From: Anne Remes <anne.remes@oulu.fi>
Sent: 15. maaliskuutata 2020 21:24
To: LTK <ltk-staff@oulu.fi>
Subject: Important information about teaching from 16.3.2020 onwards

Dear Teachers of the Faculty of Medicine,

In order to curb the spread of coronavirus, we aim to increase the distance between individuals in all faculty activities, in accordance with university guidelines. Remote work is recommended whenever possible and working on the campus should be limited to only when necessary. Meetings will mainly be conducted remotely. However, staff is required to be available during office hours, so it is important to keep an active eye on email.

Implementation of teaching:

• Starting next week, all possible teaching (lectures, group teaching that does not require patient contact, mentoring, etc.) must be done remotely. We will be requesting subject-specific reports on these changes at the beginning of next week.
• Tools for real-time remote meeting include Zoom and Teams, and for examination Exam, Moodle and O365. See the attachment for more information on these tools.
• To minimize extra study load and to prevent further delays in studies (e.g., graduation), teaching will follow planned schedules.
• Exams will be organized as scheduled. Academic Affairs will ensure that the distance between people is taken into account in exams. If necessary, more space will be reserved for exams. Some exams might be organized as e-exams or in a Moodle environment. Academic Affairs (KOPA) will help you with your exam, so contact study.medicine@oulu.fi
• We aim to organize group instructions (incl. clinical training in dentistry) that involves patient contact as scheduled. Only healthy students can participate in these sessions.
• Provisions for compulsory attendance or any changes thereto will be announced separately later.
• In the case that some teaching must be cancelled, substitutive studies are organized to secure progression for the academic year. Cancelled teaching events will be informed to students as soon as such information is available.
• Beginning 16.3.2020, the responsible persons of degree programmes for will coordinate reorganization of teaching with course teachers and education designers to ensure that opportunities for alternative distance teaching, distance learning and self-study opportunities are offered for courses and related exams they are responsible for. Subjects should inform students of any changes e.g. in Moodle as soon as possible.
• Support for the implementation of distance education at the university is provided through joint services of IT Services and Academic Affairs. You can contact Anniina Mikkonen in matters relating to Moodle at the Faculty of Medicine. Contact: study.medicine@oulu.fi
• Please note that the attachment to this message contains information on training in distance teaching or remote meeting. The IT Services at University of Oulu is responsible for the instruction of distance education and remote connections.

Traineeship:

• The implementation of decentralized studies, i.e. traineeships in different subject areas, will be announced separately next week.

I have informed also students of these practices and more detailed general information will be posted to them.

In addition to me, the Dean for Education is responsible for general communication with the Faculty of Medicine. We meet daily with a smaller education group to evaluate the situations caused by the coronavirus. The group consists of Dean of Education Riitta Kaarteenaho, Professors Petri Kulmala, Maria Kääriäinen and Timo Jämsä, University Lecturer Mikko Finnilä, Responsible Person for a Degree Program Raija Lähdesmäki, Lead Specialist Piia Rantakokko, Chairman of the Board of OKL Eelis Palokangas and Service Manager Katja Pura. In addition, I am in close contact with the hospital district management.

Please follow actively the information on the university's public website: https://www.oulu.fi/en/company/news/coronavirus-related-targets

I wish everyone patience, understanding and flexibility in this exceptional situation.

Thanks for your cooperation already,

Anne

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Anne Remes

Professori, Dekaani

Lääketieteellinen tiedekunta, Oulun yliopisto

Aapistie 5 A, FIN-90230 Oulu

Professor, Dean

Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu

Aapistie 5 A, FIN-90230 Oulu

http://www.oulu.fi/ltk/

anne.remes@oulu.fi

tel: +358 50 533 0090

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