City university suspends face-to-face teaching

Aberdeen University yesterday moved to suspend all face-to-face teaching in light of the coronavirus threat.

The suspension came into effect on all campuses across the city from 6pm last night and will have a wide-reaching impact.

An email sent out by the university outlined that the health and safety of students and staff was of utmost importance, “which is why the university is escalating its efforts to mitigate the consequences of coronavirus Covid-19”.

Those efforts include, but are not limited to, suspending lectures, tutorials, laboratory classes, seminars and computer lab sessions.

The university will remain open and continue to deliver learning and teaching where possible and undertake other activities.

The Aberdeen campuses will also remain open, including the Sir Duncan Rice Library and other libraries and computer classrooms, to allow students who need study space to continue to study on campus.

Halls of residence will also remain open.

Students were told the university will be in touch by 3pm on Monday with details of how online learning, assessment and exams will be delivered.

The Aberdeen University Students’ Association (AUSA) also recommends that all events are to be postponed until further notice. The student-run association released a statement saying: “With regards to events that we are running we are asking individuals to consider if they are essential and to proceed with caution regardless of the size of the events.

“Our recommendation is that they are postponed. If an event is over 500 we are saying they must be postponed. Under 500, we recommend postponing.”

Shetland Islands Council is closing some schools and early learning and childcare sites to children and young people next week.

The authority confirmed the news yesterday, but insisted the measure, which will be in place from March 16 to 20, was not being taken for public health reasons but for “operational and resilience reasons” and reflected Shetland’s “unique island setting”.

Helen Budge, director of children’s services, said: “Schools aren’t just about teachers and pupils, there are cleaners, catering staff and other workers and we just don’t have the relief staff to cope with the increasing amount of absentees across the islands.

“Shetland is a unique island setting and we can’t simply bring in people from other areas, as some local authorities on the mainland might be able to do.”

Fair Isle Primary, Fetlar Primary and Foula Primary will remain open for children and young people.

All schools will remain open for staff.

Children’s services will be issuing further information to parents and carers at the start of next week.

Teaching at Aberdeen University has been hit