Introduction to Higher Education in Emergencies: Best Practices and Benchmarking

Abstract

Education in an emergency refers to the accessibility of education among populations that have faced an unforeseen situation in their home country resulting in disruption of their normal lives, including the deterioration of the educational system prevalent in that country. Emergency typically arises from armed conflict or natural disasters. The world has been disrupted by more than 50 armed conflicts since the World War. In recent times, the entire world came to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which in severely disrupted the prevalent education system. Emergency also affects the economic system of a country, and higher educational institution (HEI) struggles due to lack of funds. Lack of funds and other educational resources, as well as lack of physical security or environmental disasters, lead to a sudden halt in the educational system, throwing students into limbo. The book volume discusses how curriculum needs to be adaptive and collaborate with stakeholders to formulate a teaching learning method that is cognizant of the latest technologies and scientific discoveries. Several interventions have been successfully implemented across the globe and have been discussed in chapters contributed by well-known academics working in the arena of imparting education that is resilient and can deliver quality education in times of crisis.

Citation

Sengupta, E. (2023), "Introduction to Higher Education in Emergencies: Best Practices and Benchmarking", Sengupta, E. (Ed.) Higher Education in Emergencies: Best Practices and Benchmarking (Innovations in Higher Education Teaching and Learning, Vol. 53), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 3-8. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2055-364120230000053001