A potential return to campus next semester could be possible, subject to coronavirus remaining under control.
As lockdown restrictions ease and the expectation that most coronavirus restrictions will be lifted by July in Scotland, it could allow university and college students to return to a more normal learning and teaching experience in the next academic semester.
In an announcement the University of Stirling said they are “planning to deliver as much face-to-face teaching as we can from September 2021”, on this basis of COVID-19 remaining under control.
While face-to-face teaching may return, blended teaching will also be delivered across the semester to help keep students and staff safe.
If the Scottish Government’s route map out of the pandemic remains on schedule face-to-face and online teaching will be combined to provide tailored in-person learning opportunities along with community building experiences.
This will offer:
- Regular in-person learning opportunities for all students
- Smaller in-person group teaching sessions in safe and appropriate areas on campus
- Practical skills sessions/laboratory work for relevant subjects
- Large lectures (50 people or more) live online/pre-recorded and available to watch again
- Smaller lectures will be a mixture of online/in-person and available on watch again
- Online assessments, including exams as the standard form of assessment, however there may have to be adjustments to this for professional subjects
- Schedule all live teaching sessions, to make timetables clear
- Field work will be allowed where possible, with relevant risk assessments
The autumn semester for undergraduates’ students will start on Monday 13 September and finish on Monday 20 December.
For postgraduate students the semester will run from Monday 27 September to Friday 17 December.
Key dates for the semester are available online.