Dealing with disruption, rethinking recovery: Policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in higher education

Abstract

This paper examines policy responses in higher education in the months of March and April 2020 during the rapid unfolding of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose is to map responses and compare levels of coordination between three actors-the Canadian federal government, the Ontario provincial government, and Ontario's publicly funded colleges and universities-and to consider the policy implications of these initial responses for higher education's future recovery from the pandemic. Conceptualizing COVID-19 as both a wicked problem and, in the Canadian context, a complex intergovernmental problem, the paper draws on over 200 data points from public announcements made by these three actors. It uses an emergency management framework to present a chronological comparison of actors' actions during the response and mitigation phases focusing on four areas: academic mobility, teaching and learning, research initiatives, and student support. Actions to support higher education were largely dispersed and uncoordinated in the two key months of March and April 2020. Colleges and universities were proactive in restricting academic mobility, adapting teaching and learning, and providing student support. There was some alignment with the federal government's responses, although federal announcements focused more on research initiatives and, latterly, student support. The Ontario government did not appear to play a significant role in shaping the initial higher education responses to the pandemic. Despite the disconnect between responses, we argue that all three actors will play an equally critical role in the future recovery and necessary rethinking of the functions and purpose of higher education.

Islamic Religious Teachers’ Efforts to Motivate Students and Implement Effective Online Learning

“…Fenomena Covid-19 telah merubah dinamika psikologis masyarakat (Aragonés & Sevillano, 2020;Chao dkk., 2020;Zhou & Yao, 2020), dimensi sosial masyarakat (Beesley & Devonald, 2020;Nyashanu dkk., 2020), bahkan pelaksanaan pendidikan (Ellis dkk., 2020;Masri & Sabzalieva, 2020;Xue dkk., 2020). Perubahan demikian juga terjadi di Indonesia.…”

Higher Education Students’ Learning in COVID-19 Pandemic Period: The Ethiopian Context

“…To contain the spread of the pandemic, Ethiopians enforced an emergency law prohibiting meetings of more than four people. This pandemic leaves no sector in any country unaffected and its impacts will affect the upcoming periods ( Masri & Sabzalieva, 2020 ). Although the virus has been malfunctioning the whole socio-economy system, this paper focuses on the educational situation of the country.…”

The impact of COVID‐19 on international student enrolments in North America: Comparing Canada and the United States

“…The federal government swiftly changed previous policies on online courses and work permits, in order to retain international students not only in institutions but also to support their immigration path. In their analysis, El Masri and Sabzalieva ( 2020 ) argued that the Canadian federal government was willing to change immigration regulations in order to facilitate the retention of international students, who are considered “ideal immigrants” to Canada. Moreover, given the importance of immigration in making Canada a desirable study destination, these practices were also intended to benefit Canadian higher education institutions, by ensuring they remain attractive to prospective international students.…”