University management during the pandemic pediod: strategic actions

Abstract

On March 12, 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic was announced worldwide, and as a result, universities had to adapt to the new reality. There were several difficulties faced in the adaptation process, both by professors and students. Universities took restrictive measures and adapted the teaching model to the online modality, as social isolation proved necessary. For decision-making to be assertive, educational institutions relied heavily on strategic planning in order to ensure the continuity of the educational cycle. Thus, the general objective of this research is to identify which strategic actions were adopted by federal universities in the Center-West region of Brazil in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic period. Methodologically, the descriptive and qualitative study was based on documental analysis of the management reports of the UFMS, UFMT, UNB, UFG and UFGD universities for the year 2020. The main results show that there was a reassessment of management, adapting its strategic planning to the in the context of the pandemic, in the studies found, the similarity of the actions taken is evident. It is concluded that there was a special care, by all universities, with students, from the release of financial resources to mental health. There was also a look at the teaching staff and servers, in which resources and training were made available so that they could carry out their activities.