COVID-19 has put HE internationalisation under review
In South Africa, we are in the middle of a national curfew that has been described as one of the strictest globally. We have been occupied with finding new ways of organising everyday life and work in response to the global crisis caused by COVID-19 and ever-increasing restrictions.
09 Nisan 2020 - 16:21
One realisation that has sunk in is that what we are witnessing will find its way into the history books as having triggered momentous changes in higher education globally. As regards internationalisation, concepts, models and practices are under review, if not under threat.
While we are still adjusting to new realities, the lockdown is an opportune time to step back and reflect on the impact of the pandemic on higher education internationalisation in South Africa. This article provides a perspective from the vantage point of a body of South African internationalisation professionals.
I have been working with a cross-section of those professionals, as we have collectively been trying to come to terms with a rapidly changing environment, finding solutions for challenges never experienced before. The insights offered here are a personal reflection on these interactions, aimed at creating a public record of early responses to an unprecedented crisis.
Global support
They also serve to share information and experiences with internationalisation practitioners around the world. This is valuable since “access to good practice ideas or inspiration” from others is one of the most desired sources of support for (European) practitioners in this field, as highlighted in a recently conducted survey by the European Association for International Education.
To provide some context, I work for the International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA), a non-profit, member-based organisation seeking to promote and support internationalisation of South African higher education for the benefit of its members and the country as a whole.
Compared to its sister organisations around the world, IEASA is very small, with currently just under 200 individual and institutional members and a staff complement of two, of which I am one, working with a variety of IEASA structures including the Directors Forum which comprises 23 members, for the most part directors of international offices in their respective universities.
Over the last few weeks forum members have been using a WhatsApp group to connect daily, often more than once, to keep abreast of developments and to exchange views, ideas and examples of institutional practices. Information shared includes informal feedback on steps taken at various institutions to address issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic as well as formal university statements, protocols and emergency plans.
Sense of community
Whereas universities often work separately and in competition with each other, the sharing of experiences in this heightened moment has helped reduce duplication of efforts by allowing institutions to learn from each other’s good practices.
It has also created a deep sense of community, as directors realised that the challenges they face are not unique to individual institutions, although their extent and severity can vary from one university to another. As IEASA staff, we assisted where we could in disseminating information and finding practical solutions, for example, by liaising with the Department of Home Affairs on behalf of all members.
The impact of COVID-19 on the internationalisation activities of South African universities is illustrated here with three key government decisions in mind, all made in the space of less than 10 days: the declaration of a national state of disaster on 15 March; the announcement of university closures on 17 March; and the pronouncement of a national lockdown on 23 March.
While these decisions affected all universities, their impact was context-specific. The issues raised here therefore do not paint a comprehensive picture. Rather, they are symptomatic and serve to illustrate practical consequences of national responses to COVID-19, specifically regarding the care and support provided for international students.
Given their complex and varied circumstances, these students often had to be accommodated on a case-by-case basis, requiring internationalisation professionals around the country to constantly think on their feet.
Immediate consequences
Some of the immediate consequences of President Cyril Ramaphosa declaring a national state of disaster included restrictions on travel and public gatherings. As a result, universities effected limitations on travel, particularly international, by students and staff.
The impact of these restrictions on student mobility was relatively minor across the sector. This is because mobility, particularly for non-degree study abroad purposes, is a desirable dimension of internationalisation efforts of South African universities but one that, mainly due to resource constraints, generally benefits only a select few.
Even before travel restrictions were announced, universities started cancelling international partner meetings and visits as precautionary measures taken amidst growing concerns about the spread of COVID-19. Cancellations of numerous conferences and events followed, both in South Africa and abroad. Apart from suffering financial losses, such cancellations mean that institutions miss out on opportunities for networking, training, marketing and recruitment.
After the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande announced that post-school institutions would be closed for early recess from 18 March, universities asked students living in residences to vacate these premises and return home.
In some instances, this decision was met with the disapproval of a large cross-section of students, for whom travel was associated with fears of health risks as well as logistical and financial difficulties. Many international students were confronted with multiple challenges, some similar to those of local students and others specific to their circumstances.
International students
In contrast to their local counterparts, international students often stay in residences during recess periods. Many only return home at the end of each academic year or only upon completion of their studies. In this instance, however, they had to arrange to travel home at short notice and at a cost not budgeted for.
Furthermore, students from countries identified as high-risk were particularly concerned about their prospects of leaving South Africa and being able to return once campuses reopened. Furthermore, some international students were unable to travel due to outstanding visas.
In recent years, the Department of Home Affairs, due to backlogs with visa applications, has allowed a grace period for universities to register international students who applied for extensions of their study permits inside the country on the basis of receipts as proof that their application has been submitted. These students were informed that they could not leave South Africa or risk being declared undesirable and unable to return. In such and similar cases, universities made arrangements for students who were unable to travel home.
