Uniarts Helsinki COVID-19 guidelines for the beginning of the autumn term
Updated guidelines are valid from Tuesday 10 August until further notice.
The preparedness team of Uniarts Helsinki met on Friday 6 August to discuss the COVID-19 guidelines for the autumn term. Updated guidelines are valid from Tuesday 10 August until further notice.
Masks must be worn in the university’s premises, and sufficient distances, as well as good hand hygiene must be ensured. Do not enter the university premises when you are ill. If you have fever, flu symptoms, abdominal symptoms, or other symptoms indicating COVID-19 infection, you cannot enter the campus.
We encourage our staff and students to protect themselves and others also by taking the COVID-19 vaccination. With the help of vaccine protection, we can reduce the risk of infection in the university’s own activities and possibly speed up the transitioning towards a more normal life. We also recommend examining the possibilities of advancing the second vaccine dose from your home municipality.
A summary of the changes
- Building doors are opened on Monday 16 August. The new Mylly building on Sörnäinen campus will opened in September.
- It is possible to arrange teaching for a maximum of 50 persons, provided that face masks are worn, and safety distances are ensured.
- A separate decision will be made on teaching events for more than 50 people.
- Remote work is recommended when it is appropriate for the tasks.
- Meetings still are recommended to be organised remotely.
- Work and study trips abroad are possible, but the Ministry for Foreign Affairs recommends special caution to be exercised. When planning the journey, the requirements of the destination country, which may be related to e.g. quarantine and COVID-19 testing, must also be considered.
- It is possible to receive foreign visitors, in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Finnish Border Guard, and health security measures issued by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.
- During the autumn term, external audience can be admitted to the events of artistic activities and public examinations of doctoral dissertations, in Helsinki, Kuopio, and Seinäjoki, in accordance with the Regional State Administrative Agencies regulations.
- Individual as well as group recreational activities at the university’s facilities are possible, providing that security instructions are considered.
COVID-19 guidelines of Uniarts Helsinki
Use of facilities
The external doors of all the buildings of Uniarts Helsinki will be opened on Monday 16 August, in accordance with normal opening hours practices. Access does not require a personal access key. The new Mylly building on Sörnäinen campus will opened in September.
Studies and teaching
It is possible to arrange teaching for a maximum of 50 people on the university premises, provided that face masks are worn at the teaching facilities, and safety distances of at least two metres are ensured. When using the teaching facilities, the allowed amount of people is 50% of the number given in the Peppi facility-specific information.
It is possible to make a separate decision in the academies on large teaching groups, with more than 50 people (e.g. an orchestra or performance production), considering the teaching security arrangements.
The aim is to implement teaching in as small groups as possible. More detailed planning of the implementation, within the aforementioned limitations, will be carried out by academies, under the direction of the vice-deans (academic director on the Open campus).
Artistic activities and public examinations of doctoral dissertations
During the autumn term, external audience can be admitted to the events of artistic activities and public examinations of doctoral dissertations, in Helsinki, Kuopio and Seinäjoki, in accordance with the Regional State Administrative Agencies regulations.
The events are public events, if there are persons outside the university community in the audience. Other events are internal and follow the instructions for teaching and studying.
Other work
We recommend the staff to work remotely for the duration of August, due to moving and construction work, if possible, considering the tasks. When working on campuses, the university’s security practices concerning face masks, distances, and space restrictions must be followed. If necessary, the security of working conditions can be assessed together with occupational safety and health.
Due to the COVID-19 situation, remote work is recommended also after August, when it is possible and appropriate, considering the work tasks. Meetings are still recommended to be organised remotely.
Internal events of up to 50 persons may be organised, provided that face masks are worn in the space, and safety distances of at least two metres are ensured. In the use of meeting rooms, the allowed amount of people is 50% of the number given in the Peppi facility-specific information.
Travel and receiving guests
Work and study trips abroad are possible, but the Ministry for Foreign Affairs recommends special caution to be exercised. When planning the journey, the requirements of the destination country, which may be related to e.g. quarantine and COVID-19 testing, must also be considered.
It is possible to receive foreign visitors in accordance with the Finnish Border Guard’s instructions. Instructions related to entry into Finland (e.g. testing and quarantine) will be issued to the traveller on a case-by-case basis, when they fill in their information on the Finentry website. The university requires a voluntary quarantine in accordance with the instructions issued by the authorities.
Recreational activities
Group activities are permitted at the university facilities, provided that face masks are worn, and safety distances of at least two metres are ensured. Individual recreational activities are permitted at the university facilities.
Library and galleries
We will open the Töölö campus library’s (Sibelius Academy) premises for customers, at the Helsinki Music Centre, on Monday 16 August 2021.
Sörnäinen’s new campus library (Academy of Fine Arts and Theatre Academy) will open for customers in Sörnäinen, during September. The Kuopio Library opens its doors from Wednesday 11 August.
More detailed information on the library’s activities will be updated on the library’s website.
The exhibition space Project Room is open according to the opening hours stated on the website. In Mylly, Sörnäinen campus, gallery activities will begin at the end of September.
All public customer facilities comply with official instructions and legislation on hygiene, customer numbers, and cleaning.
Restaurants
Lunch restaurants at Uniarts Helsinki campuses open their doors on Monday 16 August. Lunch restaurant Feniks, in the N building, remains closed for the time being.
Oodi, the old student information system of Uniarts Helsinki, has closed – in the future, services related to studies can be found in Peppi and Tuudo
The old student information system Oodi of Uniarts Helsinki, was closed in the summer, and the student study data (e.g. study attainments and course registrations for the academic year 2021–2022) was transferred from Oodi to Peppi.
In the future, students will find all information and services related to their studies in the Student Peppi.
A part of the Peppi services can now also be used with the mobile application Tuudo, which can be downloaded free of charge from the application store (Google Play/App Store). Tuudo’s services will be fully available by the end of August.
Tuudo also contains certain important services, which cannot be found in Peppi (for example, a digital student card/student ID, as well as course feedback, meeting times, and library services, which will be published later this academic year).
Teacher’s role and responsibilities in the new student information system
In Peppi, the teacher has a more active role as a user of the student information system. This will bring certain changes to teachers’ everyday lives. The changes apply to teachers on a monthly salary, as well as to hourly-paid teachers, who teach more than 112 hours per term or 224 hours per academic year. Academic affairs support teachers in introducing the new operating methods and Peppi.
Changes on campuses
The moving of campuses, as well as furnishing and equipment of the premises will continue in August, when it will not be possible to work fully in the office premises. In week 32 (9–13 August), it is not possible to work in the premises undergoing changes on the Sörnäinen campus. During August, it is not possible to hold meetings on the Sörnäinen campus.
On Wednesday 11 August, the movers will transfer the furniture on the Töölö campus, and it is desirable that they will be able to work freely in the premises.
The installation of computers has started on both campuses, but the main focus is on large office spaces in the end of August.
If you are moving to another office space or giving up an office and have had a hard key to the office at Kookos, Tutkimo (Lintulahdenkatu 3, 5th floor), or Helsinki Music Centre, please return your key to Kookos or Helsinki Music Centre info by Friday 27 August.
The aim is to be able to work normally on the campuses in September, considering of course the possible recommendation on remote work that may arise due to the COVID-19 situation.
Up-to-date information on the progress of the changes will be published on the Artsi news stream and on the Uniarts Helsinki moves 2021 webpage.
For more information on campus changes, contact the project managers Jessica Aaltonen and Katariina Kivistö-Rahnasto, tyoymparisto@uniarts.fi.