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Corona update – 14 October 2020

Wednesday 14 October 2020

On Tuesday 13 October, the Dutch government announced new measures against the coronavirus. They will not affect our teaching and education very much and most of our educational activities can continue as planned, but the impact on our lives outside the university of applied sciences will be far more considerable. Going out for a nice meal, catching up with friends in a café, letting off steam on the sports fields – it’s all been put on hold again. It’s hugely frustrating but we realize it’s necessary in order to get the coronavirus under control. We want to stress how important it is that you continue to take your role in this seriously.

As was the case with the measures announced on 28 September, very few of the new rules have an effect on higher education. Classes are still exempted from the maximum group size and travel to and from face-to-face classes on campus is still considered as ‘essential.’ We have however changed our stand on face coverings. Below is an overview of how the new measures will affect teaching on our campuses: 

  • Scheduled face-to-face educational activities, teaching and tests on campus will take place in line with the latest timetables.
  • Students and staff can continue to use public transport to get to our campuses for your face-to-face lectures. You must wear a face covering while travelling. 
  • If you come to one of our campuses, you need to bring your own face mask and wear it when you are in the corridors, halls and public spaces.
  • Our canteens and coffee corners will remain open. The on-campus restaurants (Wannee in Leeuwarden, Stones in Emmen) will be closed until further notice.
  • On our campuses, everyone must continue to stay 1.5 metres away from each other and adhere to the other regulations set by the Dutch government.  
  • Walking routes are indicated within our buildings and instructions on how to act responsibly and safely are posted all around the campuses.
  • Students and staff should not stay on campus any longer than is strictly necessary or go from place to place unless absolutely necessary.
  • The guidelines set by the RIVM regarding staying at home apply if a student or member of staff show symptoms or if a member of their household has arranged to get tested for COVID-19. If students and staff are unsure as to whether they should stay at home or not, we’ve drawn up some useful flowcharts. 
  • Students and staff should only come to campus for educational activities or to provide support services essential to education. Aside from these lessons, we all generally work from home.