Image: University of Leicester
University of Leicester vice-chancellor, Nishan Canagarajah, discusses student choice and Leicester’s lockdown
Prospective Leicester students have been told there is “no need to rush” into making any decisions on transferring or switching universities during clearing as the city shuts for the UK’s first local lockdown.
University of Leicester vice-chancellor Nishan Canagarajah told Research Professional News that while it was “unfortunate” that Leicester is the first city to experience a local coronavirus lockdown, he hoped it would not “change anybody’s mind” about starting the autumn term.
“Clearly there will be some anxiety, and what I keep emphasising is that there is plenty of time before the start of the term,” Canagarajah said, adding there is “no need [for students] to rush and make a decision”.
Although students wanting to transfer have the option to switch universities, Canagarajah warned that deferring their places would not be “a sensible option right now given the lack of job prospects and significant restrictions on travel”.
“My view is that I have to do everything I can to reassure students that the university is going to be safe and they will get a quality education when we are able to start,” he said. “I am working with the city so we can come out of the lockdown very quickly, and I just ask them not to rush and make any decisions.”
He added that final-year students “want to graduate in June next year and move on to whatever the next stage of their life is” and so the university will “make sure they are given the support to be able to complete their studies on time”.
Leicester’s local lockdown was announced on 29 June, as health secretary Matt Hancock confirmed the city had been responsible for 10 per cent of all positive cases of coronavirus in England in the previous week. Hospital admissions in Leicester had been happening at a rate of between six and 10 per day, compared to around one per day at other hospital trusts, Hancock added.
Measures introduced in the city and surrounding areas include the closing of non-essential shops, while the relaxation of shielding measures due on July 6 will not now take place. Schools are now only open to vulnerable children and will not re-open until next term.
Canagarajah said the government, vice-chancellors’ body Universities UK and individual universities themselves should be doing everything possible to reassure international students that local flare ups are “normal” and “expected”. At the moment, “a large number” of international students are still planning to come to Leicester in the autumn, he said.
“We are doing everything we can, but it’s very hard to know exactly how this might pan out in October,” Canagarajah added.
The University of Leicester had already introduced weekly accommodation contracts for students next year, and Canagarajah said staff had been “assuming there would be a second flare up” when planning for 2020-21. Lectures will be delivered online and some classes will be delivered face-to-face in small groups.
The vice-chancellor said other universities could find themselves in the same situation at some point next term, and he advised universities to work with local authorities and businesses to try to co-ordinate messages on lockdown.
Government guidance published on 1 July advises all educational settings in Leicestershire—including universities—to make sure they communicate regularly with staff, as some “may be anxious and may value the opportunity for discussion and reassurance”.
Although the government has advised against all non-essential travel to or within Leicestershire, those working with vulnerable young people are allowed to travel to work. To get to campus, public transport should be avoided and workers should walk or cycle where possible.
Canagarajah said it was not surprising there was not more specific guidance for universities. “If it was during term time obviously there would be more guidance, but I think it is understandable that the schools are a priority right now,” he said.
On 1 July, the government published updated coronavirus guidance for all universities and higher education settings, which can be accessed online.