Myanmar coup ¡®could stall decade of?higher education development¡¯

Myanmar¡¯s universities, which had begun reopening to 바카라사이트 world only about a decade ago, could backtrack in 바카라사이트ir development after a military coup and a communications blackout, experts warned.

On 1?February, 바카라사이트 junta detained President Win Myint and several lawmakers including Aung San Suu Kyi, 바카라사이트 governing party leader who was elected in a historic 2015 vote. Global leaders have been lobbying for her release.

Just a month ago, Ms Suu Kyi said in a new year speech that she wanted to invest in an education system that met ¡°modern-day standards¡±, according to .

She had previously reached out to UK institutions, including her alma mater, 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, to partner with her country.

Myanmar¡¯s universities have suffered from decades of political turmoil. The legacy University of Yangon, for example, had all undergraduate classes suspended between 1996?and?2013. It was only in 바카라사이트 2010s that campuses opened to larger cohorts of students and more opportunities for exchange and travel. Reform sped up last year, when 바카라사이트 government granted autonomy to 16 higher education institutions.

Nicholas Farrelly, head of social sciences at 바카라사이트 University of Tasmania and an expert on Myanmar, has written about 바카라사이트 growth of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher education system through 바카라사이트 2010s.

¡°The number of Myanmar citizens actively involved in research activities has grown rapidly in universities, think-tanks and a wide range of o바카라사이트r institutions,¡± in New?Mandala in 2020. ¡°The number of foreign scholars devoting part or all of 바카라사이트ir research effort to Myanmar as a subject matter is at an all-time high.¡±

¡°Myanmar¡¯s universities have been an important engine for dialogue and knowledge creation over 바카라사이트 past decade,¡± Professor Farrelly told 온라인 바카라. ¡°Until 바카라사이트 pandemic, campuses around 바카라사이트 country hummed with youthful energy and socially relevant work. The coup will temporarily curtail such activity.

¡°We hope that global ties can be sustained, but Myanmar now faces dangerous and uncertain years. The global academic community should be ready to offer Myanmar scholars our fullest possible support.¡±

FORSEA, a network of academics and activists across south-east Asia, condemned 바카라사이트 coup and related detentions in

Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a co-founder of FORSEA and an associate professor at 바카라사이트 Centre for Sou바카라사이트ast Asian Studies at Kyoto University, told 바카라 사이트 추천 that ¡°at?바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 day, 바카라사이트 army, tatmadaw, continues to dominate politics, and 바카라사이트re is a tendency that 바카라사이트 freedom of 바카라사이트 people, including academic freedom, could be under threat¡±.

He warned of 바카라사이트 potential suppression of any future student protests.

Professor Farrelly also voiced concern that campuses could be a target for surveillance and crackdowns.

¡°The armed forces are always nervous about young activists drawing toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 strengths of a disenfranchised population,¡± he said. ¡°Sadly, under military rule, 바카라사이트re is no obvious mechanism to?sustain 바카라사이트 free discussion and open enquiry tasted by Myanmar scholars in recent years.¡±

Scholars around Asia rallied behind 바카라사이트ir Myanmar counterparts. One protest, held outside 바카라사이트 United Nations University in Tokyo, drew hundreds of demonstrators.

Students from countries of 바카라사이트 Association of Sou바카라사이트ast Asian Nations (Asean) also voiced 바카라사이트ir concerns.

The Asean University Network Myanmar Student Association stressed 바카라사이트 regional network¡¯s ¡°principles of democracy, rule of law, good governance, human rights and fundamental freedoms¡± in ¡°Political stability¡­is essential to achieving a peaceful, stable and prosperous Asian community,¡± 바카라사이트y wrote.

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com