Global university round up: students detained abroad, continuing protests, and rising tuition fees
By Grace Hilton
McGill University (Canada)
On August 30, more than 150 McGill students walked out of their classes to protest its university’s ‘ties to Israel’.
Protests focused on the Faculty of Engineering, with students claiming that the faculty takes funds from weapons manufacturers such as Lockheed Martin and Bell Flight.
Both manufacturers have recently faced criticism from students for supplying military technology to Israel amid the ongoing war in the Middle East.
University of Warsaw (Poland)
In early August, six Polish students and a lecturer from the University of Warsaw were arrested in Nigeria’s Kano state for allegedly displaying Russian flags during anti-government protests.
A spokesperson for Poland’s foreign ministry denied the claim that those arrested were waving Russian flags, stating that they were simply in the area of the protest, not participating in it.
On September 2, the students and lecturer were released and returned to Poland, following the collective efforts of the University of Warsaw, Bayero University Kano, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
University of Tokyo (Japan)
The University of Tokyo plans to raise tuition fees by 20% in 2025- its first increase in 20 years.
Its current tuition stands at ¥535,800 (£2,818) per year and will be raised to ¥642,960 (approximately £3,381).
These fees will apply to both domestic and international students enrolling in undergraduate programs starting in 2025.
However, the tuition rates for doctoral and law courses will be unaffected.
The Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (Chile)
UC Chile has ranked among the top 100 universities in the world, according to the QS Rankings 2025.
The university is ranked 12th in the world for employment outcomes.
University President Ignacio Sánchez commented on the achievement of reaching the top 100 institutions, saying:
“We have achieved this goal 14 years ahead of schedule. […] We are filled with joy and satisfaction, as this achievement recognises the collective efforts of our entire university community”.