Now, several years later, hybrid is no longer a stopgap. It’s a permanent and powerful part of higher education.

Guest Lecturers Without Borders

Hybrid technology allows universities to bring industry experts, international academics, and guest lecturers directly into classrooms — often at a fraction of the cost and disruption of travel.

As one panellist noted: “An hour online is much easier than three hours travelling into London. Students get exposure to people they might otherwise never meet.”

Supporting Flexibility

Hybrid also benefits students juggling work, family, and study commitments. Flexible access means they can engage with learning even when life makes being on campus difficult.

However, managing hybrid delivery is not without challenges. Academics often struggle to engage in-person and online audiences simultaneously. Some institutions introduced “co-pilots” — staff dedicated to managing the online side — to keep the experience seamless.

The Next Phase

The first wave of hybrid rooms was often complex and unreliable. Universities are now rethinking them with simplicity in mind, stripping away unnecessary features to focus on what really matters: clear audio, crisp video, and effortless connectivity.

Hybrid is here to stay. What began as a crisis response is now enriching higher education by opening classrooms to the world.