Table 1
The profiles and teaching approaches of the five institutions (pre and during COVID-19).
| UNIVERSITY | INSTITUTIONAL TYPE | PRE-COVID-19 L&T APPROACH | COVID-19 APPROACH |
|---|---|---|---|
| University College London (UCL), UK | Research intensive | Majority of undergraduate teaching on campus with practical sessions in laboratories, studios, etc. | Fully online designed as ‘connected learning’ through which students were connected to the academic community. Prioritised practical courses for on campus, in person learning. |
| University Technology Sydney (UTS), Australia | Teaching and research university | Majority of teaching on campus, some blended learning, small percentage is fully online. | Fully online in 2020 except some practicals. Library and one building remained open for students with needs for space, bandwidth and/or technology. First semester 2021 38% were fully online, 26% were fully on-campus and 35% were blended. |
| University of Wollongong (UoW), Australia | Teaching and research university | Majority of teaching on campus, some blended learning, small % fully online. | Fully online teaching first semester, shifted to some in-person of practical classes in second session. |
| University of Liverpool (UoL), UK | Research intensive | Majority of teaching on campus, some blended learning, some programmes fully online (with online partnership); transnational campus in China. | Prioritised practical courses for in-person, otherwise fully online teaching in Sem 1, using the principle of Hybrid Active Learning. |
| University of Oxford, UK | Research intensive | Majority of teaching in-person. A combination of college based tutoring/supervision and departmental lectures and small group teaching supporting a personalised educational approach. Some online courses with residential weeks in Oxford. | A flexible and inclusive educational approach which recognises and minimises the barriers to participation for staff and students. A strong focus on individual and small group teaching, in-person where possible. Large group teaching online. |
Figure 1
Student-centred drivers for decision making during the pandemic.