OLD INFORMATION
This is archive webpage. Currently valid information can be found at vscht.cz/coronavirus.
Information from 10. 8. 2021 - Preparations for the 2021/22 academic year
Outdated information
Dear students,
In a little over a month, the new 2021/22 academic year will start at the University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, so during the summer holidays, preparations for the winter semester are already underway, including the schedule and considerations of Covid-19 measures. We are using information available at the national level from the Ministries of Education and Health.
I would very much like the winter semester to take place in a form close to the traditional one, that is, with most of the instruction taking place in person. The schedule is now designed for full-time, in-person instruction; however, in the event that the situation worsens, we are ready to switch to hybrid or fully online instruction. So far, the Czech Ministry of Health does not have direct provisions for the educational activities of universities besides the clearly stated regulation for the operation of dormitories: “Accommodation in dormitories is possible only under the conditions that comply with the emergency measures specified by the Ministry of Health (i.e., providing proof of having been vaccinated, tested, or already suffered from Covid).” However, it is highly probable that these conditions will also have to be met for in-person instruction to take place.
Although vaccination does not provide 100% protection against Covid and unpleasant vaccination side effects cannot be ruled out even in healthy people, considering all known serious risks of the disease itself (where we do not know the possible long-term consequences) as well as benefits and negatives of vaccination itself, please consider the option of having yourself vaccinated. It is highly probable that higher immunization coverage can prevent radical societal counter-measures, including a major reduction in university operations. Let us try to help ensure that universities do not close again in the autumn. Let’s try to learn from how the last academic year ended.
I wish everyone beautiful August days with plenty of activities that contribute to strengthening immunity and achieving the best possible physical and mental health.
Pavel Matějka
rector
Information from 20. 5. 2021
Outdated information
Theoretical instruction
This semester’s theoretical instruction will be completed in distance form.
Exam period
Exams and course credits can be obtained in in-person and distance forms. The form and procedures for exams/credits lies fully at the discretion of subject guarantors. The in-person form is preferred, but in justified cases, it is possible to pass an exam or obtain credit in distance form. If a student is registered for an exam and falls ill with Covid-19 or is officially ordered into quarantine, they must immediately notify the examiner. The examiner will inform them of the alternative exam date.
Practical instruction (laboratories)
From Monday, May 10, it will be possible for students of all remaining years of study to return to practical instruction (laboratories). However, we are taking into account the necessary epidemiological measures (testing, maintaining social distance in labs) and precautions with the organization of instruction (limiting the risks of class overlaps).
- More information in circular B/O/963/05/2021
Students will receive detailed information on the schedule of the laboratories from the laboratory guarantors. Students will receive information about testing (when, where and how the testing will take place) from the pedagogical department in advance. Follow your university email inbox.
Students who take part in practical instruction can stay in university dormitories.
Vaccination of emloyees
Information from 30. 4. 2021 - AG-SARS-COV-2 test certificate
Outdated information
- employees already pre-filled form in the OKbase system (Reports > Reports)
- download a blank form to fill out
- a limited number of forms will be available printed at the entrance to the test room
- You will submit the filled form during the test and then on the same day between 11 and 13 o'clock you will be able to pick it up confirmed (in the test room).
Information from 21. 4. 2021
Outdated information
In accordance with Czech Government Resolution No. 393 dated April 19, 2021, Appendix No. 2, face-to-face laboratory instruction for final year students will be allowed at UCT Prague starting on Monday, April 26, 2021, when a student has no symptoms of respiratory disease and fulfils at least one of the following conditions:
1. Has a valid negative COVID-19 test from the UCT Prague testing centre
2. Has a valid negative COVID-19 test (not older than 48 hours) performed by a health service provider (public testing locations)
3. Holds a certificate of vaccination (and 14 days have elapsed since the end of the vaccination schedule)
4. Has contracted COVID-19 and no more than 90 days have elapsed since the first positive test result.
Evidence of having had COVID-19, holding a valid negative test or proof of vaccination does not have to be printed out; it is enough to have the required documents in electronic form, which each student should show to their instructor.
UCT Prague testing centre
- UCT Prague is providing testing for students Prague free of charge.
