society said the recipients had made exceptional contributions to science and would help inspire future generations of researchers. “Celebrating excellence in science is core to the Society’s mission,” Nurse said, congratulating this year’s recipients. The full list of 2026 winnersPremier awardsCopley MedalProfessor Bonnie Bassler FRS, for her discovery of the universality of chemical communication among bacteria, and for her dogma-overturning idea that interfering with bacterial communication could form the basis of completely novel anti-bacterials. Bakerian Medal and LectureProfessor Karen Heywood OBE FRS, for her outstanding contributions as a physical oceanographer who has documented how the Southern Ocean interacts with the Antarctic continent. Croonian Medal and LectureDame Janet Thornton DBE FMedSci FRS, for pioneering work in protein structural and functional bioinformatics. Royal Medal (Physical)Professor John Pyle CBE FRS, for his foundational and policy-relevant contributions to the understanding of stratospheric and tropospheric ozone via major advances in the numerical modelling of the atmosphere, his insightful interpretation of atmospheric measurements and his leadership of major field campaigns. Royal Medal (Biological)Professor Lewis Kay FRS, for his remarkable contribution to understand and quantify protein dynamics and its relevance to protein function. Royal Medal (Applied)Professor Fiona Wood AO, for her pioneering work resulting in the invention of spray-on-skin, an innovation that has transformed the lives of burns patients globally. Prize lecturesFrancis Crick Medal and LectureDr Kelly Nguyen, for her ground-breaking discoveries into the molecular mechanisms of telomere maintenance. Royal Society Africa PrizeProfessor Clive Gray, for pioneering research into the immunological impacts of HIV on maternal and child health, particularly the mechanisms affecting HIV-exposed uninfected children. Milner Award and LectureProfessor Monika Henzinger, for pioneering research in areas including efficient algorithms, differential privacy, web information retrieval, and systems profiling, and having a long-lasting impact in academia and industry. Environment Medal and LectureProfessor Paul Bates CBE FRS, for developing improved flood modelling approaches, including advances in shallow water equations and remote sensing, that are widely used in flood-risk management internationally. Michael Faraday Prize and LectureProfessor Anjali Goswami FRS, for her transformational research in vertebrate evolution and her exceptional public engagement, particularly her dedication to championing and advocating for women and people from minoritised communities within science and research. Royal Society David Attenborough Award and LectureDame Maggie Aderin MBE, for her commitment to widening participation, reshaping public understanding of space science and scientific discovery, and innovative outreach that has impacted millions. Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Medal and LectureProfessor Gregory Radick, for his exemplary work as a historian and philosopher of science, and his contributions to our understanding of genetics and evolutionary theory. Royal Society Rosalind Franklin Award and LectureDr Patricia Rodríguez Maciá, for her achievements in developing new artificial metalloenzymes and her proposed outreach and mentorship programme that engages secondary school girls from underrepresented communities. Ferrier Medal and LectureProfessor Kenneth Harris, for his revolutionary contributions to neuroscience by unifying experimental neurophysiology with advanced analytical methods, and for pioneering the technologies and computational methods that allow recording from thousands of neurons. AwardsBuchanan MedalDr Ketan Patel FMedSci FRS, for the discovery that two simple aldehydes (acetaldehyde and formaldehyde) are major sources of endogenous DNA damage, and that a fundamental two-tier protection system prevents these reactive metabolites from disrupting essential physiological processes. Darwin MedalProfessor Michael Benton OBE FRS, for his contribution to many aspects of palaeontological science, as well as authoring the standard textbooks in the field, popular science and children’s books. Royal Society Research Culture AwardDr Audrey Cameron OBE, for groundbreaking contributions to both science education and accessibility for the Deaf community. Cameron has significantly advanced the use of British Sign Language (BSL) in STEM education, particularly the compilation of over 4,000 signs for STEM with BSL definitions and examples. Royal Society Athena PrizeNU STEM, for their work promoting equity in STEM and strengthening the (research) evidence base around effective STEM Education and Engagement. Royal Society Armourers & Brasiers' Company PrizeProfessor Charlotte Williams OBE FRS, for innovative materials science for sustainable oxygenated polymers as plastics, thermoplastic elastomers, ionomers and polyelectrolyte binders. Hauksbee AwardStuart Naismith, for his entrepreneurial approach to science education, despite having no science background, dedicating his time to developing his delivery of science throughout his school and beyond. Davy MedalProfessor Douglas Stephan FRS, for his discipline-changing discovery and elaboration of the concept of ‘frustrated Lewis pairs’ that revolutionised catalysis, by introducing main-group reactivity and that became a globally embraced paradigm for new reactivity across the periodic table, leading to innovations and applications in inorganic, organic materials, and radical chemistry, microfluidics, heterogeneous catalysis, and bioinorganic chemistry. Gabor MedalProfessor Sarah Teichmann FMedSci FRS, for fundamental contributions to deciphering the molecular and cellular basis of living systems by combining biophysics, genomics and data science. Rumford MedalProfessor Laura Herz FRS, for her outstanding research on the physics of light interaction and energy conversion in semiconductors, including metal-halide perovskites, nanomaterials and molecules, which has had profound implications for solar cell development. Sylvester MedalProfessor Wendelin Werner FRS, for playing an instrumental role in the development of the Schramm-Loewner evolution, a random curve which describes the scaling limit of many models from statistical mechanics in two dimensions. Hughes MedalProfessor Iain McCulloch FRS, for innovative advancements in the field of energy through the discovery of new organic semiconducting materials and formulations for photovoltaics and solar fuels. Mullard MedalProfessor Quentin Pankhurst, for pioneering leadership in establishing the field of Healthcare Biomagnetics which has resulted in profound scientific, clinical, and economic impact in the UK and internationally; and established the UK as a global centre for biomagnetic medical technologies.
