“The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Trinity has increased to four, the College today announced. An announcement on Trinity’s website said that two more cases of the virus have been confirmed, the day after College shut its doors to all students except residents …” (more)
[Donal MacNamee and Cormac Watson, University Times, 14 March]
“A 60-day temporary pause has been placed on J-1 visa programmes in response to coronavirus concerns, but students looking to travel Stateside this summer are currently unaffected by the measure. The US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) on Thursday announced it is temporarily pausing all ECA-funded programs, including the J-1 visa, for 60 days …” (more)
[Aoife Walsh, Independent, 14 March]
“A leading immunologist has slammed ‘virus parties’ as being irresponsible and selfish amid reports of thousands of students hosting impromptu house parties and large pub gatherings. Hours after the Government ordered all schools and colleges to close until further notice to combat Covid-19, hundreds of students in Cork were seen packing pubs around College Road and other student neighbourhoods …” (more)
[Allison Bray and Ralph Riegel, Independent, 14 March]
“The Health Research Board (HRB), Irish Research Council (IRC) and Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) are fully aware that the current situation regarding the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is having a significant impact on the research and innovation community, both in Ireland and internationally …” (more)
[SFI, 13 March]
“There’s no formal advice suggesting that universities should be moving to remote provision as a result of concerns over Covid-19, but many have elected to do so. Education secretary Gavin Williamson has advised universities to follow scientific advice …” (more)
[David Kernohan, Wonkhe, 13 March]
“All in-person exams are likely to be scrapped and replaced with alternate forms of online assessment, the College announced today. In an email sent out to all staff and students, College Secretary John Coman and Acting Director of College Health Service Niamh Farrelly said that they understood from Senior Lecturer Kevin Mitchell ‘that preparations are being made to convert all planned in-person examinations to alternate modes of assessment that can be delivered online’ …” (more)
[Cormac Watson and Donal MacNamee, University Times, 13 March]
“Two former Health Ministers have backed the decision not to close Northern Ireland’s schools, saying the country’s top medical officers would have provided the best possible advice to the Executive on the matter …” (more)
[Ralph Hewitt, Belfast Telegraph, 13 March]
“The University of Texas at Austin announced on Friday that it would suspend operations in response to the coronavirus pandemic and Covid-19, the disease it causes. The university suspended campus visits and in-person admission events, as well as all university-sponsored international and domestic travel through at least April 30 …” (more)
[Dan Bauman, Chronicle of Higher Education, 13 March]
“In today’s world, everything is contingent on data – and the coronavirus is no exception. What is clear, however, is that the situation that began in Wuhan, China – and that has now spread globally affecting every continent in the world except Antarctica – is bleak. There is no respite from the chaotic conditions, the swirling rumours and the organisational and logistical headaches …” (more)
[Gillian O’Neill, University Times, 14 MArch]
“The president of IT Sligo has said their primary concern is for the health and wellbeing of the students, staff and their families, above education. Dr. Brendan McCormack has said they are closely monitoring the well being of their 300 international students studying in Sligo on a social isolation level as the majority of the students would not be from the area or indeed Ireland. The have also set up a support system for local students …” (more)
[Ocean FM, 13 March]
