No uni return til Aug/Sept

[Newgirls]

So Edin and St A have said no f2f teaching til next academic year (apart from med and some post-grad) and students should not be there unless v specific needs. Very sad that this cohort are going through this. I assume English unis will follow?

Edinburgh said this a week or two ago. Teaching there traditionally stops by Easter anyway with only exams and assessments until May. Most English unis run longer into June so those may still offer teaching after Easter.

Will the English unis open just for end April to start June? I think they may take this as a reason to be consistent and all stay ‘closed’ til next year. Oxbridge have shorter terms so can’t see them opening? I realise teaching us still happening btw - this is about f2f, labs, drama studios etc not happening

With the 2 semesters of teaching (in a normal year) and 3rd semester exams only it was inevitable for the old Scottish unis. Perhaps some of the English unis with teaching planned after April will be able to do some f2f.

DD stayed in Edinburgh (actually came home for one week over Christmas) and they've been told that anyone who has stayed or has since returned needs to stay put over the spring holidays too. I suspect some will be regretting returning now.

@ClerkMaxwell

With the 2 semesters of teaching (in a normal year) and 3rd semester exams only it was inevitable for the old Scottish unis. Perhaps some of the English unis with teaching planned after April will be able to do some f2f.

DD stayed in Edinburgh (actually came home for one week over Christmas) and they've been told that anyone who has stayed or has since returned needs to stay put over the spring holidays too. I suspect some will be regretting returning now.

Dd was planning to stay put over Easter anyway, in the hope that restrictions will ease and to meet assessment deadlines. Her friends are largely overseas students so would not travel for such as short break.

Dds (Warwick) cancelled all labs this term and have geared the course to cover other aspects to free up time in term 3 which starts towards the end of April.

I'd like to think that she will be back then. It maybe if vaccine is available and all risk groups and keyworkers are vaccinated that they can vaccine students given they are probably spreading the disease Asymptomatic.

I don’t know if anywhere that does any teaching after Easter so in that sense this isn’t really news is it?

We were told yesterday that all exams will be 'open book' and done at home in May, I'm at an English uni. So no exam season. Our second semester finishes at the end of May, so although they say they are planning limited f2f teaching as soon as possible I can't actually see it happening. We only had 1 45 minute f2f seminar even when we were allowed in, then there were a couple of local lockdowns when cases went up and we had 2 f2f sessions, then the November lockdown when students not living on campus decided in the majority not to travel in for 45 minutes.

I’d be really surprised if they said anything sooner.

@VanCleefArpels

I don’t know if anywhere that does any teaching after Easter so in that sense this isn’t really news is it?

It’s news if students in uni accom were hoping to go back at Easter. I think it’s a strong indication they won’t.

@LIZS: DD was also planning to stay. In fact will stay right to her lease end in May for work.

They won't be able to stop people returning home permanently for the spring holidays but I guess they won't be able to return to uni accommodation.

Yes it’s mostly first years and others in uni owned accom that will be stuck at home

@Newgirls good point well made! My student is 2nd year living in private house so I’m not thinking about Halls any more. Last year everyone was sent home just before the end of term in March for the first lockdown and we were not charged the 3rd instalment of halls rent as long as the room was emptied out. Exams were open book done at home and it worked out OK in the end.

It’s certainly saving my dd some money as she’s getting refunded. That’s something at least!

Warwick term 3 does not start till 26th April and goes through to 3rd July. Certainly the Bioscience courses are looking to be back because lab work may affect accreditation.

Accommodation waiver is until 8th March I really cannot see them extending this unless the government prohibit return.

We are being told to expect to be back in the classroom from 8 March, should the government give us the go-ahead. Even if only one student turns up for class. Colleagues who have spent lockdown abroad have been told to fly back to the U.K. and complete quarantine by then. I’m expecting to be teaching some students f2f and the rest online as some won’t return for just two weeks of term.

It would be amazing to be back in March but won’t they want a gap between schools opening and more things opening up? Schools is prob going to be staggered?

I hope they all go back in March but that seems optimistic.

@Frazzled6

Warwick term 3 does not start till 26th April and goes through to 3rd July. Certainly the Bioscience courses are looking to be back because lab work may affect accreditation.

Accommodation waiver is until 8th March I really cannot see them extending this unless the government prohibit return.

Is it not exams for most of that term? Do they teach right til the end? That’s unusual?

The Bioscience Exams seem to be every few weeks and all contribute to the year end results which on dds course is just 6 percent. So yes it's teaching through to year end and because labs could not be conducted in term 2 inclusion of lots of labs in term 3.

F2f tutorials until end of year too. I think Scotland are different because term starts earlier.

Interesting that tutorials continue until end of term - thanks. I wonder if they will happen for all.

The tutorials have helped dd, because the first term they were actual f2f.. So her group of 7 got to know each other (went to library and had a take out coffee etc.). It's meant that now the tutorials are live online each week they all have their cameras open and do interact with questions, presentations etc. I believe this has been an issue with a lot of universities where students have their camera off etc.

I work at Glasgow Uni. I've been told my entire fixed term contract (ending in November) will be online and that no one is expected back on campus before September except for e.g. medicine and veterinary but even that will be limited.

I think it’s all Scottish unis then? Ox and cam next? Then we shall see what the English unis say. Will they open for a term or half a term? We shall see.

@Frazzled6

F2f tutorials until end of year too. I think Scotland are different because term starts earlier.

They start later after Xmas. So St. Andrews terms start at start of Feb.

It looks to be due to a difference in terms. Am I right in thinking Scottish unis just have two long terms? Most English universities have 3 terms... Dd has 9 to 10 weeks until 3rd term begins and then it lasts for 10 weeks. It's not great missing such a long period away from university.