Will 바카라사이트 pandemic widen 바카라사이트 gap between higher education systems?

Browse 바카라사이트 full 바카라 사이트 추천 Emerging Economies University Rankings 2021 results

Many higher education systems and institutions in emerging economies have made great strides in 바카라사이트ir research and teaching performance in recent years. But to what extent will 바카라사이트 pandemic halt this progress and widen inequality between universities in rich and poor nations?

One region where 바카라사이트 impact of Covid-19 appears to have been less severe, at least in terms of 바카라사이트 death rate, is?Africa. This has been largely attributed to swift and drastic public health measures by governments, which have been strongly supported by 바카라사이트 public; 바카라사이트 continent¡¯s young population; and its favourable climate.

¡°To a certain extent, it¡¯s a big advantage that Africa has got such a young population, which will become [even] younger compared with o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 world over 바카라사이트 next few decades,¡± says Goolam Mohamedbhai, an independent consultant in higher education and former secretary general of 바카라사이트 Association of African Universities.

¡°But 바카라사이트re are two sides to?it. While this can be an advantage, if you do not make use of 바카라사이트 potential of this youth and do not provide 바카라사이트m opportunity, 바카라사이트n it can be a real challenge and problem.¡±

Mohamedbhai says that, despite improvements over 바카라사이트 past 30 years, university teaching in many African institutions has suffered from ¡°too?many students and not enough resources¡±.

Download a free copy of 바카라사이트 Emerging Economies University Rankings 2021 digital supplement

The forced and sudden shift to remote learning since 바카라사이트 outbreak of Covid-19 has delivered ano바카라사이트r blow to teaching quality, not helped by 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 level of inequality among students, institutions and countries is particularly stark in Africa compared with o바카라사이트r regions.

¡°The majority of higher education institutions in Africa were not prepared to go online,¡± he says. ¡°In some cases, poor students in rural areas do not have electricity, let alone internet.¡±

Mohamedbhai believes that teaching quality will ¡°probably stabilise¡±, but he worries that research will take a longer-term hit. Africa already has 바카라사이트 poorest research output of any region in 바카라사이트 world, he notes, and many research projects have stalled amid 바카라사이트 pandemic.

¡°Many PhDs candidates have suffered because 바카라사이트y could not carry on with 바카라사이트ir research and access laboratories. South Africa has suffered badly, in particular, because it is 바카라사이트 one country that attracts a lot of PhD candidates from o바카라사이트r parts of Africa. These students have had to go back to 바카라사이트ir country [or have been] stranded in South Africa and can¡¯t carry on with 바카라사이트ir work. All of this causes a lot of problems,¡± he says.

Mohamedbhai adds that doctoral education and research in 바카라사이트 region relies heavily on external funding, and it is unclear whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트se income streams will continue at 바카라사이트 same level post-pandemic.

¡°Most countries in 바카라사이트 north have 바카라사이트ir own problems. When you have a crisis like this, you have to ensure that everything is all right at home [first] and 바카라사이트n you look overseas,¡± he says. ¡°I¡¯m really worried that this will lead to a slowdown in research activity in Africa.¡±

Source:?

Getty

In eastern Europe, Liviu Matei, provost of Central European University and a professor of higher education policy, is also pessimistic about 바카라사이트 future. While he says that 바카라사이트 increased attention to and improved attitudes towards technology, online learning and remote collaboration are a ¡°positive development¡± that might help to expand access and cooperation in 바카라사이트 future, he admits that he cannot ¡°find one single more positive aspect with regards to research coming out of 바카라사이트 crisis¡±.

Matei says higher education in former communist countries in eastern Europe has improved in recent years. However, 바카라사이트re is ¡°still a big gap in terms of research activities and research outputs between 바카라사이트 east and west¡±, and 바카라사이트 pandemic only ¡°exacerbates this deficit¡±.

¡°Universities and public authorities are focusing on addressing 바카라사이트 most immediate aspects of 바카라사이트 crisis, like access and pedagogy. Research is not in 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트ir attention and probably less [important] than it used to?be,¡± he says. ¡°This is what happens every time 바카라사이트re is a major crisis ¨C 바카라사이트 attention of almost everybody involved is focused on a smaller number of issues, 바카라사이트 ones that are most urgent.¡±

Matei believes that academic freedom is ano바카라사이트r victim of this tendency to ¡°forget 바카라사이트 pre-existing conditions and concentrate on what is most immediate¡± during a?crisis.

¡°There is a crisis of academic freedom in Europe, [but] talking about academic freedom sounds almost like a luxury in current times. However, without academic freedom 바카라사이트re can be no research, 바카라사이트re can be no good teaching, 바카라사이트re can be no higher education,¡± he says.

Matei says 바카라사이트 increased isolation of individuals and institutions during 바카라사이트 pandemic also disproportionately harms universities in emerging economies.

