The challenges we are facing in the 21st century know no borders, not least the pandemic which has swept the planet. In this context, a collective effort to promote cooperation in education and research, and to enhance cultural agility and language skills, is more crucial than ever for tackling this and all of today’s societal challenges.
Since the beginning of the COVID 19 crisis, many actions have been introduced by the T.I.M.E. Members to sustain international education. The T.I.M.E. Members responded to the crisis in a number of ways:
- guidance and counseling with current and prospective international staff and students, taking care of their specific needs;
- the continuity of teaching and learning (a key task!) through online resources;
- the organization of examinations ;
- your hard work to adapt facilities and operations in order to resume as much as possible on-campus education.
It is also worth mentioning the work of the European Commission, which has adopted several measures related to the Erasmus + programs[1].
Despite the crisis having a severe negative impact on various aspects of internationalization, international cooperation among countries and higher education institutions is needed as much now as ever. This issue can only be addressed in a collaborative way, through cooperation among individuals, institutions, and countries.
On its part, T.I.M.E. Association will work closely with its members and other international associations in this difficult moment to sustain international education.
A long-term vision is important. Let’s not forget that educating engineers and more generally people in international education is the best investment for a peaceful world.
For more information and enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact our Secretary General, Gwenaëlle Guillerme – gwenaelle.guillerme@time-association.org
Yours sincerely,
Leif KARI
President of T.I.M.E. Association
Vice-President of Education, KTH Royal Institute of Technology
[1] National education agencies have been authorized to invoke the force majeure clause in all cases where the application of national limitations affects the implementation of Erasmus+ or European Solidarity Corps projects. Also, deadlines for all planned activities could be postponed by up to 12 months per project.