Dear student,
Welcome to the College, I am delighted that you have chosen to join us at Imperial. As the College’s Provost, leading our academic mission, I hope that you will find the College to be an exciting and vibrant community, both intellectually and socially, and that your time here will be stimulating, productive and enjoyable.
Welcome
Over the coming days and weeks, you will be taking part in a variety of induction activities, all of which aim to give you a warm welcome to the College, and to get you off to a good start to your journey here with us at Imperial.
You should be very proud of your success so far. Of course, you will have received help along the way, from your teachers, your schools and your families and friends, but your presence here is ultimately down to you, your hard work, your talent and your enthusiasm. Congratulations on what you have achieved. We look forward to helping you with your next phase of education.
A big part of coming to university is taking more personal responsibility for your studies, and indeed your life; managing your own time, looking after yourself both physically and mentally. This is a significant challenge, but when you come to Imperial you are joining a community that includes everyone in the College. Many of you will make friendships that last a lifetime.
Covid-19 restrictions
Of course, you are starting university in a uniquely different time than your predecessors. It is a time when your actions will be important in keeping our Imperial community safe. I would ask each of you to take your personal responsibility to each other, our staff, and your local community especially seriously.
You have seen the result of virus outbreaks in other universities across the UK. My personal request to you is to please follow the rules and limit your social gatherings to six people or less.
Staff at the College are all deeply sympathetic to the fact that you have had a challenging summer with few opportunities to socialise. We understand that you will want to forge friendships as soon as possible, and that you might feel you are missing out by not joining in with others who may choose to disregard safety guidelines. However, we must work together as a community to protect each other - by following our behaviour guidelines, you will help us to avoid further restrictions or more lockdowns, which will allow you to have the best student experience here at the College.
Any parties or social events which break the limits of six people per group will lead to significant disruption, including a 14-day isolation period. Please socialise responsibly and consider the impact of social gatherings on your wider household and class.
You will have many opportunities to make friends via your accommodation, classes, and student clubs and societies once you have settled into your new life at Imperial. The Student Union has made it possible to participate actively in activities even in this new multimode learning environment. Right now you can also get involved in our month-long Welcome Season of events or book a table for groups of six or less at your Student Union venues.
We are committed to keeping you safe and we continue to be guided by the latest official government guidance. In these fast-changing times you should anticipate hearing from the College again throughout the year regarding local or national government guidance alterations. This is not a cause for alarm but a reminder that together we all have a role in supporting each other to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. I must ask that you keep yourself informed by closely reading the information we share with you by email, social media, and our website.
Everything you need to know about the College’s own guidelines can be found on our website. Our campus safety policy is based on three of the simplest actions you can take to reduce transmission: wear a face covering, observe the two- metre rule, and wash your hands.
We are also providing testing and contact tracing, and the same webpages also tell you what you must do if you are experiencing symptoms, have tested positive, or have been told to self-isolate.
Support
There is a great deal of support for your welfare and learning here at Imperial: your teachers and tutors in your Department, the Wardens and Hall Seniors in your halls of residence, the Students’ Union, and our central support services.
You will have received a Welcome Pack from the College upon joining. There is also a wealth of resources online, for example, our Student Support Zone contains advice to help you live well and thrive at Imperial, and for academic guidance we have the Success Guide which features hints and tips, study skills and more, to make sure you have all the information you need to succeed in your studies.
You can also find out about the other support services and resources available to you via your Welcome to Imperial app.
Get involved
I strongly encourage you to make the most of your time with us here at the College. Three or four or five years may seem like a long time, but believe me when I say they will fly by. Take advantage of the College’s extra-curricular activities, from the Blyth Centre for Music and Arts to the many events and societies hosted by the Student Union, as well as the local Albertopolis institutions.
So, I do hope you will find time for all the opportunities that are available. This is the start of a very great journey for you, I wish you all the very best in your time with us and beyond.
Best wishes,
Ian