With regards to the current situation concerning COVID-19, the rectorate of PHT has decided in coordination with the responsible authorities and the other Tyrolean universities as well as in consultation with the Federal Ministry on the following measures:
CURRENT SITUATION
Update 08.04.2020: Federal minister for science, research and education, Prof. Dr. Heinz Faßmann, has specified the step-by-step plan for the re-starting of the universities of teacher education.
The key points are (from the beginning of May)
- Continuation of online teaching (in initial, further and continuing education) until the end of June
- Enabling of online examinations (with exceptions for examinations that cannot be digitally designed)
- Reviving the lending operations of libraries and research
- Gradual return of administrative staff
- No events/conferences with physical attendance until End of June
- By the end of April a decision will be made on how to continue over the summer
- In general: compliance with the necessary rules of conduct (keeping distance, limiting the number of people, mouth and nose protection, etc.)
Update 19.03.2020 Currently, three students have been confirmed to be infected by the virus. Restrictions to individual mobility have been extended to the whole province of Tyrol.
All venues and offices of PHT are closed. Please contact staff member or lecturers via email, all staff members and lecturers have been ordered to switch to home office until further notice.
From today, Sunday March 15 on, the Tyrolian government has issued restrictions to individual mobility for Innsbruck, currently for the duration of one week. Several villages have been put under quarantine.
- https://www.tirol.gv.at/gesundheit-vorsorge/infekt/coronavirus-covid-19-informationen/ (Q&A on restrictions to individual mobility of persons; english, german, italian)
- https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/d225672c788d4847b231f1283d63aead/page/page_3/ Dashboard provided by the Tyrolian Government with detailed statistics
MEASURES
With regards to the current situation concerning COVID-19, the rectorate of PHT has decided in coordination with the responsible authorities and the other Tyrolean universities as well as in consultation with the Federal Ministry on the following measures:
Teaching and school placements
- As of March 10, 2020 all courses will take place as distance learning courses until April 3, 2020. Also small group instruction is no longer possible with immediate effect. Lecturers will inform course participants accordingly.
- Teaching practice activities are cancelled are also cancelled until April 3, 2020.
- In compliance with the strict hygiene recommendations exams can take place until March 13, otherwise examinations are to be postponed until after 19 April. Examination dates are to be communicated by the lecturers/examiners.
- Nevertheless, PHT strives to continue all teaching activities as smooth as possible. In implementing these measures, lecturers are ask for the greatest possible goodwill and support towards students.
Further measures
- Update 15.03. All venues of PHT are currently closed. University operations (including administration, research, etc.) will continue nevertheless via teleworking.
- As of March 11, the library and the buffet at Mentlberg castle are closed until further notice.
- Update 15.03. CPD-trainings and internal meetings are held via videoconference or postponed.
- The housekeeping staff is taking increased action for hygiene measures (seminar rooms, door handles, toilets, ...)
- Foreign business trips are no longer permitted. Also foreign business trips that have already been approved must be cancelled. Staff members are advised to carry out only particularly important domestic business trips.
- If possible, meetings should be carried out as online meetings or video conferences.
- All suspected cases of COVID-19 infections must be reported to the rectorate immediately through this online form
ADVICE AND INFORMATION
PHT specifically advises all the students and staff to...
- Strictly follow official travel warnings and hygiene procedures
- Contact the Austrian health services at 1450 in case they feel unwell and an infection with COVID-19 is suspected
- Contact health experts for general advice and questions 0800 555 621 (Austria)
- Refer to the following pages for most up-to-date information
- https://www.ages.at/themen/krankheitserreger/coronavirus/ (Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety; german)
- https://www.sozialministerium.at/Informationen-zum-Coronavirus.html (Federal Ministry for Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection; daily updates; german, english)
- https://www.bmeia.gv.at/reise-aufenthalt/reisewarnungen/ and https://www.bmeia.gv.at/en/ (Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, travel warning; german, english)
- https://www.bmbwf.gv.at/en/Ministry/Information/corona.html (Federal Minsitry fro Education, Science and Research; information and recommendations for schools and universities; german, english)
- https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters (WHO myth busters; english )
- https://www.tirol.gv.at/gesundheit-vorsorge/infekt/information-on-the-coronavirus-covid19/ (Government of Tyrol, Tyrolian Health Authorities; german, english, italian)
- https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/d225672c788d4847b231f1283d63aead/page/page_3/ (Dashboard provided by the Tyrolian Government with detailed statistics, german)
These measures are intended to prevent the spread of the virus. The recotrate and the crisis management team will continue to monitor the situation closely and inform students and staff members accordingly.