Purpose

This paper aims to share how it was possible to change the way business was conducted in a short period in order to continue the academic semester and seek alternatives to manage the day-to-day university affairs in the midst of a pandemic crisis at a higher education setting. As a result, the authors’ experiences have created new norms and opportunities for the university.

Design/methodology/approach

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Brunei Darussalam is an evolving situation with extraordinary challenges for staff and students of the university. Although the campus remains open and essential services were continuously provided, the university had to implement and adapt to new norms instinctively to minimise the potential pathways for community spread of the coronavirus and at the same time minimise interruption in teaching and learning.

Findings

Firstly, structured blended learning will be the basis of teaching and learning, alongside ensuring the highest quality of online education and successful achievement of the intended learning objectives. Secondly, blended learning will open more opportunities to offer programmes in a more flexible, personalised, student-centric and lifelong learning manner, with the option of taking a study hiatus at students' convenience. Thirdly, there will be more global classrooms and the exchange of online modules with international partner universities. Fourthly, short programmes such as the Global Discovery Programmes will be modified and improvised to become an online learning experience. And finally, there will also be the opportunity to understand and consider the physical and mental well-being and durability of the university community in overcoming a national crisis situation.

Originality/value

This paper is intended to be a conceptual paper where the authors describe novel experiences during the pandemic. The authors’ views, interventions and experiences may result into a new model for higher education that will reposition students to the new global markets and economy.

中文翻译：

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高等教育环境中COVID-19大流行危机带来的新规范和机遇：文莱达鲁萨兰国大学的观点

目的

本文旨在分享如何在短期内改变业务开展方式，以便继续学期，并寻求替代方法来管理在大流行危机中（更高水平）应对日常大学事务。教育环境。结果，作者的经验为大学创造了新的规范和机会。

设计/方法/方法

文莱达鲁萨兰国的2019年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行是一个不断发展的局面，对大学的教职员工和学生而言都是非同寻常的挑战。尽管校园仍然开放，并不断提供必要的服务，但大学必须本能地实施和适应新规范，以最大程度地减少冠状病毒在社区传播的潜在途径，同时最大程度地减少教学过程中的干扰。

发现

首先，结构化混合学习将成为教学的基础，同时确保最高质量的在线教育和成功实现预期的学习目标。其次，混合学习将提供更多机会，以更灵活，个性化，以学生为中心和终身学习的方式提供课程，并可以选择在学生方便时休学。第三，将有更多的全球教室和与国际合作大学的在线模块交流。第四，诸如全球发现计划之类的短期计划将被修改和即兴化，以成为一种在线学习体验。最后，

创意/价值

本文旨在成为概念文章，作者描述大流行期间的新颖经历。作者的观点，干预和经验可能会形成一种新的高等教育模式，从而使学生重新适应新的全球市场和经济。