Coronavirus 'Phase Three' - Info for Students

Information for students

The University has ensured that all students can continue and complete their studies, take part in their graduation sessions, and take their exams. 

LECTURES AND EXAMS

Please find below the current arrangements for each type of degree programme, or course, that will be in force until further notice:

Bachelor’s degrees

• Year 1: blended learning, including recorded lectures;
• Year 2 and 3: Distance Learning. Blended learning may also apply, based on the available room capacity and teaching requirements;
• laboratories and practicals: on-site activities. These may be recorded where practically feasible.

Master’s degrees:

• Year 1 and 2: blended learning, including recorded lectures;
• laboratories and practicals: on-site activities. These may be recorded where practically feasible.

Single cycle/Combined Bachelor+Master’s degrees

• Students in all years of study: either Distance or blended learning, depending on each degree programme, based on decision of the relevant Teaching Committee;
• laboratories and practicals: on-site activities. These may be recorded where practically feasible.

Professional Master’s programmes, advanced and professional development courses

• Distance Learning. Blended learning may also apply, depending on the available room capacity and teaching requirements, and based on decision of the University’s Covid-19 Task Force and room availability.

PhD Programmes and Postgraduate Specialisation programmes

• Distance Learning. Blended learning may also apply, depending on the available room capacity and teaching requirements, and based on decision of the University’s Covid-19 Task Force and room availability.
• Health-related Postgraduate Specialisation programmes and internships for the Health and Medical Professions may continue both on-site and remotely, based on the available room capacity. In this case, permission from the University's Covid-19 Task Force is not required.

As regards examinations and graduations/final exams, please see the Update from the University's Covid-19 Task Force of 18 January 2021.

In order to attend in-person lectures, students must book a place in advance via the UNIVR Lezioni app. To find out more, please click here.

Exams may be held on site (in-person exams) for students in all years of study, where the lecturer concerned deems it necessary for learning reasons, and provided that the Covid-19 safety measures are complied with, also in relation to the number of students. In the case of in-person exams, students must be able to take exams at a distance if they provide the responsible lecturer with a valid reason for doing so (please note that only reasons related to Covid-19 may be accepted). In the case of online examinations - both Distance Learning and blended learning - the relevant IT staff must be contacted in advance.

In the case of written in-person exams, the number of students on site must not exceed 50% of the room capacity, and a distance of at least one metre between people must always be maintained. At the end of each exam session, the classroom must be properly sanitised and aired. In case of oral in-person exams, students are only allowed to take oral exams on site one at a time, and by appointment. The room must be aired at the end of each exam, and sanitised at the end of the day. Moreover, it is up to each lecturer to ensure that no gatherings occur near the exam venue. Students coming to the University to take an exam on site must bring and wear their own face mask, and must comply with the health measures established by the University.

Students with disabilities who intend to take part in Office Hours with teaching staff on site, must submit their request in good time to the Inclusion and accessibility Unit. The application should include the details of the user’s needs.

For further information on examination methods, please go to: Online exams.

Students attending lectures or taking exams, or graduation exams, are recommended that they read the relevant privacy notice (“Informazioni integrative sul trattamento dei dati personali per lo svolgimento di attività didattica, esami di profitto, prove finali ed esami di laurea e abilitazione nel periodo di emergenza sanitaria da COVID/19 in modalità telematica”) available here.

As per Order of the Ministry of Health of 29 January 2021, which reclassified the province of Bolzano as an Orange Area, the ban on in-person lectures and activities has been lifted, and therefore the rules described above for teaching in the second semester will also apply to University of Verona courses held in Bolzano. In the Province of Bolzano, the rules set out in the message of the University’s Covid-19 Task Force of 18 January regarding Orange Areas shall apply.

Field trips, off-site visits and guided tours are allowed, if these are part of the student’s curriculum, as in the case of practicals/laboratory activities. When organising these activities, the lecturer concerned must ensure that all Covid-19 public safety measures in force are always complied with. Any plans for field trips, off-site visits and guided tours must be submitted in advance to the University’s Covid-19 Task Force for approval.

LANGUAGE CERTIFICATION EXAMS

For updates and further information on language certification exams at the University Language Centre (CLA), please see: "MODALITÀ DI SVOLGIMENTO PROVE DI CERTIFICAZIONE LINGUISTICA durante l’emergenza COVID-19"

DISSERTATION WORK

Students working on their dissertation can do so on site at the University, provided this has been previously approved by their Supervisor (please fill out the Authorisation form for students).

GRADUATION AND FINAL EXAMS

From March 2021 it will be possible to hold graduation exams (for Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes) and final exams (for PhD programmes, Postgraduate specialisation programmes, Professional Master’s programmes, and advanced courses) on site at the University, as set out in the relevant University’s Guidelines (“Vademecum per l’organizzazione di esami di laurea, esami finali di dottorato, diplomi di specializzazione, esami finali di master e di corsi di perfezionamento”).

The University of Verona will hold a special event in Verona to celebrate all those who graduated at our University during the Covid-19 pandemic, as soon as it is reasonably possible to do so.

CURRICULAR INTERNSHIPS

Curricular internships can be carried out remotely, in person/on site, and in blended mode (online + in person), without specific requirements of working hours to be carried out on-site and remotely, compatibly with the availability of the receiving organisation. This must ensure that spaces on its premises and workplaces are organised in such a way as to minimise the risk of gatherings, and that all organisational preventive and protection measures are taken and adjusted to each specific activity to be carried out, paying particular attention to the needs of people with disabilities.

In the case of internships at the University of Verona, granting access authorisations and ensuring compliance with social distancing and preventive measures will be the responsibility of the lecturer responsible for the internship, in the same way as for scholarship and research grant holders, and PhD students.

