Since the military coup in Myanmar in 2021, many Myanmar academics have left their home nation, driven by fear, repression, and the dismantling of the country’s education system.
In exile, these scholars have continued to engage in teaching, research, and collaborative initiatives to create spaces of knowledge exchange, solidarity, and resistance.
The coup triggered a severe political and humanitarian crisis when the elected National League for Democracy was ousted by the junta. It ignited widespread resistance among millions of citizens who joined protests and other movements. In response, the military cracked down violently, killing thousands and targeting institutions that were seen as hubs of revolution.
The education system was one of the hardest-hit sectors. Universities and schools shut down as students and faculty walked away in protest. Campuses that once fostered learning became sites of surveillance and intimidation.
Many displaced scholars began collaborating with peers still inside Myanmar, launching Interim Education Programs (IEPs) – alternative learning spaces designed to keep education alive in the face of crisis.
One of the most significant programs to emerge is Spring University Myanmar (SUM), an alternative higher education initiative created by a group of teachers, educators, activists and exiled academics involved in the Civil Disobedience Movement.
SUM offers online courses, mentorship programs, and co-developed curricula. However, its scale and structure set it apart. Founded in 2021, it operates 12 virtual schools and has a faculty of more than 200 educators. It has delivered over 520 online courses to more than 17,000 students. Its mission is not just to provide access to learning, but to support a generation of students navigating life and resistance under authoritarian rule.
SUM has become a hub for cross-border collaboration, including partnerships with university student unions, ethnic education networks, and Myanmar’s parallel government, the National Unity Government (NUG). Its global reach includes joint programs with institutions in South Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, Australia, and the United States. These partnerships bring resources, credibility, access to global academic communities, and learning opportunities for those affected by the junta’s suppression of formal education.
SUM uses digital and analog technologies through international funding. An example is the SUM Box, which is a device used for offline learning. It creates a local network that lets students access educational content and upload assignments without internet access, which is ideal for learners in remote or conflict-affected areas. Also, SUM’s radio lectures and learning app (SUM LEARN) provide access to educational video materials and quizzes while protecting the anonymity of both teachers and students.
A co-founder of SUM (who goes by the name of Thura in interviews), has stated that SUM’s name deliberately invokes a “Spring Revolution” and that “the educated populace should be the foundation of the new federal democratic union that we have been trying to forge.”
Through courses in human rights, governance and public administration, SUM aims to equip the next generation with tools to imagine and build a different kind of Myanmar. The university has also launched what it describes as ethnic language courses to promote cross-cultural understanding and federal ideals, pushing back against decades of marginalization of ethnic minorities. This content is not neutral. It challenges the state’s official history and promotes new ways of thinking about identity, inclusion, and power.
While SUM makes intentional efforts to include diverse voices, ensuring meaningful representation of all marginalized voices remains an ongoing challenge in Myanmar’s deeply divided landscape. Students from areas with active armed conflicts and remote areas with limited resources may still face barriers to access education due to structural inequalities. Nevertheless, SUM marks an important step toward more equitable, education-driven models of resistance and reform.
Support from the international community, including governments and aid donors, is also required for sustaining education initiatives. Students and academics face barriers such as visa restrictions, limited access to scholarships, and the lack of formal recognition for their qualifications. The recent termination of international funding schemes, such as USAID’s Development and Inclusive Scholarship Program, has made it even harder for diaspora-led initiatives to succeed.
Moreover, electricity outages, high data costs, and unstable internet frequently interrupt online learning. In addition, many Interim Education Programs still lack formal accreditation, making it difficult for students to convert their learning into recognized qualifications.
As Myanmar’s crisis continues, recognizing and supporting these forms of transnational contribution is not only urgent; it is essential for broadening how we understand both development and resistance in times of displacement and authoritarian collapse. If the international community is committed to supporting a democratic future for Myanmar, then it must recognize and invest in the work of these educators and the transformative infrastructures they are building across borders.
A longer version of this article was originally published by Melbourne Asia Review, Asia Institute, University of Melbourne.