What you need to know about COVID-19 and UK universities

For thousands of new students in Britain, their first weeks of university have been all too similar to their final weeks of school, marked by lockdowns, isolation and staring at a screen. COVID-19 outbreaks have hit nearly 50 universities in the last few weeks, forcing students to self-isolate in halls of residence just days after their arrival. Unions said ministers had failed to plan for what they said was an inevitable rise in cases as large numbers of students come together in halls, lectures and seminars. Read the full article via Reuters.

‘Nobody’s Listening’: UK lecturers say their COVID fears are being ignored

Frustration among lecturers towards their universities and the government comes as students express fears over the psychological impact of the coronavirus crisis on campuses and call for money back from their tuition fees. Read the full article via the Guardian. 

The class of COVID is getting a truly terrible deal

Universities are not going to come out of this crisis unscathed. The pandemic hasn’t only forced them to find ways to continue education while suppressing virus transmission, it has raised more existential questions: Is our centuries-old model of higher education suited to the needs of today’s young people? Does it still deliver value for students and taxpayers? Read the full article via Bloomberg. 

UK universities predicted a COVID-19 crash. They got the opposite. 

British higher education had feared a sharp fall in admissions this autumn. But in fact, UK universities are heading for a ‘bumper year’ of new admissions, according to preliminary figures, defying warnings of a downturn. Data from the University and College Admissions Service (UCAS) analysed by DataHE indicates that 22 days after A-level results, 508,090 applicants had accepted places at universities. Read the full article via OZY.

UCU joins forces with NUS to lobby government for university COVID-19 changes

In a joint statement, the University and College Union (UCU) and the National Union of Students (NUS) have called for online working, students to be allowed to return home if they wish and funding guarantees to safeguard universities’ finances and protect jobs. Read the full article via Union News.