21-04-2021 Corona-update: First step towards opening up the university

21 April 2021 Reading time Minutes

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Good news! The cabinet has decided that students in higher professional education will be able to attend classes once a week on location from Monday 26 April. This is a first step in the further opening up that we have been looking forward to for a long time. After a year of mostly online education and working from home we can't wait to meet each other on campus.

Combination of online and on location

We aim to welcome our students upward of term 4 at least once a week at Saxion or at one of our external locations we are using to provide more in-person educational activities. Lecturers will continue to combine online and on-site education. In the event of a relaxation of corona measures we will be providing more education at our locations and we hope to also be able to work more in the Saxion buildings. We will follow the government's step-by-step plan for reopening in this respect and we will inform our students and employees as soon as we know more.

Working (together) on location for students

Working independently and in groups is possible within the Saxion buildings for students (not at the external locations). Students can reserve a room in advance via the front office of their school. Students that are already present at Saxion for education, may use "free" spaces. These are, for example, the canteen and the library, but also teaching areas that are not currently in use for education.

Safety

We want our students and employees to feel safe and welcome in our buildings. All activities, both in our Saxion buildings and at external locations, will take place in accordance with the applicable corona guidelines: the (educational) spaces will be set up to maintain 1.5 metres distance, disinfectants will be available and clear walking routes will be indicated, a face mask is compulsory in public areas, we will spread the inflow and outflow over the day and you if you have any coronavirus symptoms you stay at home.

Vaccination

More and more people will be vaccinated in the coming period. Because this is spread out, there is a period in which some of the employees have already been vaccinated and some of the employees (and students) have not yet. We don't have to separate these groups. The corona guidelines mentioned above will remain in effect for everyone, whether vaccinated or non-vaccinated, for the time being, to ensure safety for everyone.

Self-testing

From May the government is making self-tests available to students and staff to coincide with the further opening up of the university. These are tests that you can perform yourself and that give an instant result. By doing a self-test you help make the locations safer. This is why we think it is important to facilitate self-tests. Using one is voluntary. Students and employees do not need to provide proof of a negative self-test to gain access to the Saxion buildings. They are more than welcome when they have a negative test result, but the corona guidelines will of course still apply.

Take a look at www.rijksoverheid.nl/zelftestenhogeronderwijs to find the answers to questions about self-testing. We will inform our students and employees later on how to request self-tests.