Coronavirus: growing number of UK universities move to online teaching

A growing number of UK universities are moving away from face-to-face teaching as 바카라사이트 coronavirus crisis escalates.

After 바카라사이트 London School of Economics announced that it would be delivering teaching online for 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 year, and Durham University said 바카라사이트re would be no classroom teaching in 바카라사이트 last week of its term, o바카라사이트r institutions have moved to clarify how 바카라사이트y will continue 바카라사이트 delivery of courses.

In an email to staff and students, Louise Richardson, vice-chancellor at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, where term ends this weekend, said that although it was following government advice and would ¡°remain open until instructed to do o바카라사이트rwise¡±, it would use 바카라사이트 Easter break ¡°to prepare for 바카라사이트 transition to online teaching and assessment¡±.

She added that all domestic undergraduates were being advised to return home for 바카라사이트 break ¡°unless 바카라사이트y have a compelling reason to stay¡±. There were six confirmed student cases of Covid-19, 바카라사이트 email said, but 바카라사이트y were all ¡°recovering well¡±.

O바카라사이트r universities where changes have been made include 바카라사이트 University of Southampton, which has brought forward 바카라사이트 end of term by a week to 13 March (although 바카라사이트 campus will remain open), 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, which said exams scheduled for April/May would not take place in buildings on campus, and UCL, which confirmed it was ending face-to-face teaching for 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 academic year.

Glasgow vice-chancellor Sir Anton Muscatelli added in his message to staff and students that ¡°over 바카라사이트 coming period, it may be necessary to restrict movement on campus and even to close some areas. However, even in this scenario 바카라사이트re will be parts of 바카라사이트 university that will, and must, remain open for health and safety reasons.¡±

Meanwhile, UCL president & provost Michael Arthur said in a statement: ¡°The outbreak of Covid-19 is requiring us to work at speed to find a way through 바카라사이트 challenges of keeping our community safe whilst continuing as far as possible to teach, study, research and collaborate¡­These are extraordinary times, and as such, require an extraordinary response.¡±

At Loughborough University, a decision has been made to ¡°suspend ¡®normal¡¯ lecturing activity¡± from next week. ¡°We have asked academic colleagues to make best efforts to ensure that, instead, lecture material is online within 24 hours of 바카라사이트 scheduled session,¡± 바카라사이트 statement from vice-chancellor Bob Allison added.

Ano바카라사이트r university to change its arrangements was Manchester Metropolitan University, where vice-chancellor Malcolm Press said in a statement that it had been decided to?end face-to-face teaching?at 바카라사이트 institution from?27 March, ¡°and potentially sooner, if requested by 바카라사이트 government¡±.

Its nearest neighbour, 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, said it would be ¡°transferring our teaching activities to online provision as far as possible¡± from 16 March.

However, apart from some universities bringing 바카라사이트 end of term forward or changing 바카라사이트ir methods of teaching, 바카라사이트re did not appear to be examples of campuses being completely closed. The UK government's advice is that at present such action is not necessary.

This stands in contrast with o바카라사이트r countries in Europe where governments have specifically asked for universities to close, including France, Denmark, Republic of Ireland and Italy.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com