A.Y. 2021-2022: Letter of the Rector

Paragrafo: 

Bergamo, 30 July 2021

 

Dear students,

We have reached by now the middle of the summer, and I presume that most of you have finished your exams and all the summer session commitments. I really hope you are satisfied with your results and can enjoy the coming month of August to “recharge your batteries”, so as to start again in the autumn with the necessary strength.
As you know by now, when I write to you, it is almost always to update you on the Academic boards’ decisions concerning behaviours and procedures to be followed for a safe and comfortable University life, but also I always wish to know how you are, and make sure that, in your study path and University life, all is going for the best, despite the, still uncertain, times we are living.
This time, in particular, I also wish to thank each one of you for providing, in the past months, an excellent example of resilience and positive determination, having faced the inevitable inconveniences with a mature and responsible attitude: a heartfelt thanks to all of you, dear girls and boys!
We are now carrying out, gradually and carefully, the transition from remote activities to on site: for many of you, going back on site is extremely positive, less for others, as, for various reasons, they may find it more convenient to follow lessons and take exams online. Even though I am fully aware of the opportunities offered by remote learning – and I can assure you that this experience, though forced upon us, will anyway not be lost –, I do wish to remind you that attending University means (first and foremost) seeing people: fellow students, tutors, academic staff… without these interactions, and without a web of relations to sustain them, any training path would be lacking something, even lacking vitality.

Furthermore, in September there will be new future colleagues: the freshers will certainly need your welcome and your “tips” to build their new university experience, I’m sure you can and want to help them. I’m counting on you!

I will now point out the most important aspects you need to know for the start of the next academic year, to be able to put into practice the so-called “back to normal” in the best possible way, on the grounds of currently applicable dispositions.

 

Lesson Procedures

All lessons will be provided in dual mode, thus proposing on site didactic activity, while simultaneously supplying the very same contents in live streaming, through Teams platform, on which all lessons will be recorded and made accessible for a few days (differently from what had been applied up till now).

Lessons are set to start next October 4.

 

Use of classroom and laboratory spaces will be determined by defining a COVID capacity which can be safely managed by the didactic structures.

 

For each subject lesson:

1. based on the classrooms available and assigned to each, a maximum capacity of on-site students will be defined, complying with the relevant authorities indications, as adopted at the moment when lessons will start;

2. based on this maximum on site capacity, possible rotations will be defined, ideally on a weekly basis;

3. lesson bookings will be carried out through the app which you already know, as it is currently in use;

4. to access classrooms, students will have to present booking confirmation through the QR Code reader placed at the entrance of each building;

5. I strongly remind you to cancel your booking as quickly as possible, in case you are unable to be present, so as to allow other students to use this opportunity.

 

Exam Procedures

Starting from the August/September 2021 session, exams will be carried out as follows:

- written exams: on site

- oral exams: on site

 

Exceptions can be made for remote online exams only and exclusively in case of:

a) students’ positivity and quarantine, or self-isolation due to COVID-19;

b) students’ inability to leave home due to restrictions connected to the current emergency;

c) students suffering from a serious condition, who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons;

d) students living with a frail person, suffering from a serious illness, and not vaccinated for medical reasons.

No other exceptions will be allowed.

Exemption applications for any of the above listed reasons (except point a), must be presented by students no later than 7 days from the exam date.

As always, random checks will be carried out on all received applications, and false pretences will be treated as by applicable law.

 

Graduation and ceremonies

Graduation ceremonies for three year courses and graduation exams for single cycle master degrees will be held on site; graduating students will be called in groups, respecting the limit of available places in the assigned classrooms. Each graduating student can be accompanied by no more than 4 persons, between friends and relatives.

No other people will be allowed, even outside the building. All those who wish to access the classroom must present the appropriate self-certification, proving safety conditions required for COVID-19 prevention;  tracing of all people accessing University buildings will also be guaranteed.

Final dissertation discussions for Ph.D. or master courses will follow the same indications as listed above.

 

Updates and communication

All students will be informed through our website about appropriate behaviour and rules to be followed. These rules complete and integrate those already in force, and concern both on site and remote activities. Specifically, we are talking about:

- Safety rules;

- Behaviour before lessons (i.e. booking);

- Behaviour rules during on site lessons;

- Behaviour rules during remote lessons.

Such indications will be made available to all the academic community and student population also through their institutional mail.

As you may have noticed, no completely new procedure has been introduced: you already know most of them, they will simply be modulated to allow the reprisal of on-site activities in full safety for all. I have chosen to provide you with these brief guidelines, so that you could all be informed in good time, before the start of the new academic year.

I also wish to say a few words on the topic of vaccinations, these days strongly debated and, unfortunately, sometimes surrounded by a web of harmful misinformation, which misleads many people and often doesn’t allow a balanced assessment of the situation.

Starting from the assumption that I confide in your sense of civic responsibility, I still wish to stress that the whole concept of freedom makes sense only when it can be applied to each one of us, with no distinction, and not only with a view to protect our own interests or those of a minority. This means that, in the event of a pandemic which unfortunately is still dangerous on a global scale, and in which new variants endanger everyone’s health, choosing to get vaccinated means to choose freedom (of life) for all of us.

Personally, I consider vaccination as a moral duty, especially towards frail people, who must be protected.

Concerning this topic, even the President of Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella pointed out a few days ago:

“The pandemic is not yet behind us. The virus has mutated and is becoming even more contagious. The longer it is allowed to circulate freely, the more frequent and dangerous will become its mutations. Only thanks to vaccines are we able to contain it. Vaccination doesn’t make us invulnerable, but it strongly reduces the possibility of catching the virus, thus its circulation and its danger.
For these reasons, vaccination is a moral and civic duty.
Freedom is a condition we cannot do without, but what is limiting our freedom today is the virus and not the tools we have to eliminate it.”

I have nothing to add.
The choice to get vaccinated or not is yours: once again, I appeal only to your judgement, which I am sure is thoroughly informed.
But now, it is quite rightly a time for holidays and rest…
I wish to all of  you and your families a happy and relaxed summer: that you may stock-up on sun and energies!

Once again I thank you and send you my usual heartfelt embrace,

Your “Rettore”
Prof. Remo Morzenti Pellegrini

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