It is important that students continue to benefit from interactive teaching and yet be safe, says RICHARD DAVIES
In the last few months all our lives have been turned upside down due to the pandemic that struck the world. While individuals and business are reacting fast to protect self and societal interest, educational institutions are no different.
At the heart of all educational institutions are its students, a vital global population who are in the process of becoming leaders of tomorrow. How universities react to the pandemic is an important lesson to the students in both empathy and crisis management.
When the pandemic hit, many students left for home and many students choose to stay at the university for personal and logistical reasons. This meant that universities had to take immediate measures to keep staff and students safe while ensuring all the students continued to benefit from an enriched and interactive teaching and learning experience
To protect our international students, we immediately put together a package of virtual support and then with a team of staff, willing volunteers and Students' Union (NUSU) reached out to the 181 international students who had stayed back.
This enabled us to then lend practical, academic, and emotional support. For students whose studies were impacted by the pandemic for various reasons, we provided different support options to allow tailored responses to students' circumstances and to assist students with their finances, we waived all third term rent payments for students who left their university-owned accommodation. We have also been working closely with the large private student accommodation providers and the City Council to agree support.
Challenges are an opportunity to learn and grow towards a better world and u, we are proud that the university that puts its students first. We look forward to welcoming the bright minds to our ecosystem of learning and growing in the year, and years, to come.
The writer is Pro-vice-Chancellor, Global, Newcastle University