£5m to tackle students’ digital exclusion
The Government has reached agreements to give British citizens early access to 90 million doses of two more potential Covid-19 vaccines.
The vaccines are being developed by US biotech company Novavax and pharmaceutical business Janssen. Under the inprinciple agreements, the UK has secured 60 million doses of the Novavax vaccine, with it supporting a Phase 3 clinical trial with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
Some 30 million doses have been secured from Janssen. The new agreements mean the UK now has access to six different Covid-19 vaccine candidates in development, representing some 340 million doses.
Kate Bingham, who chairs the Government’s vaccines taskforce, warned that it was still not known if any of the vaccines would be effective.
A £5 million fund has been created to help colleges and universities tackle digital exclusion among disadvantaged students.
The Scottish Funding Council said yesterday the money will be made available to help bridge the digital divide by providing the most disadvantaged students with devices.
The funding is part of support being offered to universities and colleges to fight the effects of Covid-19.
Other funding includes £75 million to protect university research, £10 million for estates development and early access to £11.4 million of higher education hardship funds.
Education minister Richard Lochhead said: “The Scottish Government is committed to doing everything we can to help all our learners weather the impact of the coronavirus crisis.
“I know this has been a huge challenge for many but I hope this £5 million digital fund will go some way to easing the pressures by helping thousands of learners to access the necessary computer resources they need to continue with their studies.”
Scottish Funding Council chief executive Karen Watt said the money would help students facing hardship with the costs of taking part in online learning.
She added: “This digital fund will support disadvantaged learners across Scotland to study online, with computers they might otherwise have been unable to buy themselves – vital help when money is tight and access to digital learning is more important than ever.”