Double presence has been successfully implemented at CEU Universities

The commitment of CEU Universities to digital transformation, training of professors and alliances with leading technological companies such as Microsoft and Amazon have been key for the successful adaptation in barely 48 hours, from face-to-face education to online education. Because if something has brought this pandemic to the education sector is the need to redesign the future of education that will have to combine both models. The purpose: to enhance educational experience and face to face learning using technology and the different digital resources.

We are experiencing a complex situation where we have had to adapt to different scenarios. It is essential to work in the maintenance of social distance taking into consideration the needs of international students who may find difficulties to access centres.

Designing the future of education

For this reason the three CEU Universities are installing at all its faculties and centres classrooms oriented to the double presence education. In fact, a pilot test has already been done successfully at Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera and at Universidad CEU San Pablo. This way one part of students will be in the class and others will follow it online. In this context one of the main objectives is that digital students will have an immersive experience in class making them feel present seating by their teachers and classmates.

Without doubt, this involves a huge commitment of CEU to digital transformation that will lead to a new learning model to be improved and adopted by the whole University community.

Technology is the great ally for professors when teaching both face-to-face and online students. With the use of different cameras and screens those connected through Internet will have a complete view of their classmates and professor as well as something as valuable as the possibility to interact with them. In turn, the professor and students present can see through the screen and with a specific camera those classmates connected online. With this we achieve full integration of all of them.

With the implementation of this double presence the idea is to resume classes with all safety guarantees. To this we add the development by CEU of protocols to prevent transmission and respond if any case is detected in the education community, either between students, teachers or the administration staff. Therefore, spaces to achieve this 2-meters social distance have been adapted thanks to the limitation of the capacity of classes and the redistribution of the use of rooms. Also some non-essential areas and circulation circuits in common areas have been closed. Moreover, specific cleaning protocols are being implemented to fight the virus including punctual and periodical ozonisation in case of infection or suspicion of infection.