Letter from the rector to the university community

14/10/2020

I am writing to you again to inform you of the measures that we will implement at our University from tomorrow, October 15th, at the request of the Generalitat de Catalunya.
The Department of Health has recognized and made explicit that all Catalan universities have made a very important effort to start the 2020-2021 academic year with all the guarantees established in the University Sector Plan and the contingency plans that have been derived from it. University campuses are safe spaces in relation to the risk of Covid-19 infection.

However, the Secretary of Public Health has requested our contribution to the rapid and impactful action that is being prepared in different sectors of society, with the aim of reducing student mobility and, above all, situations of social interaction in which it is easier to relax personal protection measures (the use of a mask and maintenance of interpersonal distance).
Consequently, the Inter-university Council of Catalonia agreed to adopt measures to reduce the attendance and mobility of students of Catalan universities by redirecting part of the teaching to virtual, in particular the master classes, between October 15th and 30th, both inclusive.
The UAB's Governing Team and the management of the teaching centers have agreed that each center will determine the teaching activities that will be transferred to non-contact teaching according to their specificities during this period, and will inform the teaching staff and the students from each faculty and school. This measure does not affect internships, some seminars, exams or research activities.
The presence of the administration and services staff will be maintained with the current work organization until the Government of the Generalitat determines any changes of general scope.

Finally, I want to address a personal request to you: each of us is responsible for taking care of our health and the health of the people we love. Let's make an extra effort to take care of ourselves also in those spaces where it is easier to relax: group walks around the campus, conversations between friends, spaces where we eat and drink in company, etc. Let's become aware of our individual responsibility, let's never forget the mask and the interpersonal distance and LET'S TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES AT THE UAB!

Best wishes, 

Margarita Arboix

This information is related to the following SDG

• Peace, justice and strong institutions
• Quality education