Dear all，杜倫大學下周全面停止課堂授課，全部改為線上授課。詳細信息見下文 ↓

Dear Partners

Greetings from Durham

I would like to provide you with an update on recent developments in the past 24 hours, regarding the COVID-19 virus and updates concerning our student’s wellbeing and arrangements have been put in place to support them.

The following message was sent out yesterday afternoon from Professor Claire O’Malley - Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global), to all Durham University students;

Dear students

This email contains an important coronavirus update. Please take the time to read it carefully.

The health and wellbeing of the Durham University community and the wider communities within which we sit must be the primary concern of all of us at this time. Following advice from Public Health England, we will shortly be implementing new actions to keep our communities healthy by reducing potential exposure to coronavirus. Durham University will remain open next week but we will be organising some of our core activities differently.

Before turning to details, I would like to stress the importance to every one of the need to follow the guidance provided by the NHS to limit the spread of Covid-19. Also, if you do feel unwell, please dial 111 and do not go to your GP or pharmacist.

Moving teaching online

Classroom-based teaching will continue as usual until the end of this week (Friday 13 March).

But, from Monday 16 March until the end of Term (Friday 20 March), classroom teaching of all forms (including small group teaching, practicals, field classes, one-to-one meetings etc.), will cease. Please do not turn up to classrooms next week.

Instead, teaching will be delivered next week but it will be online as far as possible.

If you wish to leave Durham following your last class this week, you can do so. Others of you will stay in Durham but will not be able to access your classrooms next week. We will make every effort to ensure that all of you can participate in classes remotely until the Easter break. You will also be able to access online materials over the Easter break for revision purposes.

The Library will remain open.

These decisions have not been taken lightly and are similar to those taken at other leading universities around the world. They are designed to reduce the immediate risk of infection to yourself, our staff and our wider community.

We know that this may be not be your preferred method of learning and that being in classrooms is an important part of your university experience. However, moving to online learning will help limit exposure to Covid-19 by reducing group activities. This will help all of as the coronavirus spreads.

Your Department will be in touch shortly with more information on what this will mean for you and details on how you can access online resources to support your learning.

Accommodation

College accommodation will operate as usual next week. If you live in a Durham University College on a term-time only let and can no longer travel over the Easter vacation, please talk to your College’s Student Support Office about accommodation options. You can find contact details on our website.

In this rapidly changing situation, we ask that you regularly check our Covid-19 webpages, where we are constantly updating Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and all staff and student messages relating to coronavirus are displayed.

Please know that all of DU’s staff are committed to making sure that your learning continues, and that you get the inspiring Durham University education that you joined us to get. Please be assured that those of you who looking forward to graduating this summer will be able to complete your degrees. And, speaking on behalf of the University, I also want to stress how much we appreciate your help and understanding at this challenging time.

I hope this message will reassure you, and any parents of current students who may contact you that the health and wellbeing of Durham University students and staff is paramount.

Best Wishes

David