22. January 2021
Dear
university members,
At the end of the semester, we would like to inform you about current developments
and provide an outlook for the upcoming summer semester 2021:
Last week of winter
semester 2020/21 and semester break.
The operating mode "orange" remains in place for the last days of
the winter semester as well as for the semester break. In order to be able to continue to guarantee this operating mode, we
ask you to strictly observe the hygiene and safety regulations in the proven manner, to already pay attention to the increased
safety distance of 2m and to wear FFP2 masks where possible, especially in prolonged, direct contact with other people.
As you know, the Angewandte has purchased a supply of FFP2 masks and Covid rapid tests. These can be requested
for use in connection with artistic teaching, in the workshops, and during exams and university entrance exams with a brief
written explanation from the Covid Staff Office (
covid@uni-ak.ac.at). Large-scale
distribution of FFP2 masks and testing is not possible at this time due to resource constraints. We therefore invite you to
make use of the services offered by the City of Vienna in particular.
Outlook summer semester
2021
Currently, the Rectorate is working out different operating variants for the summer semester. In addition
to the revision of the safety and hygiene regulations (increased safety distance, FFP2 masks), an Angewandte-wide test strategy
is under discussion. The aim is to ensure that the artistic and practical courses can be held on site as comprehensively and
safely as possible with the help of regular tests. The prerequisite for this is that Angewandte - similar to what is practiced
for schools - is granted the necessary financial resources for these Covid additional costs by the Ministry of Science (BMBWF).
The extremely difficult negotiations with the BMBWF are ongoing. We will inform you about the concrete planned measures as
soon as possible.
--
Finally, we would like to thank you for your commitment and dedication
in what has once again been a challenging semester: All teachers, both in artistic and scientific subjects, for your flexibility
and the creative solutions that you find to ensure an upright and qualitative teaching even under difficult conditions; all
employees in the workshops, who consistently maintain the essential operation on site with a lot of dedication; all employees
in planning, service and administration, who for almost a year have ensured that university operations continue to run smoothly
under constantly changing conditions; and last but not least, all students, who have supported the drastic and restrictive
measures and in many different ways have contributed to a lively university despite the virus.
The
coming semester will once again demand a great deal of us. We are all the more committed - at all levels and with all our
strength - to enabling the most stable and continuous attendance possible. In the third semester under Covid-codistions we
aim to hold artistic courses on site and also to guarantee final examinations taking place on site as well. Just as it is
necessary for a discursive and open university as we know and need it.
With best regards,
Gerald
Bast, Bernhard Kernegger, Barbara Putz-Plecko, Eva Maria Stadler and Maria Zettler
Rektorat
Rektorate