Campus and Community

The new academic year will start with some changes

The new academic year will start with some changes, particularly with regard to classes and access to campuses.

The pandemic we are experiencing forces us to rethink the normal functioning of institutions in order to protect people, ensuring that the same level of services is maintained. To that end, Instituto Superior Técnico prepared a plan for the start of the new academic year that will allow to provide, with the least possible constraints, school and research activities.

A committee was created to elaborate this plan, coordinated by professors Joaquim Sampaio Cabral and José Santos-Victor and with the participation of all presidents of IST departments.

Theoretical classes will take place by default remotely, without prejudice to live stream the class with the presence of students, according to classrooms occupancy limitations. Practical and theoretical-practical classes will take place by default in an on-site mixed regime, in which students must be organized in shifts to attend classes on-site every two weeks, except in special situations, according to classrooms occupancy limitations. Remote classes shall be provided to those students who are attending classes in person. Laboratory classes, will take place by default in an on-site mixed regime, in which students should be organized in shifts to attend classes on-site every two weeks, except in special situations, according to classrooms occupancy limitations.

Evaluation tests outside the period of classes and / or exams will take place by default in person. All other evaluation will be done in accordance with the procedure defined by the professor responsible for the curricular unit.

Physical access to Técnico campuses will be different

In compliance with directives from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education, and the Directorate-General for Health, the occupation of the classrooms will be monitored and controlled periodically by Técnico services. The classrooms will be cleaned and disinfected twice a day. Rules for circulation of people on Técnico campuses will be duly visible. Hand sanitizers dispensers will be placed near the classroom entrances and face masks will be mandatory in all spaces.

Frequent testing and monitoring App

Técnico created a frequent testing and monitoring App for COVID19 that is extended to the whole community throughout the academic year, in collaboration with Universidade de Lisboa.

IST Go, a free App created to control the pandemic, is available to the Técnico community. This app will allow the users to monitor in real time their routes on campus, the number of proximity app contacts, and the occupation density in certain areas (more information about this App will be available soon).

Despite the adversities we face, Técnico is committed to provide a return, as normal as possible, to the academic life and research works. According to the IST President, professor Rogério Colaço, “we have a great challenge ahead of us, and we will have to be able to adapt quickly not only to the start of the new academic year but also to any new circumstances that come in the current pandemic context. We have already proven that we are capable of doing so. I am sure we will continue to do so”.