14 February 2021  Issue No: 630

COVID-19 has brought new challenges and exacerbated long-standing ones. It shows the need for higher education to be better prepared to respond to crisis situations and promote social integration. Innovative policies on refugees suggest an inclusive, sustainable way forward, built on partnerships and global cooperation.

India’s rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and involvement in ‘vaccine diplomacy’ around the world has led to a significant boost in health spending and scientific research, announced in this year’s budget mid-pandemic, including support for a new National Research Foundation.

The Indian government plans higher education hubs in nine cities, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced during her budget speech last week. The hubs will include formal ‘umbrella structures’ to capitalise on research synergies between research institutions, universities and colleges without limiting their autonomy.

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COVID-19 has tested universities’ organisational agility and given them a unique opportunity to evaluate on a broader level their readiness to confront unexpected and extraordinary challenges and become resilient and ever-ready to respond to the next crisis that comes along.

China’s 14th plan for higher education is ambitious and highlights how, rather than relying solely on importing research and technology, China will develop its own indigenous technology and innovation ecosystem, including collaboration with its own tech industries.

Now is the time to convince policy-makers that the humanities are making important contributions to society, democracy and policy-making across complex challenges such as health, climate, security, education, digitalisation and democracy, say experts in a new report from the Danish Association of Masters and PhDs.