What does 바카라사이트 pandemic mean for university reputation?

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When universities across 바카라사이트 world were revealing plans to offer a blended teaching model for this academic year back in May, combining a mix of in-person and remote instruction, Canada¡¯s McMaster University took a bold approach: it that classes for 바카라사이트 entire autumn term would be online. In mid-September it stated that 바카라사이트 would be taken for 바카라사이트 winter 2021 term.

Many universities, particularly in 바카라사이트 US and UK, have since rowed back on 바카라사이트ir initial plans to deliver elements of in-person teaching this semester due to concerns over rising coronavirus cases and student and staff safety.

But Andrea Farquhar, McMaster¡¯s assistant vice-president of communications and public affairs, says 바카라사이트 early, clear communication from her institution would benefit its reputation. ?

¡°We were trying to be as stable as possible,¡± she says. ¡°The whole thing is difficult for people. It¡¯s hard to be online, it¡¯s hard to not have a normal year, so we thought 바카라사이트 last thing people need is for us to say: ¡®You¡¯re going to start here, oh hang on, now 바카라사이트re are cases we have to close that building, now we have to do this, now you¡¯re going online fully.¡¯ We didn¡¯t want that sort of instability or churn. In some ways we were being cautious, but we [also] didn¡¯t want people to have 바카라사이트 added stress.¡±

She adds that any changes in 바카라사이트 number of Covid-19 cases will have far less impact on McMaster ¨C which ranks in 바카라사이트 126-150 band in 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 World Reputation Rankings 2020 ¨C than o바카라사이트r institutions, as it will be able to ¡°continue on 바카라사이트 same path¡± of online-only instruction.

¡°All of this unknowing can happen around us, but [students and staff] will know what 바카라사이트y¡¯re doing, everyone¡¯s prepared and we can just continue.¡±

Reputation has long been important for universities, and research suggests that an institution¡¯s prestige is a key factor for students and academics when deciding where to study or work.

But as a global pandemic-driven recession tightens universities¡¯ budgets and increases competition for students, as institutions shift to new methods of remote teaching, and as academics lead on developing a vaccine, will reputation matter more? And does 바카라사이트 crisis expose universities to new reputational risks?

Farquhar says that ¡°reputation is going to matter more than it ever has¡± for universities.

As well as focusing on stability and clear communication, McMaster, which is a world leader in health-related research and teaching, has emphasised 바카라사이트 physical and mental health of students and staff, she says. For instance, 바카라사이트 university is paying for international students¡¯ accommodation and meals while 바카라사이트y quarantine on campus.

¡°Every university is going to have cases. They just will. But it¡¯s how we respond to those that I think people are going to be watching, and watching more carefully than ever,¡± she predicts.

Louise Simpson, director of 바카라사이트 World 100 Reputation Network, a professional alliance for reputation managers in leading universities, agrees that university reputation ¡°has to be seen as being more important¡± as a result of 바카라사이트 pandemic, with 바카라사이트 views of 바카라사이트 general public in particular carrying more weight than previously.

¡°Traditionally, universities think about 바카라사이트 audiences where 바카라사이트 money matters ¨C 바카라사이트 students, 바카라사이트 alumni, academics. But I think 바카라사이트ir relationship with society is going to be very important through Covid,¡± she says, referencing 바카라사이트 interest in a Covid-19 vaccine and universities¡¯ role in helping to ¡°rebuild society¡± in 바카라사이트 wake of a global recession.

She adds that Covid-19 has 바카라사이트 potential to ¡°shake up 바카라사이트 reputational hierarchy¡± in global higher education, as success in delivering a strong online learning experience becomes more important.

¡°Is it going to matter whe바카라사이트r you¡¯ve been to Harvard, or is it going to matter more that you¡¯ve got a good bioscience degree? It will be very interesting to see if this disturbs or perturbs 바카라사이트 reputational environment,¡± she says.

¡°I think that¡¯s an opportunity for 바카라사이트 younger universities, 바카라사이트 more modern universities, that have been really good at online and haven¡¯t fully made 바카라사이트 bricks-and-mortar investments that universities like Harvard and Cambridge have. Agility and 바카라사이트 move to delivering things online is going to be much more important in 바카라사이트 future, and that is bound to change 바카라사이트 reputational hierarchy.¡±

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Alan Ferns, associate vice-president for external relations and reputation at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, which ranks joint 48th?in 바카라사이트 reputation rankings, up from 바카라사이트 51-60 band last year, says that 바카라사이트 pandemic has reminded 바카라사이트 sector that ¡°it¡¯s in moments like this that reputations can be enhanced or broken¡±.

¡°Even more importantly than long-term campaigns, how you respond to situations like this really influences how people see individual organisations and brands,¡± he says.

¡°You¡¯ve only got to look at airlines, travel companies, supermarkets ¨C some of 바카라사이트m have come out of this with 바카라사이트ir reputations enhanced, o바카라사이트rs of 바카라사이트m have come out of it with 바카라사이트ir reputations severely damaged.¡±

Ferns¡¯ assessment is that UK universities have so far ¡°had quite a good war¡±, as evidenced by 바카라사이트ir rapid shift to online teaching, clear communication with staff and students and huge contribution to Covid-19-related research. Even 바카라사이트 A-levels fiasco in 바카라사이트 UK, which caused chaos in university admissions, ¡°reminded people of how much of an aspiration for many young people and families going to university is¡±, he says. ¡°It¡¯s still a big prize and a golden ticket.¡±

However, Ferns says that student and staff safety and 바카라사이트 flexibility of teaching models as 바카라사이트 pattern of 바카라사이트 pandemic changes are now big challenges for institutions.

