Education Ministers have announced a package of measures to protect universities and students from the impact of Coronavirus. I spoke with the University of Nottingham Vice-Chancellor, Professor Shearer West, who told me the University has moved its teaching and student support online and most staff are now working from home, with a few exceptions like those working on COVID-19 research, including the development of an effective antibody test and looking at potential COVID-19 treatments. Professor West also outlined some of the measures the University is taking to deal with the financial impact of the pandemic and highlighted the importance of the University of Nottingham to the Broxtowe Constituency. Did you know?
• Over 3000 jobs in Broxtowe rely on the University’s presence
• Over 1620 members of staff live in the Constituency
• Over 4200 University of Nottingham students live in Broxtowe
• 795 people from Broxtowe are currently studying with the University of Nottingham
• International students and visitors add £17m to the Broxtowe economy each year
Enabling Innovation programme has seen the University work with over 500 local businesses, including a number in Broxtowe – e.g.:
▪ Simplex Knitting Company, based in Chilwell, who took on a languages student to help them access Chinese markets with their fabrics (they now have a sales office in Guangdong, China), and
▪ Pulp Friction Smoothie Bar in Bramcote, a social enterprise that helps people with learning difficulties get work experience, who the University helped develop their own ice cream range (still being sold).
The University of Nottingham and the COVID-19 response
Over the past four weeks, the University of Nottingham:
• has provided more equipment (13 qPCRs and 18 Cell Culture Cabinets) worth over £1m and capable of providing of 20,000 tests a day to the Lighthouse Lab in Milton Keynes than any other single UK university
• is now the largest recruiting centre for the RECOVERY trial looking at potential COVID treatments
• is working through one of our spinout companies on possible vaccines using novel approaches
that could be valuable if current vaccine trials prove less effective than hoped
• is part of a network of universities trying to achieve effective antibody tests
• is working with the Bank of England to track the impact of COVID-19 on business
• has provided 1600 bednights of accommodation to local NHS workers unable to return home
• has made over 10,000m2 of building space available to local NHS partners to use for training,
testing, storage, rest and relaxation and emergency usage.
• has designed and is now manufacturing 5,000 face visors CE certified against PPE legislation to
local healthcare partners
You can read more about what the University of Nottingham is doing to support COVID-19 efforts locally and nationally here.