New regulations pertaining to studies and examinations

On 19th. of March, the Board of Volda University College passed new, temporary regulations on studies and examinations prompted by the situation with the Corona virus. The regulations are intended to safeguard the rights of the students, and give the academic staff the possibility to adjust teaching and examination form. An English version of the regulation will be published on this page on Monday March 23.

– We shall work to ensure that our students can complete their education in the best possible manner, in spite of our current situation. This is the main objective with these regulations, Rector Johann Roppen declares.

Among other things, these regulations open up for extended deadlines for examiners, confirms the previously announced repeal of obligatory attendance (limited to the spring semester,) and strengthens students’ rights in case of Corona-related absence in connection with examinations and work requirements.

– The regulations are thus also meant to ensure the academic staff’s freedom to adjust teaching and examination form, Roppen says. – They come into force immediately, and will remain so until 1. September 2020.

Earlier this week, the Emergency Leader Group at HVO decided that all examinations requiring physical attendance are to be replaced with alternative digital examination forms. As a consequence of this, all teaching for the rest of the semester will also take place digitally. This may also result in an adjustment of examination times.

– An overview over these alternative examination forms and any adjustments of times will be in place by 30. March, says VUC Director Karen Lomeland Jacobsen. “It is important for us that the students as far as possible know what lies ahead of them, in spite of the situation we are in.

Lomeland Jacobsen says that both academic and administrative staff at VUC are working on digital alternatives to ensure as good and as customised teaching as possible.

– We are happy that we have such lengthy experience with distance- and net-based teaching, and that many of our examinations are already digital,” the director says: “This is a great help when we are to adjust conditions to as good a study situation as possible.