UCLA Establishes First Standalone Digital Humanities Department in the U.S.
The University of California, Los Angeles, has established a standalone Department of Digital Humanities, becoming the first U.S. university to offer a bachelor’s degree in the field, according to the university. The move elevates digital humanities from an interdisciplinary program within UCLA’s humanities division to a separate academic department, reflecting the field’s growth at the university and its expanding role at the intersection of technology and humanistic inquiry. Digital humanities brings together approaches from the humanities, computing and related fields to examine both technology and human experience. Scholars may use digital tools to study literature, language, history and culture, while also examining how technologies shape individuals, institutions and societies. At UCLA, the field has been developing for more than two decades. The university launched its Program in Digital Humanities in 2010 as part of the UCLA College Division of Humanities. The program was initially expected to serve about 25 students a year. Demand has grown substantially since then. More than 200 UCLA undergraduates minored in digital humanities during the 2025–26 academic year, making it the largest minor in the UCLA College and the second-largest undergraduate minor universitywide. In total, about 750 undergraduates and more than 30 graduate students took digital humanities courses during the year. The new department will offer an undergraduate major leading to a bachelor’s degree, giving students a dedicated academic pathway into a field that has traditionally been housed within existing humanities programs, research centers or interdisciplinary initiatives. Dominic Thomas, chair of the new department and UCLA’s Madeleine L. Letessier Professor of French and Francophone Studies, said the department reflects the university’s view that digital humanities is both a viable area of study and an important component of contemporary undergraduate education. “We need to be thinking and designing curricula that will define what our graduates end up doing as they go about imagining and shaping new futures in the global world,” Thomas said. The curriculum will combine technical and humanistic training. Students will learn to use digital tools to investigate human culture, history and experience while also examining how those technologies are designed and deployed, whose perspectives they represent and how they affect society. That approach is intended to distinguish digital humanities from a purely technical education in computing or data science. The department will draw on expertise in humanities disciplines as well as data science, social sciences and information studies. “UCLA Digital Humanities has humanities at its core and also is interdisciplinary in nature,” said Alexandra Minna Stern, dean of the Humanities Division. She said the combination of disciplines would create opportunities for students to engage with questions that cannot be addressed through a single field. The creation of the department also comes as universities grapple with how to incorporate artificial intelligence and other rapidly developing digital technologies into undergraduate education. For digital humanities programs, that presents a dual challenge: preparing students to work with new technologies while equipping them to critically evaluate their cultural, social and ethical consequences. At UCLA, the new department is positioned to address both sides of that challenge. Its establishment marks a shift in digital humanities from a largely interdisciplinary area of study toward a formal academic discipline with its own department, curriculum and undergraduate degree.
