27 May 2020
Universities in the UK are planning to reopen student campuses from next month onwards although the focus will be on online teaching and smaller classes for on-site teaching. In order to ensure student and staff safety many UK universities are already mapping out a plan for a safe return to campus by making lectures available online and creating smaller class sizes for on campus teaching while maintaining the social distancing norms and following government advisories and regulations in the matter.
Geoff Layer, Vice Chancellor, University of Wolverhampton said, “We will be looking at a gradual return to certain buildings being open and we will develop a plan which prioritises which parts can open first”. He added further, “Social distancing has to be part of what we do, so I’d imagine we would be opening selected spaces over time”.
A combination of digital and on-site learning is being considered by Staffordshire University for courses during the 2020-21 academic year. Other UK universities that are planning a return to on-campus teaching activity with new safety measures from next month onwards or from the new academic session beginning September 2020 include Birmingham City University and Aberystwyth University.
Vice-chancellor Professor Philip Plowden at Birmingham City University said, “For next year’s students, we will be teaching our programmes on campus. There will be some changes in order to keep everyone safe – so we will teach in smaller groups; we will need to manage how buildings are used; and we will need to make sure that anyone who is vulnerable is kept safe”.
UK Universities are going ahead as planned for the September/ October 2020 intake. You can learn more about the measures taken by UK universities and the coronavirus situation by meeting them directly at the SI-UK University Fair Online on Saturday June 13. Register now for free and meet top UK universities and get free visa advice and scholarship information.
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