A British government-backed higher education access program focused on female empowerment abroad has been withdrawn after two years, according to reporting. The scheme, Strengthening higher education for female empowerment (SHEFE), had a £45 million budget intended to keep 1 million girls in school across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said the tender has been withdrawn following aid cuts. The development raises uncertainty for partner institutions and program administrators relying on stable international funding streams. For the higher education sector, the immediate concern is continuity—how global access initiatives and capacity-building collaborations can be disrupted when international funding is curtailed quickly.