WorldHE NS Watch: Stanford Leads With Three Nature & Science Papers in One Week
Against the backdrop of intensifying global competition in scientific research, publication output in Nature and Science has become one of the key benchmarks for evaluating universities’ capacity for original innovation and their international academic influence. WorldHE continuously tracks the latest weekly and rolling 12-month Nature and Science publication data from universities worldwide, offering a dynamic view of the evolving global higher education and research landscape. Click here to access the complete university NS publication data. Global University NS Publications: August 17–23, 2026Global university output in Nature and Science returned to a high level last week, with 47 universities worldwide publishing NS papers. Among them, 15 universities were from the United States, significantly ahead of other countries and regions. China Mainland accounted for 10 universities, maintaining its strong position in high-impact research output. Stanford University delivered a particularly strong performance, publishing one Nature paper and two Science papers, with Stanford serving as the corresponding-author institution on all three publications. University of Bristol, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Shanghai Jiao Tong University each published two NS papers during the week. Global University NS Rankings: August 23, 2025–August 23, 2026Over the past 12 months, 66 universities worldwide have published at least 10 papers in Nature or Science, highlighting the increasingly intense competition among the world’s leading research institutions. Among the Top 10 universities by combined NS output, the United States accounts for six universities, while three universities from China Mainland maintain their positions. The United Kingdom has one university in the global Top 10. Harvard University remains the clear global leader with 146 papers, including 95 in Nature and 51 in Science. Harvard ranks first among all universities in publication output in both journals. It was also the corresponding-author institution on 144 papers, meaning Harvard researchers served as corresponding authors on nearly every publication, demonstrating an exceptionally strong capacity for independently leading high-impact research. MIT has also surpassed the 100-paper mark, with 106 papers, ranking second globally. Stanford University followed closely with 93 papers. Together, Harvard, MIT, and Stanford form an elite research cluster approaching or exceeding the 100-paper level. The University of California, Berkeley ranked fourth with 66 NS papers. Although its overall output remains below that of the top three, Berkeley is the only university in the global Top 10 to publish more Science papers (34) than Nature papers (32). The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, a university in China Mainland, ranked fifth globally with 56 papers, making it the highest-ranked non-U.S. university. The University of Cambridge ranked sixth with 47 papers, making it the only UK university in the global Top 10. Tsinghua University ranked seventh with 45 papers, followed by Peking University with 43. Two universities in the University of California system—UC San Francisco and UCLA—tied for ninth with 38 papers each. Click here to access the complete university NS publication data. MethodologyFor Nature, only publications classified as Article and Review Article were included. For Science, the analysis includes Research Article, Special-Issue Research Article, and Review. Only the physically affiliated first author was counted as the first author. All corresponding-author affiliations were included, with each affiliated institution counted once. If the first-author institution and the corresponding-author institution were the same, the publication was counted only once for that institution. Only formally published articles were included in the analysis. Advance online publications and papers in pre-publication status were excluded.
NSF Announces $290 Million Investment in Eight Quantum Research Institutes
On August 25, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) announced a $290 million investment to support eight research institutes working to advance quantum science and technology in the United States. The investment expands NSF’s Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes program, which the agency launched in 2020 as part of its strategy to advance the goals of the 2018 National Quantum Initiative Act. Three of the eight institutes are newly established. The other five were created with previous NSF funding and will receive renewed support to continue their research. Each institute will receive approximately $28 million to $37 million over five years and will be led by researchers specializing in quantum information science. Since 2020, the institutes have made significant scientific advances across a range of fields, from developing new approaches to building quantum computers to creating quantum sensors that could eventually enable earlier detection of disease. The institutes also serve as collaborative hubs connecting academic researchers, federal science agencies, quantum technology companies and educational organizations. “For more than four decades, NSF has been laying the foundational groundwork of research and discovery that is powering today’s modern quantum computing, sensing and communication,” said Brian Stone, performing the duties of NSF director. “It’s time for focused activities to leverage that base of knowledge to drive us even farther forward to the benefit of all Americans. The NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes are a next step for us in understanding the quantum world we live in.” Quantum technologies rely on phenomena such as quantum entanglement and superposition and have the potential to significantly outperform conventional, or “classical,” technologies in certain applications. For example, just as an electronic calculator can vastly outperform an abacus, a functional quantum computer could theoretically outperform today’s most powerful supercomputers on certain types of computational problems. Similarly, quantum sensors could enable scientists to precisely measure physical properties that are too subtle—or even impossible—for existing technologies to detect. The NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes are focused on addressing the fundamental scientific and technological challenges that must be overcome for quantum devices to achieve such levels of performance. Each institute represents a broad collaboration spanning academia, government and industry. Collectively, the eight institutes will support