Responding to the Secretary of State for Education Gavin
Williamson’s latest announcement on the return of students to
universities in January 2021, Alistair Jarvis, Chief Executive of
Universities UK, said:
“We fully appreciate the public health situation has changed
quite dramatically in a very short period of time, and it is
therefore right that government and universities should look
again at plans for the start of the spring term.
“For universities, the safety and wellbeing of students and staff
is the priority and the sector will implement the new
restrictions for England announced by the UK government with
fewer students returning for face-to-face teaching, practicals
and placements in early January. Our immediate focus will be
communicating with students with as much information as we can,
as soon as we can, and reassuring them that universities will be
there to support them and provide high-quality online teaching
and learning until they can return to campus. Since the start of
the pandemic, UK universities have proved to be extremely agile
in reacting to the latest government and public health advice,
while doing all they can to keep research going and students
progressing – and the sector will once again manage these latest
changes.
“Today’s announcement will understandably raise further issues
and uncertainty – for students, universities and staff – which
will need to be addressed by government over the coming weeks,
including the need for financial support, regulatory flexibility
and assessment changes.”
