20 September 2020  Issue No: 612

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, there are reports of rising student distress and suicide, but mental health issues may go unseen in online fora. International students are particularly affected. Universities must step up to meet their duty of care to this increasingly vulnerable population.

The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an unprecedented spurt in global research collaboration in the quest to find a vaccine. Over two weeks, University World News examines the phenomenon that has so far allowed for more than 200 clinical trials to be launched within months of the virus spreading across borders.

These are difficult times, but University World News’ readership is expanding rapidly due to our extensive coverage of the impact of COVID-19 on higher education globally. If you value what we do, you can help us build our audience further simply by sharing any of our articles on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. Or you can help us secure our future by making a donation – just click on the yellow advertisement below.

Students and universities agree on the impact of COVID-19 on higher education, but there is a need for more dialogue and collaboration as they embark on a new blended approach to learning, and a review of how information is distributed to students.

Should we look at COVID-19 as merely about intellectual loss or as a period of movement towards a way of educating people for a more sustainable world? The lessons learned could shape a generation of students, teachers, researchers, institutions and society as well.

International student mobility has been caught up in geopolitics as the United States government seeks to restrict Chinese students’ and academics’ access to the country. This presents academics, who rely on a free exchange of ideas, with a dilemma that hinders their quest for knowledge.

The United States has revoked more than 1,000 visas for Chinese nationals under a 29 May proclamation by President Donald Trump, suspending entry of students and researchers with ties to China’s military-civil fusion strategy, according to the US State Department. China has threatened to retaliate.

A new proposed law could give the Australian federal government the power to cancel arrangements between foreign governments and Australian universities, undermining any trust that foreign universities currently place in their Australian counterparts.

As the Talloires Network celebrates its 15th anniversary with a new name, it notes a growing interest from universities worldwide in demonstrating their value to the public and highlighting the contribution they are making to society through civic engagement via university-community partnerships.