This brief focuses on the impact the Coronavirus pandemic has had on the financial support to universities and higher education institutions in selected South-Med countries (Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco). It outlines the financial impact on the ground, proposes recommendations and practical solutions to face the shortage of funding, and lays the foundations for a more sustainable higher education funding landscape. Recommendations highlight the need to go towards a cost-effective business model. Universities should adopt cost-effective blended modes of teaching and learning and include risk management in their strategic planning. Meanwhile, funding-allocation mechanisms that are directly linked to the overall performance of universities should be developed. To better face the COVID-19 impact, a series of initiatives can also be considered including setting-up South-Med countries COVID-19 higher education policy tracker and creating a South-Med countries universities’ alliance.

This article is part of the CMI/FEMISE joint “COVID-19 Med Policy Brief Series”, aimed at addressing the urgent issue of the COVID-19 socio-economic effects and impact on the EU-Mediterranean region