Nearly two years after the Third CRES (2018) was held, the world was affected by the health, social, economic crisis generated by COVID-19. Some effects were radical and immediate, such as the loss of lives and the disruption of work and education of millions of people around the world and with large proportions in Latin America and the Caribbean. Other of these effects have yet to be evaluated, in order to make visible the lessons learned and propose strategies to confront them now and in the future; as well as to make the best possible use of the changes that are taking place, particularly in the teaching-learning relationship, the multiplicity of learning spaces and environments, and the preparation – personal, institutional, training, infrastructure and policies – for the growing integration of technology in higher education.

To guide these reflections, five questions were defined by the axis 8 team:

• What academic processes (classes, evaluations, enrollment, counseling, graduation, services, among others) and/or stakeholders (students, faculty, administrative staff, management or workers) are described by the source or referent consulted?
• How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect the normal development of the academic processes described or the performance of the actors mentioned?
• What parameters and/or circumstances served as the basis for the solutions or resolutions adopted by the HEIs to deal with the effects of the pandemic?
• What correspondence can be established between the information described and the CRES 2018/2028 guidelines, based on the solutions applied to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic?
• What are the advances and/or contributions provided, and their relevance to the established guidelines?

In addition, four major themes of analysis on the impact of COVID-19 have been proposed:

1. Redefining post-pandemic vocational education and training 
2. Challenges for inclusive and borderless higher education
3. Teacher training as a catalyst for the transformation of teaching in higher education
4. Research and extension of Higher Education Institutions and their relevance for innovation and resolution of social problems.

Leading this line of work are: Juogreidin Coromoto Cerero Ramones, Rector of Universidad Nacional Experimental Francisco de Miranda (Venezuela); Olda Maria Cano Lassonde, Vice Rector of Universidad Autónoma de Chiriquí and member of the Council of Rectors of Panama; and consultant Pedro Curi Hallal, full Professor at Universidade Federal de Pelotas (Brazil).

AXIS 8 DOCUMENTS