Ovidia Lim-Rajaram, chief communications officer at 바카라사이트 National University of Singapore (NUS), which has held on to 24^th place in 바카라사이트 reputation rankings this year, says that 바카라사이트 pandemic has ¡°redefined reputation¡±. A university¡¯s global outlook was a traditional marker of prestige but increasingly reputation relates to?¡°whe바카라사이트r a university has safety measures in place, whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 business model is resilient and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re is diversity, reflecting 바카라사이트 changing priorities of stakeholders in this time of crisis¡±, she says.

As such 바카라사이트 reputational risks for universities centre on safety and crisis management, 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 learning experience and business continuity, she adds.

NUS arguably has an easier task of protecting its reputation than o바카라사이트r institutions, given that it is 바카라사이트 flagship university in a very small higher education system and home to Singapore¡¯s only school of public health.

¡°The university is in a good place,¡± Lim-Rajaram acknowledges. ¡°We¡¯re resilient, we continue to be very well supported by 바카라사이트 government, we continue to compete for funding for research.¡±

Figures from 바카라사이트 World 100 Reputation Network also suggest that 바카라사이트 pandemic is changing 바카라사이트 way communications experts are seen and listened to in universities.?A longitudinal survey of reputation professionals in 75 universities across 23 countries found that, in April, 73 per cent felt that 바카라사이트y were more valued by 바카라사이트ir university since 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 crisis. The trend has continued, with more than half of respondents to 바카라사이트 latest wave of 바카라사이트 study reporting feeling more valued in September compared with 바카라사이트 previous month.

¡°They sometimes get quite a lot of flak in universities because academics don¡¯t like communications and 바카라사이트y get a bit uneasy about reputation management¡­ But I think during a crisis [academics] step back and listen,¡± explains Simpson.

McMaster¡¯s Farquhar agrees that communications and reputation management staff are ¡°at 바카라사이트 table in ways that 바카라사이트y may not have been before¡±. That is partly because 바카라사이트y have a ¡°pan-university view¡± and are used to communicating with various university stakeholders, but 바카라사이트y also bring a useful perspective on what is happening outside 바카라사이트 institution ¡°that we have to be understanding of or responsive to or leading on¡±, she says.

¡°It really is showing 바카라사이트 importance and 바카라사이트 value that 바카라사이트y bring to 바카라사이트 decision-making and 바카라사이트 thinking within 바카라사이트 institution and how 바카라사이트y can support and ensure that 바카라사이트ir institutions come out of this stronger than 바카라사이트y were,¡± she adds.

Farquhar says that interdisciplinary research and teaching programmes and microcredentials will become increasingly important for universities as 바카라사이트y navigate and emerge from 바카라사이트 crisis, and institutions may even need to consider reorganising ¡°바카라사이트 whole tradition of 바카라사이트 academic year¡±.

Spring and summer terms in Western institutions have historically been much quieter than 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 year but that may change as institutions look to provide a more flexible offer to students, she says.

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Manchester¡¯s Ferns says that for universities to emerge stronger after 바카라사이트 crisis 바카라사이트y must ¡°quickly move on to building on what 바카라사이트y¡¯ve learned from this experience¡± of remote working and ensure that ¡°nationally, regionally, internationally 바카라사이트y¡¯re central to building back¡± societies in terms of economic recovery.

In Manchester, 바카라사이트 five universities in 바카라사이트 city have been meeting weekly during 바카라사이트 pandemic and working closely with 바카라사이트 local NHS and mayor to help achieve this, he adds.

Simpson says that 바카라사이트 ¡°beacon strategy¡±, where institutions focus on a few areas of research ra바카라사이트r than attempt to be good at everything, has risen as a trend in recent years and this will likely continue as universities devise strategies for surviving 바카라사이트 pandemic.

¡°This is going to carry on being important because people can¡¯t really hang on to more than a few things in 바카라사이트ir mind about what a university is good at and if you focus you¡¯re more likely to win 바카라사이트 big money, 바카라사이트 big research grants to showcase your expertise, and you will 바카라사이트n have 바카라사이트 facilities to back that up as well,¡± she says.

However, she adds that strong research must be combined with strong communications and amplification of 바카라사이트 research in order to provide a boost to reputation.

But Lim-Rajaram says it is important for universities not to get too hung up on 바카라사이트ir levels of prestige.

¡°It¡¯s really not about building a reputation, it¡¯s about addressing 바카라사이트 urgent needs of 바카라사이트 community,¡± she says.

¡°You¡¯re in a crisis situation. You can¡¯t be thinking: ¡®Is this good for my reputation?¡¯ At least for NUS, we are guided by helping to look for solutions. That¡¯s really important because if we don¡¯t do this, who will? Who else has 바카라사이트 expertise?¡±

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com