Agenda

• Understanding the measures implemented to protect students and universities in response to COVID-19  
• Assessing the impact of stabilising admissions and temporary student number controls  
• Supporting students to make more informed decisions about entry into HE – providing good quality information and advice  
• Preparing to welcome international students back to our universities – updating the International Education Strategy  
• Allocating £100m of public funding to protect vital university research, as well as bringing forward £2.6bn of tuition fee payments to help manage financial risks  
• Co-ordinating national efforts to respond to challenges facing students, staff, and local communities  

• Outlining the threat, challenges and opportunities to widening participation due to the impact of COVID-19  
• Encouraging institutions to prioritise the most vulnerable and underrepresented in their approaches, particularly students who are unable to access remote learning  
• Reviewing how COVID-19 impacts access and participation plans with particular emphasis on online, distance and flexible learning through education technology  
• Encouraging students from varied backgrounds to engage in developing future regulation strategy – amplifying unheard voices   
• Discussing the future of HE in light of new arrangements: continuing to improve student experience and equality of opportunity
  

• Mitigating the impact on assessment, progression and graduation over the next few years  
• Supporting the sector with the challenges created by COVID-19  
• Protecting qualification value and ensuring transparent, consistent and fair academic standards   
• Considering the implications of COVID-19 on academic integrity – committing to safeguarding against academic misconduct  

Step Ahead

• Understanding data and its potential to support wellbeing to build a rich picture of students and their needs  
• An overview of the holistic student support service at the UCLan: working closely with academics and collecting student feedback  
• Assessing the value of data analytics – how students can use data to better understand themselves and access support  
• Bettering student progression, retention and engagement: utilising data collection and analysis for targeted intervention at the University of East London  
• Considering the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and further ways of supporting students through the changed environment  

• Understanding data and its potential to support wellbeing to build a rich picture of students and their needs  
• An overview of the holistic student support service at the UCLan: working closely with academics and collecting student feedback  
• Assessing the value of data analytics – how students can use data to better understand themselves and access support  
• Bettering student progression, retention and engagement: utilising data collection and analysis for targeted intervention at the University of East London  
• Considering the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and further ways of supporting students through the changed environment  

• Assessing the current implications of COVID-19 on fees and funding and the possibility of huge financial loss 
• Understanding how to promote and ensure value for money through the accelerated transition to digital learning and disruption to teaching and learning  
• Considering new ways to promote university courses in the face of lower student numbers and higher deferral rates  
• Outlining how funding can still be geared towards improving access and participation for disadvantaged and underrepresented students  

• Lessons Learned from Imperial College London’s Digital Learning Hub– harnessing disruption as an opportunity for innovation
• Considering the value in investing in education technology, digital learning, and VLEs in the face of the COVID-19 crisis
• Supporting students, postgraduate students, and staff as they adjust to the transition of remote teaching and learning