Back to working from home and studying online
In recent days, coronavirus infection rates have reached record numbers in The Netherlands. As a result, during the press conference on Friday 12 November, the government announced further and stricter measures: working from home will again be the norm and there will be a maximum group size of 75 people, also at universities.
This means that as of today lectures for more than 75 students will again be shown via a livestream. Another option is that these lectures are recorded and that students can watch them again later. The maximum group size also applies to orations and promotions. The University Library also has less space due to the maximum group size, as do other study places. Tests and exams, however, are exempt from this rule.
Working from home
The UvA also states that everyone must work at home, unless there is no other option. However: anyone who teaches or conducts research and needs to be at the university to do so, is welcome. The same applies to people with a difficult home situation.
The measures have had ‘a significant impact,’ writes the university on its website. ‘We would very much like to have seen this differently, but unfortunately we have to appeal to your flexibility once again. The measures will apply for three weeks as of last Saturday.’
The closing time of the restaurants in the UvA buildings, Crea and the USC will be adjusted to 8 pm. This means that meetings cannot be held there after 8pm either.
The previously introduced mouth mask obligation remains in force. The UvA also urges students and staff to test twice a week. Free self-tests are available here.
The press conference also discussed the extension of the coronation certificate to higher education. A law is in the making for this. ‘It must become possible to use the corona access card in higher education – but only if there is no other option,’ said outgoing public health minister Hugo de Jonge. In other words: only if the situation were to deteriorate so much that online education would be the only alternative.
Acta
In the meantime the Faculty of Dentistry (Acta) has resumed teaching and care at Acta today to normal capacity. The management of Acta has taken this decision in consultation with the local health authorities (GGD). This means that all patient appointments scheduled for the week of 15 November will take place as normal. Patients are requested to come a maximum of 5 minutes before their appointment. However, the new corona rules that took effect last Saturday also apply to Acta. Regular care and physical education at Acta were suspended last week and the premises were closed due to a large number of corona infections among students.
