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Description
In the current pandemic world, most universities have been forced to change the way they function and work with students. These changes forced the search for new solutions to improve functioning in the new reality. Each of the universities dealt with this situation in their own way. It is important that at this point, after several months of functioning in the changed reality, create space for university employees to exchange experiences, views and ideas used in their institutions. Compare the effectiveness of the approaches and solutions used. The activities planned under the project are to serve this purpose. Open lectures and conferences - available to a wide range of academics will allow for such an exchange of knowledge, experiences, views and ideas of representatives of various universities. Training visits will allow for the exchange of knowledge and experience as well as the presentation of practical solutions used by partner universities participating in the project.
It is also important to modify the didactic offer in response to the existing situation and better prepare students to function in the changed realities of the post-pandemic labor market. This is what the module "crisis management" developed within the project will serve.
The project activities assume:
organization of 2 international conferences "impact of the pandemic on university management methods" and "remote education management
4 open online lectures on the subject of methods and tools for university management and the organization of distance learning
2 training visits of scientific and administrative staff of Bifrost University at the seat of WSPA, dedicated to teaching and administrative staff. the purpose of the visits will be to exchange knowledge and experience on various aspects of university functioning in the pandemic
development of the "crisis management" module for students of 2nd degree management.
Summary of project results
During the pandemic, most universities have been forced to change the way they operate and work with students. These changes forced the search for new solutions to improve functioning in the new reality. Each university dealt with this situation in its own way. The main motivation for the project was the desire to exchange experiences on specific methods and solutions used by both universities, share ideas and exchange information on the effectiveness of methods and tools for university management and contacts with students during online learning. All planned activities served this purpose. Another goal was to develop a program that would, to some extent, prepare management students to deal with various aspects of management in crisis situations - of various types, from terrorist attacks to natural disasters. A module consisting of 6 subjects, 20 hours each, was developed. The classes were conducted among WSPA students (approximately 80 people in total). After testing, the items will remain permanently in the teaching offer of WSPA.
The project allowed for a different perspective on practical issues related to the organization of university work, management of the educational process and communication with students during the distance learning process. It was a very valuable experience, because the Icelandic partner contributed many valuable observations and ideas that result from a different culture and approach to many issues.
Thanks to the implementation of the project, WSPA employees implemented several ideas to improve communication with students. By taking new subjects, students will have the opportunity to gain valuable skills.
The implementation of the project also results in an application to the Erasmus+ program for the implementation of a project aimed at encouraging online students to actively participate in classes.
The main result of the project is the "Crisis management" module. The module consists of 6 subjects, 20 hours each. The module is addressed to students of the second-cycle management course at the WSPA in Lublin. The module aims to prepare students to manage in various crisis situations. The module was piloted at WSPA from the winter semester of the 2022/2023 academic year.
Items
• Security management in a global aspect
• EU crisis management system
• Monitoring threats in the internal security system of the Republic of Poland
• Psychology applied in crisis situations
• Humanitarian logistics and development aid
• Management of technical infrastructure protection
All materials (scripts) from the developed module are available in English, but due to the desire to use them also with Polish-speaking students, they have been translated into Polish.
Both students and staff will benefit from improved crisis management skills. Students will gain valuable knowledge and practical insights that can be applied to real-world scenarios, and academics will gain a deeper understanding of crisis management principles to better manage crises at their institutions.
The module can equip students with the critical thinking and decision-making skills necessary to manage crises. This knowledge can also help employees make informed decisions in crisis situations, which can lead to more effective responses.
University students and staff will be better prepared to deal with a variety of different types of crises, including natural disasters, public health emergencies, financial challenges and more. Such preparedness can reduce panic and chaos during crises and lead to more effective responses.
Facilitating the exchange of experiences among academic staff can create a community that supports the sharing of best practices and lessons learned. Such networking could lead to improved crisis management strategies in universities.
The module can encourage interdisciplinary learning, enabling students and staff from different academic backgrounds to collaborate and apply their expertise in crisis management. This can lead to more innovative and effective solutions.
Over time, the cumulative impact of better-trained students and staff can lead to increased institutional resilience. Universities will be better prepared to face future crises and adapt to changing circumstances.
Summary of bilateral results
A very valuable aspect of cooperation between both universities was the exchange of experiences between lecturers and administrative staff of both universities. Bifrost University is switching completely to remote teaching. WSPA provides teaching in a hybrid mode.Mainly during study visits by both teaching and administrative staff, conversations about specific solutions in working with students used by both universities were very valuable. It was an opportunity to present student service systems, tools for communicating with them and organizing the teaching process, as well as specific methods and tools for working with students who learn online - as we know, maintaining the interest and involvement of online students is quite a challenge.It was also valuable to develop materials and conduct classes with WSPA students by lecturers from Bifrost. They presented a slightly different point of view on some issues regarding effective management in a crisis situation, probably resulting from differences in the culture of our countries. It was a valuable contribution for both students and WSPA staff (during open lectures).We plan to continue substantive cooperation with lecturers from Bifrost University, but rather in the form of inviting them for visits (we have appropriate agreements), lectures and to participate in conferences - because this form of cooperation works better than long-term implementation of a joint project.