Dear student,

Welcome to autumn at the College. Whether you are a new student, you have been studying throughout the summer, or you are just returning from your summer break, we are delighted to have you with us in London.

By now, most students will have visited one of our campuses for social, educational, or research reasons. It is wonderful to see College buildings and open spaces filled with people on their way to classes, laboratories, and offices, as well as clubs and societies signing up students for the year’s activities. There’s a real buzz on our campuses, and I know you’ll experience it for yourself around the College.

Among all the excitement of recent weeks, it is important to recognise that this has certainly been a challenging year and a half. Our community, the country, and the entire world all continue to be mindful of the pandemic. Your safety continues to be of the utmost importance. All College safety guidance can be viewed online and Professor Peter Openshaw, one of our prominent immunologists, has kindly prepared a video detailing what we can all do to keep our community safe.

If you have not already been fully vaccinated, please also consider attending one of our pop-up clinics. They are a simple, convenient, and free way to protect yourself and your loved ones. 

The safer we are, the more we can enjoy our time together. Staff and your students’ union have kept this in mind as they have worked exceptionally hard over the past year to continue offering an unbeatable university experience. They have lain the groundwork for all the activities you are able to enjoy on campus this year, from reviving Metric to ensuring rooms are available for societies and meetings.

And our commitment to improving your university experience is far from over. We have plans to make many further positive changes at the College, including embracing a healthier culture and continuing to invest significant amounts in the services and facilities for the student community. You will see evidence of these changes as we progress through this term, maintaining the momentum of our positive results in the ‘National Student Survey’ and the ‘University of the Year’ and ‘Student Experience of the Year’ awards we recently received from The Sunday Times.

I wish you a very welcoming, inspiring and healthy autumn ahead.

Best wishes, 

Ian