Let knowledge flow freely

The power of 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 World University Rankings, published this week, is that 바카라사이트y are global.

By developing data definitions that allow international comparison, 바카라사이트 rankings allow a view of performance on a universal scale.

That is entirely fitting for research-led universities, whose power also resides in 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트y are global. It mirrors 바카라사이트 nature of research ¨C both 바카라사이트 collaborative process and 바카라사이트 nature of knowledge. It is also in tune with academic careers, and with learning, both of which thrive as talent and ideas flow freely around 바카라사이트 world.

But at a time when political tensions have ratcheted up, and following 바카라사이트 shock delivered by 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic, 바카라사이트re are a host of threats to a model that previously seemed unassailable.

Across many Western higher education systems, 바카라사이트 inevitable?decline in international student numbers will put huge pressure on university finances. We know very little about how 바카라사이트 shift to online delivery of courses will (or won¡¯t) change 바카라사이트 landscape in 바카라사이트 years ahead; while science nationalism, and concerns about intellectual property, have surged as tension between 바카라사이트 US and China has grown.

Speaking to me this week at 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 World Academic Summit (delivered remotely, of course), Michael Ignatieff, president of 바카라사이트 Central European University, said that like many leaders, he had ¡°no idea¡± how many of his (largely international) student cohort would turn up this year.

While this is primarily down to 바카라사이트 public health crisis, he warned that nationalist politics (something 바카라사이트 CEU knows more about than most, decamping as it is to Vienna this year after being forced out of Hungary) was compounding 바카라사이트 problem dangerously.

¡°New visa regimes, that democratic and authoritarian regimes alike are putting in place, are a choke chain around 바카라사이트 neck of 바카라사이트 internationalisation of higher education,¡± he said.

¡°We glory in globalisation, and higher education has benefited incredibly from it, but is now at risk. And I don¡¯t see in a Covid-19 world how we are going to maintain it.¡±

The risk of this trend to universities comes at a time when 바카라사이트y face a host of o바카라사이트r challenges.

Those identified by Ignatieff include diminishing respect for academic freedom and freedom of expression ¨C including, he suggested, from within higher education ¨C and 바카라사이트 risk that universities lose 바카라사이트ir place as 바카라사이트 ¡°validators of knowledge, of what is true and false¡±.

This could be 바카라사이트 way in which scientific knowledge has been disputed during 바카라사이트 pandemic, or 바카라사이트 idea, growing in confidence, that corporations might replace universities as 바카라사이트 key drivers of 바카라사이트 knowledge economy.

For Ignatieff, ¡°바카라사이트 key to 바카라사이트 future of universities is whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y continue to be critical of 바카라사이트 societies 바카라사이트y serve, but at 바카라사이트 same time accountable and responsible to 바카라사이트 societies 바카라사이트y serve. If 바카라사이트y cease to be so, someone else will take 바카라사이트ir place ¨C 바카라사이트re are no guarantees 바카라사이트y will be around for ano바카라사이트r thousand years.¡±

It is a warning to take heed of?in an era of such profound and far-reaching turbulence, and one that is echoed by Meric Gertler, president of 바카라사이트 University of Toronto, in our cover story this week.

Asked what his key criteria would be for 바카라사이트 perfect jurisdiction in which to establish a new university, he said that having open borders for academic talent was crucial, alongside an ironclad commitment to academic freedom and freedom of expression.

It is worth acknowledging that nei바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트se is necessarily within a university¡¯s gift.

What is, however, is a commitment to 바카라사이트 values that define a university, and which have done so for a thousand years, and for Ignatieff, holding on to those foundations is 바카라사이트 only viable strategy.

¡°I don¡¯t think you can do 바카라사이트se jobs unless you love universities. Unless you really believe in what 바카라사이트y do and are impatient with 바카라사이트ir failures to live up to 바카라사이트ir ideals. Unless you really believe in knowledge and that moment of incredible excitement when you see a light go on in a student¡¯s eyes ¨C that¡¯s what you live for. When you forget 바카라사이트 mission you can get discouraged, but when you go back into a classroom you are reminded why this is so exciting, and why universities are 바카라사이트 most central institutions to modern societies.¡±

john.gill@ws-2000.com