In my latest video update, I thank colleagues for their tremendous response to meeting the challenges brought on by the pandemic, and announce an extra days leave to support staff wellbeing this April. As well as supporting student learning and outcomes, maintaining essential services to students still living in Halls, I also praise the positive response to the Heriot-Watt #OneWatt campaign to support student welfare.
I want to thank you for your flexibility, determination and cooperation as we have all faced up to the biggest change in life many of us have experienced.
We have fundamentally changed the way we support students and we’ve successfully moved to remote working. It’s been tough. I know people have worked hard. Your effort is recognised and appreciated. Amidst all this change it is also important to take time out and offline to get a proper break away from work.
For those of you with children and family welfare responsibilities I know it has been particularly difficult. It is important people do not put themselves under too much pressure and we all support colleagues to work at different rates and in different ways suited to their own circumstances.
While most of us are confined to our homes, a I’d like to pay particular thanks to our colleagues who are doing essential safety and maintenance work on our campuses. In Edinburgh, they are supporting the wellbeing of about 1000 students remaining in residence unable to get home. This is vitally important work. For some of you, working remotely at home is not possible and I know that’s also been frustrating.
It’s important we take time to look after ourselves and our families. I am pleased to announce we will have an extra day off in April. This will happen over the Easter bank holiday weekend in the UK and staff in Dubai and Malaysia will also be receiving an extra day’s leave this month. Whatever your circumstances, I hope everyone will benefit from some extra time off.
This has also been disruptive for our students – particularly our final year Class of 2020. We will not have summer graduations this year and instead we will hold extra ceremonies this winter and also next year so they do not miss out on this highlight of their University experience.
The coronavirus crisis has also increased the need for practical and financial support for our students. Students in all our locations find themselves in a range of challenging circumstances. Last week I launched our #OneWatt student support appeal. I’m delighted to say we have already raised almost £15,000. Please would you consider any way you can support and promote this campaign too.
We are all facing big questions about the future. What will the new academic year look like? What kind of financial impact is the University facing? How can we play our part in the economic recovery?
We simply don’t have all the answers yet to address these challenges. But we can all be confident on the importance of Heriot-Watt’s values, our ethos and the brand and reputation which has been built over the last 200 years.
These also give us confidence we will need to play a vital role in recovering from this crisis. Heriot-Watt talent and Heriot-Watt know-how will be critical to economic and social recovery. The crisis will also accelerate new opportunities to develop our academic portfolio, which I know will become even more important in coming weeks. Take care and thank for being part of this special Heriot-Watt community.
with best wishes
Richard
Richard A. Williams
Principal and Vice-Chancellor