The impacts of the COVID-19 lockdowns on the work of academic staff at higher education institutions: an international assessment

Walter Leal Filho (), Tony Wall (), Amanda Lange Salvia (), Claudio Ruy Vasconcelos (), Ismaila Rimi Abubakar (), Aprajita Minhas (), Mark Mifsud (), Valerija Kozlova (), Violeta Orlovic Lovren (), Hossein Azadi (), Ayyoob Sharifi (), Marina Kovaleva (), Todd LeVasseur (), Johannes Luetz (), Luis Velazquez (), Priyatma Singh (), Rudi Pretorius (), Noor Adelyna Mohammed Akib (), Tamara Savelyeva (), Luciana Brandli (), Nandhivarman Muthu () and Patrizia Lombardi ()
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Walter Leal Filho: UK Consortium on Sustainability Research, Manchester Metropolitan University
Tony Wall: Liverpool John Moores University
Amanda Lange Salvia: Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
Claudio Ruy Vasconcelos: Federal University of Paraíba
Ismaila Rimi Abubakar: Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (Formerly, University of Dammam)
Aprajita Minhas: Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
Mark Mifsud: University of Malta
Valerija Kozlova: RISEBA University of Applied Sciences
Violeta Orlovic Lovren: University of Belgrade
Hossein Azadi: University of Liège
Ayyoob Sharifi: Hiroshima University
Marina Kovaleva: Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
Todd LeVasseur: Sustainability Literacy Institute
Johannes Luetz: Alphacrucis University College (AC)
Luis Velazquez: University of Sonora
Priyatma Singh: The University of Fiji
Rudi Pretorius: University of South Africa
Noor Adelyna Mohammed Akib: University Sains Malaysia
Tamara Savelyeva: The Hong Kong Institute of Education for Sustainable Development
Luciana Brandli: University of Passo Fundo
Nandhivarman Muthu: Pondicherry University
Patrizia Lombardi: Politecnico di Torino

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, 2025, vol. 27, issue 6, No 65, 13973-13999

Abstract: Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted the life of millions of people around the world and brought changes in many contexts. In higher education institutions, teaching staff had to quickly adapt their teaching and research practices and revisit learning and student engagement strategies. In this context, this paper aimed to report on how the lockdowns influenced the work and lives of academic staff at universities. The methodology consisted of an online survey that collected 201 responses across 39 countries worldwide, and the results were explored using descriptive and exploratory modelling analyses. The findings reveal that the main positive aspect of the work-from-home experience during the lockdowns was the reduction of time spent on commuting, while the inability to disconnect and difficulties in work–life balance were the most commonly indicated negative aspects. The principal component analysis indicated that the pandemic had a moderate power in boosting academic staff towards sustainability, and an important potential of revising academic curricula and teaching–learning relationships. Based on the evidence gathered, recommendations to allow academic staff to better cope with the influence of future pandemics include the increased use of digital resources and new teaching styles, curricula revision for encouraging educators to include more issues related to sustainable development in their teaching and greater institutional support to reduce stressful conditions and improve productivity.

Keywords: Teaching–learning relationships; Student support; Curricula restructuring; Online learning; Pandemic impacts (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s10668-024-04484-x

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