Petroc collaboration on COVID-19 app

As colleges grappled with the return to face-to-face teaching, which the government encouraged at the start of the autumn term 2020, there were crucial decisions to make.

While musing over these problems during the summer, Sean Mackney, Principal at Petroc, realised that data modelling could help.

Sean decided to seek help, which he found at the University of Exeter’s institute for data science and artificial intelligence.

Working under Professor Gavin Shaddick, data scientists had already developed COVID-19 prediction models for Devon NHS trusts, and readily agreed to help Sean and colleagues at the Association of Colleges (AoC) create something similar for the education sector.

As a result, an app unique to further education was launched in early November, which means colleges can be proactive, rather than reactive, around COVID-19 outbreaks and rises in infection rates. The app has already been shortlisted for an AoC Beacon Award.

Find out more about the app and the process taken to create it.