25 July 2021  Issue No: 653

Women are still under-represented in higher education leadership at institutional, national and international levels – and the COVID-19 pandemic may make things worse. Women need support and encouragement and institutional and national leadership and programming. But the biggest barrier they face is complacency.

A new coronavirus wave across Southeast Asia, particularly affecting Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar and Thailand – countries that did not suffer badly in 2020 and earlier this year – has prevented the re-opening of universities and disrupted higher education for the second year running.

A new central government policy to close the gender gap in the science and technology sector has been unveiled by China’s Ministry of Science and Technology and the All-China Women’s Federation to increase the number of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics or STEM in its bid to become a world science and technology power.

Government attempts to control academic autonomy and freedom are growing in India amid instances of interference in the appointment of vice-chancellors, increased pressure to sack critics of government policy and greater centralisation of regulation. And all the while freedom of the press is under threat.

Higher education institutions in Europe are highly engaged in addressing environmental challenges through education, research and their own greening initiatives. However, a holistic approach to sustainable procurement may be the game changer, due to its strong steering effect, influencing the achievement of the green transition.

Amid unsafe conditions for teaching and learning after the coup in Myanmar and disruption due to 18 months of pandemic-related closures and student and teacher boycotts, the National Unity Government has set up limited alternative higher education provision to help plug the gaps.