Last week, UNIL's Rectorate committed itself to making the best possible use of the Federal Council's authorisation to reintroduce some face-to-face teaching, up to a limit of 50 people per room.
The Rectorate considers that a pragmatic approach allows for face-to-face participation in certain small classes. With the faculties, it immediately undertook to identify the courses potentially concerned. This has already enabled some students to return to courses in person. This process will continue over the next few days, as teachers of small courses have been asked to consider whether it is feasible and appropriate to provide access to all or part of their class. The students concerned will be informed directly.
Nevertheless, it will still be possible for students who have arranged to follow their semester under the conditions announced in January to follow the courses at a distance.
It should also be noted, however, that the 50-person limit decided for teaching does not apply to the next exam session in June. The holding of university examinations is one of the exceptions set out by the Confederation. This allows the organisation of in-person examinations beyond this limit of 50 people in compliance with health standards.
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This communication sets out the new room for manoeuvre for future adaptations that will be organised either by the Rectorate or by the Faculties, which will communicate directly the additional measures that they will have been able to implement for their students.
The Management and the Deanships are aware that the scope of the relaxations achievable to date is still small compared to what can be expected for the next stages of easing the COVID measures, and that students taking large courses, especially those in the first years of the Bachelor's degree, will unfortunately not be offered the possibility of attending them in person.
We sincerely hope, however, that the adaptations permitted by this approach will allow for some initial openings wherever possible and appropriate, and will remain as responsive as possible to any future developments.
We wish you all the best and we would like to express our encouragement for the end of this semester, which has been difficult for everyone, but which shows the first signs of a long-awaited improvement.