Page updated: 1 June 2020 at 15:00
Updated information regarding the coronavirus
With regards to the coronavirus outbreak, Jönköping University is monitoring the situation continuously and following the information and recommendations from the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Public Health Agency of Sweden.
Message from the President: Jönköping University follows the recommendation from the government to transfer to digital education starting Wednesday 18 March.
We have started the transition to more digital operations and this work will continue rapidly. More information will be provided on this page. We encourage students and staff to stay updated. Students will receive specific information from their respective course coordinator.
Students and staff are urged to stay updated with information from the authorities and in the FAQs on this website
Information on this page:
- Keep distance and take personal responsibility
- Directional decision regarding the autumn semester’s education
- Working from home temporarily
- Increase of digital operation
- Events and meetings
- Regarding travels and visits
- Keep updated - external links
- If you have questions
- Crisis organisation
- Links to older JU news
New recommendations from the Swedish Government
On Friday 29 May, the Swedish Government announced that the Public Health Agency of Sweden will lighten the recommendation regarding off-campus education. For higher education institutions this means that students and teachers can prepare themselves for more campus education. However, part of the teaching will continue remotely to follow the Public Health Agency’s general recommendations on social distancing and avoiding greater social gatherings.
Jönköping University's summer courses will be held remotely as planned.
More information about how this decision affects teaching at Jönköping University will be announced shortly.
Keep distance and take personal responsibility
JU believes, in accordance with the Public Health Agency of Sweden, that every individual has a great responsibility. Everyone must help to minimize the spread of infection. To do this, you always have to stay home when you have symptoms, be careful with hand hygiene and keep distance. JU cares for all employees and acts on this in different ways.
Directional decision regarding the autumn semester’s education
Jönköping University will plan for on-campus education to start in the beginning of the autumn semester 2020. The decision has been made after discussions within the JU executive team and is based on the scenario that the autumn’s recommendations and guidelines allow for the implementation of on-campus education.
An internal work group will be appointed to investigate and develop criteria and guidelines for how the operations on-campus will be implemented with adaptation and regards to the risk of infection. These criteria will be developed with consideration to the fact that different educational programmes and courses require different resources.
More information will be provided continuously to staff and students.
Working from home temporarily
Starting Monday, 6 April, we recommend our employees to if possible, work from home in dialogue with your immediate manager. It is important to keep in touch with your immediate manager since the conditions for, and possibility to be working from home may change.
More information about working from home can be found in the FAQ for staff.
Information on how to ensure IT and Information security when working remotely has also been added to the FAQ for staff.
Increase of digital operation
Jönköping University's ambition is to continue our operation and to do it wisely. We follow the recommendation from the government to transfer to digital education starting Wednesday 18 March. The starting point is to contribute to limiting the spread of the coronavirus in society by limiting the number of persons being on campus at the same time. At the same time, will do whatever we can to ensure that all our students will be able to execute their academic studies and exams.
Jönköping University have started the transition to digital education and this work will continue rapidly. Starting Wednesday 18 March, the following applies for studies:
- JU transitions to off campus education
- No teaching will take place in JU's premises
- JU's premises will be open. Even if campus is open the Swedish government encourages all students to, if possible, study from home
- For VFU, NFK, internship and thesis the guidelines from the host organisation applies, more information will follow
- There may be changes in syllabuses regarding teaching and examination forms in line with the decision from the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ)
- As a student you will receive more information from your course coordinator or programme director continously regarding how the digital education transition will affect you
All forms of exams in an exam hall, both paper exams and exams in Inspera (held in the exam hall), until further notice, are converted into exams which are conducted digitally and remotely.
Computers are available in the examination rooms for students who do not have the technological ability to take their exam from home. As of Monday 23 March, only the examination room in the K-building will be open.
At present, there is no national directive for how long the digital education will continue, however, at JU, the decision has been made that all courses during spring semester 2020 are planned to be conducted digitally, and those students that start courses digitally during spring semester 2020 will be able to complete the courses digitally. JU will continue will digital education if the government recommends it. If the directives are changed, a review will be carried out of which parts that could benefit from being conducted on campus.
Information and instructions on how to pursue digital teaching in now available on this website
and on the intranet (Education > Digital Education).
Opening hours at the University Library and restaurants on campus
The University Library is closed with limited services starting on 26 March. They will be open on weekdays between 12.00-14.00 for picking up and returning of books only. This applies until further notice. For more information please visit the University Library website
.
Arken, Dallucci and Sydney will be closed until further notice starting 3 April.