- The testing centre is located in Building B in the BI auditorium
- To register for a test:
a) Testing prior to required laboratory group instruction will be organized in cooperation with the laboratory coordinator (lab guarantor). Students will register for the laboratory session according to the schedule given by the coordinator. Students who opt to use UCT Prague antigen testing and who have registered for it will be informed by the pedagogical department about the date of testing no later than the day before the start of laboratory session. The information will also include the “Consent to perform a COVID-19 antigen test” form, which each student must print, fill out, sign, and bring to testing.
b) For testing prior to final individual laboratory sessions (lab measurements for final exams), each student needs to registers in the Student Information System (SIS) in the “Exam dates – registration” module (Non-study university event – COVID-19 Test). Students have to register for an available testing appointment before the scheduled individual lab session. This applies only to students who have no other contractual relationship with UCT Prague. Students with a different contractual relationship have to register for COVID-19 testing via the OKbase Students should come to the scheduled testing appointment with a completed and signed “Consent to perform a COVID-19 antigen test” form.
Tests from the UCT testing centre are valid for 7 days (i.e. if a test takes place on Tuesday, the results are valid all day the following Monday, but not the following Tuesday).
Winter exam term
Information from February
At UCT Prague, it still applies that examinations will be possible in this period in-person (up to 10 people) as well as in distance form. The format and process of the exam/credit is fully in the competence and discretion of the subject guarantor, who is obliged to inform students about his or her decision well in advance. In all our auditoriums, of course, regular aerosol disinfection is being carried out and the obligation to observe distance between people applies. Hands must be disinfected immediately after entering a university building and mouth and nose protection must be worn.
As for individual consultations, they can take place in a “1 on 1” mode with prior agreement from an instructor. The instructor is obliged to keep a record of the place, time, and participants in the consultation if needed for possible contact tracing.
Students of all levels taking exams can continue to stay on campus during the exam period, since the full-time form of the exam is considered part of the educational process.
Information from January 8
Information valid up to January 22
At an emergency meeting on 7 January 2021, the Government of the Czech Republic extended the restrictions on the operation of universities according to the level 5 of the PES system until 22 January 2021. It still applies that the personal presence of students for instruction (including labs) is prohibited at all levels of study. However, personal participation in the exams is possible if a maximum of 10 people take part in the exam at one time. Individual consultations at universities are now possible.
At UCT Prague, it still applies that examinations will be possible in this period in-person (up to 10 people) as well as in distance form. The format and process of the exam/credit is fully in the competence and discretion of the subject guarantor, who is obliged to inform students about his or her decision well in advance. In all our auditoriums, of course, regular aerosol disinfection is being carried out and the obligation to observe distance between people applies. Hands must be disinfected immediately after entering a university building and mouth and nose protection must be worn.
As for individual consultations, they can take place in a “1 on 1” mode with prior agreement from an instructor. The instructor is obliged to keep a record of the place, time, and participants in the consultation if needed for possible contact tracing.
Students of all levels taking exams can continue to stay on campus during the exam period, since the full-time form of the exam is considered part of the educational process.
Information from December 7
Information valid from Decmber 7 to December 18
Starting Monday, December 7, 2020, universities in the Czech Republic can implement the following:
- Laboratory instruction for all levels in groups of up to 20 students,
- Full-time, in-person instruction for the first year students (Bachelor and Master levels) in groups of up to 20 students,
- Doctoral study program instruction,
- Individual consultations, and
- In-person exams for up to 10 students.
Based on this, UCT Prague’s leadership has decided, effective December 7, 2020, that:
- Theoretical instruction for the winter semester shall be completed in a distance format for all study levels,
- Laboratory instruction will be enabled for all levels in the groups up to 20 attendees,
- The permission of the limited, up to 20 attendees, in-person instruction for the first year students (Bachelor and Subsequent Master levels) shall be utilized for individual and group in-person consultations and progress tests/exams,
- Individual consultations for students at all levels are allowed by prior arrangement,
- The already-established regime for doctoral study programs shall continue as it is,
- All students will be able to return to university dormitories.
Students will receive information about individual subjects from subject guarantors/instructors. If relevant information is not provided, we ask students to take an active approach in relation to their guarantors (instructors).
Procedure for exams and grades
- The Winter Semester examination period will be extended by two weeks (January 4 to February 26, 2021).
- UCT Prague’s leadership prefers the in-person form of examinations and final tests. In justified cases, it will be possible to complete an exam/final test in distance form. The form and procedure for an exam/final test lies fully within the discretion of the subject guarantor.
