UNIVERSITIES will stagger the return of undergraduate students to campuses over at least six weeks following the Christmas break, within a package of measures to minimise the transmission of coronavirus.
With only very limited exceptions, undergraduates have been told they should initially plan to restart their studies at home and only return to campuses and accommodation when notified to do so by their universities.
University students across Scotland will also be offered Covid-19 testing to reduce the transmission throughout campuses and have been asked to restrict their social interaction for two weeks before and after returning.
Students who have remained in their accommodation throughout the Christmas holidays can continue to do so while observing the relevant area restrictions.
College students – who largely do not move away from home to go to education – should return as planned, in line with the protection level for the area their college is in at that time.
Universities and accommodation providers have been encouraged to plan the best way to manage shared accommodation in order to reduce the transmission of the virus.
It is also said that more students need to be supported through the period of isolation prior to returning to university and that lessons need to be learned from the autumn term.
Further and Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead said: “The Scottish Government, our colleges and our universities have a shared priority to ensure transmission of the coronavirus is minimised for the safety of all in our community. We also wish to see students have a positive educational experience in the coming spring term, including a blend of digital and in-person provision.”
Lochhead said that the arrangements proposed were to ensure a safe return for students and staff to university campuses.
He continued: “The spread of the virus is, however, uncertain and prevalence is stubbornly high in some areas. So we are proposing these arrangements for the forthcoming term to ensure a safe return to college and university for students, staff and wider communities, building on the positive work done by colleges and universities based on the experience of the first term.”
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