Session 1 - Learning from lockdown – remaining resilient in a post-pandemic world
8:30 AM - 9:15 AM
Registration, refreshments and networking
 
9:15 AM - 9:25 AM
Chair's Opening Remarks
 
9:25 AM - 9:50 AM
Ministerial Keynote
 
9:50 AM - 10:20 AM
Beyond the tipping point – building resilience in a post-pandemic world

Covid-19 struck Scotland’s tertiary education sector in the middle of the academic year resulting in a swift migration to virtual teaching and learning platforms and a forced hiatus to campus life. Decisive action has been required given the financial and operational challenges wrought by the pandemic. This session examines strategies being adopted to ensure Scotland’s further and higher education sectors have a sustainable future as the country cautiously emerges from lockdown.

10:20 AM - 10:40 AM
Embedding digital practice: Supporting staff to build capacity

While platforms such as Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Meet and WhatsApp have been the norm for business and recreation purposes, academic staff have required support as they adapt their teaching to social distancing. This session will examine the consequences of learning going online and how Scotland’s tertiary institutions are future-proofing virtual and blended learning approaches.

10:40 AM - 11:10 AM
Expert Panel: Social distancing and impact on Scotland’s education sector

The Covid-19 global pandemic resulted in Scotland’s colleges having to swiftly create remote learning content for students. Here we debate the wider impact of the pandemic - especially on those students who did not possess the digital resources to deal with the shift to distance learning and the steps taken to ensure that ‘digital inequalities’ are addressed rather than exacerbated.

11:10 AM - 11:30 AM
Break for refreshments and networking
 
Session 2 - Masterclass & Knowledge Exchange Sessions
12:35 PM - 1:30 PM
Lunch, exhibition and networking
 
Session 3 - Covid-19 pivot: Adapting to change
1:30 PM - 1:50 PM
Cyber-resilience: Covid-19 impact and challenges

The massive shift to distance and blended learning has put unprecedented pressure on college and university IT infrastructure and online learning systems. Increased reliance on these systems has also placed Scotland’s FE/HE sectors in a high-risk position in terms of potential cyber incidents.

1:50 PM - 2:10 PM
The smart(er) campus: Creating and maintaining a safe physical environment

What steps can tertiary education providers take for a phased return to face-to-face education and what does it mean to plan for a post-pandemic campus? From ‘smart kiosks’ for campus-based screening, temperature monitors, smart cards and touch screens – we explore the impact of Covid-19 on physical spaces. 

2:10 PM - 2:30 PM
Data and analytics to track the student's experience

While the overarching focus has been on undergraduate enrolment for academic year 2020/21; the Covid-19 impact on student retention, as well as mental health and well-being, cannot be underestimated. Advances in data science have provided new opportunities to help institutions better understand their students and direct support as and when it is most needed.

2:30 PM - 2:50 PM
Operating in a global market: Attracting and retaining talent

International students generate nearly £2bn for the Scottish economy but given the impact of Covid-19 and indeed Brexit, how are Scotland’s institutions harnessing technology to identify and reach new markets and recruit new students?

2:50 PM - 3:10 PM
Break for refreshments and networking
 
Session 4 - Our digital future - emerging into the ‘new normal’
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM
Leveraging technology to rethink multi-organisational collaboration in uncertain times

This session will explore how academic, policy and industry sectors can shift from managing Covid-19 disruption to pioneering new collaborative models where sectors can work together to benefit society and Scotland’s economy.

3:30 PM - 4:10 PM
Expert Panel: Industry 4.0: What kind of world are we educating for?

Scotland’s colleges and universities worked to create clear digital strategies to help meet the demands of increasingly technology-driven industries. Here our panel assesses the impact the global Covid-19 pandemic has had on the skills and training needs of employers and how colleges and universities can engage with business, boost the economy, as Scotland emerges into the ‘new normal’.

4:10 PM - 4:15 PM
Chair’s closing remarks and close of conference
 

Agenda subject to change