The following measures apply on all campuses (view the summary table here) :
General health measures
Measures related to mask-wearing, physical distancing and hygiene are specified on these pages.
Measures in force
General working conditions
Workplace
Until 4 July 2021:
Telework at home is compulsory unless it is impossible due to the nature of the function performed or if there is a need to ensure the continuity of the University's missions. If telework is not implemented, the rules of physical distance must be respected.
Research activities, including dissertations and internships, research and teaching support activities and service to society that cannot be carried out remotely shall continue under strict observance of health and physical distance rules.
Teaching activities continue according to the modalities described below.
Certain missions and activities, including those in the general services, require the maintenance of an indispensable face-to-face presence. The responsibility for organising this lies with the line manager.
By way of derogation from the obligation to telework referred to in the first paragraph, a line manager may organise, by mutual agreement with the persons for whom telework is compulsory, one moment of return to the workplace per week, up to a maximum of one day, for the purpose of renewing social contacts at the workplace. In this case, the rules of physical distance must be respected.
All persons doing their work face-to-face must carry a certificate.
From 5 July 2021:
Face-to-face work applies to 40% of working time, i.e. two days a week for a full-time job. The responsibility for organising face-to-face work lies with the line manager.
For the rest of the time, teleworking is highly recommended, unless it is impossible due to the nature of the job or if there is a need to ensure the continuity of the University's missions.
In the context of face-to-face work activities, distancing and general health rules must be respected.
Cafeteria access
- Activities take place exclusively around tables, otherwise spaced 1.5 m apart.
- There is a maximum of 8 people per table.
- The wearing of masks and distancing are respected when moving around.
Elevators
Not recommended when there is an alternative.
Group activities
Working meetings (including deliberations)
Face-to-face meetings are authorised provided that the possibility of remote participation is offered to each participant. The general safety measures apply (see above), in particular the respect of a distance of 1.5 metres between each participant and the wearing of a mask.
Learning and evaluation activities (including master thesis defenses, private defenses and public defenses of theses)
- Learning and assessment activities can take place face-to-face or at a distance.
- When learning activities take place at a distance, the teacher may be alone in the audience (for example, if he or she needs to use a board, equipment or the poly studio system).
- Face-to-face learning and assessment activities may not involve more than 20% of students simultaneously. Each faculty determines which learning and assessment activities take place face-to-face, aiming for this limit but respecting it and ensuring that all students can benefit from face-to-face activities by the end of the academic year. For the calculation of the 20%, all learning and assessment activities are taken into account (initial and in-service training, remediation, practical exercises, lectures, written or oral examinations, etc.).
- When learning or assessment activities take place face-to-face, the auditoria and classrooms are occupied in accordance with the following rules: the premises cannot accommodate more than 200 people and people keep a minimum physical distance of 1.5 m from each other.
- When learning or assessment activities take place face-to-face, the laboratories and practical work rooms equipped with specific equipment are occupied in compliance with the health rules applicable in the sector of activity.
- Activities with practical gestures are carried out in compliance with the rules applicable to the sector of activity concerned.
- When learning or assessment activities take place face-to-face outdoors in the UCLouvain enclosure, people take the necessary measures to ensure compliance with the rules on physical distance.
- Outdoor face-to-face activities on public roads take place within safe distances.
- The internships take place in compliance with the regulations applicable to the workplace where the internships take place.
- The activities with practical gestures are carried out in compliance with the rules applicable to the sector of activity concerned.
- In the case of a face-to-face activity, masks must be worn by both students and teachers. When the wearing of a mask or any other fabric alternative is not possible for medical reasons, a face shield must be used. Persons who, due to a situation of disability attested by a medical certificate, are unable to wear a mask, a fabric alternative or a face shield, are exempted from wearing a mask or a face shield alternative.
- The flow of movements is in accordance with the signage.
- A maximum of 3 hours of activities can be organized continuously in the same room.
