The impact of pandemic : Covid-19 on space management

Abstract

Pandemic made a huge change in space utilization where people, especially the students at higher institutions, are attending classes from home instead of sitting in the lecture hall, having lunch at the university union building, exchanging ideas at the university compound, or seeking advice from the lecturers. Since March 2020, public space and physical distancing restrictions have been the main policy measures to reduce Covid-19 transmission and secure public health. COVID-19 is likely to lead to certain permanent or long-lasting experiences. Although the online platforms could ease the daily task, as humans, we are surrounded by and use the space as a component of building rigorously. By the time, when the pandemic ends, we will probably see a new world, a new lexicon, a new social norm with far-reaching economic and social destruction. Colleges and universities are grappling with decisions of how and when to welcome students back to campus during the Covid -19 pandemic. The Covid -19 pandemic has forced many organizations to undergo significant transformation, rethinking key elements of their business processes and use of technology to maintain operations whilst adhering to a changing landscape of guidelines and new procedures. Adhering to the predicament of space utilization, this study focused on space management in IIUM aiming at the impact of Covid-19 on space management in IIUM. As a public university IIUM has been put to a halt and the usage of spaces at the campus conforms to rules accord to MCO regulations. Hence, this research applied a method of optimizing the qualitative data commonly used in social research. The secondary data from the published materials and an interview with the facility manager from DBSB. Due to limited access to the campus, the research used a purposive sample of respondents. The research also correlates with the relationship between the impacts of pandemic and space management. The research also probes into the factors affecting space management during pandemic. The study found out that there is a significant impact on the utilization of space as well as the awareness of the respondents that represent the public on cleanliness, health cautious and fear of the virus. The study also discovers the advantage of this current time to explore what enabled institutions and students to quickly shift to virtual learning, the unrecognized benefits of online learning, and how the campuses can be improved in the future. There is no doubt that the current pandemic causes several long-term changes that should also be associated with the sphere of space management. Planners, designers, architects, landscape managers and journalists are already writing about how this crisis will transform our relationship with public space. Operations and maintenance are now becoming more important as cleanliness is the top priority in maintaining the campuses. Besides that, the university leaders are facing challenges due to the pandemic. This is because they need to create a solution to adapt to changes that can accommodate social distancing more readily and efficiently than in spaces with fixed stations. By creating solutions, universities can overcome any situation that might occur in the future. Universities must develop improved experiences that can continue benefiting students when they are back on campus.