COVID-19 Campus Updates For European Business Schools

Check out the latest COVID-19 campus updates for European business schools as some schools plan to reopen campuses to MBA students this year

The coronavirus pandemic has hit Europe hard, but there are signs of recovery as business schools begin to reopen their campuses to welcome MBA students for the new academic year.

The situation is constantly changing and business schools are planning accordingly. Some schools are introducing a hybrid model, combining online learning with face-to-face sessions on-campus, while maintaining social distancing.

Here, we highlight the latest COVID-19 campus updates for Europe’s top business schools. This page is regularly updated with the latest campus reopening plans for MBA students.

COVID-19 Campus Updates: Europe

UK Business Schools

Alliance Manchester Business School

The Alliance Manchester Business School campus is currently closed. The school is working to ensure campus is safe, and social distancing and cleaning measures are in place.

The school’s Full-Time MBA start date has been postponed from August 2020 to December 2020. A statement on the Alliance Manchester Business School website says this is to give the school the best chance of delivering the program face to face, and to allow students from different countries around the globe to arrive in Manchester to start the MBA together.

Cambridge Judge Business School

Classes began on September 28th for MBA students at Cambridge Judge Business School, with a blend of face-to-face and online learning. The term also began in September for other programmes at the business school such as the Executive MBA and Master of Finance programmes.

In line with University of Cambridge rules, all business school students are being asked to attend Cambridge in person as soon as is feasible. Some students felt unable to make such a commitment this year, because of COVID-19, so the deferment rate was higher than normal. The MBA class of 2020-2021 is smaller than the previous year, totalling 174 students.

The launch of the autumn term followed detailed preparation this past summer to ready the school’s buildings in line with coronavirus guidelines of the UK government and Cambridge University. Measures at Cambridge Judge include one-way lifts and stairs, physical distancing signs and procedures, and new self-service rules for the cafeteria. The curriculum has also been modified to reflect the pandemic, including lessons on the leadership implications of managing remote teams.

Applications for the 2021-2022 school year opened on July 1st, and the school says that the number of applications is so far significantly higher than the previous year at the same time.

London Business School

London Business School is following UK and UAE government guidance and is working in partnership with health and safety consultants. The school launched its hybrid teaching model on September 21st 2020.

A school statement confirmed that under the incoming 'tier 2' restrictions in London, universities can remain open and can continue to deliver in-person teaching.

This means London Business School operations will not be affected by the introduction of the new restrictions. The LBS London campus will remain open and students will be able to continue to access in-person teaching.

The School has introduced a number of health and safety measures to mitigate transmission of COVID-19 among its School community, and conducted several detailed risk-assessments to ensure its London campus is COVID-secure.

COVID-19 Campus Updates For US Business Schools

Business Schools in Ireland

Trinity Business School

Trinity Business School had planned its first semester with a hybrid model in mind, which combines online and face to face elements such as offering online lectures for larger class groupings and face-to-face seminars, tutorials, and laboratory classes for smaller groups. As much face-to-face teaching and learning as possible will be provided under prevailing health and safety requirements. A decision on the second semester will be taken closer to the time.

The University has introduced new measures in Trinity following the Government’s decision to move Dublin to level three of the Framework of Restrictive Measures in Response to COVID-19. In the context of moving to level three, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has asked the Dublin universities to reduce student numbers on campus for the coming weeks as part of a wider plan to reduce the number of Covid-19 cases in the capital.

Trinity will welcome new and returning students to commence learning according to the timetables provided. However, following new government guidelines that only teaching which cannot readily be delivered online should be delivered in person, the school will transfer some teaching that had been planned for in person to online.