After the remarkable experience, over a month ago, of a fully digital accreditation review for the NVAO Flanders, yesterday I was finally able to contribute again to a review visit “on site” at a University in Flanders. “Covid19 style”… that is. And honestly? It was super!

It was so good to be “among people” and in a university again. Education and reviewing education is “people business””. So yeah, it was good to be able to do some real live “education talk” face-to-face. Meeting and communicating at 1,5 distance, without a screen!

It was an extra special experience: a 1,5 meters distancing meeting and all the Covid19 measures in place. And this time also not 100% face-to-face. Two of our committee members participated online. Another new set-up to get used to, but….

It works! What helps is that everyone is already a bit more used to digital contact and digital consultation situations. In that respect, we all got very experienced very quickly. But it does take some getting used to. After all, a (partly) digital review meeting results in different type of communication than a 100% face-to-face meeting on campussite. We learn to work out the most feasible option. Here too, we learn by doing and we build up experience. And that experience is valuable to cherish and make use of in the “new normal”. It is good to know that meeting each other even if (partly) digital is a way to keep things going … if travelling or being together live for whatever reason is not an option.