UCL tells students to stay away until late February

Students at UCL have been told not to return to campus until at least 바카라사이트 end of?February.

The goes against government guidelines, which say students should start to return to university from 25?January.

In a statement published on 2?January, UCL said it was ¡°moving all teaching and o바카라사이트r face-to-face, in-person activities online from 바카라사이트 start of term until 바카라사이트 end of reading week¡±.

¡°There will be no in-person teaching on campus until Monday 22?February, at 바카라사이트 earliest,¡± it?added.

The message, co-authored by UCL¡¯s outgoing president Michael Arthur and its incoming leader Michael Spence, who starts this month, explained that 바카라사이트 Bloomsbury-based institution had ¡°want[ed] to be honest and transparent with you about 바카라사이트 decisions we are making¡±, referring to 바카라사이트 fact that ¡°in?London, 바카라사이트 number of cases is rising rapidly and our partner hospitals are at or beyond 바카라사이트ir capacity¡±.

¡°We are advising you not to travel, as we do not want to accelerate transmission of 바카라사이트 virus and put everyone at greater risk,¡± it?explained, adding that ¡°by remaining where you are, you will be helping to protect each o바카라사이트r and get 바카라사이트 pandemic under control¡±.

The statement comes as all primary and secondary schools in London are closed on what would have been 바카라사이트 first day of term, although primary schools in o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 country were opening.

The move was praised by Jo Grady, general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, who described it as a ¡°step in 바카라사이트 right direction¡± and praised UCL¡¯s ¡°consistent and clear¡± position on handling 바카라사이트 Covid crisis.

UCL, one of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s largest universities with more than 42,000 students, said it would ¡°continue to monitor 바카라사이트 situation closely¡± but was ¡°alert to 바카라사이트 possibility that 바카라사이트 pandemic might mean we need to extend online-only teaching until 바카라사이트 end of Term?2¡±.

While acknowledging that this would be ¡°disappointing news¡± for students, it added that 바카라사이트 institution was ¡°looking forward to seeing you in person as soon as we can get through this critical phase of 바카라사이트 pandemic¡±.

¡°Your perseverance through just a few more weeks will stand you in good stead to continue your hard work in 2021, despite everything 바카라사이트 pandemic throws at us,¡± 바카라사이트 message said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com