Preface

The world of education is experiencing a time of unprecedented change. In our modern, Covid-racked world, educational institutions and their respective delivery methodologies have been forcibly and forever transformed. Most educators realize that these transformations are likely permanent and that procedures and systems of the past will no longer be relevant for the emerging post-Covid educational environment. The future provides countless challenges and great opportunities. Those embracing the transformation will be poised to usher in a new age of educational achievement. They will certainly unleash new educational methodologies, techniques, and strategies. These institutions and educators will chart tomorrow's pathway.

Today's countless challenges require in-depth strategic visioning that incorporates historical analysis blended with a clear understanding of the present situation and the needs of the emerging world of workplace readiness. While many visualize historical analysis founded only upon their respective culture, they must be much broader. The historical analysis must include comprehension of the accomplishments and trials of many cultures and societies. In our global world, an egocentric historical analysis is no longer viable. The historical analysis must consider the broader global world as what occurred in one culture has very likely affected that which impacted another. Forward visioning without a broad historical context is only partially prepared to embrace the future.

The present situation is ever-changing as governmental regulations, delivery methodologies, and societal expectations rise and fall with each new wave of the Covid pandemic. All of these issues are further impacted by the associated international travel limitations and differences across international travel regulations. Institutions with numbers of international students often find these students unable to return to their studies. The financial situations of most students have suffered as families struggle to deal with economic shortfalls due to the Covid pandemic. These issues change from region to region. Yet, a holistic understanding is needed to guide future visioning efforts.

No one has a crystal ball capable of foretelling the future; however, the world has changed and will never return as it once was. Education has changed. Education of the future will not be as it was in the past. For example, faculty and students have entered the world of distance education with all its strengths and weaknesses. In this environment, some have excelled while others have struggled. Those who have excelled are now actively seeking to expand their distance education opportunities. Faculty have been forced to develop new skillsets that will certainly be utilized in the future to meet student expectations. Again, education has changed. While we do not know what the future will be, we do know that it will not be like the past and the present. Changes have come, some of which will remain even when Covid restrictions are lifted.

Accreditation and governmental regulation have always been employed as a means of assuring educational quality. In fact, accreditation and governmental regulation are widely viewed as the primary entities charged with protecting educational consumers. The foundations of today's accreditation and governmental regulation were established pre-Covid. As such, these entities have struggled to adjust to the ravages of the pandemic. Many nations have been forced to adjust to distance delivery to protect the educational community from exposure to the deadly pandemic. Just as educational delivery has changed, accreditation and governmental regulation have changed with increased accountability with some expectations and heightened flexibility with others. If anything in the future is certain, accreditation and governmental regulation will most certainly expand expectations in the days ahead in order to guide the emerging educational environment.

Digital resources have also undergone a significant transition in the age of Covid. With the expanded implementation of distance learning, demand has driven innovation. Innovation has redesigned instructional delivery and provided new opportunities and markets. Faculty and students have developed new skillsets. These new skillsets further empower workplace success. The expansion of digital delivery continues to empower globalization. Distance education and globalization are strongly related. International students have often been provided access to distance education when unable to return to the institution due to Covid restrictions. Many institutions have implemented dual delivery models in which some students are physically present while others join remotely.

The global educational environment has proven to be widely interconnected. No nation can any longer operate in a vacuum. If the Covid pandemic has done anything, it has put everyone in the same situation. Across continents and across nations, controlling the spread of Covid has become the primary concern. As a result, every educational system has been forced to adjust. Accordingly, new approaches and new methodologies have emerged. These advances have occurred in diverse environments and cultures. The challenge has been the sharing of these practices across a myriad of educational entities. Hence, there is a growing need for persons on one continent to know what is occurring on another. Collaboration builds strength, and collaboration requires a forum for sharing. In short, the innovative changes associated with digital delivery should be utilized to empower the exchange of ideas and successes.

The Covid pandemic has forever changed the educational model on all fronts. It is the hope of the editorial staff that this text aids the reader in the quest to embrace the future. The editors also wish to thank the many contributors to this work.

> **Lee Waller** President, European University College, Dubai, UAE

**Sharon Waller** Assistant Professor, American University of Ras Al Khaimah, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
