From Support to Uncertainty: The Higher Education Crisis After USAID’s Shutdown

People protesting in the support of USAID at the United States Capitol on Wednesday, February 5, 2025. Photo Credit: Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Trump administration has ordered the withdrawal of nearly all USAID workers, halting essential global programs in health, education, and food security. Thousands of USAID staff—around 14,000 people, two-thirds of whom are stationed overseas—are being laid off or furloughed, putting billions of dollars in US development assistance at risk. Lawmakers and international organizations have raised concerns about the far-reaching consequences of this order. USAID operates in over 60 countries primarily through contracted organizations according to the Congressional Research Service. Trump and his administration have criticized the agency for inefficiencies and funding programs that do not align with their “US First” policy priorities.  

Established by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 during the Cold War, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided humanitarian and development aid to over 100 countries. Supporters argue it plays a vital role in saving lives, strengthening civil society, and promoting democracy, portraying the U.S. as a global force for good. USAID has been instrumental in global higher education, collaborating with universities to advance research, community engagement, and capacity building. Programs like Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) fund scientists and engineers in developing countries, while the Feed the Future Innovation Labs train students in agricultural sciences. In 2023 alone, USAID supported 830 international higher education institutions, benefiting 95,700 students and contributing to 690 peer-reviewed publications.

The agency’s closure would have profound consequences for research and higher education development in the countries it serves.

U.S. foreign aid has been instrumental in strengthening African universities, particularly through USAID’s Higher Education Solutions Network (HESN) and partnerships between African and American institutions. One such HESN development lab is the ResilientAfrica Network (RAN), headquartered in Uganda’s Makerere University. It works with universities in Ethiopia, Ghana, and South Africa to find innovative local solutions to overcome the shocks and stresses of poverty, conflict, displacement, disease, and drought. RAN brings together 20 universities across 13 countries in Africa as well as two US-based universities: George Washington University which supports RAN on resilience framework development and operationalization while Stanford University provides support in innovation process development.

However, the funding freeze has severely disrupted key initiatives, jeopardizing progress in multiple areas. Many African universities rely on collaborations with U.S. institutions for research and development in critical fields such as climate studies, public health, and agricultural innovation. These partnerships have facilitated knowledge exchange, joint research, and capacity-building efforts, all of which are now at risk. Additionally, USAID funded capacity-building programs that train African academics and university administrators have been put on hold. 

The freeze has also affected scholarships and bursaries, leaving many African students uncertain about their academic futures. Numerous students depend on aid-supported financial assistance to access quality higher education, and the sudden loss of funding could force them to drop out or seek alternative, often less good, options. 

Public health research has also been significantly impacted, particularly studies focused on HIV/AIDS, malaria, and emerging diseases. The Person Centred HIV Research Team, or PeCHIVReT at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka is one such research program that received funding through USAID. Dr Abdul Muminu Isah, the principal investigator and coordinator of PeCHIVReT told the University World News about the fund freeze: “The impact…on HIV related research is a very big one and unimaginable. It is like one is driving at 100km/h and suddenly stops by applying brakes. Imagine the impact of what will happen to the vehicle and the occupant(s)? Imagine if some of the researchers leave the current studies they are working on to start another one. How can you bring them back to continue?”

Two million people in Nigeria live with HIV, of which 1.9 million are adults aged 15 and above, and about 1.2 million, representing 60%, are women aged 15 and over.

Furthermore, climate change research faces an uncertain future as U.S. support has been crucial in studying droughts, desertification, and adaptation strategies. The loss of funding could weaken Africa’s ability to develop sustainable responses to climate challenges, making communities more vulnerable to environmental disasters. 

For many African universities, this funding has been vital in expanding access to quality education and research opportunities. Its suspension not only threatens these advancements but also raises concerns about the long-term sustainability of higher education development across the continent.

In Egypt, USAID was funding scholarships for approximately 1,077 students enrolled in public and private universities. To mitigate the impact, Egypt’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced that universities would cover tuition and other financial allocations originally provided by USAID, at least until the end of the second semester. From 2020 to 2024, 788 students have benefited from the USAID funded scholarships at various levels of study, and 84 have graduated. 

In Ethiopia, the US Embassy, in partnership with the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences, launched a US$522,000 grant to the academy in November 2024, but it now hangs in the balance. The grant was meant to support the transition of Ethiopian public universities to autonomous governance, building on the success of the first phase, which focused on Addis Ababa University, assisting the universities to develop key framework policy documents.

In Asia too, the effect of the USAID closure will have a profound impact on the state of research and higher education development.

In Pakistan, 39 USAID-supported projects—including higher education initiatives—have been halted, affecting a total funding value of approximately US$845 million, including critical healthcare programs. Professor Muhammad Ali, vice-chancellor of the University of the Punjab in Lahore, emphasized USAID’s significant role in funding Pakistani universities through the Higher Education Commission. “USAID has been a major source of grants for research, scholarships, and infrastructure development. The suspension of these projects directly impacts their beneficiaries,” he told University World News. The future of hundreds of students under the USAID Merit and Need Based Scholarship Program is now uncertain. 

Since 2004, this initiative has helped increase university enrollment by providing financial support to talented yet financially disadvantaged students. The program’s first phase (2004) allocated US$10.63 million to support over 1,800 students at 11 universities. The second phase, launched in 2013 with US$23 million, expanded to 3,000 scholarships—50% reserved for female students—and added 19 partner universities, including Fatima Jinnah Women University in Rawalpindi, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University in Peshawar, Lahore College for Women University, and Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University in Quetta. Academics highlighted the program’s role in promoting women’s empowerment through higher education, ensuring nationwide accessibility through partnerships with universities across various provinces. In 2023, it was further expanded to support students from flood-affected areas.

In Myanmar, approximately US$45 million in scholarship funding for over 400 students to study at universities across Asia—including the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Thailand—under the USAID Development and Inclusive Scholarship Program has been abruptly suspended. Launched in February 2024, the five-year program supported marginalized and underprivileged students both within Myanmar and those who had fled to border regions due to the civil war. It also funded online education through the University of Arizona. With the suspension, many students, including those in postgraduate and doctoral programs, now face uncertain futures. 

Bangladesh is the region’s second-largest recipient of USAID funding, and experts warn that suspending projects will have serious repercussions. Independent University, Bangladesh received over BDT 4.2 million (approximately US$35,000) from USAID’s Bangladesh Advancing Development and Growth through Energy Project to support a 15kW Grid Interactive Solar Microgrid initiative. Led by IUB’s Green Energy Research Center and the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, the project aimed to improve agricultural efficiency and promote sustainable energy in rural Bangladesh. Originally scheduled to run from May 2024 to December 2025, it now faces an uncertain future. Similarly, operations at Dhaka University’s Applied Democracy Lab have been put on hold. Established in January 2024 with support from USAID and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, the lab was designed to educate students on democracy, human rights, and crisis management. “These skills would have been vital in shaping future leaders,” said Lab Director Aynul Islam.

Endangered Scholars Worldwide (ESW) is deeply alarmed by the Trump administration’s abrupt decision to shut down  USAID, effectively abandoning millions of people worldwide. We are particularly concerned about the devastating impact of the funding freeze on scholars and academics whose lives and careers have been shaped by USAID’s support. The agency has played a pivotal role in global higher education, partnering with universities to advance research, foster community engagement, and build institutional capacity—efforts that are now at grave risk. We strongly condemn this decision, which dismantles a vital force in expanding access to quality education for millions. While the full consequences remain uncertain, the repercussions will be profound and far-reaching.