researchers across 19 states and 36 institutions of higher education. Federal partners include multiple U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories, the U.S. Department of War and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. More than 30 U.S. companies are also partnering with the institutes to help accelerate the translation of fundamental research into technologies, products and techniques that can eventually be scaled for industrial use. NSF is also supporting education and workforce-development programs through the institutes in an effort to strengthen the future U.S. quantum workforce. Over the next five years, the eight institutes will collectively train hundreds of graduate students, undergraduate students and early-career researchers. Their programs will include partnerships with community colleges, universities, high schools and community science organizations. Training activities will include internships and summer schools, K-12 teacher programs and specialized mentorship opportunities with leading researchers in quantum information science. The Eight NSF Quantum Leap Challenge InstitutesNSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Fault-Tolerant Quantum Systems, Architectures and Applications (NSF FTQSAA)Led by Harvard University, with UCLA Samueli and MIT serving as co-leads, FTQSAA is one of three newly established institutes under the expanded program. The multi-institutional research team will focus on developing quantum systems capable of performing useful computations reliably despite the errors and noise that affect quantum devices. Researchers will integrate fault-tolerant approaches across quantum hardware, software, algorithms and applications to improve quantum systems’ ability to tackle previously intractable problems, including challenges in drug and materials discovery, particle physics and cosmology. NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Hybrid Quantum Architectures and Networks (NSF HQAN)The Hybrid Quantum Architectures and Networks institute, led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, will enter a second phase with $37.5 million in NSF funding over five years. The regional research consortium includes the University of Illinois, the University of Chicago, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Northwestern University, with Stanford University and MIT Lincoln Laboratory providing additional expertise and capabilities. The second-phase institute will also work with 16 industry partners, including Google, IBM, IonQ and Quantinuum. NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Manufacturable and Resilient Superconducting Quantum Information Systems (NSF MARQUIS)Led by Princeton University, MARQUIS will develop new approaches to quantum hardware fabrication, advance materials and nanofabrication techniques, and create education and workforce-development programs aimed at strengthening U.S. leadership in quantum science and engineering. The institute will receive $27.9 million in NSF funding over five years. Its research team brings together expertise in materials science, quantum devices and semiconductor processing across roughly two dozen laboratories at nine research institutions. Participating institutions include Princeton University, Cornell University, MIT, the University of California, Santa Barbara, Stanford University, Dartmouth College, NY CREATES, Michigan State University and the University of Iowa. NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Physics and Engineering of Practical Quantum Error Correction (NSF PRACTIQAL)NSF PRACTIQAL brings together physicists, engineers, computer scientists and chemists from Yale University and partner institutions. The institute will receive a $37.5 million NSF grant. Its researchers will develop new and more effective methods for correcting errors that commonly occur in quantum computing systems, with the goal of improving the performance, scalability and practical usefulness of quantum computers. The research will span quantum hardware, algorithms, software and theoretical approaches that could enable more effective error correction for large-scale quantum computers that have yet to be realized. NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Quantum Computation (NSF CIQC)The NSF Challenge Institute for Quantum Computation (CIQC) is a California-based research network led by the University of California, Berkeley, with researchers from UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, the California Institute of Technology and Stanford University. With a renewed five-year, $37.5 million NSF grant, the institute will focus on three major challenges: discovering and realizing the potential of quantum computation, using quantum information science to better understand nature, and developing quantum technologies and their applications. NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Quantum Sensing for Biophysics and Bioengineering (NSF QuBBE)NSF QuBBE will receive $37.5 million in funding over five years to advance quantum sensing technologies capable of revealing biological processes that are difficult or impossible to observe with conventional tools. The Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Quantum Sensing for Biophysics and Bioengineering was originally established in 2021. Led by the University of Chicago in partnership with Chicago State University, the University of Illinois Chicago, Harvard University and other collaborators, the institute brings together quantum scientists, engineers, chemists, biologists and physicians. NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Quantum Systems through Entangled Science and Engineering (NSF Q-SEnSE)NSF Q-SEnSE, or Quantum Systems through Entangled Science and Engineering, is led by JILA and the University of Colorado Boulder in collaboration with universities and national laboratories across the United States. The institute aims to advance the emerging field of quantum sensing and achieve meaningful quantum speedups for scientific research and technological applications. NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Robust Quantum Simulation (NSF RQS)Led by the University of Maryland, College Park, NSF RQS will receive $37.5 million in NSF funding over five years. The institute will focus on developing and applying quantum simulations that can help scientists investigate complex phenomena, support the development of large-scale quantum technologies for industry, or both. Its research will span areas including new quantum algorithms, systems architecture, materials science and related fields, with the goal of advancing both the scientific capabilities and practical applications of quantum simulation.
