The University's Centre for Environmental Education and Research (CEER) was involved in a study on the impacts of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the shutdown it triggered at universities across the world focusing on social isolation among staff and students.
The aim of this study was to identify the perceived consequences of this on staff and their work and on students and their studies at universities.
The study used a variety of methods, which involved an on-line survey on the influences of social isolation using non-probability sampling.
More specifically, two techniques were used, namely convenience sampling, supported by snowball sampling. A total of 711 questionnaires from 41 countries including Malta were received.
Descriptive statistics were deployed to analyse trends and to identify socio-demographic differences. Inferential statistics were used to assess significant differences among the geographical regions, work areas and other socio-demographic factors related to impacts of social isolation of university staff and students.
The peer reviewed publication that resulted from this study has now been published on BMC Public Health and is available .
