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Leveraging International Influence through Higher Education
An analysis of state and institutional responses to COVID-19 demonstrates the importance of global interconnectedness of the goals and targets to prevent the pandemic’s spread. These rationales also underline how select Indian higher education and research institutions, with the support of the government, could play an important role to leverage their international influence in the emerging situation by tapping into new academic partnership opportunities in the global South.
The views expressed in the text are solely those of the author.
The author is thankful to N V Varghese and Philip G Altbach for their comments on an earlier version of this article.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the fore the changing dynamics of the interconnected global system. The fundamental elements of the global macro environment in general as also of higher education are threatened by the present crisis, and this might have a negative impact on support for internationalisation, when international cooperation is needed more than ever (Altbach and Wit 2020). The emerging situation also offers a unique opportunity for the higher education sector to realign its raison d’être, nationally and globally.
Universities and research institutions have an important role in this process. The possibilities are endless for them in the search for solutions to this global challenge through international cooperation. Such initiatives could contribute in a big way to bring together governments, institutions, and academics across the globe in addressing societal goals. Some of the key questions that the current crisis raises in the Indian context are:
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