The Higher Committee for Health and Safety at Qatar University (QU) has announced an updated plan for Fall 2020 as part of the preparations for fourth phase expected to start from September 1.
Classes will continue according to the announced Fall 2020 calendar with no changes; all academic policies and procedures suspended during Spring 2020 are reactivated; teaching will continue to be online except for students enrolled in some specific courses and faculty members teaching these courses will communicate directly with their students to notify them that teaching will be on campus. These courses include: Graduate studies courses (diploma, masters and doctoral degrees).
Face-to-face teaching on campus will start on September 1 for practical laboratory courses that require students to attend physically and perform hands-on experiment in the laboratory and departments offering these labs will monitor the teaching process in light of the announced safety measures by the university.
Students will attend these courses on campus starting from September 6 for graduation and research projects, as well as courses of special nature that require students to attend on campus following the approval of the college dean. Academic departments will ensure that all safety measures announced by the university are applied.
For internship, fieldwork, preceptorship, and clinical practice courses, colleges are to develop a mechanism in co-ordination with the training bodies and according to the safety measures announced by the relevant authorities.
Main (midterm and final) exams for all courses will be conducted on campus regardless of the teaching method of these courses. A plan for conducting midterm and final exams will be developed and shared early enough before the exam date making sure that all safety measures are applied.
Office hours will be provided online by faculty members and library, learning centres and student services (academic advising, career services, student learning support, student counselling, special needs services and financial aid services) will continue to provide their services online and face-to-face whenever is possible. Additional details regarding these services will be announced later.
The committee also emphasised on the importance of staying updated regarding the different announcements and instructions that will be sent out later from different sectors and departments such as the Student Affairs Sector, Campus Facilities and General Services Department, among others. All plans remain subject to reviews and updates according to the directives from the relevant authorities.
