Academic institutions play an integral role in developing students into individuals who can go into society and make a difference. The importance of ensuring there are enough people who are educated enough to cover the workforce in fields such as healthcare, education, and science is crucial to future generations around the world.
But during periods of uncertainty, the importance of academic institutions takes on another role: That of the stable rock of knowledge that people look to in order to come up with new solutions to solve never-before-seen problems as they arise.
How the Uncertainty of COVID-19 Unraveled Challenges
The world had never seen a pandemic with the destructive force the likes of COVID-19. World wars, nuclear warfare, and genocides in history were all categorized together as the works of individuals or groups of people with agendas. COVID-19, however, had no target, no discriminatory basis, and the enemy was an invisible threat that couldn’t be stopped by any country, culture, or society.
Because of the exponential size of the microscopic threat, the results were catastrophic. The cracks in the foundation of industries showed up almost immediately, unraveling challenges at a pace that society couldn’t keep up with. Healthcare infrastructures collapsed under the weight of too much need or, the opposite, fear of the masses to leave their homes to seek care. Businesses closed down permanently. Everyone was a potential enemy, even our own family members and closest friends.
During all this uncertainty, the world turned to doctors, scholars, researchers, and academic institutions to guide them.
A World Built on Solidarity Must Be Encouraged
While the world may never be the same as it was post-COVID-19, it can be restructured to encourage a stronger foundation built on solidarity. As everything unraveled, it quickly became apparent that the most important thing in the world was not government, money, status, or cultures. It was basic human rights.
Academic institutions have the role of turning citizens into educated members of society, from the students on their campus to the basic people around the world who read the research journals and information published by the scholars. As the world turns to academics for guidance, the innate reason for higher education must be remembered at all times.
Those in authority positions in higher learning institutions must always focus on their roles of preparing people for sustainable jobs in society, educating them on forming their own decisions regarding equality, justice, and being active citizens, establishing the importance of continuing to always look to personal development to improve, and striving towards innovative research for the goal of a better future.
In all, these four roles must be built on worldwide solidarity, knowing that when one society benefits, it can benefit all.
Adjusting for Uncertainty
Ultimately, academic competency knowledge is important but not integral. Instead, higher institutions must ensure they are molding and shaping attributes in their students that can handle this uncertain world.
Content knowledge is the goal of a degree, but as that knowledge is dispersed, instructors need to provide opportunities for students to adjust flexibly to a complex world that is always in flux. For this to happen, they need to be exposed to thoughts, theories, and experiences that encompass attributes like:
● Strategies that can help them cope with and overcome uncertainty
● Reflexivity in their thinking skills to reduce bias in a solution-making process
● Adaptation abilities
● Critical thinking skills
● Strong personal and social beliefs and their own identity
● An understanding of how to differentiate between conflicting types of evidence to make the better choice
● Determination to persevere through challenges and difficult circumstances
Throughout these skills to push through during uncertainty, the underlying values of democracy, social justice, equality, and human rights must remain the core unshakeable principles focused on by all staff, faculty, and students.
Impactio is a Stable Point in Uncertain Times
More than ever, when a society, nation, or the world is going through uncertainty, it’s crucial that researchers are able to get their findings published to their audience quickly. For this to happen, they need a publishing platform that they can depend on, like Impactio.
Impactio is an all-in-one platform designed for academic experts. With Impactio, you can easily get your work compiled into professional PDF documents and web pages ready to publish. Once your profile is finished, your goal is to get it to as wide an audience as quickly as possible, and Impactio can help you do that, letting you get back to your work in helping to create structure and stability amidst uncertainty.