Teaching activities arrangements confirmed

USI confirms the arrangements and provisions for teaching activities communicated at the beginning of the academic year for the next semester. Full on-campus teaching and learning are therefore still in place, complemented by online sessions when required.

On-campus teaching and learning continue, in line with current regulations, by occupying every other seat in the classroom. Students are required to wear masks in common indoor areas, including classrooms. Faculty may remove the mask when lecturing only if they can maintain an adequate distance from front rows. Sanification and ventilation of the classrooms will be performed every two academic hours.

All courses will continue to make extensive use of the iCorsi platform to make the syllabus and materials available to all. In addition, should significant limitations regarding travel and related quarantines be imposed, USI is committed to supporting those temporarily unable to reach the campuses by providing a recording of the lectures (audio and/or video). Members of the academic community coming from abroad are invited to regularly refer to the page on entry requirements in Switzerland managed by the Federal Office of Public Health. In the case of courses taught by external faculty members who travel by air, there is the chance that part of the course will be held online. Faculties will define the specific methods and inform students through their course schedule. The option to discuss thesis in videoconferencing remains in place. Exceptions to these provisions are made for faculty from at-risk areas or with health concerns, for whom it will still be possible to hold their courses entirely online. Exceptions must be approved and discussed with the Pro-Rector for Education and Students' Experience upon Faculty notice.

Should federal and cantonal provisions change to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, USI may progressively return to online learning.

For all other aspects of academic life, the provisions at this link remain in force: https://www.usi.ch/en/feeds/13812

Also, in defining the arrangements for the autumn semester of the academic year 2021-22, USI has been inspired by the four principles that have guided the Institution in the two academic years affected by the pandemic: to protect the safety of the academic community; to seek solutions to guarantee continuity, while contributing towards a stable social environment; to ensure the training even in such a volatile and challenging context; to comply with the decisions of the competent public authorities. Throughout this period, USI has considered in-person learning and university life on campus to be very important. Still, at the same time, it has shown the ability to manage online training, taking advantage of the opportunities and ensuring a flexible and continuous learning experience.