U.S. Higher Education Workforce Shrinks Sharply as Colleges Continue to Cut Staff
The U.S. higher education workforce contracted sharply in 2025, with both full-time and part-time staff headcounts falling significantly from the previous year, according to the latest data from the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR). CUPA-HR’s latest report, The Size of the Higher Ed Workforce Changes, shows a sharp reversal from the workforce growth recorded in 2024. Full-time staff headcount fell 6.6% in 2025, ending a multiyear period of growth that peaked at 6.5% in 2024. The decline was even steeper among part-time employees, whose headcount plunged 23.9% in 2025. That followed an unprecedented 21.1% increase in 2024. The sharp reversal highlights the greater volatility of part-time employment in higher education compared with full-time positions. It also suggests that colleges and universities broadly reduced staffing levels in 2025, with part-time employees bearing the brunt of the cuts. Faculty employment, however, moved in the opposite direction, with headcounts increasing across all categories. The most notable growth came among tenure-track faculty, whose numbers rose 7.0% from the previous year. That marked the largest single-year increase since 2016 and represented a significant acceleration from the 1.1% growth recorded in 2024. Meanwhile, growth among non-tenure-track faculty slowed to 2.1%, down from 3.6% the previous year. It was the first time in the decade covered by the data that the growth rate for tenure-track faculty surpassed that of non-tenure-track faculty. Adjunct faculty also saw modest growth in 2025, with headcount increasing 0.9%. That marked a second consecutive year of slow but steady growth, following a 0.3% increase in 2024. CUPA-HR’s latest figures are based on data collected as of November 1, 2025. The trend may have continued into 2026, as many colleges and universities have continued to reduce their workforces in an effort to address projected budget deficits for fiscal year 2027. In June, Johns Hopkins University eliminated approximately 110 positions as it responded to cuts in federal research funding. The university described the layoffs as a “last resort,” with most of the affected employees working in administrative roles. In a statement, Johns Hopkins said that as the scale of federally funded research programs continues to shrink, the infrastructure and support systems built around those programs must also be adjusted. The university had already implemented a series of significant cost-cutting measures last year, including a hiring freeze, suspending annual salary increases for employees earning more than $80,000, reducing nonessential spending, eliminating vacant positions, and cutting planned capital spending by 20% over the next five years. With colleges and universities still under pressure from shrinking federal research funding, tighter budgets and rising operating costs, the U.S. higher education workforce could contract further in 2027.
US Orders 30 Universities to Review China Ties
Recently, the U.S. Department of War issued formal notifications to 30 U.S. academic institutions, directing them to launch immediate and comprehensive reviews of their academic, financial, and research collaborations with foreign entities of concern. The list of foreign institutions identified in the notifications indicates that the directive is primarily focused on collaborations with Chinese research institutions. According to the notifications, to maintain eligibility for future federal research funding, the universities must conduct a comprehensive audit of all identified foreign collaborations, assess their exposure to sensitive or export-controlled research, and implement strict mitigation measures, including terminating problematic partnerships where necessary. The institutions are required to report their findings and the actions they have taken directly to the Department no later than August 31, 2026. A U.S. official provided The Guardian with the full list of the 30 universities required to conduct the reviews. They are: the University of California, Berkeley; the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of California, San Diego; the University of Southern California; Illinois Institute of Technology; Southern Illinois University Carbondale; the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Harvard University; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Cornell University; New York University; Stony Brook University; Duke University; the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Northeastern State University in Tahlequah; Oklahoma State University; the University of Delaware; Emory University; Drake University; Johns Hopkins University; the University of Minnesota; the University of Cincinnati; Portland State University; Penn State University; Bryant University; the University of South Carolina; the University of Texas at Austin; Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; and Georgetown University. The list includes many highly ranked U.S. universities. U.S.-China research collaboration is facing increasingly stringent restrictions. In July, the National Science Foundation (NSF) published a notice on its website titled “Prohibition on Collaborations with Restricted Entities,” announcing a new policy that will take effect in fiscal year 2027. Under the policy, NSF-funded researchers will be prohibited from using NSF grant funds to collaborate with institutions or their employees that appear on U.S. government restricted lists. In addition, during the period of an NSF-funded project, key research personnel may not hold positions at, or receive research support from, restricted entities. The list covers hundreds of leading Chinese universities, national laboratories, and other research institutions. The policy would effectively bar NSF-funded U.S. scientists from collaborating with nearly all Chinese research institutions and scientists. At the same time, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has issued a proposed rule that is expected to take effect in December this year and would overhaul federal grant policies. The proposal seeks to establish uniform standards across federal agencies that would prohibit the use of federal grant funds for any research collaborations involving China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and other designated “countries of concern.”
