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Glasgow University cancels all physical exams in April and May

Movement on campus may be restricted in the coming weeks


Glasgow University will be cancelling all physical exams set to take place in April.

According to an email sent to students, “specific arrangements for course assessments are still being finalised”, but the University can confirm all exams scheduled for April and May will not be taking place in exam halls.

The University intends to provide guidance to students on how to access teaching materials and how assessments will be taken remotely. The email also says movement across campus may be restricted “over the coming period” and that some parts of campus may need to be closed.

The full email reads: “The University has been making contingency plans that will allow us to develop alternative approaches for the delivery of assessment and teaching if this needs to be changed.

“The specific arrangements for course assessments are still being finalised but we are in a position now to say that exams scheduled for the April/May assessment period will not be undertaken in exam halls on campus.

“Schools and Institutes will provide guidance on how to access teaching materials and what the arrangements will be made for assessments to be taken remotely. We will be providing this as soon as possible. Please bear with us as colleagues in schools and institutes prepare this information.

“Students should pay close attention to the communications that Schools and Institutes send out over the coming days, and in which the teaching and assessment arrangements for programmes of study will be explained.

“We understand that this is a busy and demanding period of the academic year when assessments are in the forefront of everyone’s mind.  We will do all we can to minimise disruption and to clarify the arrangements for programmes of study. We urge students to look out for formal correspondence from the Schools and Institutes.

“This is a continually evolving set of circumstances and we ask everyone to keep up to date with the University Web Pages, Moodle and other sources of University information.

“Of course, the health and wellbeing of staff, students and our wider community will always be our top priority. We are taking a lead from the public health authorities and would urge everyone to heed the advice that has been given and which can be accessed via on our Coronavirus web pages.  If you feel unwell, call NHS24 on 111; if you have a persistent temperature or cold – even if the symptoms are not consistent with COVID-19 – you must self-isolate for seven days.

“Over the coming period, it may be necessary to restrict movement on campus and even to close some areas.  However, even in this scenario there will be parts of the University that will, and must, remain open for health and safety reasons.

“Flexible working may be an option for many of us – there is guidance available on the website.

“The decisions that we have made not been taken lightly. I know that there will be considerable disruption for some. However, they are designed to both reduce the risk of infection and to provide clarity on what this University will do, during a period of great uncertainty.

“Further updates will be issued on a regular basis through the usual channels, including social media, and we will continue to amend our web pages and FAQs.

“A video version of this message will be available on our Coronavirus pages.

“The way in which our whole community has pulled together over the past few weeks has been remarkable. The coming period will be extremely challenging for all of us, but we will get through it by working together and supporting each other.

“Please take care, continue to review the guidance that we issue and let us know if there is anything that is unclear or if you need further help.”