This seems broadly in line with what many UK universities are planning. I have some questions about it.

First, what is the perceived benefit of committing to holding small-group teaching on campus? https://twitter.com/timeshighered/status/1260522930791948288

Whatever small-group teaching takes place this autumn is going to look very different to what it did before. Small-group teaching won't be done in rooms designed for small groups. If you need 2-3 empty seats between each student, you're looking at small lecture theatres.

That kind of spacing and room layout changes the dynamic of the class. Discussion becomes harder, because people are seated in rows facing the tutor instead of looking at each other. Breaking into sub-groups becomes very difficult.

It's not clear, to me at least, that this provides a better small-group teaching experience than an online class would, or at least that whatever benefits might exist outweigh the problems (both pedagogic and practical).

Any 'online v campus' discussion that assumes we're comparing online with campus teaching UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES is basically meaningless. The comparison has to be between online and the specific kinds of campus teaching that will be possible this year.

Then there are the practical problems of bringing all students and staff back to campus. How are we all getting to campus? What are the buses and trains going to look like? Because on my usual commute into Liverpool, the trains are packed.

And then there are the buses that students need to get to class. Again, how are safe conditions going to be maintained on those?

And if you want people to avoid the buses and trains, what are the practical alternatives?

Because if we're only talking about what happens on campus, and ignoring the fact that people need to be able to get there, we're really missing a very big part of the picture.

Last, but definitely not least, if we're going to have all students receiving at least part of their teaching on campus, what provision is being made for students and staff who are in high-risk categories or who live with people in those categories?

There will be students who simply cannot attend in-person teaching, and there will be staff who simply cannot deliver it. How will universities address this?

I understand the impulse to get back to campus. I love small-group teaching. It's one of the best parts of the job. I just think that as things stand there are some important questions that are not being addressed in a lot of the discussions about the autumn term.