Keeping our community safe

The University of Leicester has set out the plans it has put in place to protect students, staff and the community against the risks of COVID-19 infection, as it prepares to welcome staff and students back onto campus.

During the summer, Leicester’s campus has been transformed into a COVID-safe environment, which includes one-way systems and a full suite of signage, maximum occupancy levels identified for each room, hand sanitiser dispensers installed and staff and student safety packs being distributed. In addition, the University of Leicester is one of the few Universities in the country to screen staff and students for COVID-19 infection, who are not displaying symptoms.

The University is supporting the County and City Council led ‘It is Down to Us’ campaign and has provided additional guidance on how students can support the university and local community during these unprecedented time, through its Good Neighbours leaflet.

Professor Nishan Canagarajah, President and Vice-Chancellor at the University of Leicester, said:

“As the next academic year draws closer, we are welcoming a cohort whose mettle has already been proven through the chaos of the A-level fall-out - we are going all out to make sure they have a rich and rewarding experience as they start the next stage in their life during a pandemic.

We will keep them, and the Leicester community safe in multiple ways, including the introduction of a new screening for more than 10,000 staff and students.”

Nishan continued: “Our students are individuals, not numbers. It’s our job as educators and as a country in recession need to lay the groundwork for every student to concentrate on achieving their best to forge a better for future for them and society as a whole.”

Leicester’s Director of Public Health Professor Ivan Browne said:

“We are very pleased to welcome new and returning students to Leicester, and hope they enjoy their time here despite the very different circumstances.

It’s very important that they follow the rules and guidelines that will help to keep them and their families safe, and I’m pleased that the University of Leicester has clear plans in place to help them to do this.”

Mike Sandys, Director of Public Health for Leicestershire County Council, said:

“Enabling students to learn is key and I’m pleased that we’ve been able to help the university plan for the return of students this autumn.”

Councillor John Boyce, Leader of Oadby and Wigston Borough Council said:

“We are proud to have the University of Leicester Oadby Village Campus in our Borough. For students moving away from home for potentially the first time it can be daunting and we want to welcome the cohort of first year students.

We have been working closely with the University to ensure that both the students and our residents are safe during this COVID19 Pandemic. It is good to see that the University have been very thorough and have robust plans in place to protect their students and to reduce the risk of the spread of the virus”.

New protocols, such as the creation of ‘Live and Learn Bubbles’ have also been introduced. There will also be the introduction of the NHS test and trace app, mandated wearing of face coverings indoors and use of SafeZone so our security team know who’s on campus and where.

Through ignite, the University’s blended learning programme, students will have the opportunity to personalise their learning plan through a mix of online or home learning.

Students will be required to wear face coverings in all indoor spaces, and will be provided with a health pack upon arrival onto campus.

In addition, all Fresher’s activities will be run virtually this year, and the University is working in collaboration with its students’ unions to ensure that students can enjoy the excitement and fun of their first weeks at university without creating the risk posed by large social gatherings.