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Coronavirus (COVID-19): update for UniTo community

Monday, 24 February 2020

Last update: 27th April 2020 - 11:05 a.m. 

 

Please note: further and continuous updates are published on this page as soon as available. Frequent consultation is recommended.

 

The University of Turin is closely monitoring the situation of the Coronavirus spread and is in direct contact with national, regional and local authorities to provide the adequate preventive measures for UniTo community.

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The Decree issued by the President of the Council of Minister on April 10th 2020 extended the restrictive measures to limit the spread of Covid-19 disease in the national territory until May 3rd 2020.

All updates for the UniTo community are published in the paragraph UniTo's measures for students, academic and administrative workers on this page.

This extraordinary situation requires strong sense of responsibility. Punctual and scrupulous compliance with the hygienic-sanitary measures set by the authorities is recommended.

The invitation is to stay at home, limiting the movements only for proven work needs, situations of necessity or health reasons.

Messages from Rector
Rector's note - 14th March 2020

Dear Students,

Dear colleagues Professors, administrative and library staff,

after a week, I need to communicate directly with all the academic community in order to share some reflections about the state of things and the actions provided to face an emergency in constant evolution.

I address my heartfelt thanks to all people for their spirit of collaboration: administrative staff, students, professors and all the other professional figures which give their contribute to our university life.

The situation required and will probably require further outstanding effort that, I’m sure of it, all together will be faced best. Even for this, University of Turin can say to be a great community.

 

As you know, the last Decree issued by the President of the Council of Minister furtherly enforced the social containment measures. I would like to call upon you to give priority to health protection of all people, independently from the dispositions adopted and indicated on the University’s website. In addition, I recommend the absolute observance of the rules about mobility and social distance by limiting the presence in the University venues and structures only to cases of strictly needs.

 

The University of Turin has prepared all the necessary measures as soon as possible. Interest in people represents the reference value of all my policies.

 

However the most important effort is made daily to ensure that online teaching activities are carried out, in order to guarantee continual learning to 80,000 students enrolled in 155 degree courses, 102 masters and 57 specialization schools.

This variety of disciplinary needs requires, in this moment, a huge commitment from both Professors and administrative staff, to face extremely different situations.

 

The University has made available the most advanced skills, technology and tools for online teaching, but it should be kept in mind that the need to work remotely may require flexible solutions, while keeping the high-quality level our University has always guaranteed. But I want to reassure our students: the provision of teaching services is an essential priority for us. And I also want to thank the students for how they interact with the Professors by often providing them suggestions and advices, in a spirit of reciprocity that we will be able to enhance as resource for the future.

 

We organized the second semester educational offer on the e-learning platform with more than 4,000 teachings. Over 2,500 video lessons are already active, they were recorded by over 700 professors for a total of 70,000 students and over 4,200 hours of videos.

These results are possible thanks to the great experience that make UniTo the first among the Italian non-online Universities for e-learning programs.

 

Research is also really important for us. However, this extraordinary situation forces us to take very strict measures, limiting the access to laboratories and research structures only to activities that can’t be postponed and fulfilled remotely. For activities that can’t be postponed I really mean it. This limitation is for professors, researchers, research technicians, grant holders, research fellows, specializing students, students that are writing their final dissertation, etc. The virus doesn’t make any exception.

 

I’m sure that we will be able to catch up quickly on delays that will happen due to this forced suspension of research activities.

I want to remind you also that scientific research is not only the one carried out in laboratories. There are other activities that can be easily carried out remotely and that are as much important for us researchers: bibliographic researches and critical bibliography reviews, experimental and not data processing, writing scientific reports and publications are scientific research and they represent the soul of science. Preparation for research calls for grants is important, so important to guarantee enough economic support for our studies. We shouldn’t forget that remote tools help us not only for teaching activities, but also for scientific one. For this reason I encourage all Deans of all Departments to organise scientific webinar in all disciplines, in this way researchers will be able to share and discuss critically their research results.

