Zayed University switches to hybrid model of teaching, learning for Fall 2020 semester

• In response to the Ministry of Education’s recent announcement for lectures to be held virtually, and to limit in-person

Abu Dhabi and Dubai: Preparations are in full swing at Zayed University’s (ZU) campuses in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to implement a hybrid education model through the Fall 2020 semester. The “hybrid” (or “blended”) education model aims to enable teaching and learning to continue both online and partially on campus, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

ZU, a national and regional leader of educational innovation, is offering online classes to students and a limited number of classes face-to-face across its campuses. The move reflects the University’s commitment to supporting the continuity of education for students, and its dedication to leveraging its robust technology infrastructure capabilities to ensure continuity of academic and educational services and readiness in reopening its campuses for the Fall semester. Furthermore, the move comes directly in response to the recent announcement made by the Ministry of Education to prioritize remote lectures, and to limit campus attendance to staff and students using laboratories, studios and research facilities.

ZU commenced all classes online on Monday, August 24, and is set to switch the courses that require physical presence to face-to-face classes starting on September 6.

Speaking on the hybrid education model, Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, and President of Zayed University, said: “We are pleased to launch an enhanced face-to-face and online experience for the benefit of our students and employees this fall. The hybrid model of education will provide ZU’s students and faculty with innovative ways to engage and complete their academic experience, while adapting to the prevailing scenario in the best way possible – either through in-person learning/work, remote learning/work, or a combination of both.”

She added: “In preparation for the Fall semester, the ZU committee has been working diligently to provide the resources and support that the faculty require to plan and prepare for various

scenarios. We thank ZU’s dedicated faculty for their contributions and support in ensuring that the students receive the best education in the present circumstances."

ZU is prioritizing the health and safety of its community members, especially students, and is working relentlessly to ensure that all necessary precautionary measures to protect them from the risk of COVID-19 are in place, in line with the standards mandated by the regulatory authorities in the UAE.

A new COVID-19 risk level map ranks the prevailing severity of the pandemic in the UAE at a moderate risk and provides guidelines for a government response, which the country is implementing across the board. The outbreak ranks at the yellow risk level – the mid risk category in between low and high risk – which means cases of infection are lower than or equal to the number of recoveries. This also confirms that while there is a risk from the pandemic inside the country, it is under control with the support of the UAE’s advanced healthcare infrastructure and laboratory testing capacities.

Given the reduced risk levels, ZU has put in place a plan to proceed with the hybrid learning model for a limited duration, eliminating non-essential processes, implementing distance learning and taking all the required precautions. This plan is in line with the general framework adopted by the UAE for the reopening of educational establishments during the COVID-19 outbreak. Universities across the UAE will partially reopen while still offering classes online for students who do not need to be on campus.

Within the hybrid system, the overall capacity of class sizes has been reduced to ensure that only a maximum of 50 percent of all students and 50 percent of all faculty and administration members are present at any campus. As a further precautionary measure, ZU will limit capacity to 20-25 percent for the first few weeks and will monitor the situation, with a view to increasing the capacity later after a careful assessment.

Some of the students and faculty are expected to physically visit the campus to engage in practical work and study programs, or to carry out experiments in laboratories or studios. However, lectures, project submissions, short exams, evaluations, oral exams and postgraduate discussions are to be conducted fully online. Library activities and research work can be performed using a combination of both on-campus and virtual components, and run for a limited number of hours only.

All courses and programs across the university’s 8 colleges have incorporated the latest tools and technology to allow students to participate virtually if required through online learning platforms such as Blackboard, Zoom, Cisco Webex and Microsoft Teams.

The Students Accessibility Services (SAS) at ZU is committed to support Students of Determination and will provide accessible courses online and ensure the same level of support, which will be delivered virtually. Individual appointments with students and their guardians are to be made to conduct one-on-one needs analysis and intake sessions, to determine the support services that will be provided for them. Students with learning difficulties will be screened and assessed to provide an Individual Educational Plan (IEP), which will be followed by students and faculty.

In implementing this hybrid model of education, ZU is committed to maintaining a physical distance of 1.5 meters between students in physical classrooms, laboratories and learning halls, and to ensuring a safe distance of two meters between faculty and administrative staff at all times.

Mandatory temperature checks of all students, faculty and administrative staff, as well as of visitors prior to entering the campus are to be carried out across all campus access points.

Several other health and safety measures have also been enforced within the University’s campuses, such as routine cleaning and sterilization of facilities at the end of each day, and the installation of disinfection gates at the entrances of the university campuses. ZU intends not to hold any physical social events and group activities such as field trips, conferences and sports, and the university is actively looking at converting student engagement into virtual activities to avoid the spread of the virus. To avoid a large number of people gathering in any public space, ZU’s gym and sport facilities will be closed during this time. The University’s main canteen will deliver packed food respecting all safety measures and only a limited number of cafes operating.

To further support the transition to hybrid learning, ZU’s support services such as the IT division and its Happiness Centers located on each campus are staffed by internal teams to assist students on site or remotely.

ZU is one of the UAE’s leading universities to successfully adopt remote learning following the global shift in education in the Spring Semester of March 2020. More than 10,000 students completed over 57,000 class sessions online in the latter part of the Spring 2020 semester, delivered by 627 faculty members across ZU’s campuses in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. More recently, ZU held its very first virtual graduation ceremony to honor its 18^th cohort of female and 8^th cohort of male undergraduates.

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About Zayed University:

Zayed University (ZU) is a federal national university in the United Arab Emirates and a regional leader in educational innovation and excellence. Offering a skills-rich, outcomes-based general education program that systemically develops student skills and knowledge, the university aims to instill values associated with liberal learning in its students and provide a solid foundation for the pursuit of disciplinary majors that empower them for the careers of the future.

Established in 1998, Zayed University has been globally recognized one of the most dynamic universities in the region for excellence in educational innovation, research, and student leadership development that meets the nation’s evolving needs in line with its economic, social and cultural advancements. The university welcomes national and international students and boasts an expert faculty that delivers a quality education through leveraging best-in-class teaching methods and cutting-edge technology.

ZU is accredited by the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) – the internal quality assurance and accreditation body of the UAE – and internationally by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (USA), one of the six regional accreditation bodies in the US that validates internationally recognized programs for quality-assured universities.

In line with its sustained efforts to ensure educational excellence, Zayed University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees across six colleges: College of Arts & Creative Enterprises, College of Business [accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)], College of Communication & Media Sciences [accredited by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC)], College of Education  [accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)], College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Natural and Health Sciences, and College of Technological Innovation [accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)], the University College, and the Graduate Studies [Graduate programs are approved by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education.

© Press Release 2020