- Wherever possible, room doors are kept open to reduce the use of handles and to ventilate the room.
- General health measures must be observed: hand hygiene, ventilation of premises, disinfection of equipment and surfaces after use and cleaning of premises.
Scientific and other professionel events
Scientific and other professional events may be held in person.
If they bring together 100 or more people indoors or 200 or more people outdoors, they must receive prior authorisation from the competent local authorities. To this end, the organisers will contact the UCLouvain facilitator (facilitateur@uclouvain.be) prior to any organisation, who will centralise and transmit the requests to the local authorities on behalf of UCLouvain.
All scientific and other professional events must also comply with the following rules:
- The opening hours are limited from 5:00 to 1:00;
- Distancing and general health measures must be respected;
- If the event is held indoors, the public must be seated;
- If catering activities are carried out, they must comply with the rules on catering (see below).
Catering
Catered or catering functions may be held in person.
For receptions taking place outside the framework of a teaching activity and gathering 100 or more people indoors or 200 or more people outdoors, they must receive prior authorisation from the competent local authorities. To this end, organisers should contact the UCLouvain facilitator (facilitateur@uclouvain.be) prior to any organisation, who will centralise and forward applications to the local authorities on behalf of UCLouvain.
All receptions organised by a catering service must also comply with the following rules:
- The opening hours are limited from 5:00 to 1:00;
- Only table seating is permitted, with a maximum of 8 people per table;
- Tables are spaced 1.5m apart;
- Wearing a mask is mandatory when moving around.
Extracurricular student activities
Extra-academic student activities in the UCLouvain buildings are suspended.
All organised activities must comply with the rules for events.
Sport activities
Non-professional sport activities are allowed.
Infrastructure access
Buildings
Authorised subject to respecting health measures.
Libraries and Learning Centers
Access is permitted by wearing a mask and keeping a physical distance of 1.5 m. For more information, the access modalities (including schedules) are specified on the libraries and Learning Centers website.
Computer labs
Access is permitted by wearing a mask and maintaining a physical distance of 1.5 m.
MuséeL
See MuséeL website.
International
Staff business travel
Business travel is permitted as long as BOTH at the time of flight and lodging reservations AND of departure:
- Belgian Foreign Affairs authorises travel abroad for scientific and/or educational activities (https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en)
- the countries of destination and transit authorise persons coming from Belgium to enter the territory for scientific and/or educational activities (https://diplomatie.belgium.be/fr/Services/voyager_a_letranger/conseils_par_destination)
Persons travelling must follow the health measures in force in the host country and on their return to Belgium (including the provisions relating to COVID testing and quarantine), see https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en.
As a reminder, UCLouvain's insurance policies do not cover the consequences of an illness abroad. It is therefore important to check with your mutual insurance company, your health care, hospitalisation or life insurer or any other organisation that may be able to help you, to find out the conditions of cover in the country of destination.
It is strongly recommended that Belgian travellers register at https://travellersonline.diplomatie.be to benefit from local consular services. It is also recommended to buy travel insurance adapted to global health circumstances and to ensure that the conditions of mandatory quarantine on return do not interfere with professional activities.
Note that the usual procedure for business trips to countries at risk (including for reasons other than the coronavirus) remains in place. Consequently, any movement in an area considered a red zone by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/conseils-aux-voyageurs/conseils-par-pays-destination, see map at bottom of ‘security’ tab) requires the rector’s authorisation (cf. intranet: https://intranet.uclouvain.be/fr/myucl/administrations/adfi/voyages-al-etranger-0.html).
The provisions above also apply to PhD students, who are, in terms of international mobility, considered staff regardless of their funding source.
