This research investigates the dynamic landscape of succession planning (SP) strategies in higher education, with a focus on synthesizing existing literature to guide improvements in presidential succession practices. The intense global competition in higher education has led to imbalances in the quantity and composition of potential successors, hindering institutions’ rapid advancement and affecting their competitiveness on the global stage. The study addresses critical challenges such as attracting, retaining, and nurturing successors in key positions beyond material incentives. Employing a literature analysis methodology, the research comprehensively examines the existing body of literature related to succession planning, offering recommendations to promote stability in leadership, foster continuous talent development, and mitigate talent crises. The study evaluates the current state of succession planning in higher education, identifying issues and their root causes. It provides a summary and analysis of ongoing research efforts related to successor quality, team formation, and cultivation models. Despite advancements through national talent cultivation policies, persistent challenges like talent scarcity, the absence of gender-inclusive succession plans, a lack of originality, and inconsistent staff flow hinder progress. The research attributes these challenges to traditional personnel systems and university administrators. Proactive measures are proposed, including creating awareness of succession planning, advocating for personnel mechanism reform, establishing a comprehensive training system, and developing a scientifically-grounded succession plan. Though the study aims to contribute to leadership development and address pressing issues faced by higher education institutions, with only a limited number utilizing mixed techniques, it restricted the comprehensive inclusion of social context knowledge and evidence regarding the motivations, beliefs, and experiences of individuals in this investigation.

In today’s fast-paced digital world, generative AI, especially OpenAI’s ChatGPT, has become a game-changing technology with significant effects on education. This study examines public sentiment and discourse surrounding ChatGPT’s role in higher education, as reflected on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Employing a mixed-methods approach, we conducted a thematic analysis using Leximancer and Voyant Tools and sentiment analysis with SentiStrength on a dataset of 18,763 tweets, subsequently narrowed to 5655 through cleaning and preprocessing. Our findings identified five primary themes: Authenticity, Integrity, Creativity, Productivity, and Research. The sentiment analysis revealed that 46.6% of the tweets expressed positive sentiment, 38.5% were neutral, and 14.8% were negative. The results highlight a general openness to integrating AI in educational contexts, tempered by concerns about academic integrity and ethical considerations. This study underscores the need for ongoing dialogue and ethical frameworks to responsibly navigate AI’s incorporation into education. The insights gained provide a foundation for future research and policy-making, aiming to enhance learning outcomes while safeguarding academic values. Limitations include the focus on English-language tweets, suggesting future research should encompass a broader linguistic and platform scope to capture diverse global perspectives.

This study aims to explore the research on Chinese higher education policy from 2005 to 2024 through a bibliometric analysis. It is revealed that a continuous growth trend and sustained academic interest in this field. Mainland China leads in publication quantity, showcasing the active involvement of Chinese scholars in higher education policy research. Institutions like Peking University, the University of Hong Kong, and Beijing Normal University play significant roles in this research domain. The focus of research has shifted from student attitudes to international students, teachers, innovation models, changing demands, and urban education development, reflecting a growing emphasis on sustainability and internationalization. The study highlights the positive development trajectory of Chinese higher education policy research, with expanding research focuses and deepening concerns for sustainability and internationalization.