Following the nationwide lockdown that took effect on 26 March, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation noted on 31 March that 723 South African students were stranded across the world.
Three days earlier, a local newspaper reported that an estimated 5,382 international students were stranded in university accommodation across the country.
Regardless of where they are stranded, these students have required dedicated assistance from often overworked and under-resourced internationalisation professionals at host and home institutions, in collaboration with relevant ministries and diplomatic missions.
COVID-19 – Not an equalising force
As institutions gear up to switch to online teaching and learning methods to ensure academic continuity, it has become abundantly clear that COVID-19 is not an equalising force. Its impact is felt differently in different contexts, with underprivileged individuals and institutions finding themselves on the receiving end of the digital divide.
The burden of online provision falls most heavily on those students who are poor and ill-equipped, without access to computers and laptops, affordable data and reliable internet connectivity. For many international students, the majority of whom are African, these issues are often further exacerbated in their home countries.
In South Africa, both internationalisation and COVID-19 have the potential to further entrench existing inequalities. The pandemic provides us with an opportunity to think the world of higher education internationalisation afresh, casting a critical eye on the concepts, models and practices we have grown accustomed to.
In many ways, COVID-19 acts as an accelerator that is prompting us to increase our capacity to work, teach and learn remotely in the shortest possible time.
Towards a more equitable and inclusive approach
If so, how do we use this in our work towards a more equitable and inclusive advancement of internationalisation in South Africa? Can a focus on virtual mobility instead of physical mobility provide us with an opportunity to have greater numbers of students benefit from internationalisation?
Can a stronger focus on the exchange of knowledge rather than people facilitate equality and mutual benefit in international partnerships? Could the turn to virtual conferencing increase the number of African delegates at such events, especially those who miss out on ‘traditional’ international conferences due to financial constraints?
We can take encouragement from the way in which many South African universities have responded to the crisis. They are at the forefront of vaccine research and clinical trials. They are, to extents that are unparalleled in this context, delivering academic programmes online and conducting virtual graduation ceremonies. They are developing apps and innovative solutions to produce hand sanitisers, face shields, antimicrobial coatings and tracking devices.
These are just a few examples that can inspire us, as internationalisation practitioners, to re-imagine the ways in which we work and pursue internationalisation goals in the wake of COVID-19.
Dr Samia Chasi is an international education practitioner, researcher and facilitator with more than 20 years of experience in this field. She currently serves as the strategic advisor for the International Education Association of South Africa.
While we are still adjusting to new realities, the lockdown is an opportune time to step back and reflect on the impact of the pandemic on higher education internationalisation in South Africa. This article provides a perspective from the vantage point of a body of South African internationalisation professionals.
I have been working with a cross-section of those professionals, as we have collectively been trying to come to terms with a rapidly changing environment, finding solutions for challenges never experienced before. The insights offered here are a personal reflection on these interactions, aimed at creating a public record of early responses to an unprecedented crisis.
Global support
They also serve to share information and experiences with internationalisation practitioners around the world. This is valuable since “access to good practice ideas or inspiration” from others is one of the most desired sources of support for (European) practitioners in this field, as highlighted in a recently conducted survey by the European Association for International Education.
To provide some context, I work for the International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA), a non-profit, member-based organisation seeking to promote and support internationalisation of South African higher education for the benefit of its members and the country as a whole.
Compared to its sister organisations around the world, IEASA is very small, with currently just under 200 individual and institutional members and a staff complement of two, of which I am one, working with a variety of IEASA structures including the Directors Forum which comprises 23 members, for the most part directors of international offices in their respective universities.
Over the last few weeks forum members have been using a WhatsApp group to connect daily, often more than once, to keep abreast of developments and to exchange views, ideas and examples of institutional practices. Information shared includes informal feedback on steps taken at various institutions to address issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic as well as formal university statements, protocols and emergency plans.
Sense of community
Whereas universities often work separately and in competition with each other, the sharing of experiences in this heightened moment has helped reduce duplication of efforts by allowing institutions to learn from each other’s good practices.
It has also created a deep sense of community, as directors realised that the challenges they face are not unique to individual institutions, although their extent and severity can vary from one university to another. As IEASA staff, we assisted where we could in disseminating information and finding practical solutions, for example, by liaising with the Department of Home Affairs on behalf of all members.
The impact of COVID-19 on the internationalisation activities of South African universities is illustrated here with three key government decisions in mind, all made in the space of less than 10 days: the declaration of a national state of disaster on 15 March; the announcement of university closures on 17 March; and the pronouncement of a national lockdown on 23 March.
