Manchester Metropolitan University has announced that summer 2020 graduation ceremonies will not go ahead as planned due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
An email sent to students read: “One decision that has been particularly hard for us concerns graduation.
“I am writing to let you know that, sadly, we will not be able to go ahead with this year’s ceremonies at the end of the summer term.
“Graduation is a hugely important part of your time at university. It is an opportunity to celebrate your academic success with family and friends.
“It is when we all recognise the effort and commitment that you have put into your studies.
“I am deeply sorry that I will not now be able to shake your hand and congratulate you personally on achieving a degree from Manchester Metropolitan University.”
The lack of formal graduation ceremonies over the summer period will not stop or delay the university from granting degrees, however.
The statement continues: “While the ceremony will not take place as planned, I can reassure you that this will not delay us granting degrees.
“All those who gain a degree will receive their certificate by the end of September, and that degree will be valid even without a formal graduation ceremony.
“I believe that a degree is now more valuable than ever.
“We need qualified people to help us through the coronavirus challenge, and to address the pressing issues that we face as a global community, including climate change, food security, sustainable development, social justice, and the industries of the future.”
The statement suggests the university are exploring other options to mark graduations “in some shape or form” and that further updates will be published soon.
Manchester Metropolitan University student Kyra Lewis has responded to the statement by creating a petition urging Vice Chancellor Malcom Press to commit to rescheduling the formal events.
“The fact that we can’t celebrate our academic success with our family and friends after all our hard work is heartbreaking,” she writes.
She added that the statement was like “rubbing salt into the wound” and urged fellow students to sign the petition, which has received over 4,500 signatures in under 24 hours.
By Megan Levick A new exhibition celebrating female cyclists and tackling issues around women’s safety in urban spaces has launched at Manchester Central Library this month in celebration of International Women’s Day 2025. The aAh! Magazine X Lights Up Exhibition will run from 03 March to 29 March 2025 and showcases a range of multimedia…
Featured image: Alison Hall Future Media Production student Gracie Hall takes home top music photography award A Manchester Metropolitan University student has claimed a top national photography award, winning the Photographer of the Year title in the music category at the London Camera Exchange 2025. Gracie Hall, a BA Future Media Production student, impressed judges with her…
Featured image: Edward Firman There is no better combination than a good book and a hot cup of coffee; it’s the ultimate feeling of cosiness no matter the season. However, there’s something comforting about rainy days in Manchester, when the skies are gloomy and you stumble upon an independent bookstore. Over the years, bookstores have…
Featured image and gallery: Eden-Hopkins Fermo Manchester Met’s GoGlobal Week initiative continued on Wednesday with an event featuring award-winning poet Jason Allen-Paisant and acclaimed writer and Contemporary Fiction Professor Monique Roffey. Launching his first non-fiction book, The Possibility of Tenderness, Allen-Paisant and Roffey explored the themes of his memoir, dissecting his personal history and the…
Leave a reply