Dear Students,
This week we are pleased to feature a video message from Marcus Jackson, Associate Dean for Student Experience, who gives an overview of our collaborative student-staff projects and activities which focus on enhancing your university experience.
I'm sure that many of you, like me, tuned in to watch the Prime Minister's speech on Sunday evening, craving clarity. In the days since, we have been absorbing the detailed guidance which has been published by the Government. While the advice on educational settings focuses largely on those for children, there are points for us to consider as we make plans for the next academic year.
We are also looking carefully at the guidance on lab and research facilities. Lab work focused on Covid-19 has progressed on site over recent weeks, but we are keen for other research activities to be operating again as soon as possible.
Our overriding priority is, of course, the safety of our staff, students and wider community. There will be no changes to our ways of working until we are satisfied that we are following all relevant guidance in this next phase of the Covid-19 response.
As you heard in last week's Student Briefing, there is much work underway to shape plans for the next academic year and decisions on our approach will be made soon. We will let you know of these as soon as we have concrete information to share.
In the briefing notes below you will find information about our expanded Hardship Fund provision and an invitation to help create a Covid-19 portrait from photographs of objects that represent your experience of this unique period.
I send my best wishes to those of you undertaking assessments and to all of you for your continued resilience. As a reminder, information about support available to you is posted on our website. It is a difficult time for everyone and I urge you to keep connected with others and reach out for any help you need.
Best wishes,
Professor Jane Saffell
Deputy Principal (Education)
St George's, University of London
Hardship Funding
St George’s have increased the support available to students experiencing financial hardship as a result of Covid-19. Both the Access to Learning Fund and the EU and International Hardship Fund now have increased provision in response to an increased need for funding in the current climate.
Access to Learning Fund
The primary purpose of the Access to Learning Fund is to relieve financial hardship that might impact on a student’s participation in higher education. It is partly-funded by the generous donations of St George’s alumni and provides discretionary financial assistance to fully registered and enrolled full-time undergraduate and postgraduate home (UK) students.
The Access to Learning Fund will remain open until funds are exhausted. Students who wish to be considered are advised to make an application as soon as possible. To apply, students should complete an application form and email it, alongside all supporting documentation (pdf format only), to alf@sgul.ac.uk
The application form, as well as further information on the Access to Learning Fund, can be found here.
EU and International Hardship Fund
The EU and International Hardship Fund is open to full-time undergraduate and postgraduate EU and International students who are experiencing financial hardship due to unexpected circumstances which are beyond their control (Covid-19).
Further information on the EU and International Hardship Fund, including details of how to apply, can be found here.
Open Spaces – Capturing Covid-19
Our experiences of ‘lockdown’ and Covid-19 are different but they are all intense and bound by a care and compassion for others.
Some of us are working harder than we ever have before, some of us are locked in and unable to go out and some of us are working in new ways in unfamiliar fields. Do you have half an hour spare to record your experience of Covid-19 with an artist?
One of our academics, Deborah Padfield, would like create a portrait of St George’s staff and students reflecting the range of experiences that have been had across the institution during the pandemic. She invites you to spend half an hour with her co-creating a photograph which represents your experience of this unique period.
If you are interested please email Deborah to discuss further and arrange a time: dpadfiel@sgul.ac.uk
What will it involve?
- Selecting an object that reflects this period for you
- Thinking about the context in which you would like to place your object
- Choosing a time to chat to Deborah during which we will collaborate on setting up your image and taking a photograph of your object
With consent, all photographs will be used within an exhibition of St George’s portraits celebrating what we offer each other and the wider community.
Participants will be given a copy of the photograph to keep. Audio recordings will be made of the conversations that take place while working to give a context and flavour of the diverse experiences we have all had during this time. Extracts from these (if permission is given) will be displayed alongside the photographs.
Participants can choose to remain anonymous if they wish.