Announcements
Plone de-commission project
Now the Plone de-commission project is entering its next phase – which began this week with project plans being shared with individual teams – here’s an update on progress.
What to do this weekend
Hurray, it’s the Easter holiday! But hang on, we’ve already had two weeks at home, what can we do now?
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
On 20th March 2020, the Chancellor announced a Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to allow employers to place staff on Furlough Leave. Furlough Leave is part of the Government’s package of support for organisations, and the Scheme is intended to support employers to continue to protect jobs.
The University has established a working group with colleagues from Finance, HR and RED, who are looking into the details of the scheme with urgency. Employees of the University who are eligible to be furloughed will be contacted with more information during April.
We are also looking into what this means for some of our workers who regularly complete work through Unitemps, which would have carried on past the 8th April 2020 but is no longer required due to the pandemic, and also for our colleagues who are funded by external research monies. Solutions for these groups requires a further review of the Government rules relating to the scheme and we hope to have a clearer position during April however across the sector there is uncertainty as to the eligibility of Higher Education Institutions to access the actual funding for the scheme in these instances.
I appreciate this is an unsettling time and this uncertainty is causing anxiety for many but please be assured we will communicate more information as soon as we can.
For more information on the scheme please refer to the FAQs.
Leicester Lockdown – your vlogs
Thanks for all the vlogs you’ve sent in over the last week, it’s been fun seeing what you’re all up to.
Impressive work from Sandra Lee in the Social Impact Team with her ultra-professional vlog. Thanks to Kelly McCormack from the Doctoral College – a convert to the Joe Wicks’ daily exercise regime! And thanks also to Dr John Goodwin, Deputy Head of CSSAH for your photography inspiration, such a great idea, we’ve featured John’s vlog in our article about things to do over the long weekend.
Please keep you photos and videos coming, it helps us all to feel connected and reminds us that we’re part of a huge friendly university community. The address for your contributions is: communications@leicester.ac.uk
Our coronavirus experts
Our external relations team have been talking to people across the University about their work and how it links to the fight against coronavirus.
The team is building a valuable catalogue of experts which enables our media team the chance to discuss and promote our research work with authority. By telling fact-based stories that will inform the world, we’re helping to deliver the truth about coronavirus and its impact.
Thanks to our experts, our University is amongst the leading lights of the research world in areas including medicine, virology, genetics, physics, space science, hate crime and so many more. The University contributes to stories in the press on a daily basis. Next time you tune in the evening news, browse online, or pick up the paper, remember to look out for us.
If we haven’t spoken to you yet but you’re a researcher or academic with something valuable to contribute, especially to the COVID-19 story, do let us know.
Find out more about our coronavirus experts.
