Information about the coronavirus for staff and students

Update March 27:

The university plans for distance education to continue until the end of the semester. Information on any changes will be published when new decisions are made.

Update March 24, information for staff: 

Temporary guidelines for illness and VAB.

Update March 19: 

From March 20, several buildings on campus are closed for students. Find out more about the buildings.

Update March 14:

By restricting campus education, Kristianstad University has the opportunity to contribute in the fight to reduce the rate of the spread of the corona virus, covid-19. In order to reduce the spread of infection, Kristianstad University is now changing the campus-based teaching and research activities to online activities. This can be crucial to protect weak and vulnerable groups in the society.

The transition to web-based teaching and examination will take place as quickly and as practically possible.

All faculties are now working intensively towards switching to web-based teaching. As of Tuesday, March 17, all campus-based teaching at the Faculty of teacher education will be online.

As a student, you will receive information from your course responsible teacher about changes for your education.

Based on the current situation, the university also has the following recommendations:

For students

All students are encouraged to stay informed through the Student portal (general information) and Canvas (information regarding your education).

• The Public Health Authority urges anyone with symptoms, even mild, to limit social contacts where infection is at risk of transmission. This applies both in working life and in private life and can help to reduce the spread of the virus.
• If you have visited a risk area as well as parts of the world that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has advised against travelling to due to the coronavirus, it is recommended that you study from home for two weeks after arriving in Sweden. Contact your course responsible teacher at Kristianstad University to advise on how to manage your studies during this time.
• If you have symptoms but have not been in a risk area, call 1177 for advice.
• All students planning to travel abroad must follow the recommendations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Public Health Authority.
• If you have planned exchange studies outside of Sweden within your education, please contact your course responsible teacher at Kristianstad University.

In the event that your studies are affected by the above positions, you should contact your course responsible teacher so that work or studies can be completed in the best possible way.

For staff

Staff keep updated about current information on the intranet (greenroom).

Kristianstad University recommends that all employees prioritize measures to prevent being infected, to develop alternative forms of work and to prevent the spread of infection.

The Public Health Authority urges anyone with symptoms, even mild, to limit social contacts where infection is at risk of transmission. This applies both in working life and in private life.

Avoid getting infected

The University's staff are encouraged to continuously keep informed of the risk situation as described by the Public Health Authority and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

• Follow the recommendations given by the Public Health Authority and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Cancel business trips to areas that are considered risk areas (see the Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
• Cancel visits from partners/guests/students from risk areas.
• Advise your students not to travel to risk areas.
• Reconsider planned business trips and replace them with digital meeting forms where possible and justified. All business trips must be approved by the nearest manager. Already scheduled/decided business trips should be re-examined by the nearest manager.

Develop alternative forms of work

• The university's employees must immediately inform themselves about how digital technology can replace meetings, teaching and examinations and prepare to use these aids.
• All course responsible teachers are encouraged to offer web-based teaching and examination via Zoom and/or the learning platform Canvas, as an alternative to campus-based teaching and examination.
• To avoid group meetings, the university encourages all staff to use Skype and Teams for administrative meetings to the extent possible.
• The university switches to digital activities as far as possible. Activities that need employees on site on campus plan for education, research and management to work. Employees, who can work from home if technical and practical conditions exist, can do so. Before the employee works at home it must be approved by the nearest manager.
• The university's managers provide guidance for these decisions. If you as a manager need advise, contact your HR consultant.
• A number of meetings and events for staff will be conducted differently than previously planned. .

Avoid spreading the infection

• The university's employees are urged to contact the nearest manager in case of symptoms of infection.
• According to the guidelines from the Public Health Authority, you should not go to work if you feel ill with symptoms such as sniffing, coughing or fever. There are temporary guidelines for illness and VAB, see information in the intranet.
• Pay attention to students who exhibit symptoms and encourage them not to stay on campus due to risk of transmission. All employees who meet students have a responsibility.
• To the extent it is possible, offer customized solutions to students who do not participate in campus-based activities due to symptoms.

If you have visited a risk area

If you have visited a risk area, as well as parts of the world that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has advised against travelling to due to the coronavirus, it is recommended that you work from home for two weeks after arriving in Sweden. Contact your immediate manager to advise on how to manage your work during this time.

Travels abroad

All staff planning to travel abroad must follow the recommendations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Public Health Authority.

If you plan to travel abroad, please contact your immediate manager for advice.

In the event that studies or work are affected by the above positions, you should contact your nearest manager so that work or studies can be completed in the best possible way.

More information

Frequently asked questions about the coronavirus - Swedish Public Health Agency website

WHO website about the coronavirus

Ministry of Foreign Affairs travel advice/warnings (in Swedish)

1177 (In Swedish)