09.07.2020Victoria University’s plan to partner, mitigate and recover from COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a major health and economic crisis across the world. Victoria University, as the university for the west of Melbourne, will continue to work with their staff, stakeholders and the communities that they serve in the recovery from this crisis.

VU acted quickly to create new online opportunities for students, leveraging their Block model and providing digitally supported remote learning, enabling students to commence or continue their studies with a minimum of disruption. Additionally, VU have continued to engage with the community through a wide range of activities, cultural programs, and resources to improve health and wellbeing, as well as support businesses and individuals return to work.

As the recovery phase begins, the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of communities has never been more important. VU continues to work with their community, partners and government to deliver these outcomes which include the promotion of Footscray University Town, partnering with LGA’s on a variety of projects and by supporting creative arts and health and wellbeing programs.

Moving forward, VU will also focus on developing a whole of university approach on Planetary Health and a revised recruitment strategy for domestic and international students.

VU’s COVID-19 Mitigation and Recovery Strategy: Partnering to Mitigate and Recover from the COVID-19 pandemic outlines how they will navigate their way out of this current challenge to ensure an agile and sustainable university, with a strong focus and connection with the communities in the west. This will be achieved by:

  • positioning the university strongly to secure funding from the Victorian Government’s $350m Victorian Higher Education State Investment Fund for Victorian universities for infrastructure projects in the west and for research relevant to the communities they serve.
  • positioning VU Polytechnic to play an important role in training, re-training and upskilling workers ensuring programs align with the Working for Victoria initiative.
  • continuing to work with the Federal Government to ensure they are able to meet the continued and increasing demand for higher education, especially in the outer-west.
  • VU is also ensuring that the VU community, students, staff and families are safe and healthy during COVID-19 by ensuing hygiene and physical distancing measures are adhered to as well as providing support services.

The Vice-Chancellor’s Executive has recently formed a special taskforce, to develop VU’s Transition to Campus Strategy and the associated logistical efforts required to achieve a safe staged and eventual return to full campus activities. This taskforce will continually monitor the situation in line with government recommendations and adjust VU’s activities as appropriate.

Find out more about VU’s response to COVID-19.

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