AS Aberystwyth and Lampeter prepare to welcome students back for the new academic year, the universities have outlined how things will look on campus when classes start later this month.

Students are due to return later this month, with some foreign students expected next week.

Speaking on plans for the new academic year, an Aberystwyth University spokesperson said: “As we bring teaching on-campus later this month, our priority is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all our students, staff and the wider community.

“The university has been working very hard over many months to adapt our campus and activities in light of the global pandemic.

“These measures include introducing one-way systems, classroom layout changes and signage, along with enhanced cleaning and hygiene arrangements, including providing hand sanitiser stations and regular cleaning of frequently touched surfaces.

“We have restructured the timetable to support social distancing, are introducing contact tracing in co-operation with the local council and health board, and expect all staff, students and visitors to wear a face-covering while indoors on all University sites. In addition, we have been conducting extensive risk assessments in order to identify and mitigate risks.

“All these detailed arrangements have been developed in close collaboration with Students’ Union representatives, as well as in discussions with Ceredigion Council, Hywel Dda Health Board, the Welsh Government and UK wide stakeholders. From the outset of the current pandemic, safety has been at the forefront of our thinking and will continue to be so for the new academic year.

“Our Big Welcome events will take place over a fortnight from 5-21 September 2020 with a programme of socially inclusive and physically distanced welcome activities and special online events.

“Our Freshers’ Fair later this month will be a mix of traditional in-person activities and opportunities to take part remotely.”

Gwilym Dyfri Jones, Provost of the University of Wales Trinity St David Carmarthen and Lampeter campuses said: “UWTSD’s campuses will be open and ready to start teaching at the beginning of the new academic year and we look forward to welcoming new and returning students.  We are planning a blended delivery pattern which means a combination of on-campus teaching as well as online delivery.

 

“We have arranged a series of online welcome and induction events for students and are working with the Students’ Union on the Welcome Week online events. 

“We are communicating regularly with students to inform them of the key principles and policies we have put in place to safeguard the University and wider community within our campus locations.”