 

Coming to the end, I want to draw attention to the emotional and psychological burden that we must live during these days. We are strengthening the psychological counseling desk with the Department of Psychology, that I want to thank, to help with this emergency. The desk is open to all UniTo community. We will give specific information about this service.

 

A thought goes to all the School of Medicine community of UniTo to which I’m honored to be part. A lot of those are fighting this huge emergency in first line in the hospitals of our territory. I want to send to all of them my deepest thanks, mine and of all UniTo community for their commitment, skills and their great spirit of self-sacrifice. We are close to you in this difficult moment.

 

In conclusion, I want to renew my gratitude to this large community once again. Thank you very much for what we are doing and how we are doing it.

 

The Rector,

Prof. Stefano Geuna

Rector's note - 10th March 2020

Dear Students,

Dear colleagues Professors, administrative and library staff,

the decree signed  by the President of the Council of Minister on March 9th extends, until the April 3rd, the measures to limit the spread of Covid-19 disease in the national territory. Moreover the decree provides more urgent and restrictive measures.

 

All face-to-face academic and education activities, public selection procedures, State Examinations, final dissertations and exams are suspended in all University venues and Departments, including extra-metropolitan venues, due to the extension of the new measures in all national territory.

Please note that the decree doesn’t include the suspension of working activities. Movements for proven working needs are possible and invites you to move with University ID badge. A certificate to fill in with personal information and indication of the workplace is available on the Intranet to be printed. In any case the University promote flexible and remote working mode for all staff members and CEL (Collaborators and Linguistic Experts).

This extraordinary situation requires strong sense of responsibility. Punctual and scrupulous compliance with the hygienic-sanitary measures set by the authorities about the movements is recommended.

The complete, detailed and updated measures are published on unito.it

 

I renew my deepest thanks to all UniTo community for their commitment and collaboration. We are facing together this difficult time and we will get out of it thanks to the dedication of us all.

 

Yours sincerely

 

The Rector,

Prof. Stefano Geuna

Rector's note - 1st March 2020

Dear Students,

Dear colleagues Professors, admnistrative and library staff,

 

the University of Turin confirms that face-to-face lessons and exams are suspended from March 2nd to March 7th in all university venues, including extra-metropolitan ones.

All study rooms in all university venues and departments, including those in libraries, are closed. 

Distance learning solutions and lessons recovery will be communicated from Tuesday March 3rd.

Suspended exams will be rescheduled as soon as possible according to venues reopening.

More information about scheduling will be communicated during this week.

All administrative deadlines, including theses upload, are being rescheduled in order to allow day-up-day activities.

 

UniTo is doing everything possible to avoid students career issues.

We are facing a real emergency situation and we are managing it with the support of all the academic community Professors, administrative staff and students. I would like to thank them sincerely.

 

All the complete, detailed and updated provisions are available on www.unito.it

 

The Rector,

Prof. Stefano Geuna

UniTo's measures for students, academic and administrative workers

THESE PROVISIONS ARE EXTENDED TO MAY 3RD 2020

 

MOVEMENTS

In compliance with the last provisions the movements are allowed only for proven needs, such as working.

Who must ensure services that can’t be postponed and fullfilled remotely and research activities limited to unavoidable needs must move with the University ID badge (if they  have one) and with the certificate to fill in with personal information and indication of the workplace. This certificate is available on the Intranet to be printed.

 

UNIVERSITY VENUES

All the University venues are closed from Tuesday March 17th 2020, except for medical and hospital workplaces, in order to rationalise the access to spaces and limit movements of people and the employment of auxiliary staff.

For urgent activities that can’t be postponed and fullfilled remotely, Rettorato is open from 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.

 

STUDENTS

All face-to-face academic activities ARE SUSPENDED IN ALL UNIVERSITY VENUES AND DEPARTMENTS, including extra-metropolitan venues.

