The University of Eastern Finland will close its campuses and moves all teaching online, in accordance with the instructions issued by the Finnish Government on 16 March. All facilities of the University of Eastern Finland will be closed on Tuesday 17 March 2020.
The Government has announced, in cooperation with the President of the Republic, that there is a state of emergency in the country as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. The aim of the measures is to protect the population and to safeguard the functioning of society and the economy.
Section 58 of the Infectious Diseases Act is applied to the universities. The primary objective is to prevent the disease from spreading. This means that all unnecessary visits to the university’s campuses are prohibited. Access badges will remain operational, but it is allowed to come to the university only when absolutely required by the duties.
All facilities of the University of Eastern Finland will be closed on Tuesday afternoon, 17 March 2020, at 16.00 (4 pm). This also applies to the University of Eastern Finland Library and to the campus restaurants. The library will continue to service its customers via electronic channels. Information about possible locations where take away meals can be purchased in the student restaurants will be made available to the students separately later.
Despite closing its doors, the operations of the University of Eastern Finland will continue. Teaching and supervision will be provided, to the greatest extent possible, by using alternative methods, such as distance learning, various digital learning environments and solutions and, where necessary, independent learning solutions.
Staff members will start working remotely from their homes. Only critical and necessary duties pertaining to research, online teaching and supporting services will continue to be performed in the university’s facilities. Staff members should contact their own supervisor in all questions relating to work arrangements and remote work
The activities of the Finnish Student Health Service, FSHS, will continue in the facilities of the Joensuu and Kuopio campuses. The FSHS will inform students of any changes to its services separately
Pre-primary education and contact teaching for grades 1–3 will continue to be organised in the teacher training school for the children of parents working in sectors critical to the functioning of society.
With regard to the University of Eastern Finland Pharmacy, the instructions relating to pharmacies and health care will be followed. UEF’s coronavirus-related information can be found at www.uef.fi/koronavirus. This website features links to information provided by the authorities, answers to frequently asked questions, and instructions on how online teaching and working remotely from home can be organised.
Employees should turn to their own supervisor in questions relating to their specific situation. More general questions can be sent to COVID-19@uef.fi
Information on teaching arrangements:
The University of Eastern Finland will switch fully to distance studying and close its campuses in accordance with the instructions given by the Finnish Government on 16 March. We will aim to
secure our students’ graduation within the normative duration of studies, and all teaching staff is obliged to find different ways of organizing teaching.
In this bulletin, we have gathered guidelines and recommendations which we hope will ease your work under these exceptional circumstances.
Distance teaching
· All teaching will be conducted as distance teaching. This applies to public defences of doctoral theses as well.
· Due to possible issues with capacity, lectures ought to primarily be carried out as recordings instead of streaming.
· Online learning guidelines (tools, recording, examinations): http://www.uef.fi/en/etaopetuksen-valineita
· In Teams, a joint, open to all, group ”UEF IT etätyö ja etäopetuksen tuki” has been created to provide IT-support for distance teaching and distance working. There is also a peer network for teachers in Teams. · Oppitupa and IT Services provide support at servicedesk@uef.fi.
· For the time being, teachers’ support services are also on call on the evenings and weekends.
Teachers in charge of study units:
The Board of the University of Eastern Finland has decided that the teachers, who carry a primary responsibility for individual study units, have the authority to decide the methods in which said study units are taught and how those study units are evaluated.
The Board’s decision also states that the teacher in charge has the authority to alter the evaluation scale when alterations to teaching methods are made.
Checklist for teachers:
· Plan and execute changes in relation to the learning outcomes of a study unit
· If need be, consult the person responsible for the subject / the school’s (vice) head of the department
· Make sure that changes to the WebOodi study unit descriptions as well as course data are made as soon as possible
· Inform the students, who have registered for the course, about the changes on WebOodi
· In accordance with the unit’s guidelines, students are notified through other means as well (e.g. Yammer or study communities)
· The teacher produces a written document about changes in teaching modes as well as possible changes to the evaluation scale (e.g. an email will suffice)
· The teacher sends the decision about the changes to the amanuensis/training coordinator/study secretary, who compiles the changes and forwards them to the person in charge of the curriculum (Henni Nevalainen, Kaisa Laitinen, Mervi Silaste, Minna Paronen, Lauri Tolkki)
Entrance examinations:
· We are trying to reach a nationwide policy amongst all universities in order to treat all applicants equally.
· Principally, all admissions are carried out in accordance with the admission requirements.
· More information about arranging the entrance examinations will be provided at a later date.
For further information, please contact: Rector Jukka Mönkkönen, jukka.monkkonen(at)uef.fi, tel. +358407288057 Academic Rector Tapio Määttä, tapio.maatta(at)uef.fi, tel. +358505751589 Director of Administration Tuomo Meriläinen, tuomo.merilainen(at)uef.fi, tel. +358403552299
