How to Prevent a Crisis Becoming a Catastrophe

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically tested universities resilience and responsiveness. Those universities with the most robust infrastructure (buildings, electronic networks, personnel) were in the best position to respond. Risk management systems were helpful, but few could have predicted or prepared for such a catastrophic event. On reflection, it is clear that universities did not respond quickly enough to the rising crisis and were faced with emergency imposition of home working and online learning. As the crisis evolved, universities responded well, collaborated on good practice and have broadly negotiated the hurdles of lockdown in good order. During the pandemic, communication was critical, and as we emerge from it, retaining the embraced methods of blended learning and more flexible working, will be vital.