1 September 2021
We can all help to ensure the safest possible return to campus at the start of the new academic year next week. This update contains details on what you can do and what the UvA is doing to make sure that everyone feels safe on campus and can work and study safely.
Please note: rules and guidelines may vary by degree programme and location, such as at the Faculty of Medicine in the AMC. If you have any doubts, please contact your degree programme.
The 1.5-metre rule will no longer apply. We therefore urge everyone to get vaccinated if possible, to continue testing or self-testing and to stay home in case of coronavirus symptoms. Other measures such as face masks, room capacity limits and walking routes will also remain in effect. We understand that you may be concerned about your safety on campus and have questions about what is and is not allowed, what the appropriate rules of conduct are and how to best protect yourself from infection.
To help address these questions and concerns, we have developed the Guide for Working and Studying Safely on Campus. The guide can be downloaded here.
Additional steps we are taking:
Students and staff are not required to inform the UvA if they have tested positive for coronavirus. However, in the interest of ensuring a safe study and working environment, the UvA would appreciate it if you reported this to your degree programme or supervisor. To provide clarity on what happens if you test positive, we have developed a protocol. Download the protocol here.
In the new academic year, a maximum group size of 75 people will apply. From 20 September onwards, exams, tests and other assessments will be exempt from this limit if they are held in a room where the 1.5-metre rule can be observed and easily enforced. This will have an impact on some scheduled exams.
Examinations for more than 75 students that are scheduled to take place before 20 September must be offered in a different (online) format. For examinations scheduled after 20 September, we will look for solutions such as alternative assessment formats, external locations, online proctoring or adjustments to existing rooms. More information will follow as soon as possible.
With our return to campus, the attendance requirement will also go back into effect. We understand that staff and students may have concerns about the risk they could be exposed to when they return to university. If you would prefer not to or cannot return to campus because you are quarantining or have a personal vulnerable situation or a vulnerable home situation, please contact your degree programme or supervisor for help finding a solution.
See this web page for more information.
All buildings enable sufficient ventilation in accordance with the guidelines of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment. Safe use of ventilation systems is a constant area of attention for us. All information on ventilation at the UvA can be found here. From now on, it is also possible to organise information sessions. Staff who wish to do so can contact us at this email address.
Events will also be subject to a maximum of 75 people, since the 1.5-metre rule will cease to apply. An event protocol has been developed for organising events. You can find this protocol on the events page.
The large rooms with study places are currently divided into smaller rooms. This way, we can accommodate multiple groups of 75 people. As of September, you no longer need a reservation to use a study place. Check uba.uva.nl for up-to-date information on study places.
For answers to any other questions, see the FAQs on the coronavirus page or contact coronavragen@uva.nl.