Message to all CDP students:
I just wanted to contact you to provide you with as much information as I can about how the current Covid-19 virus crisis will impact your research and situation.
What is most important is that you, your partner, children, relatives and friends stay safe. I do understand that studying for a doctorate can be a challenging and tough time anyway. Please do remain in regular contact with other students, with your co-supervisors and your partner organisation. If you have questions or concerns ask your co-supervisors, your university and your partner organisation for help.
If you are worried or concerned about the impact the current situation is having on your research, especially how much time you have for your funding, please do not suspend your studies. Suspending your studies will mean your stipend/regular maintenance payments will stop. Our advice is to continue your research, do not suspend, and we will work with you, your co-supervisors and university to extend the length of the studentship.
If you fall ill, please tell your co-supervisors. If you are ill for some time, please remember your allowance is up to 13 weeks of sick leave. You would normally need a doctor’s note from your GP for the time your are ill, but UKRI have said they will accept any revised Government guidance about medical certification to claim sickness leave. Please also follow NHS advice on what to do if you feel you have symptoms.
The guidance that UKRI issued last week, that we have circulated, was issued before the Government shut down schools and before the Prime Minister’s announcement that we all need to stay in our homes. Because of this, it did not contain any specific mention about what happens if you need to stay at home to look after children, or to care for someone who is ill. I am expecting UKRI will tell us more about how they will deal with the current situation.
UKRI have made it clear that anyone who finds it difficult to finish their doctorate within the time they are being funded will be considered for an extension. They said that this could be because of ‘prolonged periods of self-isolation’ or because of the ‘postponement of critical activities’. This means not being able to access libraries, study archives or collections, work in laboratories etc.
I am working with AHRC to come up with a simple clear way to ask for these extensions.
If you are near the end of your funding and you need to request an extension, please contact your co-supervisors and your partner organisation.
We will be in regular contact with you in coming weeks.
Please take care
Best wishes,
JD Hill
Chair of the CDP Consortium and Head of Research at the British Museum