2 April 2023  Issue No: 733

The new United Nations treaty – 19 years in the making – which provides a legal framework for the establishment of vast marine protected areas represents enormous opportunities for ocean science and the building of marine-related scientific research capacity around the world, experts say.

Higher education and research institutions in Burkina Faso are under threat from a jihadist insurgency, as the country’s military government struggles to maintain security in several regions. In addition to killings, higher education classes in universities and colleges in the north and east of the country have been suspended.

Recent interviews with several Ukrainian students and a separate survey designed to extract information about the experiences of over 1,600 students since the Russian invasion reveal the psychological damage and the social fallout suffered by young Ukrainians as a result of the war.

This is part of a weekly University World News special report series on ‘AI and higher education’. The focus is on how universities are engaging with ChatGPT and other generative artificial intelligence tools. The articles from academics and our journalists around the world are exploring developments and university work in AI that have implications for higher education institutions and systems, students and staff, and teaching, learning and research.

In an era of stricter securitisation of research, more thoughtfulness and better professional judgement are required from several groups in order for international research collaborations to continue and for the global science system to have a chance to remain at least somewhat open.

A report from the Belarusian Students’ Association, highlighting the persecution of students within Belarus and the discrimination they suffer beyond, urges the Czech Republic to resume issuing study visas for Belarusians and the European Commission to increase support for students fleeing persecution.

Universities are well-placed to lead the shift towards the development of a circular mindset which recognises the interconnection and interdependence between humankind and nature – a necessary step in human evolution if we are to create a more sustainable world for future generations.

It is a busy Friday inside Kiziba Camp in Rwanda as refugees are attending different activities. Francine Izabayo sits inside one of the classrooms revising courses. She is a refugee student and attends all her classes inside the camp. It is a campus within the camp known as Kepler Kiziba.

Post-digital means moving beyond an understanding of technology as gadgets, tools and devices towards an understanding of technology as an extension of human capabilities and intelligence. For higher education it will require a focus on access and ethics, with sustainability at the centre.