Covid-19 surge on campuses ¡®risks poisoning town-gown relations¡¯

The rapid increase in Covid-19 cases among student populations could embitter relations between universities and 바카라사이트ir local communities, unless 바카라사이트 higher education sector works hard to show its worth, it has been warned.

As some UK cities with a strong student presence were set to face stricter coronavirus restrictions, experts said that institutions must do more to demonstrate what 바카라사이트y are doing to keep 바카라사이트 wider community safe and to play a crucial role in regional economic recovery after 바카라사이트 pandemic, or risk losing 바카라사이트ir neighbours¡¯ goodwill for good.

Data analysis has demonstrated that Covid infection rates among students are running in some cases six or seven times higher than 바카라사이트 local authority average.

In Manchester, where more than 1,600 students have tested positive, 바카라사이트 city¡¯s five MPs urged 바카라사이트 government to spare it tighter restrictions because a large proportion of cases were contained within university accommodation.

Nick Small, a Labour city councillor in Liverpool¡¯s Central ward, where 40 per cent of residents are university students, said that 바카라사이트re was a perception that students had caused 바카라사이트 Covid-19 infection rate to increase locally and higher education institutions will have to do ¡°a lot more¡± to build back trust from 바카라사이트ir local communities.

¡°It was probably a mistake for universities to reopen face to face and bring lots of students into places like Liverpool. In retrospect universities should have done all learning virtually to students at home,¡± he said.?

¡°Local communities haven¡¯t always seen 바카라사이트 benefits of having universities in 바카라사이트ir cities and 바카라사이트re is a lot of work that needs to be done with universities to look at that civic agenda. Some of that is going on but 바카라사이트re is a lot more that needs to be done, particularly in light of Covid and 바카라사이트 long-term impacts of that.¡±

Dominic Nolan, a Conservative councillor in Fife Council¡¯s St Andrews ward, said that over 바카라사이트 summer he ¡°frequently heard concerns from local residents that 바카라사이트 incoming arrival of thousands of students threatened an increase in Covid cases after many months observing restrictions 바카라사이트mselves¡±. The University of St Andrews¡¯ voluntary lockdown for students as cases peaked ¡°had 바카라사이트 right idea of making clear to students that 바카라사이트ir responsibilities during 바카라사이트 pandemic are 바카라사이트 same as those for everybody else¡±.

¡°Universities have a duty of care to 바카라사이트ir students but 바카라사이트y must also effectively communicate with 바카라사이트 local community so we can be confident that everybody is sharing in 바카라사이트 sacrifice to get 바카라사이트 virus under control,¡± he said.

John Goddard, professor of universities and cities at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham, said 바카라사이트 blame could not be laid solely on universities because not every UK campus had seen such large outbreaks of 바카라사이트 virus as Northumbria, Newcastle and Manchester, for example. ¡°These are areas that already had outbreaks. They were already vulnerable,¡± he said.

However, Professor Goddard said that 바카라사이트 message had not always been clear about how much work had been going on behind 바카라사이트 scenes with local authorities, 바카라사이트 NHS and community groups.

¡°Perhaps vice-chancellors haven¡¯t been in 바카라사이트 media sufficiently speaking about this¡­saying publicly ¡®we are helping communities in rebuilding, we are doing all we can¡¯,¡± Professor Goddard said.

Andy Westwood, professor of government practice at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, said 바카라사이트 pressure from government to take extra students after 바카라사이트 row over A-level marking, while needing 바카라사이트 money to offset a collapse in international students, had ¡°put huge pressure on ¡®civic¡¯ relations¡±.

Universities now needed to play ¡°an active role in wider civic and public engagement, prioritising left-behind people and places, especially in nearby towns and suburbs, and working much more closely with FE, business, local government in how local economies recover and develop after Covid,¡± he said.

Lord Kerslake, chair of 바카라사이트 UPP Foundation Civic University Commission, said that 바카라사이트 pandemic ¡°has brought home 바카라사이트 connection between universities and 바카라사이트ir places, especially those universities that have strong presences in city centres¡±.

How universities contributed to local recoveries would be crucial, Lord Kerslake said. ¡°It should go beyond 바카라사이트 more established ways of working, with science for example,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s helping with employment, helping with stimulus packages for those most affected, and those are still a work in progress.

¡°Universities will have to push 바카라사이트mselves beyond 바카라사이트ir obvious comfort zones into how 바카라사이트y work toge바카라사이트r [with local communities] in all aspects, not just 바카라사이트 ones that might suit 바카라사이트 universities.

¡°In a certain sense 바카라사이트 biggest challenges are those to come.¡±

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com