Westcliff Acquires Pacific College Amid Growing Nurse Demand
Westcliff University has acquired Pacific College, a private nursing school in Costa Mesa, California, in a move that will expand the university’s nursing education offerings and create additional pathways from entry-level nursing programs to graduate study. Founded in 1993, Pacific College specializes in nursing and healthcare education and offers vocational, associate, bachelor’s and master’s-level programs. The acquisition brings Pacific College into Westcliff’s broader academic portfolio and is expected to expand opportunities for collaboration across the university’s programs, employer partnerships and healthcare education initiatives. The transaction comes as California faces continued demand for nurses and other healthcare professionals. State health officials project that California will need more than 61,000 additional registered nurses by 2033. Nationally, the nursing workforce is also expected to face a significant shortage, with more than 189,000 job openings projected through 2034. For Westcliff, the acquisition builds on its recent expansion into nursing education. The university recently launched its College of Nursing, supported by a nursing campus in Corona, California, that includes simulation-based clinical training facilities. The addition of Pacific College will broaden the university’s nursing portfolio, including pathways from vocational and registered nursing programs through graduate-level education such as family nurse practitioner preparation. “Pacific College has earned the trust of students, faculty and healthcare employers over the past three decades by preparing healthcare professionals who make a difference in their communities,” said Anthony Lee, president and CEO of Westcliff University. “This is more than an acquisition. It is an investment in the future of healthcare education.” Lee said the partnership will allow Westcliff and Pacific College to combine their respective strengths while expanding access to academic programs, clinical partnerships, interdisciplinary collaboration and career-focused support. Pacific College reported a 95.83% NCLEX-RN pass rate during the 2024–25 academic year, a result that places the institution among the higher-performing nursing programs in California. Its baccalaureate and master’s nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), while the college holds institutional accreditation from the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). The acquisition also reflects Westcliff’s broader strategy of expanding through established educational institutions while maintaining their institutional identity and strengths. In 2020, Westcliff acquired Western State College of Law, preserving the Orange County institution while incorporating it into the university. Westcliff said the same approach will guide its work with Pacific College as the nursing school enters a new phase of its development. “One of the most rewarding parts of this process has been getting to know the people of Pacific College,” Lee said. “Their dedication to students, pride in the institution and passion for healthcare education are evident in everything they do.” Pacific College’s faculty, staff and educational programs will become part of the Westcliff University community. Students will continue to have access to Pacific College’s personalized educational environment while gaining opportunities to participate in a larger university community and engage with programs and resources across multiple disciplines. The acquisition comes as nursing education providers across the country respond to rising demand for healthcare workers and growing pressure to develop flexible pathways into the profession. For Westcliff, the addition of Pacific College represents another step in its effort to connect career-focused education with workforce needs in high-demand fields. About Westcliff UniversityWestcliff University is a private institution of higher education headquartered in Irvine, California. Founded in 1993, the university offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs across more than 20 areas of study, including business, education, technology, nursing, law, computer science and engineering. Westcliff describes its academic model as career-focused and technology-driven, with an emphasis on hands-on learning, industry engagement and AI-enhanced educational experiences. The university reports more than 10,000 students from more than 130 countries across nine campuses worldwide. Westcliff University is organized as a California Public Benefit Corporation and has received national recognition, including inclusion on the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges list and designation as a Military Friendly institution. About Pacific CollegePacific College is a private college based in Costa Mesa, California, specializing in nursing and healthcare education. Founded in 1993, the college offers vocational, associate, bachelor’s and master’s-level programs designed to prepare students for careers in nursing and patient care. Pacific College is institutionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). Its baccalaureate and master’s nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Beyond the IPO: How Unitree Is Building China’s Humanoid Robotics Talent Pipeline
On August 19, Unitree Robotics Co., Ltd., widely regarded as China’s leading publicly listed humanoid robotics company, debuted on the A-share market. The stock opened at RMB 1,100 per share, up 629.44%, sending its total market capitalization soaring to RMB 444.9 billion. Based on the IPO price of RMB 150.8 per share, investors allocated one lot (500 shares) would have made a profit of as much as RMB 474,600. Unitree Robotics is a high-performance general-purpose robotics company focused on the R&D, production, and sales of high-performance general-purpose humanoid robots, quadruped robots, robotic components, and embodied intelligence models. 