RECTOR-CHANCELLOR’S ORDER No. E/6/2020. (III.12.)

RECTOR-CHANCELLOR’S ORDER No. E/6/2020. (III.12.)

Semmelweis University action plan on education and patient care to deal with the new coronavirus emergency

Based on the state of emergency (Government Decree No. 40/2020. (III.11.), and on the Government Decree No. 41/2020. (III.11.) of the Government of the Republic of Hungary and as defined in the instructions issued by the Ministry of Innovation and Technology, I am acting within the scope of my competence under Section 3 (§12) of Part I of the Organizational and Operational Rules, I hereby issue the following orders:

I.  Measures to be taken in relation to higher education:

 (1) I have ordered a rector’s education break at the University on March 12 and March 13, 2020

(2) I call the attention of the students not to travel abroad during the spring break and I ask them to stay at home or at the place of their residence.

(3) From March 12, 2020, students are prohibited from visiting the University. All the students are subject to this order who have a student status within the University, including the doctoral programs where they have a student status, and this order remains in effect until its cancellation.

(4) During the period referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2), the University shall prepare for the establishment of a distance education mode which will be in effect throughout the entire institution.

(5) The Distance learning program will begin on March 23, 2020 in the Moodle E-Learning framework. I request the deans of the faculties to develop the distance education system in a department specific way, and I request the heads of the departments to inform the students constantly on their institute’s or clinic’s website about the information related to the distance education program and about the availability of teaching materials. All lectures can be held and some elements to reduce the demand for practical lessons can be incorporated (e.g. surgical broadcasts, demonstrations) through distance learning, however, the main rule is that practical lessons cannot be replaced by distance learning. Oral exams can be taken online, but examinations of practical lessons have to be held the proper way. If the governmental ban on the visits of the institutions is abolished, the University will make every effort to ensure that our students can complete the necessary practical lessons.

(6) If the student is studying abroad taking their practice and there is no epidemiological restriction in the country or region where he or she is staying, then the student can serve his or her practice time in that country or region and it will be accepted by the Universitiy. If there is an epidemiological restriction in effect or if it will come into effect in the place or the region of the foreign country where the student is fulfilling the practice then the period of time that the student has served until the date of the beginning of the epidemiological restrictions shall be accepted by the If so, the student will have to take part in the distance learning program of the University that begins on the 23th of March. The student must apply for admission to the appropriate head of department, who will take the necessary steps for the student to begin the distance learning program.

(7) The Rector’s breaks, spring breaks and distance learning periods shall not affect the work of lecturers, researchers, teachers, teaching- and research assistants and other professions; and they shall continue to work without an interruption. During these times, Hungarian-speaking, 6th year medical students who fully comply with the epidemiological regulations in force  are expected to volunteer by the clinic managers.

(8) Hungarian students must leave their dormitory residence by 13 March at the latest and should head to their permanent residence. Exceptions may be made by the permission of the Rector. International students are allowed to stay at the dormitories.

(9) Due to the prohibition on visiting the institution, all student administration is possible only in electronic form, for which further information is provided by the competent Dean’s Office.

II.   Procedure for traveling abroad and the obligation of reporting

1. CLIV of 1997 on Health Commands applicable to healthcare workers under the Act:

1.  Based on the. No. 41/2020. (III.11.) Of the Government of the Republic of Hungary, as of 12 March 2020, health care workers subject to the Act may leave the territory of Hungary only with the special permission of the Minister responsible for the management of the management of the sector.
2. The commencement of the approval referred to in (a) shall be notified at least 5 days prior to the scheduled time of travel to the competent institute director, who shall send the request to the President of the Clinical Center.
3. The President of the Clinical Center shall send the collected applications to the Rector, who shall submit them to the Minister for approval

2.     In addition to the staff defined in paragraph (1), provisions applicable to all citizens of the University (students, faculty, staff) shall be:

1. You must postpone your official travel abroad and, if possible, use alternative means of communication (eg teleconference) for professional communication
   1. Travel for official purposes may be commenced only in very exceptional cases and subject to the approval of the Rector
2. The application for a rector’s approval as defined in b) must be sent electronically to the e-mail address corona@semmelweis-univ.hu through the employer.

