In Light of Rising Authoritarianism, You Should Pursue Your Degree with GCAS —Online!
Across the United States, a growing wave of anti-intellectualism is threatening the foundation of higher education. From public funding cuts and political interference to outright hostility toward scholars, the university system is being dismantled—slowly in some places, rapidly in others. The recent attacks on U.S. universities by figures aligned with the Trump administration are not isolated incidents; they are part of a broader erosion of critical thought and public trust in education.
In this climate, earning your degree in Europe isn’t just a smart decision—it’s a necessary act of academic survival.
1. Europe: The Historic Home of Higher Education
Europe is the birthplace of the university. Institutions like the University of Bologna (founded in 1088), Oxford, the Sorbonne, and Salamanca have been shaping minds for nearly a thousand years. These aren’t just historical footnotes—they represent a deep and sustained cultural commitment to knowledge, critical inquiry, and academic freedom. In Europe, education is not treated as a product or a political bargaining chip. It is a public good.
At the Global Centre for Advanced Studies (GCAS) — GCAS College Dublin, we carry forward this legacy by offering accredited degrees grounded in critical theory, interdisciplinary scholarship, and philosophical rigor—free from corporate influence or nationalistic pressure.
GCAS Researchers in Paris, France for Prof. Bracha L. Ettinger’s Seminar
2. Education in Europe is Supported, Not Politicized
Unlike the U.S., where student debt is the norm and universities are increasingly governed by lawyers and corporate managers, most European societies fund education as a public responsibility. They understand that a well-educated population is essential to democracy, cultural vitality, and economic sustainability.
Compare this to the United States, where university presidents now spend more time on donor relations than academic leadership. Where state legislatures seek to censor curriculum. Where scholars are targeted for teaching history and students are expected to mortgage their futures for a diploma. The contrast is stark.
GCAS’s model, based in Europe and fully accredited under the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), offers a clear alternative. Our degrees are recognized and respected internationally, including in the U.S.—where ECTS credits are regularly accepted by graduate programs and employers alike.
3. ECTS Credits Offer Global Portability
One of the myths often circulated is that a European degree won’t “translate” back into U.S. systems. This is simply not true. ECTS is a widely accepted academic standard, used by over 40 countries in the European Higher Education Area. American institutions regularly evaluate and accept ECTS credits for graduate admissions, credentialing, and employment qualifications.
So yes—earning your BA, MA, or PhD at GCAS College Dublin opens the same doors, if not more, than many U.S. institutions. And we do so without debt, without political compromise, and without sacrificing the soul of education.
4. A Scholar-Owned University is Future-Proof
At GCAS, we’ve gone one step further. We’ve not only built our programs outside the American political system—we’ve created an entirely new model. We are scholar-owned, which means our students and faculty are the stakeholders. We have no corporate board, no donors calling the shots, no tuition-driven arms race. This isn’t just a school. It’s a community—a living experiment in reclaiming education from the forces that have undermined it.
And in the face of the world’s rising authoritarianism, this model is not just innovative—it’s necessary.
In Conclusion
If you’re an American student concerned about the future of your education, or a global thinker looking for a serious, supportive, and forward-looking university—GCAS College Dublin offers a path worth taking.
We stand for academic freedom.
We are debt-free by design.
We are globally recognized and philosophically grounded.
And we’re doing the work that too many traditional universities have abandoned.
The university of the future isn’t found on a gated campus.
It’s found in community, critical thinking, and courage.
It’s found at GCAS.
— GCAS Blog Editorial Team