Students with disabilities or SLD (Specific Learning Disabilities) - with certificate submitted to the 'Students with disabilities/SLD University Desk' - must arrange customized distance learning solutions with each Professor.

 

Services provided by Students with disabilities/SLD University Desk (i.e. peer-to-peer tutoring in taking notes and/or support in exams preparation, Italian Sign Language interpreting and mediated communication services) are still active. These services can’t be provided face-to-face but they will provided with remote modes, according to each student and Professor needs.

 

This office and the Rector's Delegate for Disability, Professor Pavone, are available for students and Professors with specific needs.

 

Students with disabilities/SLD University Desk services are available with remote modes. It can be contacted by e-mail at [email protected] and [email protected].

 

This suspension will not compromise the students’ academic careers. Administrative deadlines are being rescheduled.

 

TUITION FEES

The University delayed to May 30th 2020 the payment deadline for the third tuition fee instalment and the additional fees instalments of Degree Courses a.y. 2019-2020, to help students and their families during the Coronavirus emergency. The deadline is delayed also for instalments of Specialization Schools, expected for March and April 2020.

 

 

PHD STUDENTS, I AND II LEVEL SPECIALIZING MASTERS, SPECIALIZATION SCHOOLS AND COURSES

Face-to-face teaching activities are suspended.

The postgraduate courses related to health professions - including doctors in specialist training and specializing courses in General Medicine - aren’t suspended.

 

 

FINAL DISSERTATIONS 

Final dissertations are taking place online at the moment. Students can choose this mode or, if they prefer, postpone the session until it will be possible taking it face to face.
If you choose to take the exam in online modes you should follow recommendations published in Information about online teaching during Covid-19 emergency.

The last session of final dissertations of a.y. 2018-2019 is postponed to June 15th 2020. Students graduating in extraordinary sessions don’t have to pay additional fees.

 

The list of the final exams of the degree programme in Health Profession is available in this page, where you can find the confirmed or canceled exams. The exams, that are not in this list, will be added when the decision will be made official.

 

Final exams of the degree programme in Health Profession recognized as State Examination that couldn’t take place for the new ministerial provisions will be rescheduled.

 

Students are invited to check their institutional UniTo email, where the information about the final exams of their degree programme are communicated.

 

EXAMS

The exams can be taken in oral remote mode until the end of the emergency situation, with the agreement of the candidate. If you choose to take the exam in online modes you should follow recommendations published in Information about online teaching during Covid-19 emergency.

The February-March exams of every Degree programs - that was cancelled due to the Coronavirus emergency - are being rescheduled. Check out the calendar of your Degree programs.

 

ALL STUDENTS OFFICES AND DESKS

Students are advised to contact offices by help-desk or mail.

 

PROFESSOR OFFICE HOURS

Students are advised to use distance communication modes when possible (e-mail, webconference systems etc.).

 

STUDY ROOMS, LIBRARIES, UNIVERSITY MUSEUMS AND HISTORICAL ARCHIVE

The library borrowing services are suspended. Study rooms are still closed in all University and Departmental venues, including those in libraries.

University museums and Historical Archive’s activities are suspended.

 

PHD STUDENTS, GRANT HOLDERS, RESEARCH FELLOWS AND SIMILAR FIGURES

Research activities are suspended, unless high-priority research needs.

 

CURRICULAR AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR TRAINEESHIPS AND 200-HOUR STUDENTS

Curricular and extra-curricular traineeships activated or hosted by University of Turin are suspended in face-to-face mode, including 200-hour students activities. Traineeships related to health professions aren’t suspended, on the condition that hygienic-sanitary measures issued by Authorities are guaranteed.

It's possibile to continue and activate curricular traineeships with remote modes, after evaluation of the single degree program and the academic and company tutor. 

Smart working mode is exceptionally allowed, if possible, for extracurricular traineeship in progress during the period of health emergency.

Activation of extra-curricular traineeships is suspended.

