Dear Students, Partners and Friends,
Greetings from SGH Warsaw School of Economics!
We wish to update you on the organizational aspects pertaining to student exchange in the upcoming Fall Semester 2020.
Safety and security of both Polish and international students
have always been our priority. Therefore, the COVID-19 pandemic has
made SGH to introduce necessary modifications to the organization of
courses offered by SGH.
Please, find below details on precautionary
measures we are introducing in order to ensure the highest level of
safety and protection to our students:
courses offered at SGH will be organized in the
on-campus in-class mode, with the strict safety measures and
restrictions such as keeping safe distance during the courses, limited
number of students in one classroom/lecture hall and strict sanitary
regime (disinfection, protection masks, etc.);
courses (lectures) with higher number of students enrolled will be held in on-line mode for all students;
courses (lectures) with lower number of students enrolled, as well as
seminars and tutorials will be held in class (distancing and sanitary
restrictions will apply);
in all cases when distancing regulations will be a challenge, students will be divided into smaller groups to ensure maximum safety;
some on-line courses might be recorded and kept for limited number of days available to students.
Furthermore,
additional measures will be introduced in the organization of students’
campus life, with the purpose to maximize students’ safety and to
ensure a smooth and well-controlled transition from a lockdown period to
a more open and safe functioning of our university and academic
community:
Fall 2020 Orientation Week for International Students
will be conducted exclusively online. Detailed information will be sent
directly to students;
despite online Orientation Week, we
strongly recommend the international students to arrive earlier to take a
voluntary self-quarantine for at least 10 days before coming to the
campus (please note that quarantine is not mandatory, however we believe
that it would further minimize possible risks of virus transmission,
and positively contribute to the safety and well-being of our entire
academic community);
SGH buddy program will be in place to
ensure international students all the necessary support in organization
of the semester;
since student and staff community health and
well-being are our priority, it is highly likely that we will not be
able to accommodate your students in our dormitory in the Fall semester;
if students decide to buy a plane ticket, it is highly recommended to
purchase a refundable option and travel insurance, which will cover
cancellations due to COVID-19 (should the health situation change,
students should be prepared for travel restrictions, mandatory
quarantines, airline route cancellations during the semester);
students should be aware of cancelation conditions before signing housing contract;
for students who require a student visa: some Polish embassies and
consulates might limit or suspend processing of visas due to the spread
of COVID-19, hence the duration of the visa issue process could take
longer than usual – we strongly recommend to apply for visa well in
advance.
Regarding students’ questions about possibilities to
postpone Fall mobilities to Spring semester 2021, we will do our best to
accommodate requests we receive. However, any deferrals to Spring 2021
semester will have to be mutually agreed between our institutions.
Cancelations
or requests for deferrals shall be reported to the respective incoming
student officer at any time by the coordinator of sending institution
(not by student directly).
Important final information:
All our preparations and organizational plans for Fall semester are
ultimately dependent on government policy pertaining to COVID-19
pandemic. In case of, hopefully unlikely, event that Polish government
will introduce additional restrictions (i.e. suspend international
cross-border traffic, suspend/limit functioning of public institutions,
universities, etc.), SGH will have to adjust accordingly. We will inform
you immediately of any changes if they occur.
Should the
pandemic situation worsen unexpectedly and require cancellation of
physical learning during Fall semester, SGH will be able to offer all
our Fall semester courses in on-line mode to both Polish and
international students.
Our remote teaching with the use of the
newest technologies has been professionally developed and successfully
tested during the last semester and it is constantly improving. We can
assure you that, in case of necessity, your students will be able to
continue high-quality on-line education as well as valuable virtual
engagement and academic and social interactions with the rest of SGH
academic community.
We stay grateful for your support and
cooperation. We are convinced that through our strong partnerships,
long-years’ cooperation and mutual understanding, we will overcome all
the challenges of current world situation. Should you have any question,
please do not hesitate to contact SGH International Centre.
We are looking very much forward to welcoming your students in the Fall!
Stay safe and healthy!