The multiple impacts of elections on higher education worldwide
Elections can profoundly impact on universities and colleges. New leaders and parties have new political agendas, and higher education is frequently prominent on their lists, with implications for funding, teaching and research, staff and students, and interactions with society and the economy. For two weeks University World News investigated recent elections and higher education in countries the world over. Read the articles from our Special Report on Elections and HE below.
The Brexit referendum has had major consequences for higher education, not least in terms of student mobility. But while the post-Brexit Turing Scheme that replaces Erasmus+ promises much, how is it being promoted by universities and is it reaching out to underrepresented students as proposed?
Is the new Swedish three-party coalition government hostage to the far right, as some analysts suggest, and what impact will this have on higher education and research in a country that takes pride in its reputation for international openness and scientific innovation?
Following a peace deal between the Ethiopian government and Tigray forces after two years of civil war, which appears to be holding, academics and students are counting the cost of damage to Ethiopia’s higher education system. One of the consequences has been parents sending their children to study abroad.
Political turmoil in Sudan since October 2021 has affected all sectors of society, including higher education, where academic freedom has been under threat, policy reviews have stalled and the brain drain has picked up pace. A new political agreement, signed in December 2022, has brought hope for the sector’s recovery.
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The multiple impacts of elections on higher education worldwide
Elections can profoundly impact on universities and colleges. New leaders and parties have new political agendas, and higher education is frequently prominent on their lists, with implications for funding, teaching and research, staff and students, and interactions with society and the economy. For two weeks University World News investigates recent elections and higher education in countries the world over.
What will the recent election bring for higher education in Brazil? Expectations of President Lula da Silva are high, but the stagnating economy and intense demands from multiple sectors will make managing needs challenging. Still, hopes are high that higher education will fare better under the new presidency.
South Korea’s new president Yoon Suk-yeol is pushing ahead with major higher education reforms by increasing university autonomy and promoting regional institutions as hubs of local innovation. On 24 December the National Assembly passed a special act to secure extra funding – helping to overcome one of the biggest obstacles to the reform agenda.
Although education is held in high regard by Ethiopians, political parties seldom use it in electioneering. This may explain why 18 months after a change in government its 2018 educational roadmap is still in place. However, challenges during the last year may require a rethink of some of the plan’s priorities for higher education.
A few months after his election as the president of Kenya, in a context in which universities in the country have been staggering financially, William Ruto has initiated reforms that will impact upon the tertiary education sector and which reflect his political influences and aspirations.
The Brexit referendum has had major consequences for higher education, not least in terms of student mobility. But while the post-Brexit Turing Scheme that replaces Erasmus+ promises much, how is it being promoted by universities and is it reaching out to underrepresented students as proposed?
Is the new Swedish three-party coalition government hostage to the far right, as some analysts suggest, and what impact will this have on higher education and research in a country that takes pride in its reputation for international openness and scientific innovation?
What will the recent election bring for higher education in Brazil? Expectations of President Lula da Silva are high, but the stagnating economy and intense demands from multiple sectors will make managing needs challenging. Still, hopes are high that higher education will fare better under the new presidency.
South Korea’s new president Yoon Suk-yeol is pushing ahead with major higher education reforms by increasing university autonomy and promoting regional institutions as hubs of local innovation. On 24 December the National Assembly passed a special act to secure extra funding – helping to overcome one of the biggest obstacles to the reform agenda.