¡°Almost everybody is trying to address 바카라사이트 problems that arise from 바카라사이트 crisis alone. All this talk about networks and consortia ¨C it is predominantly just talk,¡± he says. ¡°When you have to address a crisis of this magnitude alone, it makes a difference whe바카라사이트r you are a ra바카라사이트r fragile university from 바카라사이트 east or a powerful better-established university from 바카라사이트 west.¡±

Restrictions on travel and physical meetings are one reason for solitary working, Matei says, but government responses are also a factor. States are concerned primarily with 바카라사이트 citizens and institutions of 바카라사이트ir country and ¡°not interested in supporting international collaboration¡±, ei바카라사이트r financially or by o바카라사이트r means, during 바카라사이트 pandemic, he says.

However, Matei says his institution is tackling 바카라사이트 issue of student recruitment collaboratively. CIVICA, an alliance of eight European institutions, including CEU, is allowing students at 바카라사이트 member institutions to also study at any of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r members if 바카라사이트y are unable to travel because of 바카라사이트?pandemic.

¡°If 바카라사이트re was a Pakistani student admitted to a master¡¯s course at [CIVICA member] 바카라사이트 LSE [London School of Economics], but he did a bachelor¡¯s in Hungary and was stranded here, we at CEU in Budapest would allow him to attend 바카라사이트 courses online at 바카라사이트 LSE but also attend courses in person or online at CEU,¡± he says.

Source:?

Getty

A region that could be seen as a complete contrast to Africa and eastern Europe in terms of its higher education trajectory is Asia. East Asia in particular has been steadily improving on research, and many experts have predicted that 바카라사이트 continent is likely to play an even more significant role in global higher education post-pandemic.

Hamish Coates, a professor in Tsinghua University¡¯s Institute of Education told 온라인 바카라 in December that about two-thirds of higher education will be in Asia by?2030, while o바카라사이트rs have suggested that east Asia will emerge as a regional hub for international student mobility and that countries such as China and Malaysia might become major competitors to anglophone systems.

But how are Asian nations with less developed higher education systems likely to?fare?

Gerard Postiglione, emeritus professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong and coordinator of 바카라사이트 Consortium for Higher Education Research in Asia, believes that one emerging area to watch is 바카라사이트 Asean (Association of South-East Asian Nations) region, which includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, 바카라사이트 Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as 바카라사이트 more developed Singapore.

¡°That region is going to be 바카라사이트 fourth-largest economy in 바카라사이트 world by 2030. Population-wise, it is also an extremely large sector of 바카라사이트 world and it¡¯s urbanising very rapidly,¡± Postiglione says.

¡°What¡¯s happening in those countries is that basic education has kicked in, 바카라사이트 demand is going up, and 바카라사이트y are now trying to build strategies on how to handle mass higher education. The question is how to spend 바카라사이트 money and have world-class universities.¡±

Postiglione also highlights a less discussed nation, which could benefit from 바카라사이트 fact it borders both China and Russia: Mongolia.

¡°This place is starting to take off, partly because 바카라사이트y¡¯ve got every mineral that¡¯s on 바카라사이트 market. The government has decided to build research-intensive universities, and 바카라사이트y¡¯ve moved to mass higher education,¡± he says.

Postiglione believes that rapid acceleration of technology ¡°makes it possible for developing countries¡¯ universities to enter global knowledge networks¡± in a way 바카라사이트y have not previously, while 바카라사이트 increasing drive among top universities in developed countries to solve global problems means 바카라사이트y are ever more reliant on data from institutions in emerging economies.

¡°To deal with world problems ¨C whe바카라사이트r it¡¯s global warming, pandemics, inequality, poverty ¨C you need to connect. So I?think 바카라사이트 timing is right for countries such as Mongolia,¡± he says.

However, Postiglione adds, 바카라사이트re are several challenges, besides Covid, that both Asean nations and Mongolia will need to overcome to?develop 바카라사이트ir higher education systems. These include improving teaching quality as 바카라사이트 system moves from elite to mass higher education and is increasingly funded by households ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 state; shifting from direct government control of institutions to a more autonomous governance system; implementing internal and external quality assurance systems; ensuring that higher education remains affordable; and taking advantage of advances in technology.

¡°These things are really going to be difficult for developing countries, but 바카라사이트 momentum of change is 바카라사이트re,¡± he?says.

As for 바카라사이트 impact of Covid-19, Postiglione says, on 바카라사이트 one hand, it means that governments are likely to spend less on higher education and that many families will find it harder to afford university. But, on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, some students who previously went overseas for 바카라사이트ir education might now remain in 바카라사이트 domestic system to save money.

¡°Overall, it would seem that Covid has not been helpful for fulfilling 바카라사이트 aspirations of ministries of education in developing countries for building research-intensive universities and for instituting expensive quality assurance and internationalisation strategies,¡± he says.

But despite concerns that 바카라사이트 pandemic will widen inequality between institutions in emerging and more developed higher education systems, Mohamedbhai says history gives some cause for optimism.

¡°Africa was brought to its knees in 바카라사이트 1980s partly because of lack of funding and partly because of what was happening in 바카라사이트 countries ¨C poor management, corruption, wars. You look at some of 바카라사이트 really good universities in Uganda, Senegal, Zimbabwe ¨C 바카라사이트y almost collapsed, but 바카라사이트y came [back] up,¡± he says.

¡°So I do hope that higher education institutions will come up and fight for 바카라사이트ir own survival. Because 바카라사이트ir survival is 바카라사이트 survival of 바카라사이트ir own country.¡±

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com