International education in the era of Covid-19: walking the talk
“Ironically…I find myself in the position of one of the international students whose future I am now involved in planning”
“As countries around the world prepare to unwind nationwide lockdowns and move to a more sustainable way of containing the Covid-19 pandemic, universities are beginning to plan for a resumption of classes on campus,” writes professor Nigel Healey, associate vice-president (Global Engagement) at the University of Limerick.
Most institutions are considering some form of ‘flipped classroom’, with theoretical content delivered online and face-to-face teaching limited to tutorials and laboratory sessions to allow for social distancing.
High on the list of concerns is the impact of Covid-19 on international students. Most obviously, it is unclear how quickly cross-border travel restrictions will be lifted and scheduled commercial flights restarted. Some potential students may be reluctant to leave their home countries, for fear of another outbreak.