Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice and support

With COVID-19 likely to generate worldwide quarantine restrictions and travel disruption for some time, and noting our duty to protect our students from being impacted by a potential second wave, the University has made the decision to deliver the Autumn 2020 Term online. It's the only responsible action - and that's the truth.

The University is utilising platforms including Blackboard Collaborate and Padlet for online classes. Please continue to routinely check your University email for updates.

As online learning continues, please ensure that you engage fully with Blackboard for details on your module assessments and assignments.

Your normal academic calendar has now resumed, with classes taking place online rather than face-to-face.

With module delivery having transitioned online from 23 March, your engagement in classes is now being monitored through your participation in Blackboard course materials and assessments. 

For students who are at Regent's on a Tier 4 Visa, your participation in Blackboard will be monitored in order to satisfy your visa engagement requirements. 

We fully understand that the COVID-19 virus is impacting on you all in different ways and may prevent you from being able to submit assessments. In order to facilitate the process for you, we have created a specific COVID-19 Extenuating Circumstances Form which is simple to complete and does not require supporting documentation.

If you are unable to submit an assessment due to any issues related to COVID-19, simply complete the COVID-19 Extenuating Circumstances Form – Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the Online Hub.

If you are going to miss an online assessment due to other Extenuating Circumstances, you should complete the standard Extenuating Circumstances Request Form.

Please follow the guidelines provided on the relevant form. If you have any queries regarding the process, or would like to discuss your situation with a member of the Student Support & Wellbeing team, please contact the Student Hub by email.

The University has put in place some additional measures to ensure that your learning, how you are assessed, and your results are not adversely affected by COVID-19.

You can find specific information on how this policy applies to you, depending on your stage / year of study, here.

This is an uncertain time for all, and the Student Support & Wellbeing team, Achievement Officers, and Disability and Mental Health Co-ordinator 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 here.

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.

The University is 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.

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

The University will maintain campus security, cleaning operations and catering provisions.

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

All official, University-sanctioned international and domestic travel is 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.

As countries respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including travel and border restrictions, the FCO advises British nationals against all but essential international travel. Any country or area may restrict travel without notice. If you live in the UK and are currently travelling abroad, you are strongly advised to return now, where and while there are still commercial routes available. Many airlines are suspending flights and many airports are closing, preventing flights from leaving.

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.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) advises British people travelling abroad to return to the UK now, if commercial flights are still available. If you cannot return home at this time, read the FCO's guidance on waiting to return to the UK.

International travel is becoming very limited as air routes close, 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.

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.

You can get information from the Government’s website and also the following websites:

Public Health England (PHE)
World Health Organisation (WHO)
Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)
COVID-19: guidance for educational settings (PHE)

The content of this notice has been sourced from the FCO, PHE, and Universities UK. It will be reviewed daily and republished where changes are needed.  Please continue to keep up to date with the advice.