#PolicyAnalysis

A recent article in The Economist has cast a spotlight on an intensifying debate within the United Kingdom’s higher education sector: the pursuit by too many British universities of so-called “world-class” status. According to the Economist’s July 2025 leader, this fixation with international rankings comes at a cost—not just to individual institutions, but to the wider society those universities are supposed to serve. As Thailand continues to elevate its own higher education ambitions, the lessons emerging from British campuses are timely and relevant for policymakers, educators, and students across the kingdom.

A new study published by BMC Public Health has revealed a dramatic rise in public attention toward infertility in China, using Baidu search data to map nationwide trends and public sentiment around reproductive health issues. As infertility rates have soared from 7.5% in 2007 to an estimated 18.2% in 2020—now affecting one in five Chinese couples of reproductive age—the demand for information and solutions is reaching new heights, underscoring both societal anxieties and gaps in healthcare infrastructure. The findings provide powerful insights for Thai policymakers and families as Thailand faces similar demographic transitions and a shifting culture around fertility and family planning.

In a controversial move set to affect students, parents, and educators alike, Missouri has become the latest US state to introduce a sweeping cell phone ban across all public schools. Signed into law by the governor and effective from the upcoming academic year, Senate Bill 68 prohibits students from possessing their phones on campus during the entire school day—including lunch breaks and time between classes—except in emergencies or for medical needs. This new policy, already practiced by some districts, now becomes mandatory statewide, with school authorities tasked to ensure its enforcement and navigate its consequences for the educational ecosystem.