The World Health Organization, WHO, has declared the coronavirus situation a pandemic. Several countries have already decided to cancel public events attracting large international crowds. Although this is not yet the official recommendation issued by the Finnish authorities, the university strongly recommends that its staff members and students refrain from attending Kontiolahti Biathlon, or any other similar event attracting large international crowds, both in the course of their duties and as private citizens. The university will withdraw its participation in the Kontiolahti Biathlon competition area. This is an unfortunate development, but a necessary one in order to stop the virus from spreading.
Category: Common
People returning from the epidemic area: study or work from home for 14 days
The coronavirus situation has changed again. The epidemic area currently covers mainland China, Iran, South Korea and Italy, and now also Tyrol in Austria and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. The epidemic areas are reassessed on a daily basis. Please see the website of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) for the latest information: https://thl.fi/en/web/infectious-diseases/what-s-new/coronavirus-covid-19-latest-updates
The university monitors the situation. An internal group of experts has discussed the following guidelines, under the lead of experts from Terveystalo and Kuopio University Hospital.
Travel to the epidemic area is prohibited, those returning need to stay at home for 14 days
Travel to the epidemic area is not allowed at the moment, not for business or for studying. People returning from the epidemic area (the university’s students and staff, and staff and pupils of the teacher training school) must study or work from home for 14 days. If you suffer any symptoms of a respiratory infection, contact your local health centre, occupational health care outlet or on-call clinic by telephone. You will receive more detailed instructions on how to proceed.
The same 14-day stay-at-home period applies to situations where someone you live with (a member of your family, roommate, etc.) returns from the epidemic area. In this case, too, you will need to study or work from home.
Travel in general should be carefully reconsidered at the moment. The instructions issued by THL and the travel advisories issued by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs need to be followed.
Trips that have already been booked should primarily sought to be cancelled or postponed.
The applicability of the university’s travel insurance policy to situations caused by the coronavirus has been explained in detail on Yammer (https://www.yammer.com/uef.fi/#/Threads/show?threadId=576256817569792). Students who discontinue their student exchange should primarily use their personal travel insurance. Further information can be obtained from the university’s Student and Learning Services.
No visitors from the epidemic area
At the moment, the university does not welcome visitors from the epidemic area. Visits that have already been agreed upon must be postponed or, if possible, held via videoconferencing solutions.
Meetings and conferences organised at UEF
At the moment, the university does not welcome visitors from the epidemic area. In addition, conference participants should follow the instructions issued by authorities in their home country. If it is possible to postpone an international conference, this is recommended. Videoconferencing solutions are also strongly recommended.
There is no need to impose any limitations on conferences or meeting aimed at domestic participants. However, it is wise to reserve the right to cancel, should the development of the coronavirus situation so require. In addition, it is wise to note and to remind people that they should refrain from attending public events when they are feeling ill or have symptoms.
Handshaking should be avoided at this moment.
Remote work
There is no need to change the university’s practices relating to remote work. Employees who belong to the risk groups can contact the occupational health care to discuss their personal situation.
Teaching on campus and group work
Teaching on the university’s campuses continues normally. The facilities are cleaned efficiently, and hand sanitizer will be made available on the campuses. People who are feeling ill should not attend lectures (this concerns students and teachers alike).
Coronavirus hotline
THL has opened a hotline for questions relating to the coronavirus, tel. 0295 535 535. The hotline is open on weekdays at 8–21 and on Saturdays at 9–15. The hotline is intended for general queries about the virus; not for health counselling nor for referrals to care in case of acute symptoms.
The new and improved UEF website will be here soon
The new and improved UEF website at www.uef.fi will soon see the light of day! The university’s website overhaul project has proceeded to a point where the first sections of the new website will be released at the end of March.
The sections to be released first include the front page, the News & Events section, the Study at UEF section, and the sections dedicated to research, collaboration and UEF. During this spring, the overhaul will gradually go deeper into the website, and the summer will witness the launch of the degree programmes, faculties and units on the new website. The UEF Library and Aducate will be relocated to the new website in the autumn. This means that we will be living in a reality of two websites (the old and the new www.uef.fi) this year.
The team carrying out the website overhaul project will organise an info and Q&A session that is open to everyone. The session will be held online, on Zoom, on Wednesday, 11 March, at 14–15. To join, please follow this link: https://uef.zoom.us/j/794045849. The session will be in Finnish, but we of course welcome questions and comments in English, too.
The website overhaul project can also be discussed on Yammer, in the UEF Verkkosivu-uudistus/ UEF Website overhaul group, where a recording of the info session will be made available later: https://www.yammer.com/uef.fi/#/groups/17632894
SPSS 25 lisences
SPSS licenses for home computers are valid until 1.3.2020. New codes that are valid until 31.7.2020, can already be ordered from asiointi.uef.fi.
The UEF computers use a license server that has already been updated and don’t need actions from the users.
License term will be changed to be 1.8.-31.7. The change causes a shorter than normal validity period for the new licenses.
The version will be changed to SPSS 26 on 1.8.2020. More information about the change will be available when the change is near. The version change means that the codes work for only SPSS version 26 after 1.8.2020, the version 25 cannot be used.
