Everything to know about COVID-19

During the lockdown, we, at the Student Union, will compile all relevant information for students at the University of Copenhagen on this site. It is a bizarre situation and it has resulted in many questions left unanswered. We want to answer as many as we possibly can. As such, this page will be updated regularly as fast and to the best of our abilities – therefore, we also accept any updates regarding COVID-19 regulations at the university. You will find a list where to find relevant information below. Including contact information and the rights for any study board and the student representatives.

Where do I find answers to my questions?

• KUnet.dk: Here you can find a thorough list of FAQs related to every study program at UCPH. You can find the information by clicking: study information – your faculty – your study programme – coronavirus (it should be at the top of your page).

NB! Some of the answers to the FAQs seem to be changed frequently. IF you decide to follow any instructions that you have found on the University corona-page, we encourage you to take a screenshot of the answer. Make sure that time and date of the screenshot is visible on the screen, then you can use the screenshot as documentation if necessary.

• Ministry of higher education and science: this is the site from which the government and ministry convey their information such as press releases and their likes. This is a page which purpose is to give a general overview, but we recommend KUnet if you have questions regarding the University of Copenhagen.

• Additionally, please keep up to date on Absalon and your KU-mail. Your teachers and the administration will often send out updates to your there e.g. how your seminars and lectures will continue during the lockdown.

Who do I contact, if I can’t find the answer to my question?

• Many subject councils and faculty councils are up to date with the situation on the respective study programmes.

• You are also welcome to contact the Student Union directly at fu@srku.dk.

• Hvis din henvendelse handler om hjælp til dispensationsansøgninger og rådgivning om aktivitetskrav, så kontakt studievejledningen: 
  If your inquiry is about exemption or counselling about activity requirements for a course, please contact the student guidance (and please be aware that there are no stupid questions). You can find the information by clicking:

  Study information – your faculty – your study programme – contact – student guidance.  

Quality of Online Classes

When all classes are moved from physical to virtual space students and teachers face certain difficulties. If the quality of your classes decrease more than what can be expected under these practical conditions there is something to do. The teachers have more options than simply uploading powerpoint slides and audio files in Absalon. UCPH has written guides on how to transfer onsite teaching to remote teaching that you can ask your teacher to use. Remember that this state of emergency is just as difficult for teachers as for students, and that most of them value your feedback about good and bad experiences with online class activities.

Your rights for the study board and their student representatives

There is currently a need for urgent and extraordinary decisions regarding our seminars, lectures and exams because of the lockdown. However, we still think it is of the utmost importance that we still safeguard the students’ interests even though we are amid a health crisis. It is especially the study board that has the decision-making authority regarding our exams. Therefore, you should all be aware of the following if you experience decisions about your exams that are NOT from the study board:

Form and rules for any examination must be described in the curriculum according to the Danish departmental order regarding exams (chapter five). Briefly put, this means that UCPH must provide a detailed description of any course and its examination during every term. Regarding the decision-making authority about the curriculum, the statutes of UCPH state (§41, stk. 5):  

“Subject to the delegation of responsibilities by the Rector, the dean approves the curricula at the proposal of the study boards.”

I.e. you are well within your rights to insist on the study board proposing any changes to the curriculum before they are made.

At some faculties, the Dean has decided to delegate this responsibility and the dialogue between the Dean and the study board to the associate dean for education or the head of the departments respectively.