NOTICE
on conducting the teaching process in the 2nd semester of the academic year 2020-2021
The Board of Directors of the “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timișoara, convened in the meeting of 19.01.2021, decided to amend and supplement the Methodology on organising and conducting the online teaching process within the “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timișoara (UMFVBT), regarding the following:
I. The teaching activity for bachelor’s degree studies within UMFVBT will take place, starting with 15 February 2021, as follows:
(1) The courses will be organised on-site or online, depending on the decision of the head of department, and in compliance with the legal restrictions in force at that time, except for the short-term study programs from Lugoj and Deva General Medical Assistance, where the courses will take place exclusively online.
(2) The project assignments, laboratories, seminars, clinical internships will be carried out on-site with the distribution of the number of participating students at the same time and in the same location (laboratory/seminar/course rooms, clinical wards) so as to observe the sanitary rules in force during the pandemic. In case of splitting a class, the practical activities will be carried out either by halving the time for a laboratory/seminar/internship, or by the alternating attendance of students and performance of two practical activities in the time allocated to one. Supplementation of the time will be done through the individual study of the teaching materials made available online on the e-learning platforms (Moodle, e-book). These measures aim to provide a high degree of safety to teaching staff and students while maintaining effective, non-discriminatory access to the on-site teaching process. Exceptions to the on-site performance of clinical internships are the disciplines whose activity takes place in COVID wards as of 15 February 2021. In these cases, the teaching activity will take place in auditoria/rooms, in the form of clinical case presentations.
(3) Volunteer students involved in the fight against SARS-CoV-2 will be exempted from physical attendance during volunteer activities, certified based on a certificate from the Office or the volunteer contract. They will participate in the online teaching activity, and study on the e-learning platforms (Moodle, e-book), respectively, and will fill in the Individual Study Form (available on the UMFVBT website) at the end of the semester.
(4) Foreign students who will not be able to attend the on-site teaching activity, in the epidemiological context, will inform the Deanships on this aspect, and will continue the activity online through individual study on e-learning platforms (Moodle, e-learning book); also, at the end of the quarantine or lockdown period, they will fill in the Individual Study Form for the period in which they were absent (available on the UMFVBT website).*
(5) Absences from the practical activity carried out on-site in the clinical wards will be recoverable in the on-call service with the observance of the number of internship hours to be recovered.
(6) The heads of department will ensure the observance of the sanitary rules in force throughout the on-site teaching activity.
(7) The provision of personal protective equipment for on-site pre-clinical teaching activities (laboratories and seminars) is the responsibility of the students, and consists of: gown, and protective mask.
(8) The provision of personal protective equipment for on-site clinical teaching activities (clinical internships) is the responsibility of the students, and consists of: gown, medical clogs, mask, and gloves (as appropriate) for the study programs of the Faculty of Medicine, and gown, medical clogs, mask, gloves, and, additionally, goggles or visor for the study programs of the Faculty of Dentistry.
II. The teaching activity for master’s degree and doctoral studies within UMFVBT, starting with the 2nd semester, will be carried out exclusively online.
* Specifications:
- In view of Decision no. 4 of 18.01.2021 of the National Committee for Emergency Situations, students from the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) countries and the Swiss Community (CH), as well as foreign students from third countries must comply with the quarantine measure applicable to persons arriving in Romania from countries/areas of high epidemiological risk (list available at the following link: https://www.cnscbt.ro/index.php/liste-zone-afectate-covid-19)
- Those persons who have been vaccinated against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, including the second dose, and in the case of whom at least 10 days have elapsed from the administration of the second dose until the date of direct contact or the date of entry into Romania are exempted from the quarantine measure applicable to persons arriving in Romania from countries/areas of high epidemiological risk or to persons in direct contact with a confirmed person.
- Students residing in countries where a lockdown measure has been imposed will continue to work online.
- Upon cessation of the above situations (mandatory quarantine/lockdown in the country of residence), students will participate in the teaching activities according to the updated Methodology on the organisation and conduct of the teaching process withing UMFVBT.
Annex 1 – Decision no. 4 of 18.01.2021 of the National Committee for Emergency Situations,
RECTOR,
Prof. Octavian Marius Crețu, PhD, MD