10 January 2021  Issue No: 625

The United States Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has resigned and US higher education leaders have reacted with horror and condemnation to the mob riot on Wednesday which breached the Capitol, where Congressmen were meeting to certify the presidential election results, leaving them in fear of their lives.

Concerns have mounted across Africa, Europe and Asia that scientists advising on the spread of COVID-19 are being compromised by close relationships with their governments as second waves of the outbreak peak around the world – and death tolls keep rising as a result.

The concentration of universities in cities is contributing to depopulation and deprivation of rural areas in Norway and government should respond by legislating to decentralise higher education provision to encourage more people to stay and study and work in rural areas, according to a new government report.

On 27 January 2021 University World News, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, will be bringing together experts and practitioners from the International Association of Universities, the Talloires Network of Engaged Universities and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program in an online webinar on how universities can improve their social impact.

United Kingdom and European universities have welcomed the UK’s decision to participate in the European Union’s research programme, Horizon Europe, post-Brexit, under the terms of the UK-EU trade and cooperation deal. But they voiced deep disappointment at its decision to drop out of Erasmus+.

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.

The free tuition movement has ridden high in election years, bringing with it promises and disappointment, but the COVID-19 pandemic and the financial challenges that will ensue may see it pushed to one side while inequality rises. Could targeted intervention have more success?

The North African correspondent for the Africa edition of University World News and contributor of news from the Middle East and Africa to the publication’s global edition, Wagdy Sawahel, has been named one of eight category winners in the inaugural African Labour Migration Reporting Awards.