Laboratories in the examination period
- During the examination period, guarantors will be able to carry out laboratory instruction, which UCT Prague’s leadership recommends. All details (such as whether laboratory instruction will take place with attendance limitation, when they will be held, etc.) will be communicated to students in advance by guarantors/heads of laboratories.
- In the event that laboratory instruction will not be able to be held by the end of the examination period due to capacity or other serious reasons, it is not the student’s fault, and thus the lab credit requirement will be reduced from the originally prescribed requirements. These will then be moved to the requirements for the following Summer Semester.
- In the event that a student becomes ill with Covid-19 or is officially ordered into quarantine, he/she must immediately notify their subject guarantor. A substitute examination date will be communicated to the student by the subject guarantor/head of the laboratory.
We are currently preparing a change in the organization of the academic year
The clear priority for this is to facilitate laboratory instruction and to maintain sufficient time frame for exams and proper completion and defence of final theses.
Main changes in the organization of the academic year:
- Winter Semester: extension of the examination period by two weeks (January 4 through February 26, 2021),
- Enabling instructors to carry out laboratory instruction during the examination period,
- Postponing the beginning of the Summer Semester by two weeks (starting March 1, 2021),
- Shortening of Summer Semester instruction down to 13 weeks (March 3 through May 28, 2021),
- Summer Semester: postponing the first part of the examination period (May 31 to July 2, 2021),
- Postponing, by a week, the deadline for submission of bachelor’s theses for the first term of the final examination (June 11, 2021),
- State final exam for Bachelor studies: postponing the beginning of the Bachelor state final exam period (June 21 through June 30, 2021),
- For the second term of the state final exam at the Bachelor level, dates will not change,
- Postponing by a week the Master thesis submission deadline (May 17, 2021), and
- The timing for the Master’s level state final exam will not change.
Regarding the change of organization of the academic year, a supplement to Decree No. A/V/961/16/2020 will be issued.
Instruction during the summer semester
Possibilities for in-person instruction at universities will be directly dependent on the decision of the national ministries, i.e. the Government of the Czech Republic. These institutions are currently governed by PES, the anti-epidemic system of the Czech Republic, the current form of which (regarding the national education system) can be found HERE (Czech only).
Information from september 2020
Detailed information
edited on 18 September, to be in line with city regulation
We highlight the most important measures below. You can find the translation of the full decree on the bottom of this webpage now. It is necessary to acquaint yourselves with the decree in its entirety.
In all enclosed areas at the university, the wearing of masks or other face and nose coverings is mandatory. This does not apply to employees working in their own offices or to those consuming food and beverages in university catering facilities.
Neither students nor instructors may attend in-person lectures or hybrid courses if they have symptoms of infectious diseases or if they know they have been in close contact (within the last 15 minutes) of someone waiting for the results of a COVID-19 test. In the case that a student exhibits any symptoms of COVID-19 while attending class in-person, an instructor is required to remove the student and instruct them to leave the university premises immediately.
Lectures and non-laboratory clases must be provided in the form of pre-recorded instructional videos or online lectures.
Instructors are required to record attendance for in-person laboratory courses, minimally an attendance list of students in a class (including day, time). We recommend recording the locations of where students were working in the laboratory.
University employees and students are required to follow current information and instruction bulletins published online at https://www.vscht.cz/koronavirus and via the UCT Prague “EMIL” application (https://emil.vscht.cz).
Information as of 5th of May 2020
- As of 11 March until appealed all forms of contact instruction of students at all levels of study are cancelled
- As of 27 April the personal presence of students at UCT Prague is allowed, but only for specific purposes
- Starting 11 May 2020, the meeting of groups of students of up to 15 people is allowed (while following applicable safety rules). At UCT, this option is recommended for teaching in laboratories.
- Employees of UCT Prague are recommended to work from home, provided they have duly discussed the matter with their direct supervisor and secured their approval.
- As of 27 April there are some possibilities to travel to the Czech Republic
Returners from the areas of COVID-19 outbreak shall immediately contact medical doctor by phone.
Summary of Information
Students
Starting March 11 and until further notice, UCT Prague is cancelling all forms of in-person teaching of students at all levels of study. Distance forms of education are available using tools such as Skype, Microsoft Teams, and so on.
Students are to be contacted by their teachers by Friday (March 13) with information regarding how their classes will be conducted at a distance. Please refrain from asking unnecessary questions until contacted; you will be informed once information is made available by your teachers.
Laboratory classes are cancelled for students until further notice. You will be informed in a timely manner about further developments regarding labs.