Student travels as part of an academic activity
Until 30 June 2021:
Study trips carried out as part of an exchange programme, a joint degree, an internship-type course unit or data collection for a master thesis are authorised in Europe, South Africa, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, South Korea, Costa Rica, United Arab Emirates, United States, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Morocco, Mexico, New Zealand, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Uruguay subject to:
- agreement between a UCLouvain faculty and host institution (if applicable)
- at BOTH the time of flight and lodging reservations AND at departure
- Belgian Foreign Affairs authorises travel abroad for study (https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en)
- the countries of destination and transit authorise persons coming from Belgium to enter the territory for study reasons (https://diplomatie.belgium.be/fr/Services/voyager_a_letranger/conseils_par_destination)
Class trips abroad are suspended.
Study trips outside the above conditions may be considered on a case-by-case basis if justified by exceptional circumstances. Such trips require specific authorisation, the procedure for which has been specified to the faculties.
From 1 July 2021:
Study trips carried out as part of an exchange programme, a joint degree, an internship-type course unit or data collection for a master thesis are authorised in Europe and outside Europe, subject to:
- verification that the mobility is appropriate in view of the health situation in the destination country
- the agreement of the UCLouvain faculty and the host institution (if applicable)
- and that at the time of booking flights and accommodation AND at the time of departureat,
- Belgian Foreign Affairs authorises travel abroad for study (https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en)
- the countries of destination and transit authorise persons coming from Belgium to enter the territory for study reasons (https://diplomatie.belgium.be/fr/Services/voyager_a_letranger/conseils_par_destination)
Class or group trips abroad are special and complex cases that must comply with multiple health protocols. For this reason, they require a case-by-case examination. The procedures for requesting authorisation must be initiated by the course holders with their faculties.
Points of attention:
Students concerned with mobility are invitedˑes to contact their faculty to check all conditions for departure.
Please note that departure restrictions independent of the COVID health situation may apply (e.g. war-risk zones).
When departure is authorised, it is essential to
- take out travel insurance adapted to the global health situation,
- register at https://travellersonline.diplomatie.be/ to benefit from local consular services (for Belgian nationals)
- follow the health measures in force in the host country and upon return to Belgium (including COVID testing and quarantine provisions), see https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en.
For further information for students: https://intranet.uclouvain.be/fr/myucl/administrations/adri/restrictions-destination-etudiant.html
For further information for student mobility officers: https://intranet.uclouvain.be/fr/myucl/administrations/adri/restrictions-destination-etudiant.html.
Welcoming persons from abroad
International students and visitors are welcome. Their access to the territory will depend on border control in their country, in transit countries and in Belgium.
They will follow the health measures in force at the University and in Belgium (including possible self-quarantine measures, see https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en) and at the university.
It is important to ensure that hosts provide institutional information on the measures taken to limit the spread of the virus and the possibilities of access to healthcare in Belgium. We are counting on the collaboration of everyone to help make this information accessible.
Staff returning from abroad
Staff returning from abroad are asked to comply with the recommendations issued by the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Additional information
When a staff member experiences COVID-19 symptoms and/or tests positive, the staff member can no longer go to the workplace, must immediately inform the supervisor of their absence and must inform the university of his or her positivity by filling out this form. If teleworking is not possible, the staff member must submit a medical certificate of incapacity of work.
When a student tests positive for COVID, he or she must be placed in isolation for a minimum of 10 days and inform the university of his or her positivity by filling out this form.
Susceptible persons or those who have been in close contact with infected persons should contact their physician/doctor to see what arrangements should be made.
The Radiation Protection and Safety Department (SERP) will monitor the application of the above provisions and can provide on-site advice by request regarding the implementation of the above measures and use of protective screens (contact: personnel-sante@uclouvain.be).
For further information
- The general information site: www.uclouvain.be/covid
- Examination information site: www.uclouvain.be/examens
- UCLouvain information page: https://uclouvain.be/fr/info-coronavirus
- Bachelor’s and master’s programme students for health-related issues : aide-sante@uclouvain.be
- PhD students and staff: personnel-sante@uclouvain.be