QAA Scotland’s online International Enhancement Conference,‘Learning from disruption: Exploring what counts in higher education’, starts on Wednesday 3 June 2020. Connecting contributors and delegates from around the world, the event will explore how higher education is likely to change, both as a result of the current COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic and to meet future challenges. If you have yet to register, spaces are limited and we encourage you to visit our event booking website now to secure your place.

With a fantastic programme of activity planned across two days, we want to take this opportunity to highlight what’s in store on Day One, as we focus on institutional priorities, planning, policy and strategy.

KEYNOTE

We are delighted to welcome Professor Mary Stuart, CBE (Vice Chancellor, University of Lincoln) , who will deliver the opening keynote presentation, followed by a live Q&A session. Founder of the 21st Century Lab, Professor Stuart will outline some of the key findings from this work and pose a number of questions for our sector to explore in our changing society. Find out more about Professor Stuart.

The 21st Century Lab recently published its manifesto on the purpose of universities in the 21st century, which sets out a series of 10 interrelated grand challenges based on observations over the last 20 years. We recommend that delegates engage with this supporting resource prior to Professor Stuart’s presentation.

PANEL DISCUSSION

On Day One, we will also host the first of our live panel discussions. The session will reflect on the impact of the rapid move online for longer term pedagogy and enhancement of the student experience across the UK and beyond. Our panel will explore, amongst other things, the impact of COVID-19 on institutional priorities and planning, how institutions’ Digital Strategies are likely to develop, and the impact on student recruitment, induction and transitions into higher education.

NEW RESOURCES

Every live session at the event will be accompanied by new resources, designed for asynchronous engagement. Day One will see the launch of new digital resources that have been provided by contributors who featured on the original in-person conference programme. These digital resources cover a breadth of topics, from an exploration of what evidence counts in policy and practice, to student perceptions of learning analytics across universities in Scotland.

We will also draw on learning from the current Enhancement Theme: Evidence for Enhancement, selecting and sharing a number of practical resources - including the Intangibles workbook, used to evidence aspects of the student experience which are difficult to quantify - that can help support the sector during this time of disruption.