“We consulted the form of teaching with experts, one of them is also part of our crisis staff. The measures at the university will be stricter than the current government and hygiene measures. Changes during the semester according to the development of the epidemiological situation cannot be ruled out,” said MENDELU Rector Danuše Nerudová.

For example, teachers will have the right to expel students with symptoms of respiratory disease from the class. Disinfection will be not only in the corridors but also before entering the classrooms. According to Nerudová, in the event of proven infection, only parts of the buildings will be closed.

“We try to balance the individual measures to preserve as much as possible the format of teaching, which was the standard in the past, and on the other hand to ensure the safety of students and teachers. Therefore, we will appeal to students to comply with the measures not only in the school but also in the dormitories,” said Nerudová, adding that if necessary, the school has secured several rooms for students in quarantine.

The academic sphere belongs to the environment of long-term open foreign cooperation. MENDELU expects the arrival of foreign students in the winter semester, albeit in a lower number than usual in the past. “It can be said that those who dare to come will study with us. In connection with this, we proceed exactly according to the defined procedures of the Ministry of Health, Interior and Foreign Affairs,” said the Rector. According to current information, about 500 foreign students (excluding Slovaks) are to come to MENDELU for the winter semester, which is about a quarter less than last year. International students from countries where the risk of infection is higher than low are required to take a COVID-19 test before entering the university campus.

Mendel University currently does not restrict the foreign mobility of researchers. “However, we appeal to consider their real necessity and to comply with all prescribed procedures, including hygienic measures in the case of high-risk countries. The fact remains that the situation leads to complications in many research projects, some have had to be postponed, others have had to change,” added Nerudová.