On the leading edge? Transitioning to digital campuses during a global crisis

The rapid transition to online teaching and learning triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic has presented every university with a unique set of challenges and a rethink of their traditional practices. However, some of these changes may bring benefits long after the pandemic has passed. Here four prominent university and college leaders discuss managing the sudden and unexpected move online and what important lessons have been learnt. The panel discussion was filmed as part of the virtual Times Higher Education Leadership & Management Summit 2020, which hosted delegates from all over the world to examine how higher education should respond to the upheaval caused by Covid-19. If you’re in a hurry, browse the timeline below for the key topics covered and where in the video to find them.  

00:12 Introduction to THE Campus and what led to its launch by Sara Custer, associate editor for curation at THE. 

02:10 How has the move to online affected student retention? 

05:33 Using analytics to monitor students’ progress inside and outside the classroom 

07:05 Foothill College has many years’ experience in distance learning so what challenges has the Covid-19 crisis posed in terms of student retention and outcomes? 

09:47 Douglas Becker on how the crisis has affected student retention and success 

11:45 How university leaders have responded to calls for tuition fees to be reduced in the light of the move to online teaching 

13:53 How to be flexible and respond to the demands of students and family while things are rapidly changing 

16:01 Will universities continue providing the same amount of support into the first semester of 2021? 

18:14 How can universities ensure they are still giving students employability skills, workplace experience and apprenticeships when they are studying online? 

21:37 What training can universities provide for staff to ensure they have the digital skills to instruct students to ensure they can all benefit fully from online teaching? 

33:46 What changes triggered by Covid-19 have worked well and what will universities continue to run with in the longer term?  

41:00 How university leaders are planning for the future and making decisions amid the current uncertainty 

56:52 The power of networks and collaborations for universities and what they mean in crises such as this 

This video was produced by the Times Higher Education World Summit Series team as part of THE Leadership & Management Summit. 

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Read more coverage of the rich and varied panel discussions and other events which took place as part of the Times Higher Education Leadership & Management Summit.