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What does the easing of restrictions mean for you?
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In yesterday’s press conference, it was announced that as of 26 April students will be allowed to attend classes on campus ‘one day a week’. Self-tests will be made available soon thereafter. Below we explain what this means for you. You can also read about the number of available study places, the tuition-fee discount for the academic year 2021/22, the application of the Zachte Knip and PhD defences in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, we are working hard to prepare for the new academic year starting on 1 September. Much will depend on the developments in the coming months—we will keep you informed!
On-campus education as of 26 April
Students From the week of 26 April, students will be permitted to attend classes on campus one day a week. Concretely, this means you may be physically present for an educational activity once per week, regardless of how long that activity lasts. It is not the case that you can spread eight hours over a number of days, such as a tutorial of four hours on one day and another four hours on another day. You may continue to use the learning spaces in accordance with the current guidelines. Activities in which you were already allowed to participate in person (such as exams and practicals) will continue as usual.
Each faculty decides for itself whether and which educational activities will take place on campus. You will be informed about this by your own faculty. If your faculty previously announced that educational activities will remain online, nothing will change. These faculties will, however, offer space for extra-curricular educational activities on campus. To this end, we will also consult our study associations for their creative ideas.
Staff Working from home remains the general rule for all employees. The demands of partial on-campus education mean that teachers will have somewhat more freedom to be present on UM premises. Nonetheless, we urge restraint in this regard, and would like to emphasise that the presence of employees on campus is entirely voluntary.
Continuation of general RIVM guidelines On-campus education is only possible with due observance of all RIVM guidelines, such as 1.5 metre social distancing and strict hygiene measures. As always, we are depending on you to behave responsibly. If you have symptoms or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive, please stay home.
Self-tests In May, students and staff will be able to order free self-tests by post (even those who live in Belgium or Germany). You will be able to do this using your UM account at www.zelftestonderwijs.nl/ (currently only available in Dutch). This website also provides general information about self-testing.
The use of a self-test is and will remain voluntary. A self-test allows you to quickly detect a corona infection, thus helping to create a safe environment at UM. You do not need to provide proof of a negative test to gain access to UM buildings. The self-tests will supplement the existing corona measures at UM. Again, we appeal to your sense of responsibility: if you have symptoms or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive, please make an appointment with the GGD. A self-test is not a replacement for a GGD test!
Library and study places From 28 April, the Faculty of Law (Bouillonstraat 1–3) will make eight teaching rooms available in which students can reserve a study place. This will provide an additional 32 study places for students from all faculties. Study places at UM are currently spread across the entire campus, in different faculty buildings and library locations. Because the approximately 1000 available places are not yet being fully utilised, we will stick to our current reopening schedule leading up to the XXL period (from 15 May). This means we will not make immediate use of the extra freedom that the government is offering as of 26 April for the opening of university libraries and study places.
Another important motivation for holding off on a full reopening is the desire to protect our staff as far as possible while awaiting vaccination. Naturally, we will monitor the use of study places. If and when demand rises and we risk running out of study places, we will of course increase the number of available places as far as possible under the applicable measures.
You can reserve a study place via this webpage.
Reduction of statutory tuition fees and Zachte Knip In the context of the National Education Programme, the government has decided to give students some breathing space in the 2021/22 academic year. The statutory tuition fees will be discounted. Additionally, under the ‘Zachte Knip’ institutions will in certain cases be allowed to conditionally admit current and prospective students to the next stage of their education. In anticipation of this new legislation, each higher education institution must go through a rigorous administrative decision-making process. We are currently in this phase. Soon you will receive more information about what this means in concrete terms.
Option for onsite PhD defence If your PhD defence is scheduled for the week of 26 April or 3 May (week 17 or 18), you may choose to have an onsite ceremony in the Aula. Attendance is limited to the PhD candidate, paranymphs, beadle, pro-rector, supervisor(s)/co-supervisor(s), secretary and a maximum of three family members. The other opponents will participate in the ceremony digitally. Naturally, all attendees are required to comply with the COVID-19 rules. The Office for Academic Ceremonies (BAZ) will contact those PhD candidates who are scheduled to defend their dissertation in week 17 or 18 about this option. Discussions in the university sector are ongoing as to whether the number of attendees at PhD defences and inaugural lectures can be increased as of week 19.
On campus if possible, online if necessary This was and remains our basic principle, including in the coming academic year 2021/22. Naturally, by 1 September we hope to be able to return to the pre-corona situation, with most education taking place on campus and social activities permitted on the premises. In any case, we will ensure that we can receive on campus as many students as possible, as often as possible, be it for classes or for other activities. We are working hard to prepare for both scenarios so that we are ready as soon as the situation is clarified. After all, until December we showed that we can do exactly that: follow the rules, stay safe, and offer suitable online solutions where needed.
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