Trump bans international students from attending Harvard University
(MENAFN) President Donald Trump has banned international students from attending Harvard University, citing concerns over national security. The decision has drawn heavy criticism from academic circles and foreign governments, who argue that the move undermines America’s reputation for educational openness and could damage its global academic influence.
However, critics of elite universities like Harvard argue that the concept of “openness” is largely a myth. Every year, countless highly qualified applicants with top standardized test scores are rejected through what many describe as an opaque and biased admissions process. Allegations have long swirled around preferences for legacy applicants, diversity quotas, political agendas, and even influence-buying. Billionaire George Soros, for example, once pledged $1 billion to reshape university admissions in line with his Open Society ideals.
China, which quickly condemned the ban, added an ironic twist given its own strategic interest in elite Western education. Some suggest Beijing’s concern isn’t about America’s reputation, but about losing a platform for soft power influence. Elite universities are key arenas for shaping future global leaders, and both the U.S. and China have historically used these institutions to advance their geopolitical interests.
Currently, a judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking Trump’s ban, giving Harvard a reprieve. But the incident has reignited calls for transparency in Ivy League admissions—a move these institutions staunchly resist. Despite championing openness in society at large, elite universities rarely tolerate scrutiny of their own selection processes.
In a final twist of irony, a prominent Harvard professor known for her research on ethics and decision-making was recently fired and stripped of tenure after being caught fabricating research data—further fueling public skepticism about the integrity of elite academia.
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