8 May 2022  Issue No: 691

The argument that Europe’s new immigration policy, which includes development cooperation, will result in ‘brain gain’ belies the fact that capacity development programmes are already skewed towards benefiting the Global North – by grooming talent in the South for employment in the North.

As COVID lockdowns take effect in several cities in China, schools offering international curricula are not only contending with disruptions to the school-leaving exams due to take place this month but also face the potential loss of qualified teachers fed up with strict containment measures.

The Common University Entrance Test in India is intended to address disparities in mark allocations by different examination boards and provide a ‘level playing field’ for access, but it does nothing to slow down the pressure to get into a few highly sought-after universities and colleges.

A recent survey of European universities tracks some of the profound changes that have occurred in the position of head of administration and shows a growing shift towards systems with fewer ‘generalists’. What are the implications for university governance structures and management models?

A new project exploring how sustainability can be pursued in the higher education sector aims to produce a student-led action plan that will help students take greater ownership of their educational experience and engage with their institution to effect positive change.

Academic collaboration in Africa, Asia and Latin America in the post-COVID era has undergone some shifts, including in student and academic mobility. These trends were on the agenda of the Third Higher Education Forum for Africa, Asia and Latin America or HEFAALA III Symposium held from 25 to 29 April in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Students at a top Shanghai university launched a protest against strict campus restrictions as a result of China’s zero-COVID policy, while at another university in Kunshan city, students have objected to excessive penalties which include suspension for those deemed to have breached rules.