Universities urged to strike balance

Scotland’s universities have been urged to strike the “right balance” in providing a normal campus experience for students during the Covid pandemic.

Nicola Sturgeon warned today she could not give “any guarantees” about a return to lecture theatres as Scots universities began to return this week with many students left to contend with online teaching.

The issue can under the spotlight at the daily Coronavirus briefing today.

“I can’t give any guarantees about any aspect of this unfortunately because of the nature of what we are dealing with,” Ms Sturgeon said in response to questions about how long classes would remain online.

The Scottish Government published its updated guidance last week for further and higher education and Ms Sturgeeon said this “does envisage a lot of teaching being online, but also blended model of teaching.”

She added: “Obviously every student wants to have a normal college or university experience - this is not ideal for anybody right now.

“Particularly young people starting college or university for the first time and having to study under these restrictions,it’s not good, it’s not fun, it’s not ideal for them.

“But again like all of this advice it is there for a reason I would encourage colleges and universities to try to do, as I’m sure they will, strike the right balance so students can have as normal an experience as possible, but they can remain safe and we minimise the risk of transmission.”

It emerged last month that universities are to ban lectures as institutions adjust to new Covid-19 restrictions.

With capacity in some rooms down to 20 per cent of what it was pre-pandemic as a result of two-metre social distancing rules, faceto-face teaching will be limited.

Some small small seminar groups may take place.