Coronavirus
We are working on many levels to find solutions and develop appropriate support due to the new situation.
The government's announcement, that all universities can return to more regular activity during the autumn, does not mean that we will go back to “normal”. The announcement is about a loosening of restrictions, not an absence of them. Remember, "Distance when it works, campus when it’s needed".
Be aware that the government can provide new information at short notice if an increased spread of infection is observed when the higher education institutions reopen. Read the Public Health Agency of Sweden’s information regarding higher education institutions (in Swedish only).
On this page you can find information under the following headlines:
- Information
- If you have any questions
- Remember to practice good hand hygiene
- Important external links
Information
Here you can find information under the following headings:
- General information
- You as an employee
- General
- Work travel
- Receiving visitors from another country
- Working at home
- Insurance when working at home
- Headset
- Deducation from sick pay
- Do not forget
- Distans when it works, campus when it's needed
- Premises and technical equipment
- General
- Entrances
- Special opening hours
- Access card
- Cleaning
- Gym
- Technology for students
- Distance
- Limit of 50 people
- Introduction for new students
- Filming and GDPR
- International students
- Study abroad
- Decision by the Vice-Chancellor, 5 June
- Other
General information
- No educational programme will be given full time on campus.
- Students should expect to conduct their studies at a distance mostly, but there may be some elements of teaching and examinations on campus.
- First-year students are prioritised to have certain parts and activities on campus. However, it doesn't mean they will be on campus full time.
- Teaching that can be carried out at a distance will continue to be carried out at a distance. This means that we should be welcoming and receive students, but when required due to logistics, the Public Health Agency of Sweden's recommendations, or other reasons, we will offer digital support.
- Everyone must follow the recommendations of the Public Health Agency of Sweden.
- The university has set up the following recommendations to minimise the spread of infection:
- Wash your hands frequently
- Stay home if you're sick
- Keep a distance of 1.5 meters
- Avoid larger groups of people
- Hand sanitiser will be placed on certain premises such as student pantries, computer halls etc.
- A maximum of 50 people may gather at one time.
- If possible, avoid activities and elements that include close contact, for example, in practical courses.
- Specific for students in risk groups
- Students are advised, following the advice of the Public Health Agency of Sweden, to consult with their doctors about what they can do to reduce the risk of becoming ill.
- The university makes general adjustments in the campus environment to minimise the spread of infection.
- Students who do not consider that the adjustments are sufficient can apply to defer the start of studies or for temporary interruption of studies.
You as an employee
The university's employees are advised to follow the information available from the Public Health Agency of Sweden and the government. Your manager will provide you with information specific for your department. The Public Health Agency of Sweden has issued general advice regarding the novel coronavirus, for example, that employers should ensure that staff and visitors keep a distance between each other.
Work travel
Within Sweden: Together with your manager, an assessment is made about the need for the intended work travel in relation to any alternatives as well as the situation around the pandemic, any local infection rates, etc. If the work travel is deemed to be necessary after such considerations are made, please ensure that the relevant recommendations and restrictions are complied with. Take note of the Public Health Agency of Sweden's information
Abroad: We follow the recommendations of the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The Dean of Faculty/Head of Professional Services makes decisions on a case-by-case basis. Otherwise, the same precautions apply as do for domestic travel, as well as that the guidelines applicable locally/regionally at the destination are followed.
On the staff website, there is information regarding the cancellation of work travel. Read more about this.
Receiving visitors from another country
The Dean of Faculty/Head of Professional Services makes decisions on a case-by-case basis. When the University of Borås receives visitors who have travelled here from another country (e.g. guest lecturers, visiting researchers, partners), the recommendations of the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs apply. The department receiving the guest(s) plans for the stay taking into account the pandemic and health and safety at work concerns. Workplace introductions and meeting colleagues are to be planned to take into account the current recommendations and precautions, and the responsible manager is to ensure that the relevant staff are informed of the visit in good time.
Working at home
You should discuss with your manager what applies to you. The main rule is still that you and your manager are to come to an agreement on working from home if the work allows it. It is still important that we follow the Public Health Agency of Sweden’s recommendations to reduce the spread of infection.
Insurance when working at home
In the case of telework, occupational injury insurance (TFA and PSA) applies. Unlike work at work, the accident is required to be directly related to the work you do, i.e. the injury occurs while performing your duties. For example, if you injure yourself when you are making coffee in the kitchen, this does not count as an accident at work, even if it occurs during fixed working hours.
Headset
If you need a headset, these are available at the IT service desk. Make an appointment for pickup via email it@hb.se. Please note that you should also make an appointment for any other matters at the IT service desk.
Deducation from sick pay
Compensation for the deducation from sick pay is regulated directly with the Social Insurance Office. The application applies retroactively from 11 March.