We will inform in Yammer when the new version is available (in July).
Apply for student exchange by 15 February!
The application period for Erasmus+/FIRST+/Nordlys/bilateral exchange in the academic year 2020-2021 for degree students of University of Eastern Finland (UEF) is open and lasts until 15 February! At this first stage of application, you will apply for exchange to be accepted as a UEF candidate for exchange (internal call for applications). This is followed by a second stage of application which means that the UEF candidates for exchange apply for their host university to get the final acceptance on the exchange placement.
More information on the calls for applications may be found in the Calls for applications for student exchange article in Kamu. More information on how to apply may be found in the Applying for student exchange and traineeship abroad article in Kamu.
Do you need help with your application on the application system SoleMOVE? Feel free to attend one of our exchange application clinics! At the exchange application clinic, coordinator(s) from UEF International Mobility Services will answer your questions and help you with any technical issues on the online application system SoleMOVE. Exchange application clinics are held during the application period as follows:
JOENSUU
- Tuesday, 11 February from 9 to 10 am (9.00-10.00) in room F109
- Wednesday, 12 February from 9 to 10 am (9.00-10.00) in room AG211
- Thursday, 13 February from 1 to 2 pm (13.00-14.00) in room AG211
- Friday, 14 February from 9 to 10 am (9.00-10.00) in room AG211
- Friday, 14 February from 12 to 1 pm (12.00-13.00) in room MP102
KUOPIO
- Tuesday, 11 February from 2 to 4 pm (14-16) in room SN215
- Wednesday, 12 February from 2 to 4 pm (14-16) in room SN215
- Thursday, 13 February from 2 to 4 pm (14-16) in room CA103
- Friday, 14 February from 9 to 11 am in room CA103
If you have any questions on student exchange or applying, please feel free to contact UEF International Mobility Services via [email protected] .
Current information concerning the coronavirus
In early 2020 different cases of pneumonia have been observed in the Chinese city of Wuhan located in Hubei province. The cause of these infections has been identified as an outbreak of a new type of coronavirus. There are no known cases of Wuhan coronaviruses in Finland according to the Finnish institute for health and welfare. However, it is possible that individual cases of the illness may be found in Finland as a result of tourism and other international travel.
In case you have visited Wuhan, China or in case you have been in close contact with someone who has fallen ill with the corona virus, which has also been verified in laboratory tests, and you have the following symptoms:
- Fever (more than 38 degrees) and
- Symptoms in your respiratory tracts (a cough, dyspnea).
We advise you to stay home and contact your local health center or the on-call health center services by phone. Health care professionals there will further instruct you from there.
When necessary, you can contact the FSHS through phone or SelfChat.
Further information: https://thl.fi/en/web/infectious-diseases/what-s-new/wuhan-coronavirus-latest-updates
Substance Abuse Programme for Students
University of Eastern Finland has an updated Substance Abuse Programme for Students.
Every faculty and Language Centre has named a substance abuse contact person.
Strategic planning and project management in Finnish-Russian cooperation context (4 ECTS)
Are you interested in project work? Do you have an idea, but need support to implement your vision in practice? Do you want to strengthen your professional skills and networks, also internationally? How to succeed in cooperation with international partners?
Projects can provide the basis for a wide range of development and they are also an important mean of additional funding. Projects require various skills, such as planning, monitoring and leadership. That is why proficiency in strategic planning and project work management is useful in today’s working life, regardless of the field.
University of Eastern Finland together with Russian partners is organizing a joint course, where you can learn about project management and intercultural communication. You will also develop your communication skills and work on your own cooperation idea.
This course is in English language and it’s worth of 4 ECTS. The contact days will be held in Joensuu in February and March 2020. It is possible to continue to the exchange period in Petrozavodsk in May 2020 (2 ECTS).
Show your skills – coachings for job-seekers
Are you seeking for a job in Finland?
Do you want to improve your knowledge and skills for job-seeking and marketing your special skills?
Do you want to meet employers from your sector? Join our coaching now!
Please notice, that for this training you should have quite good Finnish skills (A2.2. or more), thus more information available in Finnish:
Luonnontieteiden, ICT- ja ympäristöalan osaajille, 28.1.2020 alkaen
Sosiaali-, terveys- ja kasvatusalalle 4.2.2020 alkaen
Luovien alojen, kielten ja kulttuurin osaajille, 12.2.2020 alkaen
Koulutukset on tarkoitettu korkeasti koulutetuille maahanmuuttajille ja paluumuuttajille. Voit olla työssä, työtön, opiskella tai toimia yrittäjänä.
Tahko Slopes offers 40% discount on ski passes 12.1.–6.2.2020
Students and staff members of the University of Eastern Finland will get a 40% discount on ski passes at Tahko between 12 January and 6 February 2020!
The discount is also available for multi-day ski passes to be used during the above time. The discount is not available in the online shop, and a valid student or staff card needs to be presented when purchasing a ski pass.
See more >> https://www.tahko.com/en/activities/downhill+skiing/