In April 2020, King’s Academy launched a two-day online learning event, the King’s Academy COVID-19 Symposium, offering students, teachers and the wider public the opportunity to understand, study and reflect on the current global pandemic.
Local and international experts were invited as guest speakers, such as Jordanian Minister of Health HE Dr. Saad Jaber and Minister of Finance HE Dr. Mohamad Al-Ississ. Over 60 speakers, from people working on the frontlines of the pandemic, to COVID-19 survivors, to teachers and economists, doctors, scientists, researchers, historians, artists, NGO workers, lawyers, bankers and more, delivered a series of short presentations, workshops and discussion forums addressing the COVID-19 crisis from multiple disciplinary and multi-disciplinary perspectives.
Questions such as “What is the COVID-19 virus?”, “Why has Jordan responded to the COVID-19 pandemic the way that it has?”, “What is “exponential growth and how does it help us understand how viruses spread?” and “How is this pandemic affecting the global economy?” are just a sampling of the wide range of questions posed and ensuing discussions that took place during the symposium.
The symposium, which was open to the public and shared via various social media platforms and shared via various social media platforms using the hashtag #COVID19KA, generated thousands of views and a great deal of positive engagement.
Program
Day 1: Tuesday, April 21
09:45 - 10:45
Opening Plenary: What Is COVID-19?
11:30 - 12:30
Understanding: STEM Perspectives
13:30-14:00
Stories of Survival
14:00 - 15:00
Understanding: Arts and Humanities Perspectives
Day 2: Wednesday, April 22
09:30 - 10:30
Overview and Plenary Session
10:30 - 11:15
Synthesis and Application: Guests
11:45 - 12:30
Synthesis and Application: King’s Academy Faculty
13:30 - 14:15
Closing Plenary
14:15-15:00
Closing Notes and Charge