The International Association of Universities (IAU) has released a report entitled “Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education around the World”. This survey analysis is based on 424 full replies from unique Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in 109 countries.
We highlight the following conclusions:
- Almost all institutions that replied to the survey have been impacted by COVID-19: 59% of them said that all campus activities have stopped, and the institution is completely closed.
- At almost all HEIs, COVID-19 affected teaching and learning with two thirds of them reporting that classroom teaching has been replaced by distance teaching. The shift from face-to-face to distance teaching did not come without challenges, the main ones being access to technical infrastructure, competences and pedagogies for distance learning, and the requirements of specific fields of study.
- A bit more than half of the HEIs are planning to carry out exams for the semester as planned, although the majority of them through new measures. However, there is substantial regional variation with 80% of HEIs in Europe planning to carry out exams, while exams are at risk of being postponed or cancelled at 61% of HEIs in Africa.
- COVID 19 has had an impact on international student mobility at 89% of HEIs. The type of impact is diverse and varies from instituti on to institution, but everywhere it has been negative.
- Almost 80% of respondents believe that COVID-19 will have an impact on the enrolment numbers for the new academic year. Almost half believe that the impact will affect both international and local students.
- As far as research is concerned, 80% of HEIs reported that research has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic at their institutions. The most common impact of COVID-19 has been the cancelling of international travel (at 83% of HEIs) and the cancellation or postponement of scientific conferences (81% of HEIs). Moreover, scientific projects are at risk of not being completed at a bit more than half of HEIs (52%).
- Two thirds of HEIs reported that their senior management and faculty have been consulted by public or government officials in the context of public policy development relating to COVID-19.
