The Continuing Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Tertiary Education

Abstract

We are pleased to publish the first regular issue (Volume 13, Issue 1) of Higher Learning Research Communications (HLRC) for 2023. While the World Health Organization and the governments and health departments in most of the world have ended the COVID-19 emergency, the effects of the pandemic on operations in higher education will likely continue for some time. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) published a report (Abdrasheva, 2022) that globally examines the state of higher education two years after the pandemic began. The authors noted that in the area of teaching and learning, “slow adaptation to online tools, preparing class material, and engaging students to actively participate while being remote” (p. 6) resulted in uneven quality of instruction. They also note that in areas affected by the digital divide, these shortcomings were much more pronounced. In addition, internationalization was severely restricted, as students were prevented from crossing borders to study.