#University

As new students arrived for the fall term, the University of Utah rolled out a suite of mental-health supports designed to ease stress, loneliness and homesickness — from scheduled visits with a campus service dog to an after‑hours Mental Health First Responders (MH1) programme that connects students to counsellors when regular offices are closed. The initiative is notable not for a single dramatic cure but for layering low‑barrier, familiar interventions with professional care, a model that carries practical lessons for Thai universities grappling with rising student distress and demand for accessible mental health services.

The computer science major, long regarded as a direct path to a lucrative tech career, needs a deep rebranding to reflect its true essence and purpose, according to the head of Android at Google. As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly transforms software engineering, this call to rethink computer science studies resonates widely—including in Thailand, where STEM education has seen booming enrollment but faces uncertainty amid fast-changing job markets.

In a recent interview reported by Business Insider (businessinsider.com), Google’s Android chief, whose academic background is rooted in UC San Diego’s computer science program, argued that the discipline is often misunderstood as nothing more than training in coding—particularly Java programming. “It is thought of as, ‘go learn how to do Java coding,’” observed the Android leader, adding, “if that’s what you want to do, you don’t need a degree.” Instead, he described computer science as “the science…of solving problems.”

A growing number of university professors in the United States are raising alarms about a worrying trend among today’s students: many young adults are arriving at university without essential life skills, due to parenting styles that prioritize protection over independence. This issue, highlighted in a recent Slate advice column where an anonymous professor described students “who have never been allowed to solve a problem themselves,” is resonating with educators and mental health professionals worldwide, and holds crucial lessons for Thai parents and educators facing similar cultural shifts.

A widely discussed New York Times opinion piece by a Harvard computer science professor has reignited debate about the role of personal ideology in university education, arguing that increased polarization on campus is eroding public trust in academia and undermining the primary mission of teaching and research (NYTimes).

The article, published on May 2, 2025, arrives at a moment when global conflicts and identity-based movements have sharpened divisions within higher education, including Thailand’s own top-tier universities. The professor, who describes involvement in Jewish and Israeli student support, anti-antisemitism initiatives, and other activism outside the classroom, explains a steadfast commitment to keeping his own teaching space focused solely on the subject of computer science—even amid requests from students engaged in campus protests for special academic consideration.