Higher Education Updates: Pandemic Impacts & Return to In-Person Learning

Welcome to the Meratas Memo’s Weekly Roundup! This is your weekly fix of higher education and alternative financing news. Here are this week’s stories: 

Pressure Rising For Universities This Fall 

Pressure has already been building for colleges and universities this fall over re-openings. Many have transitioned to fully online learning while some have remained firm on having in-person classes. 

These stances taken by university leadership have only been further cemented after UNC at Chapel Hill changed their re-opening plans amid COVID outbreaks among its students. After 135 cases and media attention, Chapel Hill decided to send students home after 9 days of in-person classes. While this could be seen as a potential warning to other programs, many universities have stood firm on their plans for the fall, be that in-person or remote learning. 

Read the full story by Lilah Burke on Inside Higher Ed here. 

 

What the Pandemic is Teaching Us About Workforce Training 

The pandemic has no doubt changed the way we live and the way we think about current educational institutions and businesses. It has especially changed the way business leaders see workforce training. 

In this post by Joanne Cheng at Edsurge, workforce strategists and executive development teams are interviewed about the trends and predictions they see as a result of the current pandemic. Some of the key points include an emphasis on non-traditional means of education via bootcamps and tech apprenticeship opportunities as being key to the future of workforce training. They also highlight the need for better transitional solutions for those looking to up-skill or break into a new industry.    

Read the full story on Edsurge here.