Dear DAE Community,
Greetings! We hope you’re doing well – and, most importantly, staying safe and healthy – wherever you find yourself in the world.
Understandably, many of you have questions about quarantine rules, COVID tests, whether courses will be online or in-person, etc. Rest assured that our team here at DAE has dedicated the past few months toward crafting a system that will support your academic growth as well as your well-being. Although things will indeed look a bit different in the fall, we are confident that you will find fulfillment, growth, and a sense of belonging within the DAE Community. We will do everything in our power to keep our Community spirit alive and well – and we look forward to starting this quirky academic year off to a roaring start – together. We thank you immensely for your patience and understanding as we navigate this “new normal” for the time being.
The following will hopefully clarify some of the unknowns that have accompanied such an interesting time in our academic world.
COVID-19: FOR THOSE TRAVELLING FROM OTHER COUNTRIES
- All countries inside & outside of the E.U. have been divided into green, orange, and red zones based on the prevalence of COVID-19 infection. To monitor the status of the region you are departing from, have a good look at
https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en under the section “You are returning from…”
- If you are arriving from a RED ZONE, then you will need to quarantine for 14 days and will also need to be tested as soon as possible upon arrival and 9 days later. If you are arriving from an ORANGE ZONE, this is highly recommended by the Belgian government.
•
Need to get tested? Email Community Manager,
Ms. Allie Weis (
allie.weis@account.howest.be) for a list of recommended doctors in the Kortrijk area.
• IMPORTANT NOTE: Grocery shopping is completely OK under Belgium’s quarantine guidelines. This – and going to the doctor/going to a pharmacy – is considered an essential activity and can be done even if on quarantine. Of course, always wear a mask and comply with the 1.5 meter distance rules.
- IMPORTANT: If you are travelling to Belgium from a different country, you must complete the following online form within 48 hours prior to your arrival in Belgium: https://travel.info-coronavirus.be/public-health-passenger-locator-form
- Helpful sources of information about Belgium in English are:
• https://www.thebulletin.be/
• If you can’t find the answer to your question(s), you can always call Belgium’s Coronavirus Hotline at +32 0800 14 689.
**If you are a BUDDY for an international pal, we ask that you refrain from picking your pal up from the airport/gathering together for the first 14 days – if you or your pal arrived in Belgium from an orange/red zone.
PLANS FOR THE FALL:
- Those enrolled are expected to be in Kortrijk.
- All university colleges in Flanders are currently under a “CODE YELLOW”: this means that we are able to conduct up to 75% of our academic activities in-person.
- Especially within the first month, we plan to fully utilize on-campus learning/community building (of course while complying with the latest safety measures). Our goal is to focus our energy toward building up the Community in the first weeks of the semester.
- Classes will be held both online and in-person, with a focus on in-person lessons. Online lessons can be expected to be more theory-based, while in-person lessons can be expected to take more of a feedback/practical session form.
- All course content will be offered online for student use.
- If you are enrolled and will not be present for the first week (or more) of classes due to quarantine/visa delays/etc., do not worry. We fully anticipate this to be the case for a number of our students and we will work closely with you to keep you fully up-to-speed with course content. If you expect to miss in-person lessons, be sure to contact your lecturers (for first-years, all schedules/class information will be shared during the Kick-Off Week).
- All second-year students and third-year 3D Animation/Visual Effects students will have in-person classes at Howest’s campus ‘The Square’ (Luipaardstraat 12A).
- Masks will be REQUIRED at all times within The Level and The Square.
- Eating inside the buildings will not be allowed.
- We will formulate the class schedules so that no two class groups have breaks at the same times. This is to prevent overcrowding/mixing of class group “bubbles.”
- For all in-person classes, room locations will be fixed for the duration of the semester. Each student’s seat will be assigned for the semester (in compliance with contact-tracing regulations).
- If a student or staff member is diagnosed with COVID-19, we will immediately assess high-risk contacts; these individuals will need to quarantine and get tested. In the case of infection, all respective classes would be held virtually until the quarantine period has ended.
- *DAE FIRST-YEARS: Our DAE Kick-Off Week will take place from 14-18 September – please make sure you are available during this week, as lots of important information will be shared (do not worry if you are still quarantining/will not be able to be physically present for other reasons; all necessary information will also be shared online). Events will be both online and in-person; a detailed itinerary will be available to view shortly.
- We expect you to be physically in Kortrijk for sure by the first day of classes – Monday, 21 September. If you need/choose to quarantine elsewhere in Belgium, for example, keep us informed – and we expect you to follow courses online and/or keep up with any courses that might be in-person.
Rest assured that we are here to support you. While this semester will certainly look different than in years past, we strongly believe that all of us at DAE – and our Community spirit – will find ways to prevail in more unique ways than ever before. As always, we are here to support you during this transition and guarantee that your success at DAE is our #1 priority.
We look forward to welcoming you very soon. Here’s to an academic year unlike the rest!