RESEARCH PROJECT
Data is king
Using data to manage current challenges and prepare for the future by Dr. Mike Entwisle, Education Sector Director, Buro Happold
A
t the end of February, the UK breathed a sigh of relief when the Prime Minister unveiled his four-stage roadmap out of lockdown, revealing a glimmer of light at the end of a very long tunnel, explaining how and when the restrictions are expected to be lifted. Even as restrictions lift, the impact of the pandemic will still be noticeable throughout universities, with continued social distancing, reduced learning and workspaces, and a combination of online and in-person teaching for some time
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to come. While many students and staff are keen to return, others may be nervous of doing so until after the summer, by which time the vaccination programme will have reached a majority of the population. A Public Health England (PHE) study estimates that 17.8 per cent of university students in England had Covid-19 antibodies and a substantial proportion of students were still susceptible to Covid-19 infection in December 2020 – so, universities will need to continue ensuring they’re managing this huge, ongoing issue, while also making
sure they’re prepared for any similar circumstances in the future. Challenging times Managing Covid-19 on site has continued to present facilities management teams with many challenges, as they implement social distancing measures and other precautions to maintain the safety of staff and students, while managing the day-to-day running of the estate – but the key to tackling these challenges is to look at the campus as a whole, rather than simply the individual capacity of
