How do you collaborate and coordinate with other higher education institutions and agencies during a crisis?

Identifying common goals and priorities is essential for effective collaboration during a crisis. Supporting Points: Understand the Crisis: Assess the crisis's scope and the needs of affected communities to align efforts with other institutions. Clarify Roles: Define each partner's roles and responsibilities to foster trust, cooperation, and efficient coordination. Leverage Collective Strengths: Establish a shared vision to avoid duplication, reduce confusion, and maximize the impact of collaborative efforts.

In times of crisis, effective collaboration is crucial. At Gulzar Group of Institutions, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we partnered with nearby universities and regulatory bodies to swiftly transition to online learning. By forming a joint task force, we coordinated the sharing of resources, such as online platforms and faculty training programs, ensuring minimal disruption to students' education. Frequent communication and shared problem-solving allowed us to implement consistent solutions across institutions, maintaining academic standards and student engagement. This collaborative approach strengthened our resilience and showcased the power of working together in higher education.

During a crisis, I collaborate with other higher education institutions and agencies by establishing clear communication channels and fostering partnerships. Regular meetings and joint action plans ensure coordinated efforts. In my role as Academic Registrar, I worked closely with local universities and regulatory bodies during the pandemic to align our institution's response with government guidelines, sharing best practices for online exams and student support. This collaboration ensured a seamless academic transition and upheld educational standards across institutions during the challenging period.

Bharat Biotech, ExcellGene SA, and the University of Sydney unite in a pioneering quest—a protein subunit vaccine. It's not just about the known adversaries but about fortifying against the unforeseen twists of the elusive SARS-CoV-2 variants. Their alliance signifies hope, resilience, and a bold stride toward a pandemic-free horizon. CEPI, Barinthus Biotherapeutics, and Oxford University scientists undertake an urgent mission—VTP-500. Beyond the headlines, they're racing against time to curb the often-overlooked yet fatal Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. These collaborations are tales of innovation transcending time, where science is the hero, scripting solutions against the odds.

During the COVID days, when my state (Victoria, Australia) went into a suddent lock down - all of the higher education providers had to move their teaching delivery online literally overnight. On the positive side, the need to act and to act fast was instrumental in development of many collaborative cross-institutional T&L digital transformation projects. The lesson to be learned from this otherwise, dramatic situation (aka crisis) is that given that challenges that we face across the higher eduction institutions are mostly similar, it is important for all of the stakeholders to share resourses and expertise around whenever possible. It will lead to great collective resilience and operational sustainability.

For the last six years, I've facilitated a professional association's cohort group for Assistant Vice Presidents in Student Affairs. During this time we had COVID and are not experiencing the conflict abroad. We were able to utilize these groups to check in to see how people are addressing strategies for say surveillance testing on their campuses or student activism. It allowed us to share best practices and learn how others may be implementing strategies. These networks are important - but it doesn't have to be as formal as a cohort. It could be as simple as posting on LinkedIn and your network will respond.

There is value in institutions of higher education developing formal memorandums of understandings (MOUs) with local agencies and emergency response units. These documents can outline roles, responsibilities, training expectations and resource allocation prior to a crisis. Additionally, this type of structure provides continuity and sustainability despite changes in staff and leadership. Lastly, this document should be reviewed each year, providing motivation (and intention) for continued conversation, on-going revisions and renewed commitments to the partnerships.

Durante a crise da Pandemia da COVID-19, procurei me aproximar muito dos líderes das outras Institui??es de Educa??o Superior com atua??o na mesma regi?o. Afinal, se antes havia uma rela??o de concorrência agora deveria haver uma rela??o colaborativa e de supera??o conjunta do momento adverso. A receptividade da maior parte dos gestores foi muito positiva e consegui trocar experiências importantes com diversos deles, especialmente no alinhamento da comunica??o com a comunidade externa e no cumprimento de protocolos sanitários. Com uma das institui??es houve uma aproxima??o t?o grande que pudemos realizar pesquisas e a??es conjuntas que geraram entregas extremamente relevantes para a sociedade naquele momento.

Aligning policies and protocols is pivotal in collaborative crisis response among higher education institutions. Harmonizing rules, guidelines, and procedures ensures seamless coordination and efficient decision-making. This encompasses aligning academic calendars, curricula, assessments, and adhering to legal and regulatory frameworks. It's crucial to respect the autonomy and diversity of partners while prioritizing compliance with ethical standards, fostering a unified and effective response to crises.

Evaluating and improving outcomes ensures better crisis collaboration. Supporting Points: Measure Impact: Use surveys to assess how effectively resources were allocated. Example: A survey showing 90% satisfaction with resource distribution can guide future efforts. Identify Strengths and Weaknesses: Conduct focus groups to uncover coordination issues. Example: A focus group reveals delays in communication, prompting the creation of a faster information-sharing system. Learn and Adjust: Review reports to refine strategies. Example: A post-crisis report highlights successful practices, leading to their adoption in future protocols.

Sustaining and expanding partnerships strengthens crisis collaboration over time. Supporting Points: Maintain Relationships: Celebrate successes to keep partnerships strong. Example: Hosting a recognition event for all involved institutions fosters ongoing commitment. Acknowledge Challenges: Express gratitude for overcoming difficulties together. Example: Sending thank-you notes to partners who navigated tough decisions builds trust. Explore New Opportunities: Invite new partners to expand the network. Example: Collaborating with additional agencies for future joint training programs enhances readiness.

It is important to have relationships with relevant institutions and agencies prior to a crisis. This will make it easier to work together during a crisis. This happened during COVID. Institutions with a prior relationship trusted one another to share what was happening on campus and what they were doing to continue operations.