Move to remote learning, teaching and assessment - Message from the Vice-Chancellor to students - 16/03/2020

Dear student,

I am writing with an important update on our contingency planning for Coronavirus (COVID-19) at the University.

Yesterday, I wrote to all Heads of Schools to outline our plan to move to remote learning and teaching, where possible.

From today (Monday 16 March 2020) we are phasing out face-to-face teaching and other face-to- face activities with groups as fast as possible, with almost all content covered remotely from the end of Friday 20 March 2020.

Each School is currently deciding how learning can be delivered and will use a range of resources to best support and deliver your teaching.

It is important to stress that our approach is precautionary. The University remains open, but we will have to work in a different way.

Our libraries and Student Support and Wellbeing services will remain available. However, we may need to change the way we deliver services and switch to more online provision.

Remote learning and teaching

Your School will be in touch with more information on what this will mean for you and details on how you can access online resources to support your learning.

We took the decision to phase out face-to-face teaching and other face-to-face activities from the end of this week so that we could switch over to remote learning and teaching in a sensible manner.

Please bear with us as Schools work through this.

Assessment and Exams

We appreciate that you will all be concerned about your studies.

Please be reassured that we are working very closely with our academic community to ensure that you can all continue with your studies, undertake appropriate assessments and ultimately progress to the next stage of your studies.

Like other universities, we are making contingency plans to investigate options for how we can continue to undertake assessments for all students.

You will be notified by your School as early as possible about what your assessments will look like in practice.

Our absolute priority is to allow students to graduate. We are working hard on how to achieve this and anticipate that all final year students will be able to graduate.

Libraries

There will be some changes to the way that we deliver library services.

The Arts and Social Sciences Library, Heath Park, Trevithick and Julian Hodge library will remain open. All other libraries will be closed at 17:00 Friday 20 March 2020.

There will be a self-service provision only, and remote access to resources and enquiry services.  You can contact us via Live Chat facility or via e-mail: library@cardiff.ac.uk.

We will implement social distancing measures in the libraries to support staff and student health.  These will include reducing the number of study chairs so that people sit further apart, additional cleaning regimes and some PCs will also be switched off.

University residences and support

Our Halls of Residence will remain open.

If you wish to leave Cardiff following your last class this week, you can do so. All of your teaching and learning will, wherever possible, be delivered remotely.

If you leave the country and are unable to return, we will look after your belongings if they are in residences. However, make sure you take with you anything you need to continue your studies.

While our campus is open, it may mean that for some of you, meetings with – for example – student support, will need to be rearranged or moved online. If that is the case, you will be contacted with alternative arrangements.

International students

We recognise that international students might be thinking about returning to their home countries and have questions about travel restrictions and visas. Some students may be facing uncertainty in relation to the expiry date of their current visa or leave to remain in the United Kingdom.

There is more information for international students in a section on the student Coronavirus information page.

Supporting our NHS

The University plays a crucial role in providing the next generation of doctors, nurses and other allied healthcare professionals.
Some of our students are rightly concerned that they could increase the risk to themselves and patients, especially those on placement in a clinical setting.

Whilst we are strongly encouraging students to continue to plan and prepare for coming assessments, we are also working alongside NHS colleagues to provide alternative arrangements and offer reassurance about their health and wellbeing.

Anyone who is concerned can speak to their School or their most appropriate NHS point of contact.

This is a constantly changing picture and we will do everything we can to keep you updated.

I am grateful to all of you for your understanding at a time that is challenging for everybody. Please be reassured that we will do all we can to support you in your studies whilst taking the precautions this unprecedented crisis demands.

Best regards,

Colin Riordan 

Vice-Chancellor