EDUCATIONAL GOVERNANCE AND FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Authors: Zabihollah Rezaee*, PhD & Kenneth Lambert, PhD

ABSTRACT

The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has caused many challenges for colleges and universities worldwide. The pandemic has already forced many universities to cut their budget significantly in the past three years, and these budget shortfalls may persist. The pandemic augmented universities to adopt new education delivery and methods to accommodate the new ways students are learning during in the post-pandemic. Colleges and universities need to continue to innovate and embrace hybrid learning moving forward to empower their faculty to be drivers of transformative change. Many universities are examining their educational sustainability in delivering affordable, relevant, sustainable, and marketable education for students by redesigning academic programs to ensure financial, governance and educational sustainability. This study describes initiatives taken by one university in addressing educational, governance, and financial sustainability as a blueprint and framework for other universities to follow and thus, presents educational and research implications.

Keywords: Educational Sustainability; Governance Sustainability; Financial Sustainability; COVID-19 Pandemic; University Initiatives; Plan of Action

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