‘Despite the grimness, we have coped incredibly well’
“Despite the grimness of Covid, the University of Sunderland has coped incredibly well” – Vice-Chancellor Sir David Bell has opened up on the ongoing impact of the global pandemic.
Like all universities, Sunderlandhascertainlynotbeen immune from the effects of Covid, but the institution is currently coping better than Sir David first feared.
He said: “I remember sitting around this table with othermembersofstaffinMay 2020andwonderingwhatwas going to happen. We were in a really difficult position and werethinkingwitheverything that is going on, are people really going to want to come to university, both from the UK and abroad?”
Despite losing students from certain international regions, the University has buckedthenationaltrendand has seen its overall numbers increase, although a significantproportionofthisrisehas taken place in the University’s London campus, Hong Kong and other oversees locations.
SirDavidadded:“Ourglobal student numbers are actually up over the last two years byaround10percent,whichis a pretty good outcome. We’re seeing fewer students from South East Asia but have seen a rise in the number of students from African nations wheretherestrictionshaven’t been as harsh.
"Overall, in the middle of a global pandemic, we have actually seen our international numbers increase.”
The university is particularly
proud of the level of faceto-face teaching it has been able to maintain, with some universities still offering a high proportion of remote learning. Durham University faced criticism earlier this month for starting the first week of term with online remote learning for non practical subjects.
Sir David said: “One aspect of teaching which has changed,iswecurrentlydon’t operate traditional large scale lectureswithlargenumbersof students in lecture halls.
"We are currently operating at around 80 per cent in-person learning. Many of our courses such as teaching, healthcare and engineering have a large practical element which requires inperson teaching and, where we have been allowed, this is somethingwehavecontinued throughout the pandemic.
"Iactuallythinkduringthe pandemic we have, and continue,togetthebalanceright.”
It’s not just Sir David who feels the university has excelled in the face of adversity.
He added: “A national studentsurveycarriedoutacross alluniversitiesplacedusinthe top 10 in the country for how we have dealt with the pandemic – which was a really pleasing outcome. I think a key feature of this is how open andtransparentwehavebeen with both students and staff.”
A recently published House of Commons report indicates that overseas fee income for universities – one of the biggest sources of revenue – is expected to be down by around 10 per cent. However
the city’s university has emerged from the pandemic in“surprisinglygoodfinancial shape”.
Sir David said: “Financially we have so far done pretty well and are currently operating with a four per cent income surplus which gives us a margin to continue to invest in the university. This is similartoourpre-pandemiclevels.
"Thisisinpartduetowhere wehavesavedmoneyonother budgets – particularly travel, as obviously very little of this has been taking place.”