No clarity for students yet on autumn university term

There is so far little clarity for Gibraltarian students due to return to university or commence their studies in the UK this autumn, the Minister for Education Gilbert Licudi said.

Despite this, the Department for Education is in “constant contact” with the universities, as well as students, to assess what the latest information is.

“There is a great deal of uncertainty and we still don’t have clarity,” Mr Licudi said, as he answered questions from the media as part of Sunday’s press briefing.

“We very much hope that things will return to some element of normality by September so that the process can continue as near normal as possible.”

“The reality is that this will be determined by what happens in the UK,” he said highlighting the UK’s coronavirus infection rate.

But he said: “We hope that progress will be made and they’ll be making announcements but it will be for universities to decide how they are going to manage [the situation] as from September.”

“We very much hope that our students will be able to return in some form, even if not physically, certainly that the courses will continue and that new students will be able to enrol.”

He added: “We are actively monitoring the situation.”