As of 27 April the personal presence of students at UCT Prague is allowed, but only for specific purposes
Starting 11 May 2020, the Government of the Czech Republic is allowing students to meet while studying at university campuses with the condition that no more than 15 students can meet in a group. At UCT Prague, we are recommending the continuation of distance education formats and, starting 11 May, will allow classes limited to 15 students, mainly for laboratory teaching. The previous hygienic and organizational measures in force since 27 April 2020 still apply, with the exception of the maximum number of people in a group.
Employees
The Rector’s Decision dated March 10, 2020, recommends that UCT Employees should work from home after proper agreement with and consent of their direct supervisors. The managers of individual workplaces are responsible for ensuring basic operation of workplaces so that they do not suffer any damage. Employees are obliged to follow the instructions of managers.
Heads of departments and other executives have the right to convene in-person meetings of groups of employees to deal with important matters in which a delay would pose a risk to ensuring current and future operation of the university or workplace. This is necessary to maintain the functioning of university governance and to ensure communication between the university and the state and municipal authorities.
Dormitories
UCT Prague dormitories are continuing to operate with increased hygienic regimes. We suggest that students from the Czech Republic move to their place of residence while classes are not being held on campus.
Continuing Education (University of the Third Age)
Teaching at the University of the Third Age (U3V) is cancelled until further notice.
Public Events Organized by UCT Prague
For the time being, all public events are also cancelled or postponed.
Rector's decision and other currently valid information
E-mail from rector to students (24th of March)
Dear students and colleagues,
I would like to address you “en masse” regarding yesterday’s directive from the Government of the Czech Republic and the subsequent steps outlined by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.
I am pleased to announce, though with a great deal of caution, that:
Effective starting 27 April 2020, the personal presence of students at UCT Prague is allowed, but only for specific purposes:
- Consultation or testing with a maximum of five (5) people together at one time,
- Lab activities, research, or artistic work, especially for the completion of final theses for Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral study programmes (maximum 5 people together at one time),
- Individual visits to libraries and study rooms in order to pick up or return literature relevant to coursework or research
- Practical, “hands-on” teaching, and individual research activities.
The continuation of the release regime, therefore, applies to all students (regardless of level of study) for the above activities while maintaining the limitations regarding the number of persons present at one time and other safety measures.
Please keep in mind that the virus is still here with us and probably will be for a very long time.
I, therefore, ask you to comply with the following measures:
1.) Students (including doctoral students) should be on campus only when necessary in clearly defined spaces.
2.) Hygienic measures: disinfection, masks, and so on—plus keeping records of persons who meet as well as their mutual contacts, for possible tracing later—must be carefully followed by both students and all employees. Daily processing of these records is required for each room visited by students and doctoral students.
3.) Corridors and other common areas are not intended for gathering; they only serve to facilitate necessary movement.
4.) I still recommend “home office” for anyone at risk (i.e. those who are older and/or who are suffering from long-term illnesses such as diabetes, cancer [current or past], cardiovascular disease, an so on).
5.) “Hands-on,” individual mentoring/experimental work and conducting research activities for fulfilment of dissertation requirements are allowed for all doctoral students with the condition that the activities fulfil all the above regulations and provided that students conduct this work in designated laboratories in order to perform necessary activities in agreement with their supervisor/mentor. I recommend processing data, writing text, and so on should be conducted individually and not on campus.
6.) According to an agreement with the guarantors of subjects and heads of workplaces, practical project and laboratory teaching for groups of up to 5 people is possible. This will enable Master students to perform laboratory tasks in pairs, triplets, or a maximum of four students under the guidance of one instructor. In exceptional cases (subject to all the above regulations), this may also apply to Bachelor students.
7.) Instructors can organize pre-arranged consultations for up to 5 pre-registered persons to supplement their distance coursework in compliance with all other regulations (hygienic measures, attendance records, etc.).
8.) Students can be examined similarly, in groups with a maximum of 5 people.
9.) The recommendation to use remote forms of communication both for teaching and for verifying knowledge/examinations is still valid. The current legal regulation allows distance methods to be used for conducting and performing state examinations prescribed at the end of a study programme and for defense of a dissertation, if the minimal condition of distance participation by members of the examination commission for any state examination is met. Also, examinations and other study obligations and requirements that students must fulfil within their study programs can still be fulfilled and verified remotely during the crisis period, when a student’s physical presence or the presence of members of the academic community is restricted due to the crisis measures.
