Will university students return to campus after COVID-19?

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced major challenges to higher education. Many students had to partake in a predominantly virtual educational and social university experience, which inevitably affected travel behaviour around university campuses. The purpose of this study was to explore how student travel behaviour may shape post-COVID-19. Using the University of Southampton as an example, a survey combining stated and revealed preference methods with students was carried out. The responses were analysed using binary logistic regression and the results suggested that students were most inclined to travel to campus for learning and assessment activities, extracurricular activities, individual/group studying and events. A particularly interesting finding was that even if virtual alternatives to several of these activities were offered, they were unlikely to deter students from travelling to campus. This suggests that despite changes in the delivery of higher education activities, university campuses are likely to remain focal points of student life post-COVID-19.