Education, teaching, academics

MIT is “taking a quantum leap with the launch of the new MIT Quantum Initiative (QMIT), reports State House News reporter Katie Castellani. “There isn't a more important technological field right now than quantum with its enormous potential for impact on both fundamental research and practical problems,” said President Sally Kornbluth during the launch event. “QMIT will help us to ask the right questions, identify the most critical problems and create a roadmap for developing quantum solutions that are both transformative and accessible.” 

Fox Business host Stuart Varney spotlights MIT’s new Artificial Intelligence and Decision Making (AI+D) major, which has quickly become, “the second most popular undergrad major at MIT.” 

New York Times reporter Natasha Singer spotlights MIT’s new Artificial Intelligence and Decision Making major (AI+D), which is aimed at teaching students to “develop AI systems and study how technologies like robots interact with humans and the environment.” Asu Ozdaglar, head of EECS and the deputy dean of academics for the Schwarzman College of Computing, shares that: “Students who prefer to work with data to address problems find themselves more drawn to an AI major.” 

Forbes contributor Bryan Penprase spotlights several MIT initiatives aimed at fostering human-centered AI literacy. Penprase notes that MIT’s Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education (RAISE) initiative “has developed tools for K-12 educators that integrate hands-on AI and robotics experience while emphasizing responsible AI use. MIT’s annual AI Education Summit gathers thought leaders from around the world to discuss AI usage, and MIT’s Advancing Humans with AI (AHA) initiative addresses how humans respond to AI systems as both an engineering challenge and a human design problem.”

MIT has been named the No. 1 university in the 2026 Times Higher Education Interdisciplinary Science Rankings in association with Schmidt Science Fellows, reports Sara Custer for Inside Higher Ed. “For more than 80 years, research universities have advanced our understanding of the world, leading to dramatic improvements in health, economic prosperity, and national security,” says Ian Waitz, MIT’s vice president for research. "That work fundamentally is done best when people ideate and collaborate without regard for disciplinary boundaries within and between scientific areas."

Philadelphia Inquirer reporterMaggie Prosser spotlights senior Alice Hall, who was selected as one of the 2026 Rhodes Scholars. “Never stop trying to learn, especially from the people around you,” says Hall. “You don’t have to be a Rhodes scholar to change the world. Just be yourself.” 

Vivian Chinoda '25, Alice Hall, Sofia Lara, and Sophia Wang '24 have been named 2026 Rhodes Scholars, reports Michael Nietzel for Forbes. “This class of U.S .Rhodes Scholars will pursue studies across the social sciences, humanities, and biological and physical sciences,” writes Nietzel. 

Boston 25 spotlights Vivian Chinoda '25, Alice Hall, Sofia Lara, and Sophia Wang '24 who have been named 2026 Rhodes Scholars. “The students will attend the University of Oxford as part of the Rhodes scholar program, which awards more than 100 scholarships worldwide each year for students to pursue two to three years of graduate studies.”

Vivian Chinoda '25, Alice Hall, Sofia Lara, and Sophia Wang '24 have been selected as 2026 Rhodes Scholars, reports Lila Hempel-Edgers for The Boston Globe. “It’s just a thrill and an inspiration to meet each one of them,” said Prof. Nancy Kanwisher, who co-chairs MIT’s Presidential Committee on Distinguished Fellowships. “You just can’t believe how accomplished they are and how thoughtful they are about the major problems facing the world.”

Luke Hobson, assistant director of Industrial Design for MIT xPRO, speaks with Inside Higher Ed reporter Joshua Kim about his academic and professional journey in the field of online learning design. “Through all of my seldom successes and many, many failures, I learned a thing or two along the way, and I decided to start sharing these stories online,” says Hobson. “It began with answering questions in Facebook groups, which eventually turned into a blog, a podcast, a YouTube channel, a book and more. What I discovered through sharing these moments is that I developed a love for teaching about instructional design.”

WalletHub has ranked MIT among the top 10 best colleges and universities in America, reports Ben Kesslen for Quartz. “MIT continues to set the global standard for innovation and research. Its strengths lie in faculty resources and career outcomes, with graduates often leading advancements in science, technology, and business,” writes Kesslen. 

MIT has been named the No. 1 university for graduate employability for 2026, according to Times Higher Education’s latest survey. 

MIT has ranked among the top 5 universities in the United States according to a new survey by WalletHub, reports Jasmien Laws for Newsweek. 

MIT has been named the No. 2 university in the world for 2026 in the Times Higher Education World University rankings, reports Patrick Jack for Times Higher Education. 

MIT has been ranked the No. 1 university in the United States for 2026 in Times Higher Education’s latest rankings. The rankings highlight US universities that “excel in teaching, research, and global influence,” Times Higher Education explains.