We have put plans in place to ensure all students have access to the learning facilities and specialist equipment they need, alongside a range of dynamic virtual teaching tools which our academics will use to deliver engaging and challenging online learning and teaching. We're achieving this by:
- Ensuring all students have access to the specialist facilities, technology and software needed for their courses.
- Providing safe group learning and rich resources to support the highest quality teaching.
- Creating learning communities and opportunities to meet students from other courses through a blend of multi-media and campus-based activity.
- Launching our Transformation Academy to guarantee all students experience outstanding learning, teaching and student support, both online and on campus.
- Setting up a technology bursary fund for students who need support accessing IT equipment.
- Expanding our online support services to ensure help and guidance is only ever one click away.
Changes to keep us all safe
We have also adapted our campus to provide a safe and welcoming environment where students can continue to enjoy the university experience they deserve.
- Using scheduling systems, block teaching and extended teaching days and weeks to limit the number of students on campus at any one time
- Adapting our workshops, laboratories and studios to ensure they can be used safely and providing PPE where necessary.
- Introducing social distancing measures across campus, including managed walking routes with one-way navigation where possible.
- Providing bicycles for loan and spacious bike parks to help avoid public transport.
- Providing easy access sanitiser stations at main building entrances.
- Staff and students are encouraged to wear face coverings for general movement around campus.
- Providing face coverings where essential and in areas where social distancing cannot be maintained.
- Ensuring easy access to self-service takeaway food and drink stations to minimise queues.
- Running an enhanced cleaning programme throughout all our university buildings.
Next steps
We will be continuing work on these plans as we monitor changing circumstances and respond to the latest Government guidance. We know students will be keen to know more about what these changes will mean for them, their courses and their plans for September, and we will share this information as soon as we can.
In the meantime, over the coming weeks we will be adding to our frequently asked questions with more detail, so please keep checking back here. We hope this information allows our students to start looking forward to the exciting next steps in their academic journey and to feel confident that whatever the next year brings we are ready to support them.