New Article: Higher Education and COVID-19: Global and Local Responses

Posted by The Magazine of Higher Learning on May 3, 2022

The authors of “Higher Education and COVID-19: Global and Local Responses, Change” in The Magazine of Higher Learning are Ira Harkavy, Founding Director of the Barbara and Edward Netter Center for Community Partnerships, University of Pennsylvania and Rita A. Hodges, an Associate Director of Netter Center for Community Partnerships.

Highlights from the article:

• Higher education’s response in the early days of the pandemic would seem to confirm that universities, particularly research universities, are a preeminent institution in societies throughout the world.
•  Authors from around the world told a story of local partnerships and the benefits that accrue to both the community and university, including significant learning and a better quality of life for all.
• A new kind of university is needed whose primary mission would be advancing democracy democratically on campus, in its local community, and across the wider society.
• The core characteristics of this new democratic civic university include a democratic purpose; an inclusive, diverse, equitable campus; a democratic process with community partners; and an antiracism and justice-seeking focus.
• A global movement that helps develop democratic civic universities is essential if we are to replace the prepandemic university that failed to sufficiently address and effectively combat the frightening problems facing our world.

Access the full article. (scroll down)