During an international online forum on Friday, organized by the Beijing-based think tank Center for China and Globalization, leading analysts and educators stated that COVID-19 is causing paradigmatic shifts among universities worldwide. Guest panelist Mark Wrighton, Chancellor Emeritus of Washington University, said there had been important developments in online learning to cope with the pandemic, but the coronavirus has also stressed the importance of building and maintaining ties. He emphasized the important history of WashU and international student attendance, the continued collaborations with premier universities around the world, and WashU’s lead international initiative, the McDonnell International Scholars Academy. The Academy represents an emphasis on building cooperation and understanding among people and institutions around the world.
“We need to come together today, as a global community, to focus on international collaboration in terms of approaches to reducing the adverse impact from the pandemic. Washington University and many other institutions have very strong programs, especially in public health and in medicine. By working together, I believe that we can formulate good policies to benefit people around the world.”
Mark S. Wrighton
The webinar forum is available in its entirety on YouTube.
The online forum was the first time that CCG launched a live stream program in China and overseas with a reported 800,000 viewers watching the webinar. The forum provided insights and perspectives from a group of prominent experts from leading international education agencies, including universities and colleges, flagship corporations, international schools, and private consultancies.