The Governing Council approves the general guidelines on teaching and assessment functioning for the academic year 2019/2020
The Governing Council of the UB approved on April 22, the General guidelines on teaching and assessment functioning for the academic year 2019/2020 regarding the COVID-19 crisis. The text gathers the action principles to guarantee the development of a non-face-to-face quality teaching during the period of the health emergenc, as well as assessment criteria for the students. It also approved the Exceptional procedure of submission and defense of doctoral thesis via telematic means.
The Governing Council of the UB approved on April 22, the General guidelines on teaching and assessment functioning for the academic year 2019/2020 regarding the COVID-19 crisis. The text gathers the action principles to guarantee the development of a non-face-to-face quality teaching during the period of the health emergenc, as well as assessment criteria for the students. It also approved the Exceptional procedure of submission and defense of doctoral thesis via telematic means.
In the extraordinary session of the Governing Council, which took place via video-conference for the first time, members in the session were informed about the Gradual end to lockdown, which is being worked on by the General Managerʼs Office, the Office of Health, Safety and Environmental Issues (OSSMA), Legal Services and Agreements, and Human Resources. This plan is still gathering contribuitions from members and representatives of the university community, and its first aim is to guarantee the safety and health of the staff at the UB. It will follow the directions from the competent authorities, and it is structured into four phases: first, the current phase of building closure; second, the partial opening of buildings and facilities for essential research tasks, third, the opening of buildings and facilities as well as gradual return of the TRS and AdSS staff for face-to-face activities, and last, the return to face-to-face teaching activities and recovery of normal activity.
Rector's report
The rector started the session with a minute of silence for all those who passed away and those who lost family members during these days. Afterwards, he went through a chronological summary of the carried out activities since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis. Regarding Research, for instance, it mentioned the donations and production of material and health use solutions, and the soon to be launched massive cribbage services (Orfeu project). In Communication, the actions such as the creation of the COVID-19 website, with information and recommendation; and the FAQs section to answer common doubts by the members of the community.
The members of the Governing Council were also informed about the decision-taking on the fields of teaching staff hiring, as well as the extension of predoctoral contracts.
Academics
The Governing Council meeting presented the general guidelines on teaching and assessment functioning for the academic year 2019/2020 regarding the COVID-19 crisis, which have been worked on since the beginning of the building closure due to the health emergency by representatives of the academic and teaching field and the students. The principles of this document, approved of by general acceptance of all the members, except for a blank vote, are to guarantee the sudden adaptation to non-classroom teaching keeps the standards of training quality, and guarantees transparency, documentation and approval by all the directors of the departments and heads of study in the bachelor and mastersʼ degrees. Likewise, these aim to keep the students updated through the Virtual Campus and other channels. It is also noteworthy the principle of inclusion, stating that not a single student should miss the course due to economic difficulties (bkUB program) or network connection (Connecta UB program); the commitment to preserve the academic rigour and adopt flexibility measures this situation requires, and the aim to fulfil, as long as possible, the scheduled teaching calendar.
Regarding the adaptation of the assessment, the approved guidelines make flexible the datelines to opt for single assessment, so that everyone can be evaluated, but they also keep the continuous assessment to favour interaction between lecturers and students and the supervision of their learning. According to the document, all changes will be stated in the syllabusesʼ addendums for every course and new formulas to carry out scheduled assessment activities online will be studied, specially for those subjects of bacherlor and mastersʼ final degree projects, and external practicals.
The Governing Council also approved the Exceptional procedure of submission and defense of doctoral theses via telematic means, to be applied for all doctoral theses to be submitted and defensed from the beginning of the state of alarm until the total resume of face-to-face teaching activities in the University of Barcelona, and the extension of mandate of unipersonal and collegial bodies.