Call for students to return to campus and accommodation

Steve Lumley·10 April 2021·4 min read
Call for students to return to campus and accommodation

Call for students to return to campus and accommodation

University chiefs are calling on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to allow students to return to their campuses and accommodation this month.

The call comes after he failed to mention their plight in his latest Covid-19 update.

While non-essential shops, hairdressers and gyms as well as theme parks can re-open from April 12, nothing was said about University return dates.

Students have not been able to return to their campus or university accommodation since January - unless they are studying for a qualification that requires in-person teaching, for example, medicine.

Date for students to return

Now university vice-chancellors are urging the Government to give a date for students to return as England starts to open up.

The president of Universities UK, Prof Julia Buckingham, has written to the Prime Minister urging him to provide urgent clarity on when students can return.

In response, the Government says it will review the options once the Easter holidays have ended.

A spokesman for the Department for Education said: "It has been a difficult time for students, and we are committed to getting students back to university soon as the public health situation will allow."

Also, a survey from the Higher Education Policy Institute has found that more than half of students say they are not expecting to have any more face-to-face teaching in this academic year.

However, two-thirds of students say they are currently living in their normal term-time accommodation.

Financial reimbursement from their student landlords

In addition, those students say they have not received any financial reimbursement from their student landlords or university for rent paid during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The survey found that just 19% of students have been reimbursed for their rent.

The managing director of Accommodation for Students, Simon Thompson, said: "Student landlords have been left wondering yet again when things will return to normal for them.

"While it is good news that the end of the Covid-19 lockdown is in sight, student accommodation providers are looking for support and information that will help their business."

Unite sells student accommodation in five cities

Meanwhile, it has been revealed that Unite Group, the student accommodation developer, has sold eight buildings to Aventicum Real Estate for £133m.

The student accommodation blocks contain 2,284 beds and are in Wolverhampton, Coventry, Exeter, Birmingham and Manchester.

This deal is part of the developer's programme to cash-in assets worth up to £300 million for reinvestment in mid- and high-ranking university towns and cities.