While these decisions affected all universities, their impact was context-specific. The issues raised here therefore do not paint a comprehensive picture. Rather, they are symptomatic and serve to illustrate practical consequences of national responses to COVID-19, specifically regarding the care and support provided for international students.
Given their complex and varied circumstances, these students often had to be accommodated on a case-by-case basis, requiring internationalisation professionals around the country to constantly think on their feet.
Immediate consequences
Some of the immediate consequences of President Cyril Ramaphosa declaring a national state of disaster included restrictions on travel and public gatherings. As a result, universities effected limitations on travel, particularly international, by students and staff.
The impact of these restrictions on student mobility was relatively minor across the sector. This is because mobility, particularly for non-degree study abroad purposes, is a desirable dimension of internationalisation efforts of South African universities but one that, mainly due to resource constraints, generally benefits only a select few.
Even before travel restrictions were announced, universities started cancelling international partner meetings and visits as precautionary measures taken amidst growing concerns about the spread of COVID-19. Cancellations of numerous conferences and events followed, both in South Africa and abroad. Apart from suffering financial losses, such cancellations mean that institutions miss out on opportunities for networking, training, marketing and recruitment.
After the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande announced that post-school institutions would be closed for early recess from 18 March, universities asked students living in residences to vacate these premises and return home.
In some instances, this decision was met with the disapproval of a large cross-section of students, for whom travel was associated with fears of health risks as well as logistical and financial difficulties. Many international students were confronted with multiple challenges, some similar to those of local students and others specific to their circumstances.
International students
In contrast to their local counterparts, international students often stay in residences during recess periods. Many only return home at the end of each academic year or only upon completion of their studies. In this instance, however, they had to arrange to travel home at short notice and at a cost not budgeted for.
Furthermore, students from countries identified as high-risk were particularly concerned about their prospects of leaving South Africa and being able to return once campuses reopened. Furthermore, some international students were unable to travel due to outstanding visas.
In recent years, the Department of Home Affairs, due to backlogs with visa applications, has allowed a grace period for universities to register international students who applied for extensions of their study permits inside the country on the basis of receipts as proof that their application has been submitted. These students were informed that they could not leave South Africa or risk being declared undesirable and unable to return. In such and similar cases, universities made arrangements for students who were unable to travel home.
Following the nationwide lockdown that took effect on 26 March, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation noted on 31 March that 723 South African students were stranded across the world.
Three days earlier, a local newspaper reported that an estimated 5,382 international students were stranded in university accommodation across the country.
Regardless of where they are stranded, these students have required dedicated assistance from often overworked and under-resourced internationalisation professionals at host and home institutions, in collaboration with relevant ministries and diplomatic missions.
COVID-19 – Not an equalising force
As institutions gear up to switch to online teaching and learning methods to ensure academic continuity, it has become abundantly clear that COVID-19 is not an equalising force. Its impact is felt differently in different contexts, with underprivileged individuals and institutions finding themselves on the receiving end of the digital divide.
The burden of online provision falls most heavily on those students who are poor and ill-equipped, without access to computers and laptops, affordable data and reliable internet connectivity. For many international students, the majority of whom are African, these issues are often further exacerbated in their home countries.
In South Africa, both internationalisation and COVID-19 have the potential to further entrench existing inequalities. The pandemic provides us with an opportunity to think the world of higher education internationalisation afresh, casting a critical eye on the concepts, models and practices we have grown accustomed to.
In many ways, COVID-19 acts as an accelerator that is prompting us to increase our capacity to work, teach and learn remotely in the shortest possible time.
Towards a more equitable and inclusive approach
If so, how do we use this in our work towards a more equitable and inclusive advancement of internationalisation in South Africa? Can a focus on virtual mobility instead of physical mobility provide us with an opportunity to have greater numbers of students benefit from internationalisation?
Can a stronger focus on the exchange of knowledge rather than people facilitate equality and mutual benefit in international partnerships? Could the turn to virtual conferencing increase the number of African delegates at such events, especially those who miss out on ‘traditional’ international conferences due to financial constraints?
We can take encouragement from the way in which many South African universities have responded to the crisis. They are at the forefront of vaccine research and clinical trials. They are, to extents that are unparalleled in this context, delivering academic programmes online and conducting virtual graduation ceremonies. They are developing apps and innovative solutions to produce hand sanitisers, face shields, antimicrobial coatings and tracking devices.
These are just a few examples that can inspire us, as internationalisation practitioners, to re-imagine the ways in which we work and pursue internationalisation goals in the wake of COVID-19.
Dr Samia Chasi is an international education practitioner, researcher and facilitator with more than 20 years of experience in this field. She currently serves as the strategic advisor for the International Education Association of South Africa.
YORUMLAR