Update: 18 March 2020
Dear Students
Further to my communication on Monday 16th March, I am writing to update you on the measures that have been put in place to support the provision of University services through online and non-face-to-face delivery.
We are committed to continuing to deliver the best possible student experience in these challenging times, for your learning, teaching and assessment as well as your wider health, safety and wellbeing.
Our academic and student facing services have implemented a range of online and non-face-to-face services to support you throughout this period. Please keep reviewing the Student FAQ site, as we will keep maintaining this site on an ongoing basis.
Updates on key areas are provided below:
Assessment
There will be no campus-based exams during the Formal Assessment Period, however, we are currently planning to deliver alternative assessments through online and non-face-to-face means. Details on your assessments will be provided by your module leaders in Myplace.
Assessments will be made available over the existing published examination schedule. Please review the student FAQ guidance for more details.
Student Support Services
All of our student support services will continue to be available online and we appreciate your patience during this time of transition as our response times may take a little longer than we would normally wish as a result of the current changes.
Access, Equality and Inclusion team will ensure continued support for students who are care experienced, students who are carers and students who are estranged (living without the support of their family). Our team will be in touch directly with students who have already registered with us, and we encourage students who are care experienced, students who are carers and students who are estranged and who have not yet engaged with us to contact us. Details can be found on our webpages:
Accommodation Services are on hand to assist all our students who wish to leave their university accommodation and to continue to support our students who choose to stay on campus.
Admissions and Student Lifecycle Services will continue to provide support for our students studying at all levels, further details on specific aspects of our services will be available within the next few days.
Careers Service offers advice, information and career development tools online to all students and graduates via our website. Support is also available via email and Skype.
Disability and Wellbeing service will ensure support can be provided remotely to students through the offer of Skype and telephone appointments. We will also prioritise new referrals and offer email-based support and guidance. Our student health mailbox, responding to COVID-19 and other enquiries, will continue to be supported. We recognise that some students may be adversely affected by changes in their support and we will ensure that we address these as early as possible.
International Student Support team will continue to respond to email enquiries and offer audio and/or videoconferencing with an adviser where appropriate as alternative to drop-ins and appointments.
Student Financial Support team have will continue to offer an emergency loan facility and access to hardship funds which we will offer via email through
Study Skills and Maths Skills Support services will offer remote support using audio/video conferencing and workshops will also be delivered via video presentation.
I am acutely aware that this is unprecedented challenge, faced by the whole country and beyond, and will be the cause of much uncertainty and concern for you, your friends and family. Please be assured that the University, working with guidance from the WHO, the UK and Scottish governments, Public Health Scotland and the NHS, will always have your health, wellbeing, and safety at the heart of our decision making.
Over the coming period, please continue to take note of the advice on what we all can do to help limit the spread of the virus. Guidance is available on the FAQs site and associated NHS guidance.
Best wishes,
Jim
Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principal