Hopes dashed of students’ early return to university

UNIVERSITY students will not be allowed to return to campus for another month, ministers have announced as they are accused of “dashing the hopes” of around a million young adults.

Around half of the UK’S students will continue to be banned from taking up residence at their term-time accommodation and resuming face-to-face lectures until May 17 at the earliest.

Vice-chancellors have described the announcement as “hugely disappointing”.

“I am particularly concerned about the mental health and wellbeing aspect of this,” said Prof David Green, vicechancellor of Worcester University. “There will be students who are really badly affected. Just as everything is opening up they can’t be with their friends at university.

“They will be suffering from loneliness and worse, I am worried there will be some very serious, adverse events as a result of that.”

He added that students had been looking forward to returning to campus for the summer term, and the announcement that they will now have to wait longer has “really dashed a lot of their hopes”.

“May 17 is very close to the end of term. There is no teaching scheduled apart from in subjects like nursing teaching,” Prof Green said. His disappointment was shared by Prof Debra Humphris, vice-chancellor of Brighton University, who said: “Many of our students who are on practical, medical and teaching courses are already back.

“It has been a puzzlement about why others – economists, humanities and social science students – haven’t been allowed back. I am not sure what has changed or what is different about them. Social interaction is a crucial element of being at university.”

Last week, university chiefs warned that forcing students to stay at home was “illogical”, as they urged the Prime Minister to give “urgent” clarity about when they can return to campus. Since gyms, spas, zoos and theme parks are allowed to open from April 12, they said it is unclear why a million students remain banned from returning to their university accommodation.

Medical students and those training to be teachers and social workers were allowed to return at the start of term in January, and students taking practical or creative arts courses were invited back on March 8. But humanities and social sciences undergraduates – who make up roughly half of all students – were told to stay at home until further notice.

The Government had promised to review this at Easter, but vice-chancellors were furious that there was no announcement about it last week.

In a written ministerial statement, universities minister Michelle Donelan said all remaining students will be advised not to return to face-to-face lessons on campus until May 17 at the earliest.

She said: “The movement of students across the country poses a risk for the transmission of the virus – particularly because of the higher prevalence and rates of transmission of new variants.

“Students who have returned to higher education settings should not move back and forward between their permanent home and student home during term time unless they meet one of the exemptions.”

Prof Buckingham, president of Universities UK, which represents vicechancellors, said the announcement was “hugely disappointing” given that students were “desperate” to return to campus.

She said: “With schools, colleges and many businesses open, we now need the government to urgently explain how it reached this decision so that universities can communicate with their students and continue preparing to maximise opportunities for in-person activities from 17 May.”

‘I am particularly concerned about mental health aspects. There will be students who are really badly affected’