Running out of space

The rector of Almeria University, Carmelo Rodriguez, will ask for flexibility over social distancing during the academic year.

The national government has established a minimum of 1.20 metres between students during in-person classes but as the rector pointed out, this means that there will not be room for them all in classes or lecture halls.

Speaking to the Spanish media, Rodriguez said that he hoped the Ministry of Universities would authorise exceptions so that students will be able to return to pre-Covid conditions.

The 1.2-metre limitation would involve distributing students in “chessboard mode, he said.

“There will be no problems for some groups but in others there would not be enough room for all the students, requiring a combination of in-person and online classes,” the rector predicted.