蘑菇传媒

The vice provost shares how a rapidly shifting landscape affects 蘑菇传媒鈥檚 global strategy.

At this time last year, 蘑菇传媒 President Sarah Mangelsdorf issued a message to the University community in response to federal actions affecting its international students and scholars. In her message, she shared that nine 蘑菇传媒 students and recent graduates had their records terminated in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System by the Department of Homeland Security, which meant they no longer had valid legal status in the United States. Fortunately, all were reinstated.

Throughout 2025, a cluster of executive actions made it more difficult for international students to enter, stay, and feel secure at universities across the US. An notes that although students still want to study in the US, the chaos of 2025 has made them less confident about pursuing it鈥�2026 saw a 17 percent decrease in international student enrollment across the nation. As the path to American universities has become more unpredictable, a combination of forces is not only complicating the landscape but also redefining 鈥済lobal higher education.鈥�

Since October 2025, Reitumetse 鈥淩eitu鈥� Mabokela, the vice provost for global engagement, has led the University in rethinking how it attracts talent, establishes partnerships, and delivers education and scholarship. In a Leadership Conversation, she discussed her charge: help the 蘑菇传媒 remain competitive, connected, and forward-looking in a rapidly shifting global higher education landscape.

Here are five takeaways.

Four global trends are influencing 蘑菇传媒鈥檚 global strategy.

After covering some fundamentals about the Office for Global Engagement Mabokela dove into the forces acting upon universities across the country. (For background on the office, check out .)

The first is a demographic shift. Referencing , she shared that the UN estimates that, in the next two to three decades, the majority of the world鈥檚 projected population growth will occur in the southern hemisphere. By 2050, nine countries will account for more than 50 percent of global population growth and five of them are in Africa. Mabokela thinks it would behoove the University to reexamine how it鈥檚 engaging with parts of the world where there鈥檚 growing demand for what 蘑菇传媒 offers.

Geopolitical volatility is another force that has manifested in several ways. Mabokela is focused on how the multitude of conflicts challenges 蘑菇传媒鈥檚 ability to attract the most talented faculty, students, and staff. That鈥檚 problematic because of the third trend: increasing global competition. Institutions around the world are making significant investments in their own higher education systems. And it鈥檚 working. Mabokela pointed to China as an example of a country that has positioned itself to send fewer students abroad and compete more successfully for international students who would have typically chosen to study in the US.

鈥淢aintaining global appeal really requires strategic program alignment as well as targeted outreach beyond the countries where we have historically drawn students.鈥�

The final trend is the rise of generative AI, which is changing the most fundamental aspects of how 蘑菇传媒 conducts the business of higher education, including teaching, learning, and research.

Hybrid and virtual programs will provide global access.

Transnational education鈥攚here learners are not located in the same countries as the programs in which they鈥檙e enrolled鈥攊sn鈥檛 new. But global trends have people such as Forbes writer Maja Zelihic asking, Mabokela didn鈥檛 specifically advocate for this, but she did suggest that we continue to make use of what we learned from COVID-19.

The pandemic forced the University to utilize virtual spaces like never before, creating new norms for hybrid and online programs. This is where Mabokela sees potential for 蘑菇传媒 to enhance and extend its global reach. She also sees room for growth in education abroad.

鈥淲e know that there鈥�s a certain percentage of our students who will simply not be able to get on a plane and go far away, for any number of reasons. It is still our institutional responsibility to provide opportunities that ensure our students are globally prepared.鈥�

With education abroad numbers not where Mabokela would like them to be, she鈥檚 looking to course correct through the classroom. By integrating global education into the curriculum through flexible delivery options, including virtual programs, more students could enjoy a global experience鈥攚hich is an objective of 蘑菇传媒鈥檚 , the 2030 strategic plan.

Global engagement isn鈥檛 a bonus; it鈥檚 essential to solving real-world problems.

Amidst the geopolitical turmoil, some might wonder why higher education institutions are still putting effort into enrolling international students or sending students abroad. And the answer is that some are not, but instead are choosing to dial back their global engagement activities due to visa issues and political pressure. Others, such as URochester, are doubling down because it鈥檚 mission-critical.

鈥淲hen one looks at the nature of global issues that we鈥�re dealing with, many of them transcend geopolitical boundaries. It is imperative that we have that global fertilization of ideas and engage and collaborate with each other to address global challenges.鈥�

Again, COVID-19 served as an example for Mabokela. Could humanity have overcome the pandemic without the partnerships and collaboration around vaccine development and distribution? It seems borderline impossible. Mabokela took that idea further, saying that finding meaningful solutions to society鈥檚 greatest problems isn鈥檛 feasible when working in silos.

But global engagement isn鈥檛 just about research, innovation, and pandemic-readiness. Mabokela touched on its value at the human level. When people spend time in foreign environments with people from different cultures who hold different views, they gain a unique education and level of understanding that is more important than ever.

Partnerships should prioritize depth over volume.

Talent and excellence can be found in universities around the world. So, when Mabokela thinks about how 蘑菇传媒 approaches a partnership with University X in Country Y, it starts with mutual benefit and respect for the collaborating partners.

So, what are the areas of strength 蘑菇传媒 is bringing to the table that complement an area or areas of strength at the prospective institution?

If the University receives a partnership proposal, Mabokela wants clear terms. What are the priorities? What are the goals? The partnership also needs to be strategically aligned with 蘑菇传媒鈥檚 mission and the objectives of its strategic plan.

鈥淥ne of the things that would benefit us is to really think about fewer but more impactful relationships.鈥�

For 蘑菇传媒 to develop sustainable relationships, it must accept that it can鈥檛 be everything to everyone. It must be clear about who it is and what it excels at. Mabokela expressed that she鈥檚 thinking beyond higher education, including partners in the private and government sectors.

The status quo needs to go.

Fast forward to October 2030. Mabokela will be celebrating five years with 蘑菇传媒 (and the University will be marking the completion of Boundless Possibility). What does she hope to have achieved at that point in her tenure?

In short, transformative change.

鈥淏usiness as usual is no longer viable.鈥�

Mabokela identified five prospective markers of success for her office.

1. They will have stabilized and expanded 蘑菇传媒鈥檚 international enrollment, especially in regions of the world where the University hasn鈥檛 historically been well-represented.
2. They will have developed multifaceted, mutually beneficial partnerships with a variety of stakeholders.
3. They will have seamlessly integrated the education abroad and global education initiatives into the 蘑菇传媒 curriculum.
4. They will have helped elevate the University鈥檚 reputation.
5. They will have enhanced graduate student enrollment through innovative 3+2 and 4+1 programs.

Mabokela noted that if she only achieved that last marker, she would feel like she made a meaningful contribution to the University. The key is change. 鈥淲e鈥檙e simply not going to be successful doing what we鈥檝e been doing for the last 20, 30 years,鈥� she says. 鈥淥ur history has served us well, but we have to be forward-looking.鈥