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Latest Updates

As we continue to comply with Government guidance, this page will keep you updated about how the University is responding to the latest guidance and the support we offer to keep our community safe, supported, and as connected as possible throughout these challenging times.

Visit our case tracker for the most up-to-date data on COVID-19 cases at the University.

  • Roadmap out of lockdown

    On Monday 22 February, the Government shared a four-step roadmap to bring England out of lockdown. There will be a minimum of five weeks between each step and some initial dates for each have been provided. You can read the full road map on the gov.uk website.

  • Teaching and learning

    Currently, only students studying practical courses that require specialist equipment and facilities are permitted to come to campus for their teaching and learning.

    The Government confirmed on Tuesday 13thApril, that all remaining students will be able to return to in-person teaching at step 3 of the national roadmap currently planned for Monday 17th May at the earliest. You can read more about this in the latest letter from the Minister of State for Universities, Michelle Donelan.

    Students who are studying practical subjects that require access to specialist space or equipment and are currently learning in-person can continue to do so.

    All remaining students who have been learning online throughout Semester B, will continue to do so until we reach Step 3 of the national roadmap, currently planned for 17th May.

    Timetables will be updated if necessary to show online learning up until Monday 17th May and your programme leader will be in touch if there are any changes.

    We will contact all students again in May to confirm arrangements from Monday 17th May.

    Like us, we know many of our students will be disappointed to hear this news. Our University, alongside others across the country, have been lobbying the Government to bring students back to campus as soon as possible, and together we signed an open letter to the Prime Minister.

    Although we can’t bring everyone back for in-person learning and teaching yet, we want to make sure our community can still visit campus, attend some in-person events, and meet up with friends. We want to reassure everyone that our University campuses remain open and our community will still be able to access our facilities, use our services, and be part of the Herts community.

    Read more about which facilities are open below and take a look at our Spring and Summer at Herts events calendar for access to a fantastic variety of virtual and physical events taking place over the next few months.

  • Assessments and our Safety Net Policy

    To support students, last year we made changes to assessments, grading and degree classifications, which is referred to as our Safety Net Policy. In 2021, this policy still applies as before and continues to support our students through this challenging period - you can read the policy below.

    Key points in our Safety Net Policy:

    • If a module is failed and then passed when you take a referral, the grade for the referred assignment will not be capped* to the pass grade.
    • If a module is failed, you will be offered the chance to defer the module to the next academic year, as an alternative to a referral. Again, the grade would not be capped, and your transcripts would show it to be a first attempt.
    • There are two different ways in which final degree classification can be calculated. The option that provides the best possible outcome for the student will be applied.

    You can read the Policy here.

  • Postgraduate researchers

    Research should continue to be carried out remotely, where possible. If you have prioritised research activity that requires access to specialist facilities, or where research cannot reasonably be conducted from home, this can continue to take place. Please contact your research degree supervisor or the Doctoral College if you have any queries.

    The Researcher Development Programme will continue online until further notice.

  • Coming to campus: Access and facilities

    Who can come to campus

    Students who have a scheduled in-person teaching session or practical, and students who do not have a suitable space to study at home can come to campus for individual study in our LRCs and temporary study spaces.

    Many of our students are already in our on-campus accommodation.  If you live at university, you should not move back and forward between your halls and your non-term time address.

    Our campus is currently closed to all visitors, including visitors to our on-campus student accommodation.

    How to visit campus safely:

    What you need to do to visit campus safely:

    • Check your timetable to see if you have a scheduled in-person session
    • Book a test. Our testing unit is open for those who do not have symptoms
    • Bring your student ID (physical card or digital ID via Herts Mobile) to ensure you can access campus through our security checkpoints
    • Hands, face, space: follow Government guidance to keep the campus safe

    Travelling to campus

    You can help control coronavirus (COVID-19) and travel safely by walking and cycling, if you can. If you need to use public transport, please ensure you follow the Government guidance to ensure you travel safely.

