Nearly a year after post-secondary institutions around the world moved to online delivery of their courses, Brock University’s normally busy campus remains quiet.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many organizations to adapt their processes to accommodate a new reality, and while there have been negative repercussions resulting from this quick shift, so too have there been opportunities for positive change.

An upcoming presentation led by Professor Lynn Wells, Brock University’s Provost and Vice-President, Academic, will discuss how the University has responded to the changing environment created by the pandemic and has seized new ways to operate.

“University management in the time of COVID” will take place Wednesday, Jan. 27 at 11 a.m. as part of the free Business Breathers webinar series facilitated by Goodman Group, the Goodman School of Business’s community-focused learning and development services provider.

“Universities have a critical role to play in recovery,” said Wells. “Universities have evolved over many centuries to be very thoughtful and deliberate in how they respond to the needs around them. Now, with the economy changing rapidly, businesses struggling, workers being displaced and technology expanding, there is a lot of emphasis on upskilling and reskilling.

“Universities need to adapt quickly to these new realities by offering knowledge in formats that are accessible, such as online courses, part-time study, micro-credentials and research partnerships, while also respecting academic freedom and collegial governance.”

Wells is a Canadian scholar, teacher and university leader with more than 15 years of experience in senior academic leadership positions. In 2020, Wells was appointed as Provost and Vice-President, Academic at Brock University. Prior to this, she served as Associate Vice-President, Students and Teaching at MacEwan University in Edmonton and held senior positions at the University of Regina and First Nations University of Canada. Learn more about Wells in a Q&A on The Brock News.

Everyone is welcome to attend Business Breathers webinars, which feature 30 minutes of industry and faculty expert-led discussions, followed by a 15-minute Q&A period. Topics focus on leadership, management and innovation, as well as the financial and social impacts of trending topics.

Interested participants are asked to register online. A confirmation email will provide a Lifesize link to access the webinar at the date and time it is planned. 

Upcoming Business Breathers:

University management in the time of COVID
A presentation by Lynn Wells, Provost and Vice-President, Academic, Brock University
Wednesday, Jan. 27 at 11 a.m.

Digital by design: Education for the post-pandemic world
A presentation by Robert Luke, CEO of eCampusOntario
Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 11 a.m. 

History of retail: Would anyone go to a store again?
An interview with Deepak Chopra, former President and CEO of Canada Post
Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 11 a.m.