Covid warns as one million students return to university

UK universities are urged to scrap face-to-face teaching plans until Christmas to prevent a second wave of coronavirus.

The academics union, UCU, said that more than a million students moving around the country was “a recipe for disaster.”

UCU leader Jo Grady said colleges were unprepared and risking becoming “second wave residences.”

But university heads say they have worked hard to plan for a safe return to all aspects of student life.

When the students return in September, they are expected to comply with new policies on the use of face covers and social distancing protocols.

In the meantime, there will be security partitions to keep them separate, as well as more cleaning and ventilation and smaller classrooms where face-to-face teaching takes place.

When the national lockdown measures were implemented in late March, universities canceled lectures, tutorials, and some exams. However, many continued their lessons and lectures online, and even took final exams remotely.

Universities facing ‘crazy demand’ from students

Students back in college, but with masks and no bars

What if I still don’t have the place I want? And other questions

During the summer, colleges have been preparing for the return of their students, with most promising a combination of face-to-face and online learning, or “blended learning,” with students learning in extended groups of “bubbles.”

But few, if any, universities have taken the step of telling their students not to move into their housing.

Ms Grady said that having tens of thousands of students heading to cities across the UK “runs the risk of causing incalculable harm to people’s health and exacerbating the worst public health crisis of our lives.”

She said: “We are very concerned that universities, and the UK in general, are simply not prepared for the mass migration of more than a million students.”

“In particular, we are concerned that students are moving from high-risk areas to areas with fewer cases.”

She said she was particularly concerned about the risk of the virus spreading in cities with large student populations.

Ms Grady said: “If we look at some key cities: Manchester has 100,000 students; Birmingham is not far behind with 80,000; and Leicester has 40,000.

“All of these are cities that have had some kind of local blockade and have come out of it or are about to enter one.”

She added: “We don’t have a track and trace that works. [system]We do not have UK wide exams for college bound students, or regular post exams.

“We are really concerned about the congregation of young people in the residences and what this will mean in terms of transmission.

“We do not believe that there are sufficient security measures,” he added.

The union said it supported the position of the Independent Sage committee that has called for online learning to be the default position for universities.

The already difficult situation, with universities doing their best to incorporate socially distanced forms of work, has been compounded by higher than expected student numbers this year, he said.

‘No regular testing’

The exam crisis over the summer meant that many more students finally achieved the necessary grades to get into college, following the government’s last-minute change of mind on the grades assessed by the school.

UCU says there will be challenges to ditching the blended learning approach and replacing it with online-only teaching.

But Ms Grady said it was time for the government “to finally take some decisive and responsible action in this crisis and tell universities to abandon face-to-face teaching.”

He also called on the government to cover any lost revenue from college fees and to support students who have trouble connecting remotely.

National Student Union President Larissa Kennedy said universities should only offer face-to-face teaching for lab-based and hands-on courses.

“Teaching in person should only take place if it can be delivered safely to all staff and students, and social distancing guidelines and other safety measures can be maintained,” he said.

She backed calls for more student support with remote learning and urged colleges to work with their student unions on decisions about the best way to reopen campuses.

Universities UK President Julia Buckingham said: “Many staff members want to return to teaching, research and other activities in person, where it is safe and appropriate.”

They are also aware of the benefits of in-person teaching and support for the well-being and development of students, he said.

“The dedication shown throughout the confinement and recovery has been remarkable,” he added.

‘Constant review’

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said: “We are confident that universities are well prepared for the return of students by taking steps such as introducing social distancing on campus, limiting travel requirements for classes and teaching. staggered over extended days to reduce numbers on site.

“Opening universities is part of the Prime Minister’s cautious roadmap, and it is important that we continue to open educational environments where it is safe to do so.

“We support face-to-face teaching only when possible and if safety guidelines are followed, but we know that high-quality online teaching can also be delivered if required.

“We keep our guidance under constant review and are currently updating our advice on reopening higher education buildings and campuses to reflect the latest public health advice, including on face coverings, local closures and testing and tracking.”