One D.A.D. – Friendly Academic World can be created!
One D.A.D. (Friendly Academic World) can be created! How do global crises affect education?
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all sectors of the economy and completely changed the way we live. The “lockdown” accepted by humanity has certainly taught us all to live in new conditions. And during this period, not only resistance was shown in many areas, but also the ability to adapt to the new reality was shown. While the instinct of self-preservation was important to overcome new challenges during the pandemic, collective and rapid decision-making played a more important role. One of the most affected areas in this period can be called the field of higher education. Moreover, higher education was one of the least willing to convert its operations to an online format. Some higher education institutions have been more flexible and have been able to switch to distance education. Among them, it can be noted that UNEC is the most adaptable. It is difficult to fully assess all the measures and results he has implemented to support higher education in the world.
One of the measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic was the closure of educational institutions around the world. This led to an unprecedented education crisis that peaked in mid-April 2020. Between April 16 and 19, schools and universities were closed in more than 190 countries around the world, which directly affected the lives of nearly 2 billion children and youth, that is, more than 93% of those in education. Of course, the “lockdown” has had a serious impact on all universities. Tuition fees should also be considered. Private universities are struggling to survive as the number of students who can afford tuition declines. The crisis was felt more in the field of research than in the recruitment of students and teachers, because the ability of research to produce material, social and rapid economic results was lost.
The events that took place at the beginning of the crisis also changed the nature of social inequality. Relatively wealthy countries also faced major problems. Crises also lead to cuts in education budgets, and it is precisely during a crisis that the education system needs more investment. During the pandemic, some countries had to compromise on the quality of education. Public funding for higher education has been cut in several countries, and many universities fear that private investment will decline in the near future.
Indeed, supporting education that provides access to new jobs and emerging opportunities plays an important role in economic stimulus plans. In several countries, improving education services is a key component of post-pandemic recovery plans.
Innovative education, creativity and adaptive entrepreneurial skills play an important role. This, in turn, requires constant improvement of the education and training system. It is possible to mention the special approach of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan to education and the rapid process of “internetization” for students living in remote regions of our country, and in general in all regions. Less developed countries should be supported by the world’s powerful institutions, large organizations and especially states.
The pandemic has forced the global academic community to turn to new teaching methods, including distance and online learning. This has proven difficult for both students and teachers, who must cope with the negative emotional, physical, psychological and economic consequences of the disease while helping to combat the spread of the virus. The new coronavirus has had a serious impact on employment, education, energy, agriculture and other areas of the global economy, including the psycho-emotional state of citizens.
The economic impact of the current crisis is also significant. The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs estimates that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the global economy to weaken by 2% by the end of 2021. The International Labor Organization has predicted that global unemployment will increase between 5.3 million and 24.7 million by the end of 2021. The World Trade Organization noted that there was a 15-35% decrease in world trade during this period.
The economic crisis affects the activities of universities in many ways: job opportunities for graduates who can enter the labor market decrease; problems in paying tuition fees; non-fulfillment of obligations to state institutions at any level; and most importantly, a change in the psychological state, a change in the behavior of learners regarding the preference for the Internet in certain circumstances. Recovery from the effects of the pandemic is a long-term process.
The COVID-19 crisis continues the downward trend in the quality of education. Due to the decrease in investment in education and financial income in developed countries, they have turned to low-quality education services in developing and less developed countries. And this trend is predicted to continue. Here, fake online universities, colleges, etc. that appeared in the last one or two years can be mentioned.
The projected changes in global education can be divided into five categories:
1) urgent changes to solve the problems of continuous education and research;
2) necessary changes to maintain the employment of students who are already employed or may be employed within the next few months;
3) long-term changes caused by sudden changes in processes, work modes and development of new resources;
4) changes in the work model of universities in terms of opportunities for parents and students to get higher education;
5) macro-level changes needed to promote quality higher education in times of change.
To adequately respond to emerging challenges, higher education institutions must focus on quality, relevance and accountability. For this, individual participants and independent institutions must abandon traditional methods of planning and implementing educational programs. There is a need for greater collaboration at the national and international levels to develop open, flexible and relevant learning systems in times of crisis.
However, there are some positives. Many scientific studies show that after the COVID-19 crisis, new professions will emerge, and university admissions will increase due to new job opportunities. It should be noted that the current crisis differs from previous ones in its type and the availability of alternative technology-based education models with relatively low material losses.
The current crisis may continue with different scenarios for three reasons: 1) as human health is at risk, many traditional sectors/industries may face significant changes in consumer behavior with changes in the nature and quantity of demands; 2) students may not want to return to traditional education models after trying alternative education models at a lower cost; 3) changes in labor markets may lead people to use their different skills to move into other fields (eg, aviation and hospitality managers may apply for jobs in fields where similar knowledge, skills, and attitudes apply). In higher education based on these criteria, there have been changes in both the curriculum and training models.
To overcome the current crisis, universities must act flexibly, think innovatively and collaborate to reduce the impact of this problem. This requires a willingness to change and a shift in thinking about how we plan and deliver learning to apply new solutions to achieving meaningful outcomes. All higher education institutions of the world through joint cooperation have created a single educational platform “D.A.D.” they can create and use.
Sevinj Mahsimova, coordinator of the UNEC Inclusive Education Center