Crisis, AI and the Future of Higher Education

Over the past three years, the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly disrupted graduate research activities in China, prompting a critical need to understand its differential impacts across gender and academic disciplines. Existing studies have primarily focused on undergraduate education or general research productivity, leaving a gap in research on graduate students’ experiences, particularly regarding how gender and discipline shape pandemic-related challenges. This study addresses this gap by surveying 2,298 master’s and doctoral students from mainland Chinese universities (44.4% male, 55.6% female) using a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. Data were analysed via independent samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analysis to examine disparities in research exchange, data acquisition, publication processes, funding applications, and internship/career development. Key findings revealed significant gender differences: Female students reported greater challenges in internship/career development (M=3.44, SD=1.11) and problem-solving efficiency, while male students faced more severe disruptions in data acquisition (M=3.12, SD=1.13) and laboratory access (p<0.05). Discipline-wise, engineering and medicine students experienced higher impacts on research exchange and data access, whereas humanities students reported greater effects on publication timelines (F=3.07, p<0.05). Correlation analysis showed strong associations between data acquisition and publication processes (r=0.528, p<0.01), underscoring their interdependency. This study highlights the need for targeted support measures, such as gender-sensitive funding policies and discipline-specific research infrastructure adjustments. By integrating quantitative evidence on pandemic impacts, the findings inform higher education policies to enhance graduate students’ resilience in crisis contexts.