In our current edition, heads of Australian creative arts schools reflect upon how 2020 has impacted upon their teachings and research. In this edition we aim to capture the broader global perspective on the impact of 2020 on creative arts teaching and research in higher education.  We are inviting colleagues around the world to share their experiences and thoughts of how 2020 has affected their schools, staff, students and their hopes and fears for the future of creative arts in the higher education sector

We are very aware that in Australia the situation at the moment may support a somewhat quicker move towards the ‘post-COVID normal’  our colleagues in other countries are still battling the pandemic.  We would welcome any comparisons with the Australian situation, such as those highlighted in previous 2020 editions of NiTRO (https://nitro.edu.au/archive ).

While we have all experienced the challenges brought by COVID, the situation in each country is affected particularly by other factors, and by government policy responses. We read of student hardship in the UK during COVID (https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/feb/24/my-parents-cant-support-me-students-on-the-financial-strain-of-the-pandemic ) and wonder how this is affecting our emerging artists and performers. We also note that in the UK and Europe, Brexit may impact upon future student, staff and creative arts mobility, teaching and research. What are the roads forward to help maintain a creative European community?

Your contribution to NiTRO
Contributions are only short ( around 500-700 words) and we welcome different styles of writing from more formal report writing to journalistic and personal opinion/ experience styles. Contributors are also invited to add a short bio (around 100 words per author). We are able to include one or two visuals to accompany articles (JPEG or TIFF files) but require confirmation that the copyright owner gives permission for the photograph to be published in NiTRO.

The deadline for the next edition is 9 April 2021.

About NiTRO
NiTRO (https://nitro.edu.au/ ) is the online publication of the Australian Council of Deans and Directors of Creative Arts (DDCA) – https://www.ddca.edu.au/ . Named after the Australian term for creative arts research outputs – Non Traditional Research Outputs –  it is produced every six weeks during the Australian academic year. Although largely focused on Australian creative arts in higher education, we regularly feature contributions from colleagues in UK, US, and European, African and South East Asian countries.

Our regular readership includes over 10% of readers outside Australia, particularly US, UK and Europe. Readership includes staff and students in creative arts disciplines – performing arts (music, dance, theatre) art and design and creative writing. NiTRO is also read by university management and administration, media, professional artists and art organisations and non-arts academic staff and students.

NiTRO articles are regularly cited in scholarly journals and books as well as being shared widely on social media.