St Andrews summer 2021 graduation ceremony postponed

In an email sent this afternoon, Principal Mapstone confirmed that the summer Graduation ceremony would not go ahead as planned this coming June.

The University have provisionally planned three weeks in June 2022 to hold graduation celebrations and this will include the Class of 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Sally Mapstone said: “The publication this week of the Scottish Government’s routemap for exiting Covid lockdown makes it very clear that it will not be possible to stage large scale indoor public events like Graduation in Scotland in June.”

She told students and colleagues that they have looked at “every possible way” to go ahead with graduations this summer and had to “conclude that it simply cannot be done within the law.”

The Principal said that she understood this news was not what the graduating Class of 2021 or 2020 would want to hear.

She acknowledged that some people will find it harder to accept given “the UK Government has predicted that restrictions will be over by 21 June.”

Mapstone said: “I imagine, will be some party, even if it can never properly replace the rites of passage lost to the pandemic, and the disappointment that will be felt today.”

The Principle and Vice-Chancellor assured students and colleagues that the University are “continuing to lobby the Scottish Government on the importance of universities being able to prepare prudently and with confidence for a future in which vaccines will be our primary defence against Covid.”

The Principal announced that on the 23rd of March the University will take part in the National Day of Remembrance. A live stream of this event will be held from the University Chapel at noon.

This will be a chance to reflect on those the University has lost this year and all those who are sadly no longer with us and “to reflect personally and collectively on the year behind us, and to hope that the worst of this may truly soon be over.”

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• Snow way St A: Here are St Andrews’ best snow pics this week

• St Andrews announces classes will remain online for the rest of the academic year

• All the moments in Bridgerton that St Andrews students can relate to