Looking ahead to the next academic year

Dear Michael

In these uncertain times, your continued dedication and hard work is inspiring, and all of us at the University are immensely proud at how our community is responding to the current circumstances.

While you are managing your research at home in lockdown conditions, we are working hard to restart research on campus and to answer the many questions you will have about your research activity, campus experience, and how we will assure your safety.

I am aware that many of you are continuing with your research projects as best you can whilst working remotely; others will have paused during this time. We are planning to increase the amount of research conducted on our UK campuses by moving to a phased and prioritised return in line with health and safely guidance and social distancing measures. We will keep you informed of these plans and contact you again with further detail about when you might be able to recommence your research activity on campus.

Of course, life at university, as much as everywhere else around the globe, will feel different for a while, and so I want to reassure you that your experience as a researcher at Nottingham will continue to be safe, enriching and exciting. Uniquely for a UK university, we have already reopened and welcomed several hundred postgraduate researchers back to our campus in Ningbo, China, and we are using that experience to inform how we approach things in the UK.

To reassure you and protect your health, social distancing measures will be in place across our buildings, accommodation and public spaces alongside the dedicated entrances, one-way systems and distance markers that have become a familiar feature in other areas of national life.

At Nottingham we will work hard to offer you an outstanding education and research experience. Restored access to research facilities, including library archives, labs and fieldwork will be managed to both protect your health and enable necessary data/research activities to restart, through a phased return over the next few weeks.

Much of our training and professional development will also continue through the use of guided learning and digital technologies. Activities such as research seminars and conferences may need to be delivered differently, for example through interactive digital means, to ensure on-going high-quality research discussions with your national and international peers. We will also continue to assist and enable your attendance at online conferences until travel restrictions are lifted.

We are also working with the Graduate School to make sure that your professional development experience at Nottingham will remain excellent, and opportunities from the Graduate School, Careers and Employability Service, student societies and volunteering will help you enhance your research experience.

I hope that you find this information reassuring and will join me in thanking the many colleagues across the University who are working intensively so that we can commence our activities on campus in person, in safety and in the spirit of community that makes Nottingham so special.

Please continue to follow the latest information and updates on our webpages. In the meantime, I wish you all good health.