Managing Covid-19 on campus: what have IIUM learned ?

• Main Author: Ahmad, Zeti Azreen
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: H61.8 Communication of information
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/87018/1/87018_MANAGING%20COVID-19%20ON%20CAMPUS_new.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/87018/
• Institution: Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia

The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed unprecedented impacts to mankind. At the outset, the novel coronavirus has put many countries around the world on lockdown. Since then, the livelihood of the global community has changed 360 degree. The term ‘new norms’ has become a buzz words and touted as a mandatory practice to safeguard life against the pandemic. A severe public health crisis such as COVID-19 has caused a great challenge to life and livelihood. Drawing from a discourse of renewal theory (DRT) this study argues that crisis offers both threat and opportunity. The theory emphasizes on organisational learning from a crisis, thus serves as a turning point for organisation to do better in the future. Managing a public health crisis requires a concerted effort from every layer in society including organisations. The institute of higher learning is not spared in this public health crisis. The university’s crisis management team need to ensure that all preventive measures are in place to keep its internal stakeholders; staffs and students safe. This study aims to examine the response strategy adopted by the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) to protect the internal stakeholders from the lethal virus while continuing with their livelihood. Besides, what the university has learned, ethical communication and future oriented vision of moving beyond the crisis will also sought. This qualitative will provide an evidence-based guideline to the institute of higher learning to develop a better crisis management plan in managing health crisis in the future. The study also hopes to contribute to field of crisis management in dealing with a severe pandemic in the 21st century from the discourse of renewal perspective.