Course Details

Business Continuity Management for Educational Institutions Training Course

Introduction

In an increasingly complex and unpredictable world, educational institutions, from primary schools to universities, face a diverse array of potential disruptions – ranging from public health emergencies and cybersecurity attacks to natural disasters and social unrest. The ability to maintain academic continuity, ensure student and staff safety, protect critical research, and sustain administrative operations is paramount for institutional reputation, financial viability, and the well-being of the entire academic community. Our intensive 10-day "Business Continuity Management for Educational Institutions" training course is meticulously designed to equip educators, administrators, safety officers, and IT professionals with the specialized knowledge and practical frameworks required to develop, implement, and maintain robust Business Continuity Management (BCM) programs tailored to the unique environment and critical mission of educational institutions.

This comprehensive program delves into the specific challenges of ensuring academic program continuity, managing student and staff welfare during crises, protecting sensitive data, and adapting to rapidly evolving circumstances. Participants will gain in-depth understanding of how to conduct an education-specific Business Impact Analysis, prioritize essential teaching, research, and administrative functions, design resilient learning environments (both physical and virtual), and establish effective communication and support protocols for students, faculty, and parents. By the end of this specialized training, you will be proficient in establishing a resilient BCM framework that not only safeguards academic operations and institutional assets but also ensures the continuous pursuit of education and the well-being of the academic community in the face of any unforeseen challenge.

Duration

10 Days

Target Audience

The "Business Continuity Management for Educational Institutions" training course is essential for a wide range of professionals within schools, colleges, universities, and other educational organizations who are responsible for student safety, academic programs, and institutional operations. This includes:

• University/School Administrators: Presidents, Vice-Chancellors, Principals, Deans, Department Heads.
• Emergency Preparedness and Safety Officers: Responsible for campus safety, security, and emergency response.
• IT Directors and Managers: Overseeing academic systems, student records, and network infrastructure.
• Business Continuity Managers/Coordinators: Specifically focused on BCM program development within educational institutions.
• Student Affairs and Student Welfare Professionals: Directly responsible for student well-being during crises.
• Human Resources Professionals: Managing staff welfare, policies, and availability during disruptions.
• Academic Leaders: Including faculty heads and program directors, focusing on continuity of teaching and research.
• Facilities Managers: Responsible for campus buildings, utilities, and physical security.
• Risk Management Professionals: Identifying and mitigating institutional risks.
• Communications and Public Relations Staff: Managing internal and external messaging during crises.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of the "Business Continuity Management for Educational Institutions" training course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the unique threats, vulnerabilities, and critical functions within educational institutions.
• Interpret and apply relevant local and international guidelines for safety and continuity in education.
• Conduct an education-specific Business Impact Analysis (BIA) to prioritize academic, administrative, and support services.
• Define appropriate Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) for learning environments and data.
• Develop robust continuity strategies for teaching, research, student support, and administrative operations.
• Implement effective communication and support protocols for students, faculty, staff, and parents during crises.
• Understand and plan for diverse scenarios, including public health emergencies, campus security incidents, and natural disasters.
• Plan and execute realistic exercises and drills to validate the effectiveness of institutional continuity plans.
• Ensure the BCM program aligns with student safeguarding principles and academic accreditation requirements.
• Contribute significantly to maintaining academic continuity, student well-being, and institutional reputation during disruptions.

Course Modules

Module 1: Unique Context of BCM in Education

• Defining BCM for educational institutions: academic continuity, student safety, reputational integrity.
• Understanding unique threats: pandemics, active assailants, campus protests, data breaches of student records, facility failures.
• The impact of disruptions on learning outcomes, research activities, student enrollment, and funding.
• Overview of relevant guidelines and best practices for educational institution continuity (e.g., specific Ministry of Education directives).
• Challenges unique to educational BCM: diverse stakeholder groups, transient populations, funding models.

Module 2: Governance and Policy for Academic Continuity

• Establishing a robust BCM governance structure within the educational institution (e.g., BCM Committee).
• Developing BCM policies and charters that reflect the institution's mission and values.
• Defining clear roles, responsibilities, and accountability for BCM across academic and administrative departments.
• Ensuring leadership commitment and allocation of resources for continuity initiatives.
• Integrating BCM with emergency management, student welfare, and campus security.

