Providing certainty in uncertain circumstances – how, when, where?
During the House of Commons Education Committee on the 18th May 2020, Nicola Dandridge, Chief Executive of the Office for Students (the university “watchdog”) stated UK universities must be “as clear as they can be” about the campus teaching and learning arrangements for student applicants in the coming academic year. She further stated UK universities must provide “clarity” so that prospective students “know what they are getting” when they accept offers. Unite Student’s most recent survey, published on 9th June 2020, also states 89% of students surveyed are keen to get back on campus once it is safe. It is however a big task for universities to meet this expectation given the uncertainty the whole sector and nation are facing from COVID-19 with the real-time challenges these unprecedented circumstances continue to present.
This blog explores the themes emerging about what the future may look like as universities begin piecing together how to operate an institution and a campus in a post-COVID world for the coming 2020/21 academic year. Students (both existing and prospective) and other sector participants including PBSA providers will be impacted if, when and how universities decide to re-open their campuses and how teaching is implemented …