The COVID-19 pandemic manifested in health and socioeconomic crisis that highly influenced higher education sector on many levels. UNESCO reported that in April 2020, higher education institutions were closed in 185 countries. This shows a dramatic and disruptive impact the pandemic had on all involved in higher education, from students to staff. The pandemic, however, also showed the importance of higher education to society and the need for higher education institutions to share research expertise about how to overcome the risks posed by COVID-19. This work relies on review of international research projects and global surveys conducted about the impact of COVID-19 on higher education. For the purpose of this paper, the attention is devoted to the impact of the pandemic on research and teaching at universities. The results showcase how the pandemic disrupted research activities and teaching practice around the world and how universities responded to the challenges posed upon them. The reported efforts taken by higher education institutions provide lessons of commitment and creativity that can be informative internationally. Now more than ever, comparativists are well positioned to provide solutions to current global challenges and to envision the path from the crisis to a better future for research and teaching in HEIs. [For the complete Volume 19 proceedings, see ED613922.]