As we look back over the past two years, it is fair to say that there were missed opportunities in effectively managing Covid-19 in higher education.
There was limited government advice, and there was no sector wide agreement on how to approach the delivery of the new academic year – especially at the start of the pandemic.
In this vacuum, it was left to institutions to adopt what they felt was the right and logical approach regardless of the advice to government by independent bodies on the safest approach.
This coming September, as well as facing the continuing (albeit smaller) impact of Covid-19 (albeit smaller) we face another impending crisis that will dramatically impact on student learning and engagement – the increase in cost of living. Student poverty is not new, but it will greatly exceed previous levels next academic year.
