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<p>Higher education providers (HEPs) are independent institutions and are responsible
for their own decisions on staffing and employment contracts.</p><p>The department
provided sector-specific guidance on 17 April to help providers understand and access
the range of government support on offer to support financial viability and sustainability
and safeguard jobs. In developing this guidance, the department worked across government
to ensure the various funding streams that support university research were included
and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) was available in higher education
(HE). Officials also consulted trade unions as well as Universities UK (UUK) and the
Universities & Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) to understand staff and employer
concerns and ensure the guidance addressed these where possible.</p><p>The department
remains in close communication with partners in the HE sector who are considering
educational provision for the academic year 2020/2021. To help HEPs make informed
decisions about their provision, the government has issued guidance on reopening campuses
and buildings while minimising the risk to students and staff, which is complemented
by principles published by UUK that will underpin HEPs’ reopening plans.</p><p> </p>
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