The Meadow Building, part of the University of Oxford’s Christ Church College
Universities yesterday cancelled exams, lectures and seminars in defiance of Government advice.
Oxford scaled back face-to-face teaching while Bristol was among those bringing forward their Easter break by at least a week and asking students to go home.
Oxford – which has six coronavirus cases – cancelled graduation ceremonies and some exams during the Easter period, while also advocating ‘using technology wherever possible’ for future lectures and teaching.
Salford University, which has no known cases so far, took the most extreme measures by suspending all teaching from next week except for final year students
Bristol also said it was ending teaching for now and brought forward its Easter break, after which it will switch to online and digital classes.
Edinburgh said it is cancelling this year’s exams for first and second years but will continue with other years.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson yesterday appeared to criticise universities for ignoring advice that they should keep functioning as normal.
‘I would urge any educational setting…to actually look at what the medical and scientific advice is – and this is that we shouldn’t be closing educational settings at the moment’, he said.
‘I would suggest that it is probably beneficial for everyone to be looking at making decisions based on that advice.’
However Oxford Vice-Chancellor Louise Richardson wrote to students and staff: ‘While the Government has not yet instructed us to cancel large gatherings many departments and colleges will make their own decisions about meetings and events.
‘We encourage the use of technology wherever possible… We have also decided that the May graduations ceremonies will be in absentia only.
‘All exams scheduled for the Easter break (March 16-April 2) have either been cancelled or rearranged’,
Durham and Northumbria University have also been organising online lectures.
Exams due to take place during the break have been cancelled, and staff have been encouraged to use technology for meetings, teaching and assessments where possible.
Students at Durham University have been advised they can leave the university a week early and participate in classes remotely for the final week of term.
A lecturer in organic chemistry at the University of Lancaster tweeted this morning: ‘All classroom teaching at Lancaster University suspended from next week due to the coronavirus. Good decision in my opinion.’
The University of Glasgow has cancelled all field trips, both in the UK and international, in a bid to prioritise preparations for online teaching after the Easter break.
Imperial College will remain open but is encouraging students with weakened immune systems, or other conditions, to work remotely after speaking to an academic adviser.
The University of East Anglia emailed all students on Friday morning and said as a ‘precautionary measure’ all teaching next week will be delivered online.
Bristol said students had been ‘asked not to turn up to classrooms, seminars or tutorials’ after 18 March, when term will end.
‘We are asking staff to give support particularly to students working on their dissertations and final-year projects and to prepare online and digital teaching for use after the vacation.’
It added ‘it must be stressed that we are not closing the University’ and summer exams were not cancelled although ‘individual student assessments may be adjusted’.
Professor Hugh Brady, Vice-Chancellor, said: ‘It is critical that we take a consistent institutional approach and I believe that the package of measures we are implementing is a balanced and proportionate response that is in the best interests of our students, staff and institution.’