University leaders are encouraging students to get fully vaccinated

University officials are urging new and returning students to take advantage of the opportunity to get fully vaccinated as soon as possible.

Sector representatives outlined how higher education providers are engaging, explaining, and encouraging new and existing students to get vaccinated in a joint letter published today. This includes amplifying and supporting the government’s strong messages about how students can get a vaccination, whether they are at their term-time address or elsewhere, as well as collaborating with public health locally to offer facilities as pop-up vaccination sites over the summer and leading up to the new academic year.

The signatories also recognize the tremendous sacrifices made by all students this year, and they point to evidence indicating that vaccine intent remains high among higher education students.

The letter reads:

Student vaccination – a sector statement

The UK’s higher education providers recognise the critical importance of the national
vaccination programme to overcoming the Covid-19 pandemic. We saw first-hand the impact
national lockdowns and Covid restrictions had on students’ lives over the past 16 months, and
we want to get back to a more normal life and higher education experience.

Universities and other higher education providers continue to engage, explain and encourage
new and existing students to take up the opportunity to get fully vaccinated as soon as
possible. This includes amplifying and supporting the strong messages from government
on how students can access a vaccination, whether they are in their term-time address or
elsewhere, and working with public health locally to offer facilities as pop-up vaccination sites
over the summer and leading into the new academic year.

Young people have made tremendous sacrifices during the pandemic and evidence suggests
that vaccine intent remains high among higher education students. We remain confident that
the overwhelming majority of students in higher education will take up the opportunity to be
vaccinated and we will continue to take every opportunity to encourage that they do so.

Signed,
Professor Julia Buckingham CBE, President, Universities UK
Professor Debra Humphris, Chair, University Alliance
Professor Julie Lydon OBE, Chair, Universities Wales
Professor Sally Mapstone, Vice-Convener, Universities Scotland
Anthony McClaran, Chair, GuildHE
Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, Chair, Russell Group
Dr Roxanne Stockwell, Chair, Independent HE
Professor Rama Thirunamachandran, Chair, MillionPlus – The Association for Modern Universities