Adapting Higher Education: A Holistic Examination of Policies, their Efficacy, and Relevance in the Post-COVID Landscape

In the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, higher education institutions were presented with unprecedented challenges, navigating disruptions that had a profound impact on their operations, academic delivery, and overall resilience. To resolve these complexities and ensure the continuity and adaptability of higher education, the effectiveness of policies implemented during this period of disruption has become an important priority for ensuring continuity. By adopting evidence-based strategies and fostering a culture of preparedness, institutions can enhance their resilience and better navigate challenges during uncertain times. This paper investigates business disruptions in private higher education institutions and evaluates the effectiveness of policies implemented to mitigate their impact during the pandemic era. The study includes perspectives from both students and staff, utilising an analytical model and conducting numerical experiments to comprehensively analyse the policies' performance under various disruption scenarios. Through qualitative interviews with management, additional insights into their perspectives were gathered, contributing an essential layer to the comprehensive understanding of policy performance amidst disruptive circumstances. Notable challenges faced by higher education institutions during the pandemic included sudden shifts to remote learning, technological adaptation, mental health support for students and staff, and maintaining academic quality amidst disruptions. The findings reveal that students generally view their institution's disruption management policies positively, while some staff express lower satisfaction. The practical implications of the study offer valuable insights for higher education institutions, including policy assessment and improvement, resilience planning, resource allocation, stakeholder engagement, crisis management training, and decision-making during disruptions. The study's originality lies in its specific focus on disruptions in higher education, policy analysis, and the post-COVID era, making it relevant and unique in the field. By providing practical conditions for policy implementation and offering insights into the effectiveness of strategic disruption management policies, the research aims to empower decision-makers to foster more effective and resilient strategies to navigate future disruptions successfully. Ultimately, this study contributes to narrowing the gap in research on disruption management in higher education and presents significant value by addressing a pertinent and timely issue in the post-COVID context.