As highlighted in two University World News articles last week, the shutdown of USAID represents a critical turning point for higher education and research globally, with profound implications for research innovation, educational access, and international collaboration.
Some of the key impacts are
1) the disruption of institutional partnerships,
2) reduced researcher mobility, and
3) global research setbacks in health, climate, and agriculture.
It is time to stand together in solidarity. We, i.e. the international higher education and research community, can take several steps to mitigate the impact of USAID’s shutdown:
>> Form new collaborative networks and establish new partnerships to fill the void left by USAID-supported projects, to ensure continuing critical research in areas such as public health, climate change, and food security.
>> Develop alternative funding approaches, e.g. seek support from private foundations and corporations // engage with alumni networks for philanthropic contributions // collaborate with NGOs and international organizations like the UN, World Bank, and IMF // advocate for policy changes to increase national and supraregional academic and research investments.
>> Strengthen regional cooperation by expanding intra-regional collaborations, particularly in Africa, to become more self-reliant in research and funding. This could lead to the creation of new academic clusters and research hubs.
>> Diversify international partnerships
>> Leverage technology to maintain and expand international academic exchanges and research collaborations, reducing reliance on physical mobility programs.
>> Strengthen capacity-building and equitable research collaborations to enhance the self-sufficiency of universities in Africa, Latin, America, Asia, and Eastern European countries, focusing on institutional governance, research capabilities, and sustainable funding mechanisms.
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Would you like to discuss any of these in more detail?
You can do so in the comments section, by writing me an email at info@access2perspectives.org or book a meeting at https://zcal.co/access2perspectives/discovery-call
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Read US aid freeze threatens higher education alliances in Africa (Feb 06, 2025)
and “Trump’s USAID shutdown impacts universities worldwide” (Feb 08, 2025)