It is still valid that, if none of the above methods is feasible, alternative activities shall be allowed, subject to an agreement with the responsible lecturer/tutor, according to what may be provided by the relevant Teaching Committee.

Istruzioni per lo svolgimento di tirocini curriculari dei corsi di laurea ed extra-curriculari dei corsi di studio post-lauream

HEALTH-RELATED INTERNSHIPS

Health-related internships can also be carried out remotely: however, interns may be allowed to carry out their internship in person subject to decision taken by the Director of the relevant Degree programme. In the latter case, students will have to express their consent, since they can decide whether to postpone their internship or not.

Istruzioni per lo svolgimento di tirocini curriculari dei corsi di laurea ed extra-curriculari dei corsi di studio post-lauream

EXTRACURRICULAR INTERNSHIPS

Extracurricular internships taking place in the Veneto Region can be carried out on site at all receiving organisations whose activities were not suspended pursuant to Prime Ministerial decree of 22 March 2020 and subsequent amendments.   

Each receiving organisation must ensure that spaces on its premises and workplaces are organised in such a way as to minimise the risk of gatherings, and that all organisational preventive and protection measures are taken and adjusted to each specific activity to be carried out, paying particular attention to the needs of people with disabilities.

In the workplace, the Protocol regulating measures to tackle and contain the spread of Covid-19 in the workplace, signed on 24 April 2020 by the Italian government and social partners, as well as other protocols signed for specific matters and protocols updating the aforementioned protocols, must be fully complied with (pursuant to letter F of Ordinanza n. 48 del 17.05.2020 del Presidente della Giunta Regionale del Veneto).

Istruzioni per lo svolgimento di tirocini curriculari dei corsi di laurea ed extra-curriculari dei corsi di studio post-lauream

In the light of the current pandemic epidemiological situation, the University’s Covid-19 Task Force, in agreement with the PhD Office, determines as follows:

• the obligation to carry out study periods and internships at public or private Host Institutions/Organisations abroad, for a period of at least 3 months during the three-year PhD programme, pursuant to Art. 12 of the Regulations of doctoral studies, must be suspended for the entire duration of the pandemic and until new government and university provisions are adopted. During this period, therefore, the mobility period abroad is not compulsory, although it is possible for those who wish to do so, in compliance with all the existing regulations (updated information in this regard can be found at: “Ministero della Salute - Covid-19 – Viaggiatori” and aulss9.veneto.it – Emergenza Coronavirus – ingresso in Italia da paesi esteri;
• it shall be possible to replace the mobility period abroad with online activities organised by international organisations and universities (supporting documents will be requested by the University).

It should also be noted that Ministerial Decree no. 45/2013, which applies to doctoral programmes, does not entail any obligation for PhD students to undertake periods of mobility abroad in order to obtain their qualification.

LAB ACTIVITIES AND PRACTICALS

Access to the University for Lab activities and practicals is subject to approval by the Teaching Committee of each degree programme, which shall set out the relevant procedures: please see web page of your degree programme for updates and details.

STUDENT-WORK SCHEME (150 ORE)

The heads of the University’s Department and Directorates must ensure that the number of employees on site does not exceed 50% of all current employees in any capacity, i.e. teaching staff, technical-administrative staff, language lecturers, PhDs, scholarship and research grant holders, students taking part in a student-work scheme (150 ore), contractors. 

ATTENDING UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES

Students will be allowed to access University’s administrative and student services offices only in exceptional circumstances - by appointment, and always wearing a surgical mask that they will need to bring from home. 

TEACHING STAFF OFFICE HOURS

Office hours of lecturers and teaching staff can only be held online, and by appointment. Please contact your lecturer to arrange an online meeting.

STUDY ROOMS AND SPACES

In the second semester, in-person lectures will resume for all students. For this reason, classrooms and study spaces at the University will be made available to all students attending lectures on site. However, these spaces should only be used between lectures, and for study purposes only.

Students will be able to use these spaces on condition that they comply with the following rules:

• they must sit in the alternate seats that are marked out with numbers to ensure ‘social distancing’; chairs must not be moved from their location;
• they keep at least a one-metre distance from others at all times;
• they wear a face mask (preferably a surgical one, without exhalation valve) to cover their mouth and nose;
• they clean their hands frequently;

The use of the Immuni app is highly recommended to enable contact tracing.

In addition:

• eating food and smoking are not allowed at the University;
• no gatherings are permitted at the University.

Please note that study spaces will be closely monitored by staff to ensure compliance with the above rules: anyone in breach will be asked to leave immediately.

STUDENT ORIENTATION

Student orientation activities will continue remotely. For further information please go to: prospective students web page.

UNIVERSITY'S CANTEENS AND CAFETERIAS

Find out more at: ESU Verona.

LIBRARIES

Please go to: https://www.univr.it/en/faq-lamiabibliotecadacasa

ATTENDING UNIVERSITY FACILITIES

Until 15 February 2021, the ban on travel between Regions and Autonomous Provinces is also in force in the Yellow Area, with the exception of those who travel for proven work or health reasons, or serious and compelling reasons. Until 15 February 2021, authorisation will be therefore required from research/dissertation/project Supervisors for those people who do not have an employment relationship with the University (students working on their dissertation, PhDs, scholarship holders, etc.) who reside outside the Region and need to attend the University for reasons other than lectures or examinations (including the need to access university libraries to consult documentation not otherwise available).

Scholarship and Research grant holders, PhD students and staff in any capacity included in the research activities may attend university facilities subject to the written authorisation of the lecturer responsible for the research, who must ensure compliance with the provisions on social distancing and the adoption of preventive measures, also in relation to the presence of TA staff and lecturers. Any authorisation will have to be communicated to the Department Directors, and to the Heads of the Research Centres (to this end, the relevant Authorisation form must be completed and submitted).