This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-51857142

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Coronavirus: Durham University cancels classroom lessons Coronavirus: Face-to-face lectures cancelled at some universities
(about 7 hours later)
Durham University has cancelled classroom based lessons for the final week of term as a precaution against coronavirus. Face-to-face lessons are being cancelled at some universities due to concerns about coronavirus.
All lessons will be conducted online from Monday, a spokeswoman said. Universities including Loughborough, Durham, Manchester Metropolitan and the London School of Economics are offering online teaching instead.
The university is due to break up for the Easter holidays on 20 March. They said they were taking the measures as a precaution.
The spokeswoman said there had been no confirmed cases of the virus at the university, which has also cancelled or postponed foreign field trips until further notice. The University and College Union (UCU) is urging educational institutions to try and keep open accommodation and other services students rely on.
Some people at the university have been tested but the results were negative. Universities are looking at how to deliver teaching remotely through recorded lectures and handouts.
David Chivers, assistant professor of macroeconomics at the university, tweeted: "Durham University will be teaching online from next week." Loughborough has had a single confirmed case of Covid-19 associated with the university.
The university, which operates from buildings across Durham, has about 17,500 students from around the world. It told students it hoped to make provision for "activities which are more difficult to replace virtually", such as students undertaking work in laboratories.
The spokeswoman said lessons would go ahead as planned on Friday, with the changes coming into effect on Monday. Durham which had no confirmed cases of the virus at its university, has also cancelled or postponed foreign field trips until further notice.
Its library and campus will remain open, but all lessons will be delivered online as much as was possible from 16 March.
Meanwhile a London School of Economics spokesman said he hoped the action would provide "reassurance" to staff and students.
He confirmed campus and halls of residence would stay open in line with guidance from Public Health England which "maintains that there is presently low risk and that buildings, services and facilities can run as usual."
Online lectures and exams will start from 23 March.
On its website the vice chancellor at Manchester Metropolitan University said face-to-face teaching would end from Friday 27 March, "and potentially sooner, if requested by the government".
"To be prudent, the university is also planning how best to deliver assessments, exams and credits, should we need to change our usual processes for the Summer Term," Professor Malcolm Press said.
The UCU, which represents more than 120,000 university and adult education staff, has stressed the importance keeping student accommodation open.
"Universities simply cannot shut down and abandon those students who rely on it for things like accommodation and we trust all these important matters are being kept under review," the UCU said.
On Thursday, the University of Oxford confirmed a further three students had tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total to five.
A student at the University of Bristol has tested positive for Covid-19 after returning to the city from abroad.