Changes that until a few years ago would have been considered unthinkable are now being openly discussed at the world’s leading universities. From the language of graduation ceremonies and symbols of academic tradition to campus food, energy policies, building zoning, and the rethinking of historical memory, higher education is entering a period of profound institutional change in light of new social norms. And all this before the MAGA movement attempted to overturn what had already been established.

The debate is not just about individual changes in the best foreign universities, such as Oxford, Cambridge in Britain, Yale, Harvard, Columbia, Georgetown in the US, but also Greek universities, etc., it touches on the very role of universities as institutions called upon to balance between timelessness and social sensitivity, between memory and adaptation.

These initiatives are not without strong reactions both at the political and public levels and in everyday life. Influential figures such as US President Donald Trump, but also other conservative politicians and intellectuals, have repeatedly stated that they only recognise “two genders”.

Neutral Address

A prime example is the University of Oxford, which is considering changing the Latin addresses used for at least eight centuries in graduation ceremonies. The terms “magistri” (the masters) and “doctores” (the doctors) – fundamental elements of the ritual since medieval times – may be replaced by the neutral address vos (“you”) to include students who identify themselves as non-binary.

The intention, according to the university, is clear: greater inclusion and respect for contemporary understandings of gender and identity. However, the debate that has opened up goes far beyond the grammar of Latin, touching the core of academic continuity and raising the question of whether a symbolic language can or should be “updated” without losing its historical weight.

In the same context is the creation of the first permanently funded Chair of LGBTQ+ History in the UK, at Mansfield College. The post is being taken up by historian Matt Cook, who becomes the first LGBTQ+ History professor at Oxford. The chair, named the Jonathan Cooper Chair of the History of Sexualities, aspires to strengthen teaching and research around the history of sexual identities by integrating the experience of LGBTQ+ communities into the central core of the historical narrative.

Cook, with years of experience studying queer urban culture, the AIDS crisis, and public history, has worked with institutions such as the National Trust and has authored works that attempt to move LGBTQ+ history from the margins to the centre of public discourse. This move, as critics and supporters alike note, shows that Oxford is not only revising the language of tradition but also redefining what it considers worthy of university memory.

At Cambridge, the changes are not about language, but about the everyday table. The adoption of an ambitious sustainable food policy – which includes removing beef and lamb from university menus and promoting plant-based options – has, according to an official report by the Department of Environment and Energy, had a dramatic impact on the carbon emissions of university dining.

Meat-free menu

The report reveals that despite an increase in the amount of food purchased, overall emissions fell by 10.5%, while emissions per kilogram of food fell by 33% and land use per kilogram fell by 28%. For the university institution, environmental policy is not seen as a complementary action, but as part of its educational identity. The message to students is clear: sustainability values are not only taught in the classroom, but put into practice.

Genderless Language

In the United States, Yale University has announced that it is removing terms such as freshman and upperclassmen from its official publications, adopting the neutral phrases first-year students and upper-level students.

Similar decisions have been made by Harvard, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, and the University of North Carolina. The argument is twofold: the need to include transgender and non-binary students, and the demographic reality that cisgender men no longer make up the majority of students.

The Georgetown takes it a step further. In its new buildings, it is incorporating gender-neutral, shared bathrooms and has established mechanisms such as the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (IDEAA).

At the same time, the institution is engaged in a long and ongoing process of reflection on its role in the injustice of slavery and the consequences of colonialism and racial segregation in American society. Through dialogue with descendant communities, collaborative projects, research initiatives, and commemorative activities, the university seeks recognition and reconciliation with its past.

Georgetown University’s Reconciliation Fund, inspired by a student referendum in 2019, awards $400,000 each year to community projects that have a direct impact on descendant communities whose ancestors were held as slaves on the university’s Jesuit lands in Maryland. Through this initiative, Georgetown is attempting to connect historical self-criticism with concrete social justice actions today.

Climate and energy

At Harvard, the conversation shifts to energy. With the creation of the Consortium for Climate Solutions, an unprecedented partnership of universities, hospitals, and public agencies, the institution has committed to meeting 100% of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2026. This is a decision presented not only as an environmental strategy, but also as an institutional responsibility towards future generations. Perhaps the most iconic clash with the past was recorded at the University of Cape Town.

