Coronavirus: Oxford University intends to teach face-to-face

Oxford University intends to use face-to-face and online teaching at the start of the new academic year in October, its vice-chancellor has said.

Prof Louise Richardson said it had "every intention of resuming the life of the university next term with as large a student cohort as possible".

But she warned in a staff email that emerging from coronavirus "will be a slow and protracted process".

The university announced a year-long recruitment freeze last month.

Prof Richardson said a group was "drawing in widespread representation and expertise from colleges and departments" about how teaching could proceed and adhere to safety guidelines for its Michaelmas term, which starts on 1 October.

The university has used online teaching and assessment from April, and graduation ceremonies between May and August have been cancelled.

Prof Richardson told staff: "In many ways universities, and especially this one, have come into their own during this crisis.

"There is also a growing appreciation of the critical importance of our research. It turns out that people cannot get enough of experts, after all."

Cambridge University has said all its lectures will be online until summer 2021, although "it may be possible to host smaller teaching groups in person" if they meet social distancing requirements.

The University of Manchester and the University of Reading said its lectures would be online-only for the next term.

Bosses at Reading said it wanted to reduce the "health risks from large groups in confined spaces".

Instead, it said teaching rooms will be used for seminars and workshops in smaller groups.