VUB focuses on digital teaching, teleworking and social distancing
Major events like DHC and weKONEKT postponed due to coronavirus
Thursday, March 12, 2020 — The Vrije Universiteit Brussel wants to help curb the spread of the coronavirus and will focus from now on on its core tasks: education and research. To this end, the VUB is making the transition to digital teaching. Major events such as the honorary doctorates award ceremony will be postponed. The measures are in place untill Sunday 19 April, the end of the spring holidays .
All activities that do not involve teaching or research are cancelled or postponed. Student activities such as parties have been cancelled. The VUB swimming pool remains closed.
Events like as honorary doctorates award ceremony and the Brussels connection project weKonekt will be suspended. TheVUB’s information days, the first of which would have taken place on Sunday 22 March, will not take place on campus. A digital alternative will be installed, so that secondary school pupils can make a safe choice of study.
Digital lectures will become standard. Classroom teaching is only allowed with a maximum of fifty students. Moreover, this must be considered absolutely necessary, such as practical classes, and the lesson will take place in a larger classroom.
Social distancing at the VUB ensures that the spread of viruses is further curbed. All staff should telework from home as much as possible. If this is not possible for practical reasons, physical distance should be kept as much as possible within the workplace. To ensure that employees who do have to be at the VUB are not sitting on an overcrowded train, tram or bus, flexible working hours will be extended.
Travelling should be avoided as much as possible. That is why foreign trips by students, staff and academics will no longer take place. Teleconferencing is the advised digital alternative.
The campus facilities, such as the restaurant, the library and the study guidance centre, will remain open. But there too the physical distance between the attendees will be increased.
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel will continue to closely monitor the situation. It is asking students and staff to continue to adhere strictly to the hygienic regulations. Students and staff who are ill - colds, flu, or other symptoms of illness - must stay at home. Updates and an overview of frequently asked questions can be found at www.vub.be/coronavirus.