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How is value redefined in the context of decreasing trust in higher education? How does recognition work in higher education today? How are evaluation regimes constructed in different higher education systems and what implications they have for the quality and the sense of worth of academics and students? What actors are included and excluded in the construction and enactment of evaluation regimes? Which purposes do quality assurance policies and practices in higher education serve and how does this influence trust in higher education?

How do the current geopolitical and technological challenges impact the research conducted in higher education as well as interactions within the scientific community? What kind of ethical concerns do higher education institutions and academics need to consider in response to these challenges? What are the challenges and opportunities brought on by the use of AI in research? How are the emerging approaches to academic recognition and reward (DORA and CoARA) changing the future of research and higher education?

What transformations of the academic profession can be observed both locally and globally? How do these transformations influence academics’ trust in their own profession and what role does professional development play in this regard? How does the changing nature of academic work impact the research–teaching nexus, faculty well-being, connection to society, work pressure, diversity, and professional autonomy? What policies and practices promote trust between the academic profession and society?

What connections exist and can be built among higher education institutions and between higher education institutions and external stakeholders? What are the main drivers of partnerships that build communities within and beyond the national higher education contexts? What are the pathways to strengthen trust and foster deeper engagement between higher education and society?

How can institutional autonomy be upheld in a world in which universities are labelled enemies and pushed into deal-making and the core values of universities are under strain? What responsible governance models foster dialogue and trust within higher education institutions, as well as higher education and society? What challenges are university leaders facing in upholding and defending their mission to serve the society and how can they address these? What is the role of intermediary agencies in building or dismantling trust in higher education?

How to foster a deeper connection between higher education and students as members of society? How can trust be nurtured between different stakeholders in higher education in the context of the growing role of AI, social media, and fake news? How to pursue an inclusive approach and engage students in current affairs and simultaneously maintain deep roots in pursuit of universal knowledge? How to support diverse students during their academic experience?