Hi all, been following this page for a while, it’s been really helpful. My daughter sent me this message she received from UEA today wondered if you’d all seen it
Dear students,
Since the Prime Minister’s announcement on Saturday (31 October) night regarding the impending national lockdown in England, I have been considering with the Executive Team how we can continue to fulfil our commitment to providing you with the best possible teaching and research experience.
Universities are being asked to stay open and the advice issued by the government to all students is that they should only return home at the end of term for Christmas. It is clear to me that we have a responsibility to help you continue your studies while in Norwich and to be able to benefit from the range of teaching and learning opportunities available.
Colleagues across UEA have worked really hard to provide a Covid-secure environment for teaching and learning, and our academics will continue to offer in-person face-to-face interaction where this is possible across all subject areas. We have already been more cautious than many other universities by establishing a 2m rule PLUS face coverings in our teaching spaces.
We believe that a blended approach including a range of in-person and online learning is most effective and that in-person activity is important to student experience and wellbeing. Whether for foundation and first years who have left home for the first time, our international students who have moved across the world to be with us, returning students who have looked forward so much to coming back to UEA to continue study, postgraduate and postgraduate research students or those on professional programmes facing the demands of practice learning, we recognise the importance of providing opportunities for all to establish a sense of belonging, make friends with others on their course or have the chance to interact in person with lecturers, supervisors or fellow students.
Meanwhile, we know that our research is essential to our mission and we wish to keep as much of that going through lockdown as is feasible. Laboratory and library access are crucial to much of this research as is the opportunity for face-to-face supervision for our postgraduate research students, where desired and safe.
We are fortunate as a university to have a well-developed asymptomatic testing programme and would strongly encourage students to access this for one-off or repeat testing.
I will continue to review the national guidance and adapt accordingly to support the UK’s response to this global pandemic.
I know that some students will feel anxious about the period ahead for the UK and the uncertainty that may bring. Our student services stand ready as ever to support you and if you have any concerns please do make contact with them. I know many of you will be concerned for other students, friends or those you care about, and we will look at what other support the university can provide.
I have been incredibly impressed by how we have worked together as a community over recent times to continue the important work of the University and how committed all of our students have been to pursuing their study in such difficult times. These are complex challenges we face together and, as Vice-Chancellor, I am grateful for your support.
With kind regards,
David
David Richardson
Vice-Chancellor
University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TL