Abstract:

The aim of this paper is to analyze the changes in Spanish university guidance since the pandemic. The impact of COVID-19 on academic and career guidance has been analyzed by seven international organizations in the study 'Career guidance policy and practice in the pandemic'. The results of a joint international survey were obtained from June to August 2020.

Of the different and interesting conclusions of the aforementioned study, we focus on three, with the aim of contrasting whether or not they coincide with the reality of Spanish universities in the year of the pandemic:
- The need for guidance grew as a result of the health crisis and that this was key to recovery.
- The use of new technologies in counseling was accelerated by the pandemic.
- The coronavirus crisis generated more cooperation between counselors and other professionals.

Our analysis covers the entire Spanish university system, although in some cases the examples will be limited to specific universities.

Based on the analysis of information specifically aimed at students since the beginning of the pandemic from all Spanish public universities (published on the Ministry of Universities website) and from some private universities (through their websites), we contrast each of the three previous conclusions, applying them to the three stages of guidance we analyzed: the transition from high school to university, the university stage and the transition to the labor market. For the analysis of the third conclusion, we have turned not only to information from the universities but also to that of other institutions involved, such as the Ministry of Universities and the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (Crue).

From the analysis, we can conclude that:
1) From the onset of the pandemic, the concept of guidance took on a new dimension. The appearance of the COVID-19 confronted both counselors and students with new situations, with no past reference and with a degree of future uncertainty as never before.
2) The need for guidance grew during the pandemic and all universities made an enormous effort to accompany students during these months.
3) Some universities also placed special emphasis on helping and accompanying students with specific needs, not only by providing direct assistance to this group, but also by offering professors the information and training necessary to help these students in non-classroom teaching.
4) The use of new technologies increased significantly during the pandemic. The different units related to guidance expanded their online services and, in some cases, generated new lines of guidance.
5) Virtual Job Fairs prepared students for insertion in the labor market.
6) Cooperation between university and non-university institutions was especially important with regard to external student internships, which, due to their face-to-face nature, were paralyzed or semi-paralyzed in some cases. Since these are agreements between companies, institutions and universities in which the tutorial work of all parties involved is fundamental, collaboration between them became especially important.
7) Guidance and accompaniment of students proved more necessary than ever, given that students found themselves in an uncertain period and facing a future of crisis.

Keywords:

University guidance, COVID-19, Cooperation.