‘IN CONVERSATION’ with A/P Matteo Fumagalli – “Reconnecting Myanmar: A Case Study of Outreach and Innovation in Higher Education”

Rangoon (now Yangon) University was the most prestigious university in SE Asia into the 1950s, but was closed for about twenty-five years, until its programs began to be revived in 2013. With the opening of Myanmar, this Open Society Foundations project focuses on helping restore teaching and research capacity at the University of Yangon and Mandalay University to a ‘lost generation’ of teachers and students.

Matteo spoke about his firsthand experience with Myanmar’s universities, scholars, and students, the exciting opportunities this offers external partners interested in making a difference in the country, and some of the more challenging aspects of helping Myanmar rebuild its civic institutions.