Rio is open between 8:00-16:00 on weekdays.
Taste of Beirut is open between 10:00-14:00 on weekdays starting 20 April.
Events and meetings
According to the Swedish government's decision 27 March, JU will not arrange any public gatherings or social events with more than 50 participants. According to the Public Health Agency of Sweden the decision is normative even for events and gatherings which are not specified in the decision. Therefore, JU recommends that meetings with over 50 participants are held in a digital form. Just like before, meetings, no matter how many participants, should include the possibility to participate online.
Due to the current situation, Jönköping University will cancel some of the events that were planned during the spring. See the list of cancelled events here
Regarding travels and visits
In accordance with the recommendations from the Public Health Agency and Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and in relation to the responsibilities Jönköping University has towards its employees and students, JU makes the following recommendations:
- Always consider if the trip is necessary, even if you don't have symptoms.
- JU advises against all business trips and visits, which can only be carried out if the MD/Dean of the school/company gives a written exception with regard to special circumstances.
- If you are sick, do not travel at all.
On 11 March, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the new Coronavirus (COVID-19) a pandemic. As a result, the Swedish Public Health Agency has stated that the disease is or will be present in all parts of the world and that it is likely to affect all countries of the world. Thusly, the Public Health Authority concludes that it is no longer relevant to state in which countries the spread of infection is ongoing.
All students who are on or have planned exchange studies during the spring have been contacted by JU and asked to follow the development and the recommendations from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. More information will come continuously. If you, as a student, have not been contacted and you have questions, please contact the International Office at JU.
If students or staff are currently abroad in an area where there is an outbreak of the Coronavirus, please follow the instructions issued by local authorities and the Embassy of Sweden. If students or staff who are abroad hold another citizenship, please visit your domestic embassy website
As the situation can change quickly, we recommend that everyone stays updated through the authorities’ information.
Keep updated
Students and staff are encouraged to keep up to date via the responsible authorities’ websites. They update information on developments and recommendations on a regular basis.
See links below:
If you have questions:
- If you have general questions about the outbreak, you should primarily seek information through the above sources.
- You can call 113 13 for answers regarding covid-19. 113 13 is Sweden’s information number in case of major accidents and crises. The service is available 24 hours a day. This national information number is used to reduce the burden on the emergency number 112 and 1177.
- Questions related to suspected illness are referred to the health service via telephone number 1177 (+46 771 11 77 00) or 1177.se.
- JU employees should contact their immediate manager if they have any questions.
- Students can also contact the Student Health Care for support.
Crisis organisation
To handle issues and challenges that have risen during the spread of the coronavirus, JU has had a crisis organisation activated. The management of the crisis organisation has consisted of representatives from the Foundation, all companies within JU, Jönköping Student Union, and the unions.
On Tuesday 28 April, the crisis organisation was deactivated. It may be reactivated if the need arises. The continuous work of dealing with consequences of the spread of the coronavirus will be dealt with within the existing organisation, at the request of JU Executive Team.
Questions and Answers
If you have questions
Students and staff
Please turn to the Service Center
Please do not visit the Service Center if you have symptoms, if you have symptoms you should contact 1177.
Read more at 1177, krisinformation.se or call 113 13 and ask for advice.
Corona coordinators at JU are the Operations Managers at the schools and JUE, as well as Director of Strategic Development at University Services.
What can I do?
Stay at home when you are sick to avoid infecting people at the university, on the bus, at work or in areas where you are close to other people.
Everyone with symptoms of respiratory infection, even mild symptoms, should avoid social contacts which can spread disease. Stay at home 48 hours after you are symptom free.
- Avoid touching your face or eyes as well as contact with sick or elderly people.
- Cough and sneeze into the bend of your elbow or into a tissue to prevent infection from spreading around you, or from contaminating your hands.
- Wash hands often with soap and warm water, before eating, before preparing food, and after toilet use. Alcohol-based hand rub can be an alternative when you are unable to wash hands.
Read the Public Health Agency of Sweden's full recommendations here
Cancelled events
Due to the current situation, Jönköping University will cancel some of the events that were planned during the spring.
Be respectful
As an international university, Jönköping University works actively to have a climate on campus where all students and staff treat each other with integrity and respect.
We urge everyone in our organization, both students and staff, to continue to support each other with respect and care. We urge our campus community not to make assumptions about the risk of students, staff or faculty based on their ethnicity or travel history. It is important not to contribute to the spread of misinformation and fear, and to be mindful of unverified information.
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