With so much uncertainty surrounding grades, as well as Covid safe work and learning spaces, it has been a nerve-wracking time to be a student at any level. From final year students who have experienced a large amount of learning disruption, to the students looking to start university in September, it hasn’t been an easy time. But UCLan are now ready and prepared for the Autumn term, with a wide variety of health and safety initiatives in place.
Face coverings
A big part of the government guidelines regarding Covid-19 involve wearing a face covering. To help students stick to this, fashion staff at UCLan are using their sewing skills to create 30,000 washable face coverings! These will be ready for the start of the new academic term in September. As a result, all students and returning staff will receive two UCLan branded reusable face coverings to help stay safe.
Timetables
Another of the important considerations for getting students back to university has been the timetabling. Staff and student numbers across the different UCLan campuses will be reduced so that only around 30% are on sit at any one time. This means a combination of face to face learning, and remote or online learning will be used to ensure the same access to a great education.
Other safety measures include:
- Opening the Preston Campus 7 days a week for a more flexible timetable
- Keep left systems in place with clear signs
- UCLan ID card for controlled access to all buildings
- Safety ambassadors for social distancing
- Fixed hand sanitizer points
- Additional cleaning
- ‘Click and collect’ service for Library resources
Speaking on the matter, Vice-Chancellor Professor Graham Baldwin said:
“While the excitement builds for a return to our campuses in September, we have to ensure that health and safety remains our priority. We are ensuring every sensible and reasonable step is taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19. We will be operating the same high standards that many workplaces have adopted to minimise the spread of infections. The clear social distancing and sanitisation protocols will mean that University life will be slightly different from that we’ve known previously but we are doing all we can to provide an authentic University experience. We are looking forward to welcoming new and returning students to UCLan ensuring they have face-to-face learning opportunities as far as possible on a weekly basis and can access our Library, all in a safe and secure environment.”