In this report, High Fliers, the independent graduate recruitment research company, looks at students’ feedback to how their universities responded to the lockdown measures and resulting shift to remote teaching and assessment, and their expectations for a return to studying in the autumn. The survey received 803 responses from undergraduate students due to graduate in summer 2021 from across 46 UK universities including Edinburgh.

Nearly three quarters of students felt their university had done well with the shift to remote teaching and assessment and almost one fifth have remained in their term time accommodation. 80% plan on returning to their university town or campus in the autumn, and four fifths to their university accommodation despite the prospect of online lectures.

The report tells us that there is widespread support from students for lectures to be delivered online. Students do however have a strong expectation that smaller tutorials, seminars and lab activities will be hosted in-person. Students are realistic about what is viable due to social distancing measures however do still expect a proportion of their contact to be in-person.

There remains frustration at the fees charged for a university education when there will be little in-person contact and potential limitations on access to university facilities such as libraries.

Report – HF20-Coronavirus-Briefing