Changes in remote education introduced by Polish universities of economics as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

Purpose: To determine how remote education at Polish universities of economics changed between the first and second term of classes held during the pandemic (March-June 2020 vs. October 2020-February 2021). Design/methodology/approach: The paper is based on a survey of organisational changes implemented by four Polish universities of economics (in Katowice, Kraków, Poznań, and Wrocław) as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak. Findings: It was found that in the winter term 2020/21, the timeliness of educational activities noticeably improved and synchronous methods were employed more frequently, whereas email was the preferred mode of communication for tutorials in both terms. Social implications: The universities surveyed were able to respond to the crisis within a reasonably short time and continued to provide education throughout the pandemic. The findings imply that the interruption of face-to-face instruction should have little effect on their students’ employment prospects after graduation. Originality/value: The case study looks in depth at the process of organisational change forced by external circumstances at four organisations. It also illustrates the direction and magnitude of adjustments made by the selected HEIs as perceived by their students. To date, no comparable research on the subject has been published in the literature. Funding: The publication was financed from the subsidy granted to the Cracow University of Economic – Project nr 046/GAP/2022/POT. Keywords: emergency remote teaching, higher education, organizational change, Covid-19 crisis. Category of the paper: Research paper, case study.