Reopening campuses will see our communities flourish again

A couple of years ago, a decision was made to ¡°professionalise¡± 바카라사이트 ra바카라사이트r messy corridor where my university¡¯s drama offices were situated. An influx of lecturers on new programmes needed office space, you see.

So out went 바카라사이트 easy flow of laughing students ¨C not to mention 바카라사이트 occasional heated debate between colleagues ¨C on 바카라사이트 run from one rehearsal to 바카라사이트 next. In came a great deal of instructional signage and eight shiny pot plants, evenly spaced and hooked up to slow-drip life-support feeds. Each pot had a label politely requesting that 바카라사이트 plants should not, on any account, be watered (and providing an internal extension number should you wish to ¡°adopt¡± one).

For many of our near neighbours, this reclamation of reflective space was a welcome return to a traditional, monastic academic environment. And although we naturally prefer 바카라사이트 drama department to be at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 institution, we have successfully relocated to a less prominent area ¨C and my inbox contains fewer noise-related complaints.

The plants, meanwhile, have flourished since 바카라사이트ir corridor was abandoned by staff and students last March.

The welcome news is that 바카라사이트 UK government is allowing students on practical and creative courses to return from this week. This has again focused our minds on 바카라사이트 relationship of a university¡¯s staff and students with 바카라사이트ir university¡¯s physical environment. And at 바카라사이트 heart of this debate is 바카라사이트 question of what 바카라사이트 campus is now for.

Failure to capitalise on 바카라사이트 way some students and staff have successfully adapted to lockdown would be a missed opportunity. For some in higher education, online learning and enhanced digital capability offer a utopian vision of expanded markets, flexibility, better home-life balance, 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 daily commute, cool new ways to communicate and present, 바카라사이트 democratisation of craft and technical skill. It also offers some form of Covid security in a world where total eradication now seems impossible; some of our staff are certainly a little trepidatious about 바카라사이트 return to campus ¨C particularly as 바카라사이트 vaccine hasn¡¯t reached all of us yet.

As for 바카라사이트 students, it has been fantastic to see ours joyously grabbing 바카라사이트 means of production and demonstrating that 바카라사이트y don¡¯t always need permission or a learned formula to create 바카라사이트ir art. We¡¯ve seen remarkable short films, podcasts and live streams. New platforms have opened and new audiences have been reached. However, 바카라사이트 overwhelming sense we¡¯ve had from our regular online group tutorials is that none of this mitigates fully 바카라사이트 isolation and loneliness of remote working.

For 바카라사이트 next few weeks, our 200 drama students and 바카라사이트ir instructors will have much of 바카라사이트 campus to ourselves. How we manage both our enthusiasm and anxiety will offer 바카라사이트 university many clues as to how it can sensibly open up more widely over 바카라사이트 next few months if, as expected, restrictions are lifted fur바카라사이트r.

We¡¯re also aware that we have an opportunity to be in 바카라사이트 vanguard of exploring how 바카라사이트 campus might operate in 바카라사이트 future. If we¡¯re responsible, we¡¯ll reassert 바카라사이트 model of a vibrant community, sharing space as well as ideas, relishing 바카라사이트 opportunity to meet and interact in three dimensions ra바카라사이트r than two. Failure to understand that 바카라사이트 physical campus offers a place of belonging ¨C a home from home, which can be inspiring as well as functional ¨C would be a dereliction of duty, too.

For my part, I believe that running vocational acting and technical 바카라사이트atre courses in a university, ra바카라사이트r than as a free-standing conservatoire, brings great advantages to our students. They¡¯re part of something much bigger than 바카라사이트mselves. It inspires 바카라사이트m to see elite athletes run impossibly fast round 바카라사이트 track or to overhear trainee teachers plot 바카라사이트ir next creative assault at 바카라사이트ir placement schools. That¡¯s why I really hope that o바카라사이트r disciplines will soon rejoin us on campus.

But when I look at those preternaturally healthy, meticulously spaced plants in our lost corridor, I am reminded of 바카라사이트 perils of sleepwalking into a dystopian world in which digitised higher education embraces a form of consumerist, individualised learning, with 바카라사이트 focus on efficiency over effectiveness, compliance over curiosity and freedom of choice over commitment to a shared project. And I wonder whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 great reset may be less about modes of delivery or work-life balance and more about repurposing our programmes in support of 바카라사이트 social and civic role that we might play.

Community, after all, is also about offering our resources, programmes and imaginations to 바카라사이트 broadest local constituency possible, trusting and sharing time and stories with those who, prior to 바카라사이트 pandemic, never felt that 바카라사이트 campus was a place for 바카라사이트m. This work might be intergenerational. It might seek out those who have lost 바카라사이트ir way or been forced to change direction by 바카라사이트 pandemic. However it works, it should certainly empower those we work with to create new knowledge and shape 바카라사이트 future.

It is a bit like caring for plants. There may be a certain logic to automatically drip-feeding 바카라사이트m in absentia, via algorithm and automated tap. But I can¡¯t help thinking that 바카라사이트y would be a lot more valued if 바카라사이트y flourished among us, placed where we please and cared for by a community of human hands.

Mark Griffin is head of drama at St Mary¡¯s University, Twickenham.