"Dear colleagues and students

First and foremost, I hope you’re feeling ok and your families are safe and well. It will take a while for us all to adapt to such strange times, but I’m sure those of you in the UK will have been as proud as I was to see the handclapping tribute to NHS and careworkers across the country on Thursday evening.

At Warwick, a huge amount of effort has gone into our four key priorities over the last week and I wanted to update you, and thank you for your patience and support.

The welfare of our community continues to be our very highest priority. The students who remain on campus are being looked after – the residential life team also remains on campus, wellbeing support services continue and Rootes grocery store remains open. We are in regular contact with our student community spread around the world to offer support and provide updates.

The vast majority of our staff are working from home – connecting remotely (sometimes more successfully than others!), and a small number of individuals continue to work on campus to support remaining students, maintain key research facilities and provide wellbeing, security, access and health and safety services. We have a lot of advice and guidance for colleagues online to help you continue to work, understand your rights and our responsibilities and get support. I’m so very grateful to everyone for coming together at this time. More wellbeing support and advice will be provided virtually as soon as we can.

In line with our commitment to graduate our students, work continues to shift our assessment model to a virtual one. Thank you to students for your patience as we bring plans together, I know you are worried about what the alternatives to exams will look like, and hope the regular teaching and learning newsletters are helpful.

Since calling on you to play your part in the community however you could – you have been sharing what you’ve been doing - thank you. It’s amazing – people are running prescription pick-up services, sending out checking-in notes to neighbours, sharing meals and volunteering at local food banks. I’m humbled. Keep the ideas coming!

We’re doing our bit as a University too – giving PPE to the NHS, making hand sanitiser, contributing lab space for Covid-19 work, scientific advice to government, WMS staff and students actively working with the NHS. I’m sure, and indeed I hope, there is much more to come. I’m so pleased to see what we can do by working together with our region. I think the grins on the faces of Seb Perrier and his chemistry team showing the sanitiser they’ve made says it all.

So: stay safe, enjoy the Spring sunshine if you’re still in the UK and keep in touch."

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stuart Croft