Updated on-campus events guidance

Our guidance for colleagues about on-campus events has been updated to reflect that our ‘virtual first' policy remains in place, following consideration and approval by the Major Recovery Team (MRT).

As previously confirmed, we are keeping many health and safety control measures in place across campus while continuing with our gradual, phased plans to support more colleagues to work on campus. Our updated events guidance is consistent with this approach, following our assessment of the risks locally. Case numbers in Reading, while falling, remain high, and vaccination rates are lower and many of our current and prospective students have not yet been fully vaccinated.  

MRT will review our approach to events, along with all of our current control measures on campus, in late August ahead of the start of the autumn term.

What events can take place on campus?

For the safety of colleagues and students, events on campus continue to be limited and prioritised, pending a review of out control measures by MRT later in August.

We encourage event organisers to continue designing innovative and engaging virtual activities in the first instance. More information about online events can be found on the DTS and Events webpages.

Where it is deemed reasonably necessary, campus events can be considered for face-to-face settings. All campus events are subject to approval via the Events Notification Process. They must also meet current event safety measures and be within one of the following priority categories:

1. Student engagement – including events run by RUSU for students e.g. ‘Mojos on The Meadow’.
2. Student recruitment – including activities primarily for prospective students and applicants looking to commence their University studies in September 2021 and 2022 e.g. self-guided campus visits/tours.  
3. Colleague team gatherings and events – including team planning workshops, team building activities, team picnics or celebrations (e.g. leaving parties). 
4. Commercial – organised by Venue Reading and Venue Henley.
5. Museum events – hosted by University Museums

If you are considering autumn term events that do not meet the priority areas outlined above, we recommend holding on further planning until the next update from MRT in late August. For details on campus activity safety and priority categories, read the COVID-19 FAQs: Campus events guidance. 

Research and teaching

Research events that bring members of the public onto the campus must be risk assessed and require approval from the relevant Head of School.

Our plans for teaching are outlined on our Autumn Term guidance page. We are taking a ‘blended’ approach for Welcome Week, in line with the Teaching & Learning Framework, and further information is being shared with colleagues as these plans develop.