Hybrid Campus - What does it look like?

HYBRID CAMPUS- WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?

What is your best university memory? Some of you might say making friends for life others might say landing a job in their dream company.

Think about university life, and a storm of memories gushes in. No matter how old we are, our classroom memories will always stay with us.

But during this coronavirus pandemic, many higher education institutions in Europe and across the world had to adopt online education and services, depriving many students of physical classroom fun. 

With students now returning to their campuses, colleges and universities need to apply the lessons learned throughout the pandemic and give serious thought to the future of education.

Although efforts made to engage students on online platforms are quite successful, what physical classrooms offer cannot be fully substituted. No doubt, choosing between physical classrooms or online education is, without a doubt, a difficult task.

Well, this is why institutions came up with the concept of a ‘hybrid campus’. But what does a hybrid campus look like? And why are universities adopting this system? 

If you haven’t yet read, heard, or discussed ‘the hybrid campus’ till now, then now is the time.

WHAT IS A HYBRID CAMPUS? 

A hybrid campus is a technology-enabled experience for those residing inside the campus. Not only is it providing online lessons and support, but also the perks of in-person experience. The result is the perfect fuse of the online and the physical worlds across campus.

However, what is of the essence for universities and colleges to understand, when planning this post-pandemic future, is the difference between the two and decide accordingly which services deliver their best experience in-class and which could easily or more effectively be delivered virtually.

As a solution, the focus of face-to-face interactions can be kept on hands-on experiential learning. While online classes may be the better choice when delivering theoretical material.

WHY A HYBRID CAMPUS?

After answering what a hybrid campus is, the next obvious question is why opt for a hybrid campus? Changes that were thought to take years to implement—if ever—have been put in place almost overnight.

This approach of hybrid education will allow institutions to handle costs and other demands in a more efficient matter, while also staying prepared for other future disasters similar to Covid-19. 

Not to forget, it will enhance the whole education system by becoming more student-centered. Wouldn’t it be amazing if higher education was accessible to a much larger demographic, particularly to those who can relocate to that specific location?

HOW DO WE ACHIEVE A HYBRID CAMPUS?

A swift transition process from traditional higher education to a blended education system requires a great amount of effort.

For example, building a virtual community of people, developing flexible academic programs, syncing academic calendars with student activities and hybrid systems, supporting the transition process as a whole, etc.

Approaches can be many, but the ultimate goal remains the same, to provide students with the best learning experience with both online and in-person resources. After all, the essence of hybrid is balance.