Update 5: 20 August 2020
Since the 11 June the GSA has been updating students every two weeks on plans for the coming Academic Year and the changes being put in place to adapt to the current context of COVID-19.
Studio, workshops, making, a relevant and connected curriculum with live projects, engagement with academic staff and the host of external speakers, events and exhibitions that programmes and academic schools organise, have always been fundamental tenets of an art school education.
For all of us, how this is achieved this session will be different, just as students creative practice, – what they make and share with society as architects, artists and designers – will be different.
Academic Programme in 2020 – 2021
The GSA is a community of practice, and in making the necessary changes to programmes of study to adapt to the current context, academic staff and the wider GSA’s community have remained committed to the values and unique learning environment of an art school.
How this will be achieved has been outlined in a previous update and the GSA’s published COVID-19 Response Student Guide. Students are advised to read this.
Key points
- The GSA’s priority is a Safe Campus
The well-being of students and staff, friends and families is at the heart of everything, and how the GSA will operate in the coming academic session will support this. Students will have an important role in not only sharing the values around Safe Campus, but demonstrating this through actions and behaviours, ensuring they comply with the new or adapted policies and procedures that are put in place. Information on the GSA approach to Safe Campus is on the website; information and resources are being added to the GSA Student Intranet and guidance on Safe Campus will form part of student central induction.
Some key points about the GSA approach to a safe campus:
- A deep clean programme has commenced and an enhanced ongoing cleaning regime has been defined for implementation once buildings are occupied;
- Maximum occupancy levels has been defined for all spaces across the campus to ensure social distancing (in line with the current Government guidance of 2 metres). The plans also allow the GSA to adapt to changes in social distancing as and when these happen. Programme Leaders / Heads of Department have been on campus this week to assess space allocations and ensure that these are aligned with academic plans:
- Installation of signage, screens and sanitisers is almost complete in all buildings;
- The will be procuring and issuing face masks for staff and students for the start of the academic year and ensuring these are worn in line with Government guidance;
- Temperature checks will be introduced for access to GSA buildings;
- New and adjusted protocols that will be essential to observe when on campus have been defined and will form part of the Safe Campus induction.
- Structured and timed studio and workshop access will be central to ensuring a Safe Campus, allowing everyone access during the week and ensuring on-campus working sits coherently with digital delivery, off-campus projects and working from home;
- Structured and timed studio and workshop access will be initially phased in over the first few weeks of the Semester. Students are also advised to engage with Programme leaders for information on inductions and initial lectures, tutorials and city-wide projects that comprise the first few weeks of term and are ready to access studios (w/c 4th October) when advised. An example of how the city becomes the studio is Mackintosh School of Architecture Vertical Project;
Engagement with programme leaders, tutors and external speakers, with structured learning activities and tasks, one-to one academic engagement and scheduled tutorials are at the heart of the GSA learning and teaching and engagement with projects and coursework;
The GSA has a range of learning activities, which are interlinked and are cohesive, and reflect the diversity of studio – physical, civic, digital, remote or temporary, that defines creative practice today;
For postgraduate taught students, the GSA have an expanded range of Elective options;
The GSA has invested in digital tools – including Zoom, Adobe Creative Suite and Rhino, making them available to all students, and supported investment in IT equipment to address digital poverty that we recognise some students are impacted by.
Enrolment 2020 – 2021
New and continuing students at the GSA need to enrol for the coming academic session.Continuing student can now enrol online. The GSA Registry have issued instructions on how to complete Online Registration via email.
The GSA recognises that not everyone will be arriving in Glasgow immediately for the start of term and the curriculum allows for remote working and staggered arrivals. However, everyone is expected to be in Glasgow by the end of Semester 1 (Friday 15 January 2021).
All students, whether on campus in Glasgow or Altyre or studying remotely, need to be fully enrolled by 31st October 2020. If a student has not enrolled by the 31st October 2020, access to the campus, facilities and online learning will be withdrawn.
In line with the approach to Safe Campus, the GSA has set up new systems and processes for students collecting matriculation (student) cards, resolving fee inquiries or issues, collecting IT equipment as part of the Digital Poverty initiative and other issues that cannot be resolved by email, telephone or Zoom call.
Induction 2020 – 2021
There are 3 parts to Induction 2020 – 2021:
The GSA induction – this will be live on CANVAS from 7th September (students will be sent an email when it is live and can be accessed).The GSA induction comprises a range of short courses covering all aspects of student life. It is compulsory and essential that students complete it to ensure they start the new academic year with all the information needed about life at the GSA;
School and Programme induction– this is arranged by Academic Schools which will issue details
Technical Services, Library and Archives and Collections Inductions – these are available on the GSA Student Intranet or Canvas and information is issued from the individual areas. Some are compulsory and have to be completed before some of the resources can be accessed. These inductions will also outline how these elements of the student experience will operate and have adapted due to the COVID-19 requirements.
Living in Glasgow and Altyre
As part of the GSA Inductions there are have short introductions to Glasgow, Garnethill and Altyre. Students at the GSA are part of a local community, as well as the wider creative community
Arriving in Glasgow in a normal year is pretty exciting (see the Guide for International Students which has information on how to get to the GSA from the main transport and airport locations – useful for all students) but for some of you this year will be particularly complex due to the UK Government rules on Quarantine.
Students have received an email specifically about quarantine containing a link to a guide to quarantining on arrival and to a questionnaire that students travelling from outside the UK need to complete. Students are asked to complete this when they know their travel date and if possible a week before travel. This is to help the GSA to ensure we can provide the appropriate support for quarantine.
Students are advised that it is important that you have somewhere to stay arranged and in place before arriving in Glasgow. Information on accommodation including GSA Halls and private sector accommodation can be found on the GSA website.
For students who need to quarantine, the plans the GSA is are putting in place include:
- A guide to quarantine requirements and access to advice and guidance on requirements if needed
- Programme teams ensuring they engage with students in quarantine
- Inviting students who are quarantining to online social activities and making sure you are part of the GSA community
- For students in GSA Halls in Glasgow options to purchase (delivered in rooms on arrival) essentials kit (bedding, kitchenware) and have groceries delivered to rooms for arrival for the cost of £100 for the two weeks.
- For students in Forres (Altyre), 3 meals a day will be provided for the cost of £150 for the two weeks.
- Students can of course order food deliveries directly through online supermarkets and other providers
- GSA Halls in Glasgow have additional staff to co-ordinate arrivals.
If students are required to quarantine as a condition of entry in to the UK and Scotland, they will need to follow the instructions issued by the Scottish Government. The list of countries where people are required to quarantine from on arrival in Scotland is changing and it is likely to have changed again by the start of the academic year.