Uniarts Helsinki’s new coronavirus guidelines are valid from 30 November 2020 to 10 January 2021
In a press conference on Friday, 27 November, the Helsinki Metropolitan Area coronavirus coordination group informed of the new COVID-19 restrictions and recommendations for the Metropolitan Area.
Uniarts Helsinki follows the instructions issued by the authorities and introduces new restrictions and guidelines that will take effect on Monday, 30 November. The guidelines will be valid until 10 January 2021.
The restrictions on the use of facilities, artistic activities, libraries and leisure-time activities do not concern Uniarts Helsinki’s units in Seinäjoki and Kuopio, however, because these facilities are located in areas that are at the baseline level of the pandemic.
Uniarts Helsinki’s coronavirus-related guidelines have been published in their entirety as a news article: How coronavirus affects the University (the article is updated regularly)
Uniarts Helsinki’s preparedness team will convene on Monday, 30 November, for the next time. Possible updates on the guidelines will be announced to the community as soon as possible.
Uniarts Helsinki’s new coronavirus guidelines
Use of facilities
Entrance doors to Uniarts Helsinki’s facilities will be closed between 30 November and 10 January, and access is possible only with a personal access key. Visitors who are not part of the university community will be met up with at the entrance of the building if they need to take part in activities (e.g. public examination of a thesis) that take place in Uniarts Helsinki’s facilities.
People in the facilities should avoid staying in the facilities without a valid reason. As a rule, everyone uses a face mask in the university’s facilities unless they have a health-related reason that prevents it. Everyone is expected to take care of the university’s safety guidelines and keep a safe distance to each other when visiting the facilities.
Teaching
In principle, teaching will completely switch over to remote teaching.
Teaching that is impossible or unreasonably difficult to organise remotely in order to complete the study attainment will be arranged on campus in groups of max 10 people. It is possible to organise contact teaching, teaching-related practice sessions/rehearsals and performances with over 10 people in the university facilities by decision of the head of the unit (i.e. the dean or as regards the Open Campus, the vice rector for education), if it is necessary in terms of the achievement of the learning objectives.
Support services are provided only for tasks that are connected with studies, e.g. performance examinations.
Individual practice sessions and independent artistic work related to studies are allowed in the university’s facilities.
Artistic activities
Artistic activities will continue in the university’s facilities, but people from outside the university community are not allowed in the audience. Artistic activities entail also artistic events that are related to teaching and research.
The galleries of the Academy of Fine Arts will be closed from the public. Visits of experts and the work of pre-examination boards and examiners will be made possible in the gallery facilities by using a sign-up system.
The members of examination boards and examiners are allowed to attend events related to the artistic activities of the Sibelius Academy and Theatre Academy. If the total number of people in the event is over 10 people, the decision on the organising of the event is made by the academy dean.
Other work and internal events
For the most part, other work will continue remotely.
Uniarts Helsinki’s internal events and meetings will be organised remotely.
Concluding meetings of the staff and units before the end of the year will not be organised in person.
Library
The library facilities in Helsinki will be closed on Monday, 30 November. Services will be available to a limited extent between 1 and 18 December. Only Uniarts Helsinki students, researchers and staff members can use the library, and there will be restrictions in the services: Library customers can collect the material they need independently from the shelves or by making a reservation, in which case they can pick up their material from the reservation shelf. The material will be loaned using the self-service lending machine. Customer service is available by phone or email, and the service desks will be closed. The library facilities are open only for collecting loans, not for other visits.
The library will be closed between 19 December and 10 January.
Leisure-time activities
Leisure-time activities of both individuals and groups will be suspended in Uniarts Helsinki’s facilities. This restriction concerns all hobby-like activities. It does not apply to practice that is connected to studies.
The Theatre Academy gym will stay closed until 10 January.
Campus restaurants
For the time being, Uniarts Helsinki’s campus restaurants will stay open, with the exception of the restaurant at the Helsinki Music Centre, which will be closed between 7 and 30 December. Students of the Töölö Campus can dine in the N Building restaurant.