Module 3: Business Impact Analysis (BIA) for Academic & Support Functions

• Conducting a BIA focused on critical academic functions (e.g., course delivery, research labs, admissions, graduation).
• Identifying essential administrative services (e.g., payroll, student registration, financial aid).
• Determining RTOs and RPOs for learning platforms, student data, research data, and administrative systems.
• Assessing the impact of disruption on student progression, research deadlines, and institutional accreditation.
• Mapping interdependencies between academic departments, IT systems, student services, and external partners.

Module 4: Continuity Strategies for Academic Programs

• Strategies for maintaining teaching and learning continuity (e.g., transition to online learning, blended models, alternative venues).
• Contingency plans for critical research activities and lab access.
• Developing alternative methods for assessment and examination delivery.
• Ensuring access to learning resources (e.g., library databases, virtual labs) during disruptions.
• Plans for faculty and staff support for academic continuity.

Module 5: IT Disaster Recovery (DR) for Education Systems

• Ensuring resilience of Learning Management Systems (LMS), student information systems, and administrative databases.
• Data backup, replication, and restoration for student records, academic research data, and financial information.
• Cybersecurity measures and recovery from cyberattacks targeting educational networks.
• Strategies for cloud-based academic and administrative applications.
• Compliance with data privacy regulations (e.g., relevant data protection acts in Kenya) for student and staff data.

Module 6: Student & Staff Welfare and Support Strategies

• Developing emergency communication plans for students, faculty, staff, and parents/guardians.
• Strategies for providing counseling, mental health support, and other welfare services during crises.
• Plans for student housing, meal provision, and transportation in emergency situations.
• Protocols for managing infectious disease outbreaks among the student and staff population.
• Ensuring accessibility and support for students with disabilities during disruptions.

Module 7: Campus Operations & Facilities Continuity

• Strategies for managing campus closures, restricted access, and phased re-opening.
• Ensuring continuity of essential utilities (power, water, internet) for campus facilities.
• Contingency plans for laboratories, specialized equipment, and research infrastructure.
• Physical security measures and emergency access control for campus buildings.
• Coordination with local emergency services for campus-specific incidents.

Module 8: Supply Chain & Third-Party Continuity for Education

• Identifying critical suppliers (e.g., food services, cleaning, security, technology vendors, textbook providers).
• Strategies for diversifying supply sources for essential educational materials and services.
• Developing contractual agreements with vendors that include BCM clauses and emergency support.
• Managing logistics for emergency supplies, IT equipment, and educational resources.
• Addressing reliance on public transport or external services for student and staff access.

Module 9: Testing, Exercising & Validation in Educational BCM

• Designing and conducting various types of exercises (tabletop, drills, full-scale) for education-specific scenarios.
• Involving students, faculty, administrative staff, and emergency services in drills.
• Evaluating exercise performance against academic continuity and student safety objectives.
• Documenting lessons learned, identifying gaps, and implementing corrective actions.
• Compliance with regulatory and accreditation requirements for regular testing.

Module 10: BCM Maintenance, Audit & Continuous Improvement in Education

• Establishing a continuous review and update cycle for educational BCM plans.
• Integrating BCM updates with changes in academic programs, technology, and campus demographics.
• Conducting internal and external audits of educational BCM programs against standards and guidelines.
• Addressing audit findings and implementing continuous improvement initiatives.
• Fostering a culture of preparedness and resilience across the entire academic community.

CERTIFICATION

• Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued with Macskills Training and Development Institute Certificate

TRAINING VENUE

• Training will be held at Macskills Training Centre. We also tailor make the training upon request at different locations across the world.

AIRPORT PICK UP AND ACCOMMODATION

• Airport pick up and accommodation is arranged upon request

TERMS OF PAYMENT

Payment should be made to Macskills Development Institute bank account before the start of the training and receipts sent to info@macskillsdevelopment.com