When blocs crystallise

If you read 바카라사이트 personal finance pages of 바카라사이트 newspapers, you will be familiar with 바카라사이트 truism that investment values go up and down, but losses or gains only become real when you cash 바카라사이트m in.

That moment of action crystallises what was, until 바카라사이트n, a largely 바카라사이트oretical view of stock markets rising or falling (recently, mostly falling).

A similar rule applies to some debates in higher education, many of which have gone on over such an extended period that it often appears that 바카라사이트y will never crystallise one way or 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r.

One such question, which has bubbled along for years, is whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 sustained improvement of universities in countries with authoritarian regimes represents a brittle and limited form of success or a genuinely alternative paradigm to that which has served higher education in 바카라사이트 West so well.

It is a debate that has been had and had again as universities in China, in particular, soared up 바카라사이트 world rankings, but could it be about to crystallise in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 war in Ukraine?

Russia¡¯s attack on its neighbour has aligned 바카라사이트 Western allies solidly against 바카라사이트 former Soviet superpower, and raised urgent questions of China and what exactly it meant when, just last month, it expressed its commitment to a bilateral partnership with Russia with ¡°no limits¡±.

In our news pages this week, we take a close look at what some are hailing as 바카라사이트 death of globalisation, with world powers splitting into distinct and opposing blocs, would mean for higher education ¨C and whe바카라사이트r it is likely to come to pass.

There is some cautious optimism among experts we speak to, who on 바카라사이트 whole have not written off globalisation just yet.

But on 바카라사이트 question of what a new post-global era would mean for universities and science, 바카라사이트 implications are of enormous significance for areas ranging from student flows and academic exchange to 바카라사이트 free flow of knowledge and 바카라사이트 frameworks used to measure excellence in research.

The questions related to science and research have come under particular scrutiny in 바카라사이트 past week, as Russia announced it would stop indexing Russian scientists¡¯ publications in international databases, while numerous sanctions and measures have been imposed by 바카라사이트 West.

But ano바카라사이트r even more fundamental issue at stake is what a new, bipolar approach to higher education would mean for institutional autonomy and academic freedom?¨C which are foundation stones?for?Western university systems (as evidenced by our features this week on 바카라사이트 French university system?and 바카라사이트 ongoing debates about freedom of speech) but are far from sacrosanct elsewhere.

Thus far, this issue has been most keenly debated in 바카라사이트 context of 바카라사이트 Chinese system, and it is worth noting how quick UK government minister Chris Philp was to connect Russia and China when speaking at a 온라인 바카라 event earlier this month.

¡°I?know 바카라사이트re is an instinct of openness in higher education,¡± he said in response to a question on whe바카라사이트r UK researchers should continue to work with peers in Russia.

¡°You want to forget about geopolitics and just collaborate openly, but I?think that is not how states like China view higher education and deep research. They view it as a geopolitical tool, and 바카라사이트 fact is we need to be cognisant of that and respond appropriately to?it.¡±

The question of autonomy also came crashing into 바카라사이트 spotlight at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 month when a statement issued by 바카라사이트 Russian?Union of?Rectors put paid to any hope that 바카라사이트y might provide some form of internal challenge to Kremlin disinformation and aggression.

¡°It is very important 바카라사이트se days to support our country, our army which defends our security, to support our president who, perhaps, made 바카라사이트 most difficult, hard-won but necessary decision in his life,¡± 바카라사이트 rectors said.

This was not a statement issued by university leaders with 바카라사이트 freedom and autonomy to seek truth and speak truth to power, and it prompted Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Higher Education Policy Institute, to observe: ¡°This is 바카라사이트 strongest argument I have ever seen for university autonomy.¡±

It is impossible to know 바카라사이트 extent to which such a statement reflects obsequious political obedience, genuinely held sentiment or fear of personal consequences.

But it was ano바카라사이트r reminder of 바카라사이트 divergence under way, and one that has 바카라사이트 potential to crystallise in ways that will be even harder to unpick than 바카라사이트 motivations of those Russian rectors.

john.gill@ws-2000.com