A recent survey has revealed that more than two-thirds of university students are still receiving online lectures as part of their undergraduate education.
According to the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), which polled over 10,300 university students, 69% reported ongoing online teaching. This marks a decrease from 90% in 2022, but HEPI emphasized that a significant portion of online delivery persists and appears likely to continue.
The survey, conducted between January and March this year, found that 5% of undergraduates receive approximately half of their education online, while another 4% indicated that between 91 and 100% of their courses are still delivered online.
Criticism has been directed at the university sector for what some perceive as slow progress in abandoning measures implemented during the pandemic-related campus closures. More than 150,000 students are pursuing legal action against universities, claiming their learning was disrupted during the pandemic and subsequent years, leading to inadequate educational outcomes given the mounting student debts.
A lawsuit initially involving 924 students from University College London (UCL) is scheduled for trial later this year after unsuccessful negotiations between the parties. The students allege that the university violated its contract with them from 2018 to 2022 due to lecturer strikes and closures related to Covid-19. They are seeking compensation totalling around £5,000.