A Novel Approach to Policy Development under Disruptive Circumstances using Situation Awareness and Scenario Planning in Higher Education

Bremner, D.; Ansari, I. S.; MacDougall, J.; Hussain, S.; Ma, M. D.; Ponciano, J.; Liu, X. G.; Ur-Rehman, M.; Imran, M.

This paper focuses on policy development in a Higher Education context and provides a model fur ensuring sustainable educational practice in TNE partnerships under disruptive situations. The focal point of policy initiation and development was the Covid-19 virus outbreak in China and the ensuing impact on program delivery and assessment. The development takes a novel approach by applying a combination of commercial scenario planning and crisis management techniques to create a coherent and prescriptive educational policy for staff operating in a Transnational Education (TNE) partnership based on the fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) faculty model. It demonstrates the application of these management tools and describes how, through careful analysis and planning, disruption to student learning, teaching and assessment can be minimized.