29 October 2020  Issue No: 289

Proposed changes to United States visa rules that will set fixed timelines of up to four years for international students could make US institutions less attractive to foreigners, including to the thousands of students from Sub-Saharan Africa who seek university education away from home.

The obstacles facing budding scientists in Africa are exacerbating a brain drain of some of the continent’s top minds. Poor coordination within and among national scientific communities has damaged mentorship opportunities, impeding the development of the next generation of academics and researchers.

E-leadership is evolving as the new interface between higher education leaders and managers on the one hand and staff and students on the other, according to a paper about the role of e-leadership in the implementation of virtual education at universities.

The efforts by universities in Rwanda to produce quality students for the labour market are hampered when these graduates enter the workplace or join internship programmes without soft skills – a dilemma that has been receiving attention within the higher education sector across the world.

The global research community is showing openness, resilience and humanism in the face of COVID-19 and its managers are emphasising well-being over productivity. But inequality, ethical concerns and questions on research impacts have intensified. How can we reimagine and rebuild future global research?

Cambodia needs a better higher education system to realise its development vision. COVID-19 could provide the catalyst for reforms that address some of the weaknesses in the system, which has been plagued by corruption and a skills mismatch, which are major and pressing issues.

European ministers have adopted a declaration recognising freedom of scientific research as a ‘universal right and public good’ and pledging to uphold the freedom as a ‘visible common norm’ in all future research collaboration in the European Research Area and with partners beyond it.