The largest universities in Poland are preparing to resume full-time education in the 2021/2022 academic year: the University of Warsaw, the Jagiellonian University and the University of Wrocław. Their spokesmen told that lectures with numerous participants may, however, take place in a hybrid manner.

A spokesman for the press office of the University of Warsaw, Dr. Anna Modzelewska mentioned that “the authorities of the University of Warsaw uphold the decision to return to full-time education in the academic year 2021/2022”. In the April communication of the university on this matter, it was emphasized that “the implementation of the adopted plan will, however, depend on the development of the epidemic situation and legal provisions in force in a few months, in particular regulations related to fighting epidemics and shaping the higher education system, the development of which the University is ready to support”.

The authorities of the University of Warsaw pointed out that the return to full-time education was decided from the fact that “some learning outcomes are difficult to achieve remotely”. It was added that during remote learning, it is difficult to notice psychological difficulties of students, as well as the limited access of scientific activities.

Dr. Modzelewska told that “The University is waiting for possible decisions by the government, which would define the epidemic and sanitary conditions of the university’s functioning in the new academic year”. “We will make further preparations depending on these decisions” she said.

According to a spokesman for the press office of the University of Warsaw, the departments will have the autonomy to decide to what extent distance learning will be maintained.

She mentioned that “issues related to maintaining the sanitary regime are an independent right of the university”. Dr Modzelwska further added, “decisions in this area are taken by the government and issuing appropriate regulations, to which the university adapts. However, one should be aware that if the restrictions are maintained in the present form, full-time teaching will not be possible with full people in the rooms”.

The Jagiellonian University is also preparing to resume full-time education in the 2021/2022 academic year. The Rector of the Jagiellonian University announced in the ordinance of 24 May 2021 that “education will be conducted in the form of full-time education with elements of distance learning”. The document does not apply to Collegium Medicum.

It was also noted that before the start of the winter and summer semester in the academic year 2021/2022, i.a. Deans, heads of doctoral studies are to present to the vice-rector of the Jagiellonian University and publish on the website a list of classes with a detailed description of how they are conducted.

The ordinance of the Rector of the Jagiellonian University stated that “classes may be conducted at the seat of the Jagiellonian University, provided that the current sanitary regime guidelines are followed”. The guidelines for the organization of education may change if the epidemic situation worsens.

The spokesman of the Jagiellonian University, Adrian Ochalik, in an interview with PAP mentioned that “we are generally returning to full-time teaching”. Referring to the ordinance of the Rector of the Jagiellonian University, he noted that “the deans of 16 faculties are to decide whether large lectures with many students will not have to be conducted remotely, however, we need to take into account that from such a large number of student, how many of them will be able to attend the full-time lecture”.

In the new academic year, full-time classes will also be held at the University of Wrocław.

“We will be starting mostly stationary classes. Perhaps the largest lectures will be hybrid, and in exceptional cases, there will be remote classes” – told Dr. Katarzyna Uczkiewicz, spokeswoman for the University of Wrocław to PAP.

Dr. Uczkiewicz pointed out that at the university there is “a discussion whether and how to require a certificate of vaccination from students”. “There is a question that we do not know the answer to – how and to what extent we can demand evidence from students whether they are vaccinated, whether we can take any consequences. This is not established” – said the spokeswoman.

“It is known that vaccination cannot be required. It is also difficult to require that the student show a certificate that he or she has been vaccinated. There is also a discussion whether we will expect confirmation of vaccination by students who want to be in classes without a mask” – added Dr. Uczkiewicz.

In turn, Dr. Modzelewska from the University of Warsaw said that the University of Warsaw is organizing a vaccination campaign as part of the university vaccination point, giving the opportunity to vaccinate those employees, students and doctoral students who have not yet been vaccinated. “Vaccination is not compulsory. The university encourages and enables interested members of the community to participate in the vaccination campaign, but the decision to participate in the vaccination program is individual” – she indicated.

Article originally written in Polish.

Author: Iwona Pałczyńska
Source: PAP (Nauka w Polsce)