Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice and support

Teaching for the Autumn 2020 Term will be delivered online, which we truly believe is the right decision. This prioritises the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff, as well as your learning, ensuring that you can continue your studies even if you are unable to travel to London, and that no matter how the pandemic continues to unfold in 2020, we can deliver your modules without disruption.

We remain fully committed to providing the excellent, high-quality Regent’s education you’ve come to expect from us. Our academics are working with experts in online learning, adapting our teaching content so that it is specifically tailored for online delivery.

What else is available? 

During the Autumn 2020 Term, we are making a number of services available for students: 

• pre-booked, face-to-face tutorials will also be available on campus with a member of programme staff from your subject area. If you prefer to have your tutorials remotely, these can be arranged online with no need to visit the campus.
• Some materials or equipment will be available from campus on a click and collect basis. If you’re not in the UK, we may be able to send some materials out by post or courier, and we’re introducing a grant scheme to help cover the costs of materials required for your programme. 

From Monday 21 September, you will be able to access some on-campus facilities, including:

• computer labs and independent study spaces;
• the Library;
• catering outlets;
• facilities to support our creative programmes such as film editing suites, and studio and rehearsal space.

Access to facilities will be in a COVID-safe and secure way – following social distancing measures, and with some restrictions and booking processes in place. All teaching and learning will still take place online as we prepare for a phased return to face-to-face teaching, on campus, from January 2021.

We're making a number of improvements to the online learning experience over the next few months in preparation for the Autumn 2020 Term.

We've developed a new Learning Design Framework, RADAR, and all of our modules will be redesigned to ensure they align with this Framework. In addition, we will be rolling out new technology in our virtual learning environment to improve the student experience.

In the coming weeks, we will provide further information to you on this website, but also via email, with video tours of online learning environments, the tools and resources available to you, and more. We hope these will help you visualise and understand what your learning experience will be like for our Autumn 2020 Term.

Regent's Student Support & Wellbeing team, Achievement Officers, and Disability and Mental Health Coordinator are on hand to provide you with support and advice if you are encountering any difficulties, whether related to health and wellbeing or your academic studies.

Please email the Hub if you would like to speak to someone via email or an online meeting. Alternatively, you can book an online meeting directly through the Hub.

Regent's has teamed up with new online platform Student Space to provide information and support to all higher education students during the current Coronavirus pandemic. This includes:

• Access to free, confidential, anonymous, support over the phone or via text
• Free wellbeing information and tools (articles, webinars, blog posts)
• Information on the support available at specific universities, including Regent's

We also hope that you will find the following information helpful:

• The University has put together these tips for managing anxiety about COVID-19
• The NHS has put together advice for mental health wellbeing while staying at home. Read more here: Every Mind Matters
• You may also find this blog on coping with isolation helpful
• This coping guide from students to students is also full of excellent advice.

For those considering applying for the Disabled Students Allowance during the pandemic, the video below serves as an accessible explanation of the process.

We are committed to providing you with up-to-date information and answering any queries you may have.   

Please continue to read your University emails for regular updates on the general situation and log in to Blackboard for all information relating to your academic studies. 

The Student Hub continues to provide online help and advice during working hours (09:00 - 17:00 Monday - Friday). Currently, all enquiries are being managed exclusively via the online Hub and email. Please email or ask a question here.

If you need any IT assistance, please email the Service Desk.

From Monday 21 September, you will be able to access some on-campus facilities, including:

• computer labs and independent study spaces;
• the Library (for instance, through the click and collect programme)
• catering outlets;
• facilities to support our creative programmes such as film editing suites, studio and rehearsal space.

This is in addition to the one-to-one tutorials available with members of your programme staff, which can be booked face-to-face, or conducted remotely – whichever you would prefer.

Access to facilities will be in a COVID-safe and secure way – following social distancing measures, and with some restrictions and booking processes in place.

Teaching and learning in Autumn 2020 will still take place online. 

We’ve been working hard to get our campus ready to minimise the risk of COVID-19 and to ensure the safety of students and staff.

We have introduced a number of initiatives that aim to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including one-way systems indoors, rigorous cleaning and guidance on face coverings. 

Please read our Guide to Minimising the Spread of COVID-19 for more information. We'll continue to follow government guidelines closely and make updates as needed.

Reid Hall remains open only for current residents who needed to stay on campus.

For further information on self-isolating, please visit the dedicated Government webpage.

The Metropolitan Police have banned any gatherings of more than 30 people. You must wear a face covering on public transport, in shops and supermarkets, and in other indoor spaces like museums, cinemas and places of worship, however exemptions can be made in exceptional circumstances. 

As countries are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, including by implementing travel and border restrictions, the FCO advises British nationals against all but essential international travel. Any country or area may restrict travel without notice. Many airlines are still suspending or cancelling flights and some airports remain closed.

All official, University-sanctioned international and domestic travel has suspended from Monday 23 March until further notice.

Please note: This only relates to travel undertaken on behalf of the University for business or study related reasons. Personal travel is up to the discretion of the student.

Students should primarily follow any advice and instruction from your host university regarding COVID-19. If the UK Government issues updated travel advice for any of the countries you are in, we will inform you of this, but you should also be proactive in monitoring developments and Government advice in your host country. If you are concerned, you can always get in touch with the Regent’s Student Hub.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office currently advises British nationals against all but essential international travel. Travel to some countries and territories is currently exempted.

International travel is still very limited as air routes and land borders close and new restrictions are put in place that prevent flights from leaving.

If you’re travelling abroad, you should:

1. Contact your airline or travel company now
2. Keep up to date with FCO travel advice pages. We are updating information on returning from the country you’re in as quickly as we can
3. For real-time updates, follow the embassy or high commission’s social media for the country you’re in.

The government is working in partnership with the airline industry to help British people travelling abroad to return to the UK.

Where commercial routes remain feasible, airlines will be responsible for getting their passengers with pre-booked tickets home. Where commercial routes do not exist, the government will provide up to £75 million to enable UK residents to buy tickets for special charter flights to return home from priority countries.

If you are a permanent resident overseas, you should stay and follow the advice of the local authorities in the country you live in.

Do not travel abroad unless it’s essential.

From 8 June 2020, if you’re a resident or visitor travelling to the UK, you must:

• provide your journey and contact details
• not leave the place you’re staying for the first 14 days you’re in the UK except in very limited situations (known as ‘self-isolating’)

The new measures, announced by the Home Secretary, include:

• Contact locator form
  
  All arriving passengers will be required to fill this in to provide contact and travel information so they can be contacted if they, or someone they may have been in contact with develops the disease.
   
• Self-isolation
  
  Passengers arriving in the UK will be required to self-isolate for 14 days and could be contacted regularly throughout this period to ensure compliance.
   
• Enforcement
  
  Anyone failing to comply with the mandatory conditions may face enforcement action. A breach of self-isolation would be punishable with a £1,000 fixed penalty notice in England or potential prosecution and unlimited fine. The level of fine could increase if the risk of infection from abroad increases. The Devolved Administrations will set out their own enforcement approaches.
   
• Spot checks
  
  Border Force will undertake checks at the border and may refuse entry to any non-British citizen who refuses to comply with these regulations and isn’t resident in the UK. Failure to complete the form is also punishable by a £100 fixed penalty notice. Public health authorities will conduct random checks in England to ensure compliance with self-isolation requirements. Removal from the country would be considered as a last resort for foreign nationals who refuse to comply with these public health measures.