Do not forget
- If the situation requires, make sure to change your bookings in KronoX. It is recommended that everyone delete their own bookings if necessary.
- Review your information under the heading "Personal data" in Primula. It is important that the university has up-to-date information about, for example, your next of kin.
- Read through these pages with tips and advices (the pages will regularly be updated)
Distance when it works, campus when it’s needed
A checklist has been drawn up to be able to make the necessary priorities about which elements should be implemented on campus, who makes decisions, and what teachers should do after a decision has been made. The checklist has been sent to all employees by email.
You can also find the checklist here (pdf)
A supplement to the checklist regarding the planning and coorindation of campus components (pdf)
At present, you can assume in your planning that any teaching that can be carried out remotely will continue to take place remotely.
Premises and technical equipment
- The entrances to Balder and Sandgärdet will be open so people can enter the buildings without an access card. However, you need an access card for all doors leading to corridors with study rooms, offices, and open spaces for staff and students.
- In Balder, you can also use stairwell T1 and associated lift without an access card.
- In Sandgärdet, the university library will be open.
- In Textile Fashion Center, you will need an access card to enter the university's premises.
- As far as possible, avoid both planned and spontaneous larger groups of students in, for example, the dining halls, entrances, auditoriums, examination or lecture halls.
- There will be a stricter limit of the number of people who may be in lecture halls, computer halls and study rooms at the same time.
- The furnishing has been thinned out in lecture halls, and it has been highlighted which places one can use in computer halls and auditoriums.
- The starting time for lectures will be spread out during the day to reduce the number of students who are on campus at the same time.
- The furnishing in open spaces has been thinned out.
- Service desks in public areas have been equipped with an acrylic glass.
- The restaurant has been given the opportunity to open up the business in some form.
- A comprehensive signage will be carried out on campus with distance markings, information regarding the university's recommendations, requests to leave the halls immediately after examination or teaching, etc.
A review of the premises and the technical capabilities on the premises is being carried out. Information will be compiled regarding how many people can be present in different rooms, which technical capabilities are present in each room, etc. You can find some of this information about this in KronoX.
In KronoX, you can already see information about the rooms that have been renovated during the summer. For example, if you want a room for streaming or recording a lecture, you can use the search bar in the upper right corner of KronoX and type "E-meeting". Then you will find the appropriate spaces. Just keep in mind that this information is not complete yet, but more information is in the works! You can find a manual about this on the KronoX webpage.
Refurbishment have taken place in lecture halls/teaching spaces around the university and students are referred to the places that have been adapted with regards to the coronavirus. In certain teaching situations and spaces, adaptations may be possible, but this is always conducted under one’s own responsibility and with respect for students' desire not to sit closely to other students. We would also like to remind teachers that they should leave the lecture hall/teaching space as they found it at the beginning of the class. If you notice problems or defects in the premises associated with these adaptations, please quickly inform the Campus Facilities and Sustainability Office.
The purchasing of some technical equipment is underway.
We have received signals that there are concerns in regards to how we will ensure that there will not be too many people in the buildings this autumn. In order to prevent the spread of infection, we must of course avoid congestion in public areas, corridors, etc. One of the sub-projects of Project Corona is working with the logistics related to scheduling and we are aware that we need to think differently when it comes to how we have previously scheduled things in order, for example, to avoid one group meeting another at the door of the lecture hall.
A coordination group has reviewed the bookings for campus components that have been submitted. In some cases, they have had to shift some campus components by 15 minutes in either direction to address the number of people present in corridors and stairwells. Check your schedule to see if any changes have been made to your campus components. If the coordination group has seen a need for shifts of more than 15 minutes, the relevant teacher is contacted.
Entrances
Choose the entrance closest to where you are going and, as far as possible, plan an outdoors route when navigating around campus. Take a look at the map and find the entrance closest to your destination
Special opening hours
For several of our operations, special conditions regarding opening hours or possible closures apply. More information about special opening hours
The university's premises are generally open to students and staff. For work enviroment reasons and the risk of infection, some areas, such as the textile labs, are closed to students since there is no teaching there for the moment.
Access card
Do not forget to have your access card with you when you are on university premises. It is needed in order to pass through doors and use the lifts.
Cleaning
Cleaning of the university's premises is intensified with cleaning of handles and buttons that many people often touch.
Gym
The gym is still open – we have ordered extra cleaning so that it is possible to work out here when other gyms close.
Technology for students
The university has no possibility to lend out computers or other technology to students for home work. However, students continue to have access to the premises. The premises are locked to the public.
Distance
We recommend that people keep a distance of 1.5 meters on university premises. We have put up signs so it will be easy for everyone on the premises to do the right thing and follow the recommendations in place. Each individual must also take personal responsibility and practice social distancing.
