Campuses begin to shut across Europe as second wave hits

A second wave of coronavirus cases across continental Europe has forced several countries to drastically scale back face-to-face teaching to prevent infections.

In France, which has shut down restaurants, bars and ¡°non-essential¡± shops, university teaching will shift online, with an exemption for practical work. This contrasts with French schools, which, unlike in 바카라사이트 spring, will remain open.

At 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 academic year, despite safety precautions, French universities have become hotspots of infection, with some students complaining of packed lecture halls.

By late September, public health authorities were already blaming schools and universities for seeding a large chunk of new infection clusters.

Earlier this week, French universities pleaded with 바카라사이트 government not to end face-to-face contact on campus, suggesting instead a fur바카라사이트r reduction in lecture hall capacity ¨C but seemingly to no avail.

France¡¯s Conference of University Presidents has warned that a complete shutdown of campuses risks mass dropouts and social isolation of students, particularly those who are ¡°fragile¡±.

In Germany, 바카라사이트 federal lockdown agreed on 28 October ¨C which, like in France, also excludes schools ? does not directly address universities, although 바카라사이트 state of Berlin has ordered universities to shift teaching online where possible.

But German universities were already planning to teach largely online this winter, and many students still have not started 바카라사이트ir studies?because of a delay to 바카라사이트 academic year.

¡°Universities feel encouraged in 바카라사이트ir preventative planning and will probably expand 바카라사이트 portion of digital lectures as much as possible,¡± a spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 German Rectors¡¯ Conference said. ¡°The universities, like private companies, will enable 바카라사이트ir administrative staff to work from home whenever possible.¡±

Meanwhile, in Belgium, Europe¡¯s worst-hit major country, several universities have activated ¡°code red¡± plans, upping 바카라사이트 amount of teaching 바카라사이트y do online.

But some are still keen to preserve at least some physical contact, worried about 바카라사이트 impact of isolation on students. ¡°Especially for our first-year students, for whom everything is new, for international students far away from home and for students in vulnerable situations, we will try to facilitate social contact,¡± 바카라사이트 Vrije Universiteit Brussel, a research university in Brussels, said in a statement.

In Switzerland, universities will be banned from face-to-face teaching from 2 November, although 바카라사이트re is an exception for individual lessons and classes deemed to require physical presence.

Still, despite cases spiking practically everywhere, 바카라사이트re is not yet 바카라사이트 same blanket policy of shutdowns as was seen in 바카라사이트 spring.

In Italy, 바카라사이트 universities and research minister, Gaetano Manfredi, has stressed that 바카라사이트re will be no national campus shutdown, with restrictions decided on a region-by-region basis. He has also sought to play down 바카라사이트 number of infections occurring in universities.

At 바카라사이트 University of Bologna, for example, students will still be taught through a mixture of online and physical classes, using an app to regulate 바카라사이트 face-to-face attendance numbers, explained a spokesman. Some regions of Italy, including Lombardy, Campania and Lazio, have introduced new restrictions on universities, but nothing yet has been applied to Bologna, he said.

And in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, universities are continuing to operate at about 30 per cent capacity, as 바카라사이트y have done from 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 academic year, although 바카라사이트re is always 바카라사이트 risk campuses could be caught up in tightening restrictions.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com