    Uno bus will be running services as normal but please check the Uno website before travelling.

    If you are driving to campus, our Park and Stride is open for free parking. If you choose to park elsewhere on campus, normal parking charges will apply, so you will need a pay-as-you-use permit or a pre-paid permit.

    Which facilities you can access:

    LRCs and Study spaces

    At present, both of our LRCs remain open for your use. Check what's available and the safety measures that you need to follow here.

    Additional temporary individual study spaces are also available in the Chapman Lounge and Hutton Lounge at College Lane, and the Enterprise Hub (all floors), Mezzanine and de Havilland restaurant at de Havilland.

    Food and drink

    Subway and Starbucks on College Lane and Café Ambition at de Havilland are open and offering a take-away service and outdoor seating where possible. Both of our campus shops remain open. You can check opening times for College Lane here and de Havilland here.

    Parking

    If you are driving to campus, our Park and Stride is open for free parking. If you choose to park elsewhere on campus, normal parking charges will apply, so you will need a pay-as-you-use permit or a pre-paid permit..

    Ask Herts Hubs

    Ask Herts Hutton remain open with skeleton staff, with Ask Herts Innovation and Ask Herts de Havilland remaining closed.

    Sports

    The Hertfordshire Sports Village is open. Please check opening times and availability on the Hertfordshire Sports Village website before visiting.

    The Key Centre:

    In order to provide you with the safest experience, we have taken the difficult decision to keep our Chaplaincy spaces closed temporarily until the situation is clearer. We will always try to keep disruption to a minimum, and restrictions will only be in place where it is necessary to maintain a safe environment. We will review this situation regularly.

    We are sorry we cannot offer more facilities at this time. If you have any queries please feel free to contact chaplain@herts.ac.uk

    University Day Nursery:

    The nursery is open as normal for all children currently registered there.

  • Getting tested

    The Government has asked all students who live on campus, need to come to the University to use our study spaces such as our LRCs, or to attend scheduled in-person teaching sessions, to take two tests. The tests should take place immediately on your return and then again 3 days later. While you await your result (typically one hour), you should not be in contact with other students, you should follow the hands, face, space rules to avoid virus transmission.

    You must book your tests in advance, and you can only attend your appointment if you do not have symptoms. If you do have symptoms, please book a test through the NHS testing unit.

    The test is free, quick, and easy and involves applying a swab to the throat and nose.

    Students arriving on campus from 4th January are expected to minimise social contact until a negative test result has been confirmed. Testing is also required of students who have stayed on campus over the winter break if they have had social contact with others within the previous 10 days.

    If you are a placement student, due to attend an Occupational Health (OH) appointment for placement clearance, please make sure you book a COVID-19 test on campus (if you don’t have symptoms) before attending your OH appointment.

    Remember, by taking a test you are helping to stop the spread of the virus, protect other people and save lives. We have a low number of COVID-19 cases at the University and we need your help to keep our Herts community safe. Book your test here

  • Health and Safety on campus

    We all have a shared responsibility to protect ourselves and others. If you are coming on to campus for practical's, or if you live on campus, you must follow all our safety guidance. This includes

    • getting an asymptomatic test
    • regular hand washing
    • social distancing
    • wearing a face covering (if you are not exempt)
    • using our track and trace system.

    The University expects all its students and staff to act responsibly by following the safety measures that are in place at all times. Individuals who do not follow the measures pose a risk to other members of our community. This behaviour will not be tolerated and any individuals found to continually break the rules will be dealt with accordingly.

  • Student support

    We have a range of resources from teams all across the University. You can reach out to the Dean of Students team on email or by phone (01707 281010). You can also get advice and support from Hertfordshire Students’ Union or Student Space, and you can even speak to the University Chaplain. Don’t forget there are lots of things for you to get involved in as well on our Facebook page and on the Active Students website.

    And if you are a health and social care student, remember that you are considered an ‘essential worker’ so you can access additional support, such as sending your children to school to support your studies and placements.