Science and research are crucial to tackling the COVID-19 crisis. The world is witnessing a fast-growing body of research on COVID-19. Scientific evidence is constantly shaping governmental policies and public opinions. International organisations, reputable scientific journals, and funding bodies have been calling researchers around the world to collaborate and cooperate in an open manner. But meanwhile, the research communities are under substantial pressure during the COVID-19 pandemic, as a result of structural, cultural, geopolitical, and disciplinary challenges.

The webinar addresses two critical areas around global research and the COVID-19 pandemic:
(1) The global research on Covid-19: How are global research communities contributing to revolving the COVID-19 pandemic? Are we witnessing a growth in international collaboration or competition? What are the roles of humanities and social sciences research? How are the research community engaging with the policy and the public?

(2) Influences of Covid-19 on global research: What are the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on academic life and research culture? Are we witnessing a change in the research culture with more openness, kindness, inclusivity, and sustainability? Or is the globalisation of research entering a more challenging time?

The webinar brings together a panel of leading international experts on higher education and research, from UK/Europe/East Asia, zones in which the pandemic is equally transformative but has played out very differently in society and in higher education – and a participant audience from across the world.