1. 1. On the first business day following your return, whether on official or private travel abroad, if you have been in one of the countries listed on the NNK’s official website (https://www.nnk.gov.hu/index.php/lakossagi-tajekoztatok/koronavirus) within the past 14 days – you are required to fill out the questionnaire in Appendix No. 2 and send it electronically to your employer or, if you are a student, to the dean’s office. In order to arrange appropriate patient care, I request those concerned to contact by email the hospital hygiene staff member designated in the University questionnaire.
2. For workers who, according to international information, have traveled to countries at risk, immediate exemption from work should be ordered, work-from-home if possible, for a period of 14 days.
3. I also recommend that all citizens of Semmelweis University postpone their private travel abroad.

III.   Semmelweis University Committee on Epidemiology

 (1) For the purpose of the development, day-to-day management and university-level enforcement of epidemiological measures relating to the coronavirus,

(2) The Committee on Epidemiology shall meet at least once a day, or as required, until revocation.

(3) The decisions of the Committee shall be documented on the basis of the reminder of the meeting. After approval by the Rector, the reminder will be sent to the organizational unit concerned and will be obligatory for the organizational units included in the terms of reference.

(4) Composition of the Committee on Epidemiology:

1. 1. 1. chaired by the Rector
      2. Operational leader: President of the Clinical Center
      3. permanent members:

• • • • Deputy Chancellor
      • Deputy Rector for Strategy and Development
      • Deputy Rector for Education
      • Deputy Chancellor
      • Deputy Rector for International Training
      • Director General for Economic Affairs
      • Director General of Human Resources Management
      • Director General for Legal and Administrative Affairs
      • Director General of Medicine
      • Technical Director General
      • Director of the Procurement Department
      • Director of Supply Management and Control
      • Communication and Event Director
      • Head of Department at the Department of Hospital Hygiene

(5) Permanent members may attend the meetings of the Committee on Epidemiology by sending their delegates with decision-making powers.

(6) The Operational Leader of the Committee on Epidemiology may extend the attendance of the meeting.

(7) The Committee shall propose to the Rector the performance of emergency management tasks, and shall evaluate and analyze information on emergency management. On the basis of the proposals, the Rector, with the agreement of the Deputy Chancellor in the case of budgetary implications, shall decide on matters to be raised at the meeting of the Committee.

IV.   Guidelines for holding meetings and events at Semmelweis University

(1) As defined in §4 of Government Decree 41/2020. (III.11.) it is prohibited to for more than 100 persons (including guests and organizers) to stay in a closed place and more than 500 persons to stay in an non-closed place.

(2) holding meetings or events with more than 100 persons (including guests and organizers) in a closed place and more than 500 persons in a non-closed place is prohibited.

(3) The organizer of each event shall decide on the holding of an event of a smaller scale, considering its importance and timeliness. Regardless of the number of participants, it is recommended that all other events be reconsidered.

(4) Detailed information on the organization of the events is given in Appendix No. 2.

V.   Provisions relating to vocational education and educational institutions and to adult training

(1) The Government Decree introducing the prohibition on access to institutions shall be limited to visits by students to higher education institutions and shall not apply to participants in vocational education and training, vocational training, adult education and post-graduate education.

(2) The University cannot provide the practice of vocational training institutions, instead the vocational training institutions may provide theoretical training to replace the practice lost because of these regulations. As stipulated in the Government Decree, extraordinary breaks cannot be ordered in public educational institutions, school trips abroad are prohibited, school trips that have already been booked must be cancelled.

(3) The Director of the Vocational Training Institutions Directorate (Szakképző Köznevelési Intézmények Igazgatósága) and the Vocational Training Institutions Management Supervision Coordination Directorate (Szakképző Köznevelési Intézmények Gazdálkodásfelügyeleti Koordinációs Igazgatósága) shall be responsible for coordinating the practices.

VI.   Provisions applicable to employees in certain units providing patient care

(1) For persons over 70, regardless of the legal status of employment, I order home-based employment. When working from home, carry out tasks related to professional work or the nature of the job as instructed by the employer. For the duration of the home-based employment, the employee is paid in accordance with the applicable rules.

(2) Persons aged 65 to 70, regardless of the legal status of employment, may work from home as defined in Paragraph (1) on the basis of their declaration in Appendix No. 3.

These instructions shall enter into force immediately upon publication on the homepage of the University and the Rector’s Order R / 1/2020. (III.11.) is hereby repealed.

Please strictly follow the instructions in this Order! Thank you for your cooperation!

Budapest, March 12, 2020

Béla Merkely M.D.                                                Irén Holló Baumgartnerné Rector                                                                 Deputy Chancellor

Appendix No. 1 for the Rector-Chancellor’s Order →

Appendix No. 2 for the Rector-Chancellor’s Order →

Appendix No. 3 for the Rector-Chancellor’s Order →