Meeting of the Task Force of the Faculty of Science at Charles University of 20.4.2020

1. Organisation of meetings of the Task Force of the Faculty of Science at Charles University

The Task Force of the Faculty of Science at Charles University will continue to meet regularly once every two weeks. It will also meet as and when necessary in the event of an emergency.

2. Regime for access to faculty buildings

In view of the current instructions issued by the government and the Rectorate of Charles University, faculty buildings are open on working days between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. This does not concern opening of the faculty for regular operations, teaching, examinations or consultation. Access to buildings is intended exclusively for the individual activities of students in their last year of study who need access to the buildings in order to complete their research within the framework of their theses and for completion/meeting of their study obligations. In exceptional cases, access is allowed for the individual activities of other students, for whom access is essential for performance of a research experiment. The head of department/institute will decide on these exceptions after consulting the Vice-Dean of the section.

3. Problems faced by foreign students at the Faculty of Science at Charles University

In relation to the current permission given to students in their last years of study – in order to meet their study obligations – the Task Force has considered the situation of foreign students. There are currently 927 foreign students studying at the Faculty of Science, of which 393 are students from Slovakia. A total of 156 students from Slovakia are currently in their last year of study, 46 in Bachelor study programmes, 57 in post-Bachelor study programmes and 53 in doctoral study programmes. The Task Force has recommended that the Dean of Faculty inform university management about the problems faced by foreign students (and about obstacles preventing them from meeting their study obligations). A request will be submitted to the management of Charles University asking that the Rectorate of Charles University initiate negotiations with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports regarding remedy for obstacles preventing study (e.g. negotiation of exceptions allowing students to cross state borders). 

4. Cancellation of the summer physical education training course in Albeř

The summer physical education training course which was to have taken place in June at the training centre in Albeř is cancelled, this being due to the fact that there would be a concentration of more than 100 students there and that the Charles University training centre is closed. Student absence will be excused for students by the Study Department. Detailed information will be provided to students by the Department of Physical Education, on the understanding that the department will also prepare an offer of alternative options for gaining course-credits by taking optional physical education subjects.

5. Distance examinations

The regulations currently only allow for distance assessment of study for subjects completed with awarding of course-credits and taking of examinations. Only students in the last year of study can currently be examined on university premises at the Faculty of Science (in particular in view of checks on meeting of conditions for state final examinations). Students in other years of study can only be examined using a distance form of assessment until the emergency measures have been lifted. Students cannot be forced to take distance examinations. It will be possible to take examinations on university premises during the summer months (until 24.9.2020). The same applies to examinations for subjects taught during the winter semester 2019/2020.

It is not currently possible to take state final and state doctoral examinations (incl. defence of theses) using a distance form of assessment. Dates for state final examinations are defined by the new Measure of the Dean entitled Timetable for the Academic Year 2019/2020. State doctoral examinations and defence of dissertations on university premises will be taking place from the start of June (in view of the valid government regulations).

The Vice-Deans responsible for study must be consulted in advance regarding potential holding of state doctoral examinations or defence of dissertations using a distance form (the reason for this is in particular the need to satisfy the requirement for preservation of the public nature of the examination/defence, or where applicable creation of a recording). The aforementioned poses no restriction to students in registration for state doctoral examinations or for defence of a dissertation.

6. Opening of SIS for reservation of rooms

SIS is closed until the end of April and events of a faculty nature can be reserved (head timetable planner, timetable planners for sections). Reservations will be open for the SIS administrator and secretaries of departments and institutes from the start of May. SIS will be open for reservation of rooms by teachers from the middle of May.

Reservations made before the current state of emergency should remain unaffected. Despite this (in view of the modifications or renovation underway in several lecture rooms), it is recommended that a check be made on reservations made earlier.

7. Threat of cyberattacks

The Task Force would like to draw attention to the persisting threat of targeted cyberattacks via so-called phishing, details regarding which have been published by the National Cyber and Information Security Agency. The Information Technology Centre has prepared information on how to recognise threats and instructions on how to react to such threats, even when an attack has already been made. Continuously updated information and instructions for the faculty public are concentrated on the website https://www.natur.cuni.cz/fakulta/aktuality/varovani-pred-nebezpecim-kybernetickeho-utoku

8. Regime for cleaning buildings

In view of the minimal operation of buildings, the regime for cleaning remains in the current limited regime. Gradual renewal of regular operations is being counted on starting from next week.

New changes in the Organisation of Study at Charles University - University webpage