10.) Students coming recently from abroad who do not have a doctor in the Czech Republic must contact the Hygiene Station of the Capital City of Prague by phone (773 782 850 or 773 782 856) and they will decide if the student will be subject to 14-day quarantine or if they have a valid negative COVID-19 test certificate. After 14 days of quarantine, the locally competent branch of the Hygiene Station for the Prague 6 district (tel. 235 365 828) will arrange tests for COVID-19 and subsequently provide a decision about the termination of quarantine. All who have been ordered to quarantine must comply with the established conditions.
I greet you all and am glad that these government measures have been taken, but I ask everyone to take the utmost caution in order to protect the health of us all.
I wish you all good health and successful management of the current situation.
Pavel Matějka
rector
E-mail from rector to students (10th of March)
Dear students,
In connection with the extraordinary and volatile situation we kindly ask you to be patient when it comes to information concerning courses at UCT until the ban on contact instruction is lifted.
All teachers have been instructed to contact you before the end of the week to inform you about how the courses in which you are enrolled will continue. It makes no sense to write them with questions right now, so please wait until further notice from your teachers.
Students will be excused from laboratory classes planned for this week. We will inform you about further developments concerning these classes in the future.
University dormitories remain in operation.
For general information regarding the situation at UCT, please check the UCT website, social media or your UCT email address. If you are still unsure what to do, you can contact us on info@vscht.cz, or by telephone on +420733690543.
Pavel Matějka
Rector, UCT Prague
E-mail from rector (10th of March)
Dear colleagues,
Following the emergency measure announced by the minister of health of the Czech Republic prohibiting the presence of students at universities as of 11 March 2020, I have decided on the following arrangements:
- As of 11 March until appealed all forms of contact instruction of students at all levels of study are cancelled.
- Online instruction is possible using apps such as Skype, Teams, etc.
- Employees of UCT Prague are recommended to work from home, provided they have duly discussed the matter with their direct supervisor and secured their approval. Heads of individual departments are required to ensure basic operation of their departments in order to avoid any damage. I ask the staff to follow the instructions of their supervisors.
- Heads of departments and other managers have the right to convene meetings of a group of persons in order to deal with important matters, the postponement of which might pose a risk for the current and future operation of the university or the department. It is necessary to ensure the continued operation of UCT bodies and communication between the university and the state and municipal authorities.
Thank you for your understanding and please remember to carefully monitor all electronic communication within UCT and on a nationwide level.
Pavel Matějka
Rector, UCT Prague
Older, still valid information
In accordance with the official guideline issued by the director of the Office of Hygiene of the Capital City of Prague, we appeal to those of you who have recently returned from the areas of coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak (the contaminated areas of Italy, South Korea, China, Iran…) NOT TO GO to see a doctor, but to call the Emergency Line of the Capital City of Prague, 733 673 900.
The degree No. A/V/961/8/2020 - Anti-Epidemic Measures at UCT Prague to Mitigate the Risk of Infection with Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2
Important parts:
- The Decree applies to students and employees at UCT Prague and regulates extraordinary measures in case of danger of an epidemic outbreak upon return from areas with expected community spread of the Covid-19 infection (list of areas in German language, updated information from WHO, map in English). Up-to-date information about the Covid-19 epidemics published by the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic can be found on Czech website of the ministry.
- Employees or students who arrive from a Covid-19 area of risk will inform the territorially responsible office of the Hygiene Station that decides on the scope of anti-epidemic measures based on the assessment of the type of stay in the Covid-19 area of risk. At the same time, such employees or students will report their return using electronic communication at zahranici@vscht.cz and employees will also inform about this fact their direct superior using electronic communication or by phone.
- Until a decision is taken by the Hygiene Station, employees and students who have arrived from a Covid-19 area of risk must not attend lessons at UCT Prague, in particular enter areas designated for instruction and study at UCT Prague, libraries and restaurants at UCT Prague or work at departments at UCT Prague.
- If the Hygiene Station decides that the employee’s or student’s stay at the Covid-19 area of risk entailed a certain level of risk, the employee or student will report this fact using electronic communication at zahranici@vscht.cz and employees will also inform their direct superior using electronic communication or by phone and for a period of 14 days upon their arrival from the Covid-19 area of risk, i.e. for the period of quarantine, they are prohibited from participating at lessons at UCT Prague or working at UCT departments.
There is also degree No. A/V/961/7/2020 issued few days ago.