COVID-19 FAQ | Technological Leadership Institute

On March 12, 2021, The University of Minnesota announced plans to return to in-person, on-campus learning for the fall semester of 2021. You can read the full announcement here. Barring any major changes with COVID-19 or the vaccine rollout, TLI plans to follow the University's plan. Like many of you, we are eager to return to the classroom and engage face-to-face once again.  

TLI plans to hold all courses in-person in the 2021-22 academic year. However, depending on the timing and rollout of the vaccine there may be certain, rare circumstances in which an instructor will need to conduct classes remotely. Class schedules with more details on the teaching method of each individual course will be released by our Educational Services team in late July.

The health and safety of our students, faculty and staff is our top priority. If you have specific safety or health concerns, please contact one of our admissions associates or your Director of Graduate Studies to discuss further.

TLI plans to be fully in-person for the 2021-22 academic year, but should online instruction be needed at some point students can rest assured they will receive the same quality content and high-caliber instruction from industry-leading experts whether they are learning remotely or in the classroom. To ensure that, most courses delivered remotely will be done so synchronously as they were done with great success during the 2020-21 academic school year. The robust classroom discussions that allow our students to share and learn from one another’s diverse backgrounds are a cornerstone of our programs. We found conducting remote learning live, in real-time preserves that experience. The efficiency of remote learning also allows instructors and students to get the most out of their time together. We also believe live remote learning provides an added benefit by providing students the opportunity to learn to collaborate and lead in a virtual environment that may well be our “next normal”. 

While the high-quality, relevant content will remain the same, the physical experience may look different for the safety and protection of everyone. Guidelines are likely to change throughout the spring and summer months. The University of Minnesota closely monitors guidelines from the Minnesota Governor's office, Minnesota Department of Health, and the CDC. The U of M currently requires masks to be worn in all indoor facilities and some outdoor locations on campus. Students are required to following social distancing protocol. While we are excited to get back to the classroom and see our students face-to-face, we want to ensure it is a safe environment for everyone and will continue to follow the protocol set forth by the University.

As technology leaders, we know the importance of adapting to evolving situations and environments. As we found last year, it is impossible to predict how long a specific protocol will be in place but our commitment to a high-quality, executive education remains unchanged. You can feel confident knowing you will be receiving the knowledge and leadership skills needed to advance your career.