 

INCOMING AND OUTGOING STUDENTS' AND ACADEMIC MOBILITY

All the exchange programmes, whatever they are called, are suspended. For students’ mobility visit the specific section "UniTo’measures for incoming and outgoing students".

Please note some useful information made available by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Especially:

 

MISSIONS

Missions are suspended.

 

DEPARTMENTAL, SCHOOL, TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC, DEGREE PROGRAMMES, ALL THE UNIVERSITY COMMITEES RELATED MEETINGS

All the face-to-face activities are suspended. It’s recommended to use remote mode and reschedule all board meetings. Please consider online solutions also for all the other meetings.

 

EVENTS AND CONFERENCES

All cultural, scientific and education events (conferences, seminars, workshops, etc.) are suspended.

 

PUBLIC SELECTION PROCEDURES

Public selection procedures are suspended, except to:

  • Public selections for health workers, including the State and qualification Examinations to become a surgeon, in compliance with the Directive n.1 March 8th 2020 of Minister of Public Administration, in particular the article n.7.
  • Public selection procedures in which the assessment of the contestants could be done through the curriculum evaluation and/or in remote mode.

 

STAFF MEMBERS TRAINING

Face to face training activities are suspended.

 

OTHER ACTIVITIES AND STAFF MEMBERS

The University has decided that ‘AGILE’ is the ordinary working mode, according to measures approved in the Decree-Law n.18/2020 and in the Decree issued by the President of the Council of Minister on March 22nd 2020. The presence of staff member in offices and research structures is limited to who has to ensure services that can’t be postponed and fullfilled remotely, also to manage the emergency.

 

In these limited cases, staff members must compliance with hygienic-sanitary measures, respecting the minimum safe distance in the use of the spaces.

 

These rules are valid until the end of the state of emergency caused by COVID-2019 or any other date set by the Authorities.

For this reason, please contact the offices by e-mail or ticket.

UniTo’measures for incoming and outgoing students

The University of Turin has suspended all outgoing mobilities within the Erasmus program or any other international exchange program previously planned for the second semester of a.y. 2019-2020.

This decision is due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has resulted in unprecedented travel restrictions across international borders that seem unlikely to be lifted in the near future.

We will carefully evaluate restarting the above-mentioned exchange programs for the a.y. 2020-2021, based on how the COVID-19 emergency continues to unfold.

 

The University of Turin is in constant contact with the competent authorities to monitor the development of the emergency and support exchange students in this difficult moment.

If students currently abroad want to come back home early, the University will apply all the necessary measures to guarantee the positive conclusion of the semester.

 

Please note some useful information made available by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Especially:

 

For more information and updates about student’s mobilities check out these sections:

Online teaching: instructions for students and Professors

Check out all information and operational indications about online teaching (created after Coronavirus spread) in this page.

 

Students with disabilities or SLD (Specific Learning Disabilities) - with certificate submitted to the 'Students with disabilities/SLD University Desk' - must arrange customized distance learning solutions with each Professor.

 

Services provided by Students with disabilities/SLD University Desk (i.e. peer-to-peer tutoring in taking notes and/or support in exams preparation, Italian Sign Language interpreting and mediated communication services) are still active. These services can’t be provided face-to-face but with remote modes, according to each student and Professor needs.

 

This office and the Rector's Delegate for Disability, professor Pavone, are available for students and Professors with specific needs.

 

Students with disabilities/SLD University Desk services are available with remote modes. It can be contacted by e-mail at [email protected] and [email protected].

 

UniTo's related and general hygienic measures

Coronavirus: hygiene and health measures in compliance with the ordinance N.1 issued by the Italian Ministry of Health and the President of the Piedmont region.

1. Updates on viral respiratory diseases prevention

VIRAL RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS and CORONAVIRUS 2019-NCOV

The new Coronavirus 2019nCoV is included among the viruses responsible for respiratory infections, it can cause pathologies with symptoms similar to those of common flu.

