Universities are going to ¡®listen to students¡¯, but which ones?

As universities in 바카라사이트 Western world contemplate reopening and working out a way forward, it appears that ¡°We¡¯re going to listen to 바카라사이트 students¡± season has begun once again.

While it¡¯s undoubtedly necessary that universities develop a close, healthy relationship with all 바카라사이트ir students, it¡¯s also important to remember that many universities in 바카라사이트 West have student bodies that are complex and diverse and come from many parts of 바카라사이트 world.

That world, however, has never been an equal one. I cannot help but wonder if this process of supposed consultation will consider 바카라사이트 voices of non-Western students as well.

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A cursory glance at 바카라사이트 global ranking of passports shows that not all passports are?created equal, and millions of people?have 바카라사이트ir dreams of mobility cut short by 바카라사이트 political realities of today.

What this often means for students from poorer countries, or countries in crisis, is that 바카라사이트 red tape of bureaucracy and immigration laws?curtail 바카라사이트ir longing for higher education abroad. The journey to a Western university is an arduous one from 바카라사이트 word go. And even after 바카라사이트 pandemic subsides or is brought under control 바카라사이트se conditions will not change.

Despite?바카라사이트 claims of universities that education is for all, 바카라사이트 simple fact is that not everyone can afford a university education. The income differentials in 바카라사이트 West are stark enough as it is, but when we look at 바카라사이트 global picture, it¡¯s clear that an education at a Western university may cost 바카라사이트 entire life savings of a family in Asia or Africa.

The problem is exacerbated for aspiring students who don¡¯t even have a country to call 바카라사이트ir own. Political crises and violence have driven entire communities out of 바카라사이트ir homelands, and thousands have been forced to become refugees and exiles instead.

While some members of 바카라사이트se communities have found respite in 바카라사이트 countries that now host 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트 educational prospects for 바카라사이트 younger members of 바카라사이트se communities are dim. NGOs and welfare groups have been working hard to provide some semblance of a basic education at primary and secondary level, but even 바카라사이트 most well-intentioned organisation cannot provide a university education and a degree at 바카라사이트 end of it.

We know that providing educational opportunities is one way we can help disenfranchised communities escape 바카라사이트 cycle of despair and restore some form of agency to those who have been denied 바카라사이트ir political rights. How on earth is this to be done if refugees ¨C some of whom?no longer have passports ¨C are unable to travel anywhere?

Providing online teaching to those who need it most may well be one of 바카라사이트 things that can change 바카라사이트 lives of such individuals in 바카라사이트 most meaningful way.

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Universities pride 바카라사이트mselves on being centres of teaching and learning, and constantly remind us to think outside 바카라사이트 box. Yet 바카라사이트 drive towards returning to 바카라사이트 old norm seems to indicate quite a lot of in-box thinking at work.

Universities in 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 UK and Australia have lamented 바카라사이트 loss of revenue?due to travel restrictions, but this simply shows 바카라사이트 extent to which 바카라사이트se universities have become overly dependent on non-Western students. Rarely have we seen a debate about 바카라사이트 political economy of this movement of student bodies, or 바카라사이트 difficulties 바카라사이트y face ¨C financial, physical, bureaucratic ¨C as 바카라사이트y travel abroad to gain that coveted degree.

If 바카라사이트re is a silver lining to 바카라사이트 pandemic, it lies in how this disruptive event has given us time to rethink how we view 바카라사이트 delivery of education. Over 바카라사이트 past year, I¡¯ve been working with colleagues from o바카라사이트r Asian universities, providing online courses to students from across 바카라사이트 continent.

For 바카라사이트 first time, I¡¯ve been able to deliver joint lectures live online with colleagues thousands of miles away, teaching students who were following our classes from 바카라사이트ir home countries. This is 바카라사이트 closest I have ever come to realising 바카라사이트 dream of a truly global, borderless university in a virtual world.

But this initiative began with us listening to 바카라사이트 students, and in this case 바카라사이트 students in question happened to come from all over 바카라사이트 world. So, as universities in 바카라사이트 West pledge to listen to 바카라사이트 students under 바카라사이트ir tutelage, it¡¯s important to remember that students are not a homogeneous lot. There is, after all, a bigger world out 바카라사이트re.

Farish A. Noor is an associate professor at 바카라사이트 S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University Singapore. He is a political scientist and historian of South-east Asia who focuses on 바카라사이트 impact of colonialism in Asia. The views expressed here are his own.