2026 marks the tenth anniversary of the company’s founding. In its updated prospectus for its IPO and listing on the STAR Market, Unitree Robotics disclosed its latest financial results for the first half of 2026. From January to June 2026, the company recorded operating revenue of RMB 1.152 billion, up 48.54% year on year. Net profit attributable to shareholders reached RMB 274 million, compared with a net loss of RMB 32.0245 million in the same period last year. Net profit excluding non-recurring items was RMB 244 million, down 19.34% year on year. Behind Unitree Robotics’ listing is the rapid development of China’s embodied intelligence industry. According to the China Embodied Intelligence Industry Development Report (2026), China’s embodied intelligence market grew from RMB 213.3 billion in 2018 and is expected to reach RMB 1.09 trillion in 2026. At the same time, the enormous market size and highly promising industry outlook are rapidly driving strong demand for talent in embodied intelligence. Industry forecasts suggest that China’s embodied intelligence sector currently faces a talent shortage of as many as one million people. Wang Xingxing, founder and chairman of Unitree Robotics, said in an interview that the humanoid robotics industry essentially did not exist before, and that the relevant talent pool has only gradually developed in recent years. Both the quantity and quality of talent still need time to catch up with the industry’s growth. Asked specifically what kinds of talent are in short supply, his answer was: virtually every type of position is understaffed, with AI talent being the most critical. Unitree Robotics’ prospectus likewise identifies artificial intelligence, motion control, and perception and interaction as key R&D areas for future expansion. It also characterizes the general-purpose robotics industry as one that is “talent- and technology-intensive, with rapid innovation and iteration.” In fact, Unitree Robotics has long been exploring partnerships with universities to establish talent-development systems that can adapt to changes in the industry. In 2021, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Wang Xingxing’s alma mater, and Unitree Robotics established a Joint Laboratory for Intelligent Robotics. Since then, Unitree’s partnerships with universities have continued to evolve, expanding into industry colleges, innovation programs, and specialized minor programs in embodied intelligence. To date, Unitree has established industry colleges in more than a dozen Chinese cities, including Qingdao, Liuzhou, Zhengzhou, Jiaozuo, Hefei, Xiamen, Suzhou, Ningbo, Guangzhou, and Wuhan. Most of these cities share a common characteristic: strong manufacturing foundations and abundant application scenarios for robotics. Establishing industry colleges in major manufacturing hubs serves two purposes. On the one hand, they can cultivate the application-oriented talent that companies need. On the other, educational partnerships can help companies build deeper connections with local industries and university research ecosystems. Unitree’s prospectus shows that in the first three quarters of 2025, research and education applications accounted for 73.6% of the company’s humanoid robot revenue, making this by far its largest application segment. In the early stages of the general-purpose robotics industry, customers in research and education use robots for application development, scenario validation, and training—laying the groundwork for large-scale adoption in consumer and industrial applications. In other words, before robots can truly enter complex environments such as factories and homes, universities and research institutions serve not only as venues for technology validation but also as important testing grounds for robots on their path toward commercialization. In this way, Unitree’s university partnerships can gradually evolve beyond individual collaborations, becoming an integral part of broader industrial development strategies at the city level.
University of Michigan Names Vanderbilt Provost as Next President
The University of Michigan Board of Regents has selected C. Cybele Raver, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at Vanderbilt University, as its preferred candidate to become the university’s 17th president. The Board of Regents is scheduled to hold a special meeting at 11 a.m. on Sept. 1 to take a formal vote on Raver’s appointment. If approved, she is expected to assume the presidency on Dec. 1, succeeding current President Domenico Grasso. Raver has served as Vanderbilt’s chief academic officer since 2021, overseeing the university’s academic and research enterprise. During her tenure, Vanderbilt’s annual research expenditures surpassed $1 billion, the university recruited eight new deans and established the College of Connected Computing, its first new college in more than four decades. She has also overseen the expansion of Vanderbilt’s academic presence beyond its Nashville campus, with new or expanded initiatives in New York City, San Francisco, Chattanooga, Tennessee, and West Palm Beach, Florida. “Dr. Raver has a proven record of building strong teams, expanding research excellence and strengthening every institution she has served,” Michael Behm, chair of the University of Michigan Board of Regents, said in a statement. “She understands what it takes to lead a complex, world-class university.” Raver’s academic background is in developmental psychology and human development. She is the Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Psychology and Human Development at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Her research has focused on child development, education policy and poverty, attracting more than $24 million in support from agencies and foundations including the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation. Before joining Vanderbilt, Raver served as deputy provost at New York University. She previously held faculty positions at the University of Chicago and Cornell University. She earned her Ph.D. in developmental psychology from Yale University. In a statement, Raver said she was honored to be considered for the presidency and highlighted Michigan’s role in research, education, economic development and public service. “Michigan’s scale and impact across research, education, economic growth and public service are unmatched, and I’m eager to build on its remarkable legacy,” Raver said. “I look forward to working alongside faculty, staff, students and alumni to lead Michigan forward.” Her selection follows a national presidential search conducted by the university’s Presidential Search Committee with assistance from executive search firm Spencer Stuart. Grasso will remain president through Nov. 30 and is expected to work with Raver during the transition period. “It will be an honor to welcome Dr. Raver as the university’s next president,” Grasso said. “I look forward to working with her in the weeks ahead to ensure a smooth and successful transition.” Raver’s appointment would come as universities across the United States continue to navigate challenges involving research funding, enrollment, academic strategy and the evolving role of higher education in economic and public life. Her background combines senior academic administration with a research career in developmental and social science, positioning her to lead one of the country’s largest public research universities.
