University of Lincoln delay the next academic year to October

The University of Lincoln have announced the new academic year is to start the week commencing 5th October 2020.

The 2019-20 academic year started almost three weeks earlier, with welcome week beginning on 16th September.

The University said: “In order to give us the maximum opportunity for current lockdown restrictions to be eased further, we will move the start of the term back several weeks. The first day of teaching for the 2020/21 academic year is now planned for Monday 12th October 2020 for most students.”

With Freshers’ Week still undetermined, a spokesperson for the Students’ Union told The Tab: “We are planning for all eventualities. Ultimately, we are still working within the Government’s guidelines, so decision-making is being based on each Government update and announcement as they are made.”

The University said: “Once we know what Government restrictions are in place for October, then we will be able to release our freshers plans.”

The University announced the week beginning the 5th October is to be Lincoln’s ‘Getting Started Week’ with students moving into campus and new students engaging in a range of online induction events, moving to face to face as guidance allows. We also plan to offer “welcome back” events for students during that week and the Students’ Union are planning a range of safe social activities for new students.”

The new academic year has been altered and is to continue as follows:

The University has chosen to change the term dates as they think that they “are giving ourselves the best possible opportunity of providing you with an excellent student experience, with a mix of on-campus, face to face activities as well as online learning. We will, of course, be following government guidance about social distancing to ensure our entire community is safe and confident while on campus.

“It is likely that having changed the start of term to October in 2020 that we will move to an October start for at least the next few years.”

Some of the University courses will need to start sooner than the rescheduled date and the University “will be making arrangements for students on these programmes to be able to move into University accommodation earlier.

“The affected schools are the School of Education, School of Health and Social Care, National Centre for Food Manufacturing, Holbeach, and Lincoln Medical School.”

The University plans to notify Student Finance England that their term start date will be 12th October 2020.

In regards to teaching, Lincoln “are developing an ‘agile blended’ approach to delivering your curriculum – giving you a mixture of online and face to face teaching sessions.”

As such, teaching will take place both online and face to face and they hope to move to more face to face teaching as the COVID-19 situation eases.

The Library, Student Services, the Students’ Union, SU venues will be open in the new academic year in line with government advice and appropriate social distancing in place.

More info can be found on the University’s Coronavirus FAQ site.