What lessons can be learnt from COVID-19 that will help enhance future teaching scheduling for our students?

On-campus scheduling has been the major way students identify and interact with their learning environment, both in time and space, which can be reflected in the student experience and levels of engagement. This is often purported by the traditional view that the UK university experience is characterised by young people moving a long way from home for the first time and becoming a direct part of university life. Nonetheless, this perceived notion is less true particularly set against widening participation where over the past few year‘s students from a diverse range of backgrounds have been encouraged into university with many of these now living at home and commuting (most being BME). Therefore, changes preceding COVID-19 were already placing significant challenges in developing inclusive strategies; especially, in countering a student population that was becoming increasingly more strategic in judging their own learning needs and perceived value in making the journey to campus. This presentation will explore our journey at Kingston University from pre-COVID-19 scheduling, the twists and turns through social distancing and intermittent lockdowns and what lessons can be taken forward post-COVID-19. We will review the outcomes of data obtained locally within one school and the wider university and nationally especially considering NSS Q16 ('the timetable works efficiently for me‘) and what impact this has had this year. We will be joined for narratives from academic staff and our Head of Timetabling in discussing timetabling realities post-COVID-19 and what the new drivers are to better reflect our current student needs.