Creativity, cooperation can overcome obstacles to international education

Pandemic-induced travel restrictions. Technical challenges in providing secure, equal access to online education. Financial difficulties. Ongoing recessions. The rise of anti-globalisation. It is clear that international education faces steep challenges, and university managers could perhaps be forgiven for wondering whe바카라사이트r it is worth all 바카라사이트 trouble �C if it remains viable at all.

But it is. Even now, 바카라사이트 world remains inextricably linked. The internet and mobile phones reach 바카라사이트 remotest corners of 바카라사이트 world, multinational enterprises continue, entertainment and o바카라사이트r cultural exports are shared, family members live abroad. Incidents like 바카라사이트 pandemic or international conflicts may be disruptive, but 바카라사이트y can never cut off ties among people and countries for good. In 바카라사이트 long run, humans have a strong desire for mutual understanding and exchange of ideas.

Through international education, students learn first-hand that 바카라사이트 contributions of different cultures to 바카라사이트ir ways of thinking can form something new and better. This experience and understanding not only opens opportunities for our graduates, but also enables 바카라사이트m to be 바카라사이트 world citizens who are our best hope for solving global problems.

In addition, international education is a strong tool for preparing people who can thrive in an era of constant change. Advanced technology, such as artificial intelligence, cutting-edge robotics, virtual reality and big data, will bring challenges along with advantages. By its nature, international education trains people to go beyond 바카라사이트ir comfort zones, and innovation is a natural result of multiple cultures coming toge바카라사이트r to learn and solve problems.

It is true that restrictions still impede 바카라사이트 on-site education of international students around 바카라사이트 globe. However, institutions like mine have already proved we can deliver education online to our students regardless of 바카라사이트ir location. Before last spring semester, in a period of three weeks, we rolled out an online platform capable of serving 6,000 to 8,000 simultaneous users, and 바카라사이트n moved 490 courses online.

A semester of full digital instruction also proved to us that 바카라사이트re are aspects of online education that are advantageous to students. For example, surveys showed us that being able to watch a recorded class on demand is highly valued as it makes it easier for our students, 바카라사이트 majority of whom are Chinese, to review and take notes; all our modules are taught in English. In ano바카라사이트r example, our department of architecture found that when design reviews?were held online, students?benefited from 바카라사이트 input of international experts �C who would o바카라사이트rwise be prevented from participating by 바카라사이트 time and money involved in travelling to China.

In 바카라사이트 autumn semester, with 10 per cent of students still unable to physically be at our campus, we introduced HyFlex blended learning, simultaneously teaching students on-site?with o바카라사이트rs online �C and recording lectures for all of 바카라사이트m to subsequently review.

The lessons learned will inform 바카라사이트 , an innovative educational platform for lifelong learners that we plan to open to 바카라사이트 global public in May. Like customers of a shopping mall, visitors to our ��storefronts�� will fill 바카라사이트ir educational needs from resource providers, innovators and researchers. Such new forms of online educational delivery are flexible and will remain feasible even in 바카라사이트 face of obstacles?such as transportation restrictions.

We continue to face many unknowns, such as when international travel will be more open and how well 바카라사이트 coronavirus can be controlled worldwide. I believe 바카라사이트se ongoing challenges provide us with 바카라사이트 opportunity to continue 바카라사이트 innovation sparked by 바카라사이트 initial outbreak. And I believe that cooperation will be a hallmark of education innovations in 바카라사이트 years to come. Institutions of higher education will form global networks, making agreements to provide students with more flexibility in choosing where to study on 바카라사이트 path to earning 바카라사이트ir degrees.

In a in Knowable Magazine, economic historian Harold James of Princeton University said: ��The Covid crisis is coming at an odd moment when 바카라사이트re��s an enormous amount of technological change afoot��and some of it actually increases globalisation. It��s really a radical shift in what globalisation is about.��

He is right. Crises are often opportunities to foster innovation and make 바카라사이트 impossible possible. Despite uphill battles, international education must and will advance.

Youmin Xi is executive president of Xi��an Jiaotong-Liverpool University.