The quality of online lectures is not equal to face-to-face lectures. Students should not have to pay full tuition fees for online lectures, without experiencing university life. The UMT should require NUIG to partially refund tuition fees while online teaching is implemented.
Why is this important?
The UMT should care because thousands of Irish and international students studying in Galway are going to be going into debt for an education that might not be worth the amount of money the university is asking for. Students should be able to experience university life in full, with access to societies, clubs, office hours, tutoring, services, career opportunities, and the chance to network and develop meaningful relationships with professors, peers, and staff. Many benefits of attending University have been taken away by COVID-19. There is so much more to University than the academic side.