The Rhodes Must Fall student movement led in 2015 to the removal of the statue of Cecil John Rhodes, a symbol of British colonialism and white supremacy in South Africa. For supporters of the movement, the statue was not just a historical monument, but a daily reminder of colonial violence in a society still experiencing the inequalities of the apartheid era. For critics, its removal was tantamount to erasing history. The university found itself at the centre of a global debate: when does historical memory become an obstacle and when does its preservation constitute complicity?

And in Greece

International developments are also reflected in the Greek university sector. Based on Law 4957/2022, all universities have established Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Committees with the mission to promote equality and address phenomena of sexism, harassment, and exclusion.

Committees of a similar nature already operate at the University of the Aegean, the Ionian University, and the University of Athens, offering support and protection to students and staff, while the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki has adopted a Gender Equality Plan as part of a European project, with actions such as data collection, training, and gender mainstreaming in research activities. At the same time, institutions such as the Hellenic Open University are integrating curricula dedicated to gender studies, social policy, and contemporary identities.

The last decade has seen a strong trend towards the introduction of progressive initiatives in universities, both in terms of infrastructure and curricula. Some changes, such as modifications in terminology, are implemented more quickly and at limited cost, while others, such as adapting building facilities or developing new curricula in gender and sexuality, require large budgets, investments, and research, with the result that the education system is moving step by step to keep pace with societal changes.

Gender-neutral toilets

A survey published in 2025 (Fau Rosati et al.) explored students’ perceptions of gender-neutral (mixed-gender) toilets in universities. According to the University of Rome study, students, regardless of gender, expressed support for the initiative, believing it reduces stress for trans and non-binary students, improves their academic wellbeing and creates safer and more supportive spaces.

At the same time, however, concerns have been identified, such as the risk of harassment, embarrassment, and the reaction of some cisgender students. Survey participants seem to prefer models of fully integrated neutral toilets rather than separate spaces to reduce stigma. The survey highlights the need for students to be actively involved in policy-making so that universities can meet their real needs and promote equality and safety.

Alongside infrastructure changes, there is an increase in the integration of gender and sexuality courses in Greek and international universities, either as individual courses or as full undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Students appreciate that these courses offer knowledge about social justice, understanding different identities, and combating discrimination.

However, several admit that too much focus on issues of limited application or transient publicity can reduce broader understanding of history, politics, and society and limit their chances of finding employment in corporate environments. As one student states: “I regret taking so many gender and sexuality courses; I could have benefited more from politics, history, and literature.” This comment highlights the need for a balance between specialization and general education.

On the part of the education system, the introduction of such courses and policies has been met with a mixed reception. Universities often try to balance between incorporating progressive initiatives and managing student or staff reactions. Overall, experience shows that the success of such initiatives depends on concerted action by universities, faculty, and students, as well as ongoing training to understand different identities, with the goal of an environment of equity, safety, and participation for all.

Trump and “ideological imposition”

These initiatives are not without strong reactions at the political and public levels. US President Donald Trump, as well as other conservative politicians and intellectuals, have repeatedly stated that they only recognise “two genders”, rejecting both gender studies and inclusion policies in universities. Trump, in particular, has linked such changes to what he calls “ideological imposition” on educational institutions, pledging, if returned to powe,r to restrict funding for programs related to diversity and gender identity.

In Europe, similar positions have been expressed by politicians such as Victor Orbán in Hungary, where the government has pushed for a constitutional amendment that explicitly enshrines only two-gender recognition. At the same time, university policies around gender and sexuality are often at the centre of a wider culture war, with higher education institutions being asked to balance academic freedom, social demands, and increasing political pressure.

Transmission or adaptation?

The question is not whether universities should evolve – that goes without saying. The question is whether, in trying to respond to contemporary social demands, they risk becoming disconnected from the roots that have made them global reference points. For critics, language, rituals, and symbols are not mere formalities but bearers of historical continuity. For proponents of change, tradition is not static, but alive, and ought to be reinterpreted so as not to exclude. Perhaps ultimately, the dilemma for universities in the 21st century is not whether to change, but how to do so without losing their memory on the way to the future.