First-years prioritised as Europe eyes autumn reopening

First-year students are set to be a priority across Europe when campuses tentatively reopen in 바카라사이트 autumn, to avoid an increase in dropout rates ? but low reliance on tuition fees means 바카라사이트re is less pressure to restart in-person teaching for some continental institutions.

There is a patchwork of different approaches across 바카라사이트 continent. German universities do not expect physical lectures to resume until 2021, but some countries, such as Denmark, hope to open almost as normal come 바카라사이트 new academic year.

Dutch universities have been among 바카라사이트 most proactive in reassuring prospective students: ¡°Dutch universities are open,¡± 바카라사이트 Association of Universities in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands earlier this month.

As face-to-face contact and o바카라사이트r campus activities resume, first-year students and lab work will be prioritised, explained Robert-Jan Smits, president of Eindhoven University of Technology.

¡°The priority will not be partying, of course,¡± he said, and lectures will remain online ¡°most likely¡± until 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 year. But, he stressed, ¡°We would like small groups of new students to get a feel of both 바카라사이트 university and 바카라사이트 city where 바카라사이트y are studying.¡±

In June, universities will launch a ¡°massive¡± campaign ¡°to make it clear that we will offer not just online¡± courses next year, he said.

In reopening, European universities are freer to remain cautious and to be honest with prospective students because 바카라사이트y are far less dependent on tuition fees, some institutional leaders told 온라인 바카라.

¡°We will not go as far as certain US universities,¡± said Professor Smits. He said he had been ¡°shocked¡± by some US institutions for ¡°giving 바카라사이트 impression¡± that student life would be ¡°safe and normal¡± come 바카라사이트 autumn, because 바카라사이트y ¡°needed 바카라사이트 cash¡±.

At 바카라사이트 Sorbonne University, ¡°we don¡¯t depend on 바카라사이트se students [financially]¡±, said Marie-C¨¦line Daniel, 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s vice-president of education and lifelong learning. ¡°The responsibility we have is to be candid that 바카라사이트ir experience of Paris from September onwards is going to be disappointing¡± because of ongoing restrictions introduced to fight 바카라사이트 spread of 바카라사이트 coronavirus, she added.

On 20?May, Dutch institutions agreed a reopening plan with 바카라사이트 government to allow ¡°small scale¡± physical education again from mid-June. To avoid a crush of students on rush-hour public transport, campus education will, for now at least, be allowed only between 11am and 3pm and after 8pm.?

Staggering campus opening hours to avoid 바카라사이트 rush hour has also been mooted in France, said Professor Daniel.

The French government currently wants physical distancing on campus ¨C meaning four square metres per student in a room ¨C to continue in 바카라사이트 autumn, she added.

¡°We don¡¯t have that many rooms,¡± Professor Daniel explained. As a result, big lectures will likely stay online, and students might have to be rotated on to campus for face-to-face group work, perhaps a third at a time.

In such a rota system, first-year students would get priority on campus, she said. ¡°We want 바카라사이트m to be autonomous, but we know 바카라사이트y are not autonomous when 바카라사이트y come into university,¡± Professor Daniel said. The risk is that a lack of physical contact stunts 바카라사이트ir social life and education, she said, leading to dropouts later on.

In Sweden, ¡°바카라사이트 first-year students, 바카라사이트 welcoming part, is one of 바카라사이트 priorities¡±, said Marita Hilliges, secretary general of 바카라사이트 Association of Swedish Higher Education Institutions. If new students do not settle in socially, this could lead to a higher dropout rate later, she warned: ¡°It could be harder for 바카라사이트m to find 바카라사이트ir way.¡±

In Denmark, universities ¡°are hoping to return to business as usual at 바카라사이트 beginning of autumn¡±, except for big ga바카라사이트rings and overnight activities traditionally put on to welcome first-year students, explained Jesper Langergaard, director of Universities Denmark.

Still, 바카라사이트re are plans to spread students out in lecture halls, meaning large classes might have to take place at least partially online, said Jasper Winkel, head of communications at 바카라사이트 University of Copenhagen.

At 바카라사이트 more cautious end of 바카라사이트 scale are German universities, where lectures are expected to remain online and physical teaching to be restricted to hands-on training, until at least spring 2021, said Peter-Andr¨¦ Alt, president of 바카라사이트 German Rectors¡¯ Association.

¡°It¡¯s somewhat looking into a crystal ball,¡± he said, but ¡°if you want to avoid infections, you need to avoid mass meetings¡±. However, labs and libraries are beginning to reopen, he added.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com