How Unipd is Weathering the Coronavirus Crisis: the QS interview
06.05.2020
QS recently spoke to two experts from the University of Padua to learn what insights their institution has learned throughout the coronavirus crisis: the institution’s Rector, Rosario Rizzuto, and Vice-Rector for International Relations, Alessandro Paccagnella.
"At the very beginning of March, the university substantially redesigned its operations to ensure the continuity of all its activities. All classes in each university course are offered on a distance-learning basis, access to laboratories is limited, and professional services staff are working remotely.
The university has mobilized all its operational and intellectual resources to allow a quick and smooth transition. As a temporary measure, the university has adopted these solutions during the whole second semester.
Nevertheless, as COVID-19 might really shape a ‘new normal,’ the university will extend some of these measures at least through the first semester of the next academic year, with blended teaching in all courses. The current situation is unpredictable, and we don’t know when travel restrictions will be suspended. Therefore, online learning will be an essential driver to make our services available to our community" rector Rizzuto said.
Alessandro Paccagnella: "Since the COVID-19 outbreak, it has been immediately clear how this ‘new normal’ could affect international activities. Consequently, we have designed two lines of actions: we have implemented an emergency plan and developed a risk mitigation strategy, responding to short and medium-term needs respectively.
As for the emergency plan, we have prioritized our support to exchange and international students who are possibly the most affected subjects. Their health and safety have been our main concerns. Then, we promptly mapped their location and we supported them in reaching their host/home country or coming back to Italy".
The two professors explained how the higher education sector is playing a key role in supporting societal efforts in facing COVID-19. Universities can offer their research not only to find a cure and a vaccine, but also to better understand the economic, social, and cultural effects of this virus on our society. With this respect, the University of Padua, along with scientists from all over the world, is at the forefront of this fight against COVID-19.