The Coronavirus 2019-nCoV is part of a big virus family that causes a lot of diseases, most of them are not serious, from common cold, with or without fever, cough, to difficulties in breathing.

It causes pneumonia with acute respiratory diseases very rarely (5%) in the worst cases.

The Coronavirus 2019-nCoV - like all the coronaviruses - can be spread from person to person by close proximity with an infected patient.

 

GENERAL HEALTH PROTECTION MEASURES

Basic rules to prevent acute respiratory viral diseases must be followed carefully. 

In particular, attention is drawn to the following behavioural norms:

  • wash your hands thoroughly and often, for at least 40-60 seconds with water and soap
  • keep a distance of at least 2 meters from people with respiratory diseases symptoms (cough or sneezes), avoiding close contact
  • avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with hands.

When you sneeze or cough:

  • always use a tissue or cover nose and mouth with your elbow
  • throw used tissues in a bin
  • wash your hands and face immediately after.

All the details are available on the Ministry of Health and Higher Institute of Health (ISS) website.

2. Specific measures implemented by UniTo

The following measures were implemented specifically by UniTo:

 

SPACES’ CLEANING

  • Update of the cleaning process of University spaces according to Ministry of Health recommendations to prevent the spread of Coronavirus 2019-nCoV (disease COVID19). The recommendations suggest “to use common disinfectants that can kill the virus, stopping its ability to infect people, i.e. disinfectants with 75% alcohol or chlorine-based at 1%
  • Increase of the frequency of cleanings
  • Special cleanings for classrooms, study halls, libraries, toilets, public and transit areas, with sanitization interventions, since the academic activities were temporary suspended.

Generally, all employers are encouraged to aerate the rooms frequently, especially in case of people reception areas.

All employees with activities that can’t be postponed or be fulfilled remotely and need to work on site should aerate the rooms frequently.

 

ON LINE SERVICES AND MOVEMENTS

The following measures are provided to avoid people crowding:

  • suspend all teaching and other face-to-face activities, as ruled by Authorities, adopting online modes
  • close all University venues, except for medical and health ones and hospitals. Keep the Rectorate open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., only for services that can’t be postponed or fulfilled remotely.

We remember that for every movement from/to workplace you need to always keep with you the self-certification provided by Ministero dell’Interno.

 

WHAT TO DO IF YOU SHOW ANY SYMPTOMS

Only health system members and Protezione Civile system should verify and collect information about Coronavirus symptoms and movements of people. They are the authorities designated to guarantee public health rules observance, as it was clarified by Garante per la Privacy.

Collaboration is required from all employees, in all their parts, such as Professors, administrative staff and similar figures (students included) to inform only about their own limiting and health measures assigned by Health Authorities. The communication can be sent to UniTo’s competent doctor (they will confidentiality guarantee), it should include role and workplace and it should be send by email to [email protected]. Such communication is useful to help tracking people that had contacts and to adopt dedicated hygienic measures.

All employees, that are still working on venues for services that can’t be postponed or fulfilled remotely, mustn’t go to workplace if they show obvious symptoms linked to respiratory diseases with fever. They should contact:

  • their family doctor
  • toll-free number 800 19 2020 created by Piedmont Region, dedicated to health claims on Coronavirus. The number is active 24 hours a day
  • the phone number 1500 created by Ministry of Health
  • your local public health authority (ASL).

Whoever may show these symptoms in the workplace must stop their working activities and leave the place of employment, making sure to follow the proper precautions.

According to the regulations of March 14th 2020 “Protocollo condiviso di regolamentazione delle misure per il contrasto e il contenimento della diffusione del virus Covid-19 negli ambienti di lavoro”: all employees affected by pathological conditions (certified by their own doctor), should inform Servizio Medici Competenti (Competent Doctors Service) by email [email protected] to take the right measures (if they are not already working remotely).

Administrative staff will follow the usual rules for reporting absence of work due to illness.

Ordinances issued by Italian authorities and Regione Piemonte