Coronavirus: University of Central Lancashire (UcLan) asks some staff to work from home and plans remote classes amid pandemic

Service staff will work from home on Friday (March 13) so the university can test its technology and many classes will be taught remotely from Monday.

Events involving more than 30 students will be cancelled.

Travel overseas for staff and students has been temporarily suspended.

In a statement, a spokesman for the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) said: "In the interest of the health and wellbeing of students and staff, the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has today announced some important measures to prepare the University in case it is necessary to close its UK campuses for a period of time in the near future due to the spread of the Coronavirus."

The measures include:

- The immediate, temporary cessation of overseas travel for students and staff as well as non-critical business travel to wider regions in UK outside Lancashire and Cumbria.

- On Friday March 13 service staff are being asked to work from home to enable the University to test its technology.

- From Monday March 16 some large classes will be taught remotely using digital technologies where possible. -From Monday 23 March any events involving over 30 people on UCLan UK campuses will be postponed or cancelled.

- The Applicant Day on 14 March and the Open Evening on 19 March will still go ahead at the Preston campus as planned.

UCLan Vice-Chancellor, Professor Graham Baldwin said: “In line with many other universities and businesses the University of Central Lancashire is making some important decisions that will affect many staff and students over the coming weeks.

“We are putting these measures in place now in the interest of the health and wellbeing of UCLan students and staff colleagues to help reduce the spread of potential infection or the risk of being quarantined due to the potential spread of the Coronavirus.

“It is important that as a University we do not put colleagues or students at risk, nor as an organisation be a contributor to the spread of the Coronavirus.”

Suntosh Kaur, President of the UCLan Students’ Union added: “Student welfare and safety are our chief concern, we’re working closely with the University through the roll-out of these measures to ensure students receive the necessary support across their learning and teaching.

"I commend the University’s decision to move quickly to plan and implement actions to reduce the impact of this virus.

"We are reviewing our events program in line with University guidance, to ensure messages to our members remain consistent.”

Meanwhile, Preston's College has closed amid fears that a student who travelled back from Thailand may have coronavirus.