Public Sector, Education & Research

INSEAD Launches AI Future Council, €15M Institute at SF Forum

San Francisco – September 22, 2026 -- INSEAD launched its Future Council and detailed a five-year, €15 million gift funding a new Human and Machine Intelligence Institute (HUMII) during its two-day AI Forum Americas 2026, held in San Francisco this week.

American Water Foundation Grants $25,000 for STEM Program

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American Water Foundation Grants $25,000 for STEM Program

Jeffersonville – September 22, 2026 -- The American Water Charitable Foundation has awarded a $25,000 STEM Education Grant to Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana, funding a three-part outdoor science program for girls in Southern Indiana.

Grant funds hands-on STEM series covering conservation and pollinator habitats

The award will underwrite a three-part outdoor education series giving Girl Scouts direct experience in scientific research, environmental conservation and pollinator habitat restoration. The grant was announced during a Free Family Fun event at Origin Park earlier this month, where Indiana American Water also deployed a mobile water trailer for attendees.

Qatar Foundation, Wilton Park Push Roadmap for Girls' Sport Access

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Qatar Foundation, Wilton Park Push Roadmap for Girls' Sport Access

West Sussex, England – September 21, 2026 -- International leaders from government, policy, development, and sport bodies concluded a three-day dialogue at Wilton Park, hosted with Qatar Foundation (QF), agreeing to build a global coalition converting sport's development potential into concrete policy action.

Wilton Park and Qatar Foundation commit to joint roadmap on coaching and infrastructure

The two organizations will now jointly develop an actionable roadmap spanning policy, coaching, and infrastructure reform. The dialogue, themed 'Sport for Development in the Global South: Advancing Female Empowerment, Inclusion, and Accessibility', targeted structural barriers limiting sporting opportunity for women and girls.

Ulster University Honors Susan Ann Davis for U.S.-Ireland R&D Ties

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Ulster University Honors Susan Ann Davis for U.S.-Ireland R&D Ties

Belfast – September 21, 2026 -- Ulster University's Senate and Council have conferred an honorary Doctor of the University degree on Susan Ann Davis, citing her role in building a $196 million (£144M/€170M) U.S.-Ireland R&D partnership and her sustained diplomatic engagement supporting the Good Friday Agreement.

Ulster University Vice-Chancellor Confers Honorary Degree on Transatlantic Business Leader

Professor Paul Bartholomew, Vice-Chancellor of Ulster University, presented the honor to Davis in recognition of her contributions to business, women's leadership, entrepreneurship, and her long-standing commitment to peace and economic development in Northern Ireland.

HGTC Names Lori Heafner as Next College President

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HGTC Names Lori Heafner as Next College President

Conway, S.C. – September 21, 2026 -- The Horry-Georgetown Technical College (HGTC) Area Commission has selected Lori A. Heafner, Ph.D., as the college's next president, following a national search that concluded with a special-called meeting on Sept. 18. Heafner will take office Jan. 4, 2027.

Area Commission completes national search with finalist visits and public forums

The decision followed campus visits and public forums held on the Conway Campus, where three finalists met with faculty, staff, students and community members. The search was conducted with assistance from the Association of Community College Trustees.

Study: GenAI Use Linked to Higher GPAs, Not Academic Struggle

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Study: GenAI Use Linked to Higher GPAs, Not Academic Struggle

PHOENIX – September 21, 2026 -- New peer-reviewed research from University of Phoenix found that non-traditional undergraduate students who used generative AI tools more frequently reported higher GPAs and greater confidence in technology skills, contradicting assumptions that GenAI is primarily a crutch for struggling or time-pressed learners.

The study, "Strategic Integration or Skill Compensation? Understanding GenAI Use in Online Higher Education," was published September 21, 2026, in Artificial Intelligence in Education, Vol. 2, No. 1, pages 205-223. It was authored by researchers affiliated with the University's Center for Educational and Instructional Technology Research (CEITR): Jessica Sylvester, EdD; Melinda Kulick, EdD; Leonidas Maganares, EdD; and Stella Smith, PhD.

Kobold Press to Appear in Public TV Feature on Tabletop Gaming

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Kobold Press to Appear in Public TV Feature on Tabletop Gaming

Los Angeles – September 21, 2026 -- Kobold Press, the twenty-year-old independent tabletop game publisher behind Tales of the Valiant, will be profiled in an upcoming segment of "All Access hosted by Andy Garcia," a short-form documentary series distributed to Public Television stations nationwide.

Filming is set for September 21, 2026, at the production company's Florida studio

Kobold Press Chief Executive Officer Alexander Stangroom and Marketing Director Dot Steverson will travel to the studio to represent the company. The segment will examine how tabletop roleplaying games function as tools for reading comprehension, arithmetic, negotiation and improvisation, and why libraries, schools and community organizations have added them to programming.

Freed-Hardeman Hits 71% Graduation Rate, Beats 9 TN Public Schools

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Freed-Hardeman Hits 71% Graduation Rate, Beats 9 TN Public Schools

Henderson, Tenn. – September 21, 2026 -- Freed-Hardeman University enrolled 2,296 students this fall, posting an all-time-high five-year graduation rate of 71% that exceeds nine of Tennessee's public four-year universities.

Retention rate reaches 89% as new student numbers climb 5%

FHU's 89% retention rate accompanied a 5% year-over-year increase in new students. Full-time undergraduate enrollment rose 3%, while on-campus residency grew 5%, adding to a total undergraduate population of 1,806 students.

Graduate enrollment jumps 13% while international student count hits record high

Full-time graduate enrollment increased 13% this fall, bringing graduate program participation to 490 students. The university also welcomed its highest-ever number of international students, broadening its base of cultural backgrounds on campus.

AIR to Present AI, Workforce Research at 2026 SREE Conference

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AIR to Present AI, Workforce Research at 2026 SREE Conference

Arlington, Va. – September 21, 2026 -- The American Institutes for Research (AIR) will present at more than 25 sessions during the 2026 Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE) conference, running September 23-26 at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront in Baltimore, Maryland.

AIR secures Silver Sponsor status and exhibitor booth at flagship research conference

AIR will operate a booth in the Exhibitor Hall throughout the four-day event, which convenes education researchers, policy leaders, and professionals under the theme "Education and Public Trust: Evidence and Accountability in a Changing Landscape."

INCMNSZ Becomes First Mexican National Health Institute AAHRPP-Accredited

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INCMNSZ Becomes First Mexican National Health Institute AAHRPP-Accredited

Mexico City – September 21, 2026 -- The Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP) has awarded full accreditation to Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ), making it the first of Mexico's 13 National Institutes of Health under the Mexican Ministry of Health to reach this status.

INCMNSZ becomes only the second organization in Mexico to earn AAHRPP accreditation, joining a global roster that now exceeds 600 accredited entities. AAHRPP separately confirmed reaccreditation for five additional organizations, underscoring continued renewal activity within its existing accredited network.