Considering:
– The determinations of the Government and health authorities regarding the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic;
– The current existence of a legal framework for conducting academic and non-academic activities with the presence of students, by virtue of the derogation of paragraph 1 of article 9 of Decree-Law no. 10-A / 2020, of 13 March, in the current wording;
The Recommendation of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education, of 15 May, which highlights the effective continuity of plans for the progressive lifting of the containment measures adopted to combat the pandemic associated with COVID-19, as well as the phased and responsible reactivation activities in the presence of students, teachers, researchers and other collaborators, as well as the responsibility of scientific and higher education institutions in leading the process of standardization of the various sectors of activity that is ongoing in Portugal and in the rest of Europe;
– The full commitment of the Polytechnic of Leiria, as an intervening agent in the process of resuming academic, social, cultural and economic activities, in conditions of safety for all, and without setbacks, in the positive evolution that has been felt in Portugal;
– The positive results of the gradual recovery that has been implemented in the Schools and Services of the Polytechnic of Leiria, in conditions of safety for all;
– Having heard the School Boards;
I determine:
1. The normalization of the opening of laboratories and workshops for research activities, provision of services and projects of finalist students, with the respective rules of operation and access to them, under safe conditions;
2. The opening of spaces allocated to the Research Units;
3. The opening of libraries with access to common spaces for consultations and studies, with the publication of opening hours and access conditions;
4. The progressive normalization of the opening and operation of the canteens, ensuring lunches on all campuses and in compliance with the specific guidelines of the Health authorities;
5. The significant reinforcement of the opening of a larger number of rooms for study support and e-learning activities, with students respecting the defined rules and the capacity of the rooms;
6. Opening and facilitating access to teachers’ offices;
7. The resumption of face-to-face meetings of organs and juries, whenever hygiene and safety conditions are met and the presence of all stakeholders is guaranteed;
8. The progressive normalization of missions on duty;
9. The plan to gradually resume attendance and face-to-face operation of all Services should be continued, with a view to gradually reducing the use of teleworking and adopting, whenever possible, the rotation and operation of the teams in “mirror”. The progressive resumption of face-to-face activity must be articulated by hierarchical superiors in order to safeguard specific, vulnerable and at-risk groups; this articulation must also take into account the legal provisions related to the other activities of normalization of society (such as the reopening of pre-school education), to allow their conciliation;
10. The opening of teaching spaces, research activities, support services, teachers’ offices, among others, must safeguard the social distance of 2 meters, the mandatory use of a mask and, whenever possible, an area of 5 square meters per person;
11. Requests for exceptions to the provisions relating to teaching and assessment activities may be analyzed in Order No. 120, of April 22, provided that the equity of access for all students is safeguarded and that safety issues are safeguarded, as well as the recommendations of health authorities.
12. The present measures will continue to be monitored and evaluated permanently, and new guidelines can be communicated, in view of the evolution of the pandemic and exceptional situations that may require it;
These measures must be implemented between May 25th and June 1st by the School Directors, Research Unit Coordinators and Services Directorates. They will be responsible for the management of the progressive recovery plans, and updated information on the rules, times and conditions of access to each of the spaces that must be explicit on the respective web pages.
Let the academic community know and publish it on the website of the Polytechnic of Leiria.
Inform the academic community and publish it on the website of the Polytechnic of Leiria.
Order No. 136/2020
Guidelines for strengthening the resumption of presential activities at the Polytechnic of Leiria
Leiria, April 22, 2020
Rui Pedrosa
President of the Polytechnic of Leiria