Resolution No. 1/18/2021 of the Management Council: Measures against COVID-19 – Academic year 2020/2021 – 2nd semester

Considering the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the Autonomous Region of Madeira (RAM), the general situation of higher education in the country, and the need to maintain the control of the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and academic and pedagogical stability, while maintaining face-to-face functioning, namely of academic activities such as written evaluations, traineeships, field work, laboratory classes and other practices that require it,

Considering the recommendations to scientific and higher education institutions within the extraordinary measures of the state of emergency, issued by the Office of the Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, on 11 March 2021;

and following resolution no. 1/6/2021, of 25 January, of the Management Council,

After hearing the Presidents of the Organic Units, the Presidents of the Pedagogical, University and Polytechnic Councils, the President of the Committee for Prevention and Control of Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Rector and his management Team, the Management Council hereby determines the following guidelines:

1. The University's premises will remain open, however, its activities should end at 6pm from Monday to Friday and at 5pm on Saturday, as long as the current road bans remain in place;
2. The current reduction in the number and distribution of seats in the classrooms, defined following Management Council resolution no. 1/6/2021, of 25 January, will be maintained;
3. The 2nd semester will continue to run preferably online at least until the 19th of April. Only evaluation activities, traineeships, field work, laboratory classes and other practices that cannot be done remotely will take place in person;
4. The University will endeavour to ensure that its teaching staff, researchers, non-teaching staff and students have access to the same testing and vaccination conditions as their peers at the same level of education at National level and/or at secondary level in the Region;
5. Depending on the evolution of the pandemic and the guidelines of the authorities, from 19 April onwards a progressive and phased reactivation of more face-to-face activities may be considered, namely the face-to-face functioning of certain components of curricular units, with a reduced number of students, if the schedules and the capacity of the available rooms allow it;
6. As determined in the Management Council resolution no. 1/6/2021, of 25 January, the month of September 2021 will be dedicated to the special evaluation periods of the 1st and 2nd semesters. The calendar for the 2021/22 academic year is to be designed providing for the start of classes in early October;
7. The 2021/22 academic year should be programmed for face-to-face operation and with the room capacities established for the 1st semester of this year, although naturally subject to the evolution of the pandemic and the guidelines of the authorities.

The University will continue to operate according to its contingency plan, following the guidelines of the Health Authorities, and will adapt its procedures according to the evolution of the pandemic.

We would like to thank, once again, the entire Academic Community, teaching-staff and researchers, non-teaching staff and students, for all the commitment they have put in for the smooth running of the University and the academic activities, in this context of uncertainty resulting from the pandemic.

We wish you all a Happy Easter.

Funchal and University of Madeira, March 22, 2021
The Management Council