Limit of 50 people
We would like to clarify that although our internal activities are not subject to the 50 person limit, we should avoid any gatherings of more than 50 people. It is important that we follow this guideline in order to reduce the spread of infection and to curb any concerns regarding larger crowds. We must also follow the general advice and recommendations that are in place.
Filming and GDPR
Introduction for new students
The Student Union planned a digital introduction for new students.
International students
During week 23, international programme students admitted to autumn term 2020 received information about the situation for the autumn as well as the announcement that they can proceed with applying for a residence permit and housing. Those who applied for exchange studies in Borås this autumn have also received information.
The sub-project on international students has also begun a discussion about international students who are entering from countries where the spread of infection is increasing and how we will handle this.
Study abroad
The university follows the recommendations of the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. If they advise against travel abroad, the university will advise students not to carry out planned studies abroad.
Decision by the Vice-Chancellor, 5 June
The Vice-Chancellor's decision taken on 5 June is valid from 15 June until further notice. Previous decisions from 5 May concerning the period up to 8 November are thus no longer relevant. The Vice-Chancellor's decisions can be found via the Registrar’s Office, see Reg. 258-20.
The Vice-Chancellor's decision means that from 15 June, educational activities can return to more ordinary forms under the following conditions:
- The regulations, general advice, and recommendations applicable to the rest of society are taken into account.
- Teaching is conducted while taking the necessary precautions.
- If the work allows, employees can work from home at the discretion of their immediate manager.
- Written examinations conducted via the Student Centre can be carried out while observing the necessary precautions, taking into account the university's overall need for written examinations and in which examinations in nursing and police educational programmes continue to be a priority.
- Project Corona is responsible for developing appropriate structures to ensure the above in necessary consultation with the students.
The Vice-Chancellor's decision affects previous decisions. Earlier in the spring, the university made a number of decisions that are now affected, as follows
Carrying out teaching activities
Previous decisions: Teaching activities, including examinations, on premises about which the university makes determinations, are to be carried out in a distance form, with general exceptions for nursing and police educational programmes.
Decision according to the new recommendations: The government states that education providers can return to regular activities, provided that the regulations, general advice, and recommendations applicable to the rest of society are taken into account. What is an appropriate way of following the relevant general advice in each case is up to the education provider to decide. One way is that the education provider continues to conduct distance education whenever possible, for example for theoretical elements, but resumes on-site teaching on the premises for practical elements. In view of this, teaching activities must continue to be carried out taking into account the necessary precautions and in accordance with the recommendations given by the Public Health Agency of Sweden. Structures need to be developed to ensure this. These will be drawn up according to particular protocols via Project Corona.
Working at home
Previous decisions: If the work allows it, employees can work from home at the discretion of their immediate manager.
Decision in light of the new recommendations: The current decision is still in force.
Written Examinations
Previous decisions: No written examination organised through the Student Centre are to be carried out, with the exception of those regarding which the Vice-Chancellor has made specific decisions.
Decision according to the new recommendations: Written examination organised through the Student Centre can be carried out taking into account the necessary precautions. This means, however, that the Student Centre will have more limited resources to implement written examinations, which is why these resources need to be carefully allocated.
According to previous decisions, written examinations in nursing and police education as well as teacher education have been carried out.
As the possibility of carrying out activities on the university's premises opens up for more educational programmes this autumn, Project Corona needs to develop structures to ensure the correct allocation of these resources. Previous decisions on exemptions for written examinations via the Student Centre must therefore be reassessed in relation to the university's overall need for written examinations. However, the nursing and police educational programmes continue to be prioritised.
Other
Please read the frequently asked questions (are updated continuosly)
“Spikningar” (notifications of thesis defences)
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If you have any questions
If you have questions about the university's actions regarding the coronavirus outbreak, contact your immediate manager.
If you have questions about the coronavirus, please contact the national information number SOS Alarm 113 13. This number conveys information to the public in the event of serious accidents and crises in society.
In case of flu-like symptoms and respiratory problems, contact healthcare services through the medical information telephone number 1177 and follow their instructions.
Remember to practice good hand hygiene
The most effective way to avoid becoming infected and infecting others is to observe very good hand hygiene. Keep in mind the following:
- Wash your hands often.
- Cough and sneeze into the bend of your arm.
- Stay home when you're ill.
Important external links
Public Health Agency of Sweden's questions and answers
Travel information from the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Only in Swedish)
Krisinformation.se – emergency information from Swedish authorities
Information to students from CSN, The Swedish Board of Student Finance (in Swedish only
Information from The Swedish Agency for Government Employers (in Swedish only)