COVID-19. From March 18, the University of Gothenburg is closing its physical campuses and is switching to distance education. On campus, only a very few laboratory sessions will be conducted, but from March 26 the transition to digital teaching will be complete. The vice-chancellor has also decided that staff members who can work from home are to do so, in consultation with their immediate superior.
More information from the Central University Administration about the vice-chancellor’s decision is available here: https://www.gu.se/omuniversitetet/aktuellt/coronaviruset/overgang-till-distansstudier-och-distansarbete
The vice-chancellor’s decision was made at an extra University Management Council meeting on Tuesday afternoon, and is in line with the government’s recommendation from earlier in the day. The decision means that the university will switch all teaching to digital channels. The university will continue to remain open with ongoing courses, but our students are not to be on campus and instead will complete their courses from home.
Come a long way
Dean Agneta Holmäng is confident that Sahlgrenska Academy will be able to manage the quick transition to digital teaching:
“We have already come a long way, since Vice Dean Silvana Naredi and the Head of the Education and Internationalisation Division Annelie Hyllner appointed a group to coordinate the work. I’d like to recognize the work of all the teachers whose efforts have been crucial in allowing us to come as far as we have, and who are continuing to make significant contributions to helping us to reach our goal on time.”
She adds:
“Our faculty is well-equipped to manage this type of crisis situation. I have seen the commitment of our staff members and together we will manage this.”
Many teachers have already begun providing lectures using Zoom, and other lectures are being replaced by presentations with voiceovers of the lecture.
Workplaces decide about clinical training
The guidelines and prerequisites of the workplaces determine what happens with clinical training. In almost all cases with only a few exceptions, clinical training can currently take place as planned:
“Maintaining clinical training is an important issue both for us and the clinics and medical offices that we collaborate with. For our part, it is important to try to maintain continuity, and, for the health system, students on clinical training are a potential extra resource with the increasing demands on the health care system,” says Agneta Holmäng.
Slowing the spread of infection
The goal is to reduce the number of people moving about campus and thereby slow the spread of infection. The vice-chancellor has also decided that staff members who can work from home, either partially or completely, are to do so. Managers decide which assignments can be done remotely and which functions are needed on campus. This is not a closure of the university. We will continue working.
If no additional restrictions are recommended, defenses of doctoral theses will be conducted as planned, but without an audience and with the external reviewer participating by remote link. To fulfil the requirement for a public defense, they will be filmed and shown online. Study areas at the library will be closed, but it will be possible to borrow bocks during limited opening hours.
“This is a challenging time where we must act responsibly and contribute to reducing the spread of the infection. We are following developments, but we should be prepared for this to go on for a longer period of time. I ask all our staff and students to stay updated since decisions can change and may need to be supplemented,” says Agneta Holmäng.
TEXT: ELIN LINDSTRÖM
