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In the year of 2020, our teachers, students and everyone at Aalto, experienced a rapid transition to a digital working model. The transition went smoothly, as our university was already fully prepared for it thanks to the years of work of the Digital Aalto program. In the future, technology will be developed to support more flexible hybrid teaching.

‘During the pandemic, we have shown that we have done the right things and that all Aalto community members have the necessary digital skills and abilities’, says Kati Hagros, Aalto's Chief Digital Officer.

Already, 90 percent of courses can be completed remotely using existing platforms and support. Only some laboratory and workshop courses do not include digital components. In addition, 80 percent of exams can already be held digitally. The work done towards digitalisation has also been visible to students, as based on opinion polls, most Aalto University students have so far been satisfied with the development of technology.

Furthermore, it is important to constantly develop things. For example, remote learning brings new kinds of challenges from the experience of participation and community. At the moment, the university is considering solutions on how to improve the study experience of distance participants and how hybrid teaching will be organized in the future.

Learning for the future utilizes the hybrid model and brings flexibility to studies

Hybrid capability refers to a teaching model in which teaching takes place both online and on campus. In just over 50 of the teaching facilities in Aalto, simultaneous hybrid readiness already exists. The facilities will be renovated and plans for the AV modernization of the next more than 60 facilities already exist. When teaching is slowly transferred back to campus, for the sake of technology, it is also possible to follow the teaching remotely and the lectures can be recorded for later use.

In the future, the digitalisation of studies will mean more flexible studies, a digitally supported study experience and greater utilization of data and analytics. We are constantly monitoring new innovative teaching tools and developing course offerings and teaching facilities to be flexible and suitable for different situations.

‘In line with our new strategy, we have new needs and ideas on how digitalisation can support student success, innovation and creativity in the future. We learn from current experiences and develop the best possible new hybrid work models for Aalto’, says Kati Hagros.