WorldHE NS Watch: New Shifts Reshape the Global Top 10 in NS Output
As global competition in scientific research continues to intensify, publication output in Nature and Science has become one of the key benchmarks for evaluating a university’s capacity for original innovation and its international academic influence. WorldHE continuously tracks the latest weekly and rolling 12-month publication data from universities worldwide, using Nature and Science output to provide a dynamic view of the evolving global higher education and research landscape. Click here to access the complete university NS publication data. Global University NS Publications: August 10–16, 2026Global university output in Nature and Science remained steady last week, with 38 universities publishing NS papers. The United States accounted for 18 of these universities, significantly ahead of other countries and regions. China Mainland accounted for eight, maintaining its strong position in global high-impact research output. Following their strong performance of five Nature papers two weeks earlier, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) continued their exceptional momentum, publishing four and three NS papers, respectively. All seven papers listed the respective university as both the first-author and corresponding-author institution. Harvard published two Nature and two Science papers, while MIT published two Nature and one Science paper. The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, jointly established by MIT and Harvard, also continued its strong performance from the previous period, publishing another Nature paper focused on experience-dependent inhibitory circuit plasticity in neurodevelopmental disorders. Meanwhile, the University of Maryland, College Park and the University of Melbourne each published one Nature and one Science paper, serving as both the first-author and corresponding-author institution on their publications. Global University NS Rankings: August 16, 2025–August 16, 2026Over the past 12 months, 68 universities worldwide have published at least 10 papers in Nature or Science, underscoring the increasingly intense competition among leading research institutions. The composition of the Top 10 universities by combined NS output has shifted since the previous reporting period. The United States now accounts for six universities, up from five, while three universities from China Mainland maintain their positions. The United Kingdom has dropped to just one university in the global top 10. Harvard University remains the overwhelming global leader with 146 papers, including 95 in Nature and 51 in Science. Harvard ranks first among all universities in publication output in both journals. It was also the corresponding-author institution on 143 papers, meaning Harvard researchers served as corresponding authors on nearly every publication, highlighting the university’s exceptional capacity to independently lead high-impact research. MIT has further strengthened its position with 106 papers, ranking second globally. Stanford University followed with 92 papers. Together, Harvard, MIT, and Stanford form an elite research cluster approaching or exceeding the 100-paper mark. The University of California, Berkeley ranked fourth with 67 NS papers. Although its total output remains below the top three, Berkeley is the only university in the global top 10 to publish more Science papers (35) than Nature papers (32), reflecting its long-standing strengths in astrophysics, neuroscience, and evolutionary biology. The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, a university in China Mainland, ranked fifth globally with 56 papers, making it the highest-ranked non-U.S. university. The University of Cambridge ranked sixth with 48 papers, making it the only UK university in the global top 10. Tsinghua University ranked seventh with 45 papers, followed by Peking University with 43. Two universities in the University of California system—UC San Francisco and UCLA—tied for ninth with 38 papers each. Notably, UC San Francisco surpassed the University of Oxford to break into the global top 10. Click here to access the complete university NS publication data. MethodologyFor Nature, only publications classified as Article and Review Article were included. For Science, the analysis includes Research Article, Special-Issue Research Article, and Review. Only the physically affiliated first author was counted as the first author. All corresponding-author affiliations were included, with each affiliated institution counted once. If the first-author institution and the corresponding-author institution were the same, the publication was counted only once for that institution. Only formally published articles were included in the analysis. Advance online publications and papers in pre-publication status were excluded. Further ReadingWorldHE NS Watch: 165 Universities Published in Nature and Science in July Global Nature and Science Leaders, H1 2026
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