NEW measures have been put in place by Aberystwyth University, following calls to help mitigate the effect of the pandemic on students.

The university has announced further changes to exam and assessment arrangements for students in light of the coronavirus crisis in a bid “to mitigate the impact on students’ educational progress”.

Students have been left in limbo by nearly 12 months of lockdown and Covid-19 restrictions.

They have faced online tutoring, cancelled examinations and coursework, and the majority have been unable to return to the town following the Christmas break.

The changes will see the removal of the requirement to submit special circumstances forms and more opportunities to resit examinations.

Students opting to resit who perform less well than the award offered will still be able to accept the original award, and main campus-based examinations will be replaced by alternative take-away and online assessments.

Professor Tim Woods, Aberystwyth University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor said: “These further mitigation measures have been adopted following discussions with staff and student representatives.

“The aim is to ensure that we support our students and staff during these very trying times, while, simultaneously, maintaining the high academic standards of the University.”

Chloe Wilkinson-Silk, Aberystwyth Students’ Union’s academic affairs officer, said the move was “great news for students”.

“We’d like to thank the university for acting on student concerns,” she said.