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Coronavirus

On February 16, 2022, the Federal Council decides to lift the Corona measures as of February 17, 2022 - only the obligation to wear masks in public transport and in health care facilities as well as isolation will remain in place until the end of March.

The beginning of 2022 has been also marked by the pandemic for Swiss universities. Especially in view of the worrying developments due to Omicron, they are making a substantial contribution to fighting the pandemic and containing infections. It continues to be central for the universities that teaching and research can take place again as quickly as possible under regular conditions and for all in the established quality.

The universities succeeded in conducting face-to-face teaching in the autumn semester of 2021, largely applying the 3G rule with the COVID certificate as well as adhering to their own protection concepts. This was very important for both the quality of teaching and the student experience. In this context, the universities have proven that they can largely guarantee the health of students and staff with the protection concepts they have developed and implemented and are not drivers of the pandemic. In addition, reliable estimates suggest that around 85-90% of students have been vaccinated.

With regard to additional measures, the universities counter the assumption that it is possible to switch to distance learning at the tertiary level without any problems or significant negative consequences. The experience of the Corona pandemic has indeed led to increased flexibility in teaching and learning forms, so that the conversion from face-to-face teaching to distance learning is possible to a large extent. Distance learning, however, entails considerable negative implications - as experience after about two years since the beginning of the pandemic has shown.

High-quality teaching at universities is dependent on classroom teaching. Studies and continuing education are not only about imparting knowledge in the narrow sense, but also and especially about practising and acquiring diverse skills (such as argumentative debate, the analysis of complex issues or networked thinking). In addition, certain teaching units cannot be completed remotely (such as laboratory activities, medical, social or didactic activities). Finally, experience at all universities has shown that distance learning and the lack of on-campus exchanges affect students' mental health. For the members of swissuniversities, therefore, face-to-face teaching remains the most important form of university teaching.

Against this background, in the context of the discussion on additional measures to contain the pandemic, distance learning at the tertiary level should only be considered as ultima ratio and after a comprehensive weighing of interests.

Furthermore, the Board of swissuniversities emphasized two aspects at the beginning of January 2022:

On the one hand, it must be possible to conduct the examinations at the beginning of 2022 in the format in which they are planned according to the Federal Council's specifications of 20 December 2021. A renewed short-term modification of the rules for examinations would not only present the universities with the greatest organizational difficulties, but would also make adequate preparation of the students practically impossible. It would have to be expected that certain examinations could not be carried out. This would have serious consequences for students and their personal and professional future.

Secondly, undergraduate teaching and continuing education should be subject to the same rules and should be possible in face-to-face teaching in compliance with the 3G rule and the protection concepts. With the Federal Council's decision of 20 December 2021, an unequal treatment of continuing education in the tertiary A and tertiary B sectors is carried out, which can hardly be justified epidemiologically. If, according to Art 19 a, lit. b, postgraduate studies at higher professional schools can be carried out with 3G, this must also be possible for continuing education at higher education institutions.

 

 

 

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Federal requirements applicable to universities

On February 16, 2022, the Federal Council decides to lift the Corona measures as of February 17, 2022 - only the obligation to wear masks in public transport and in health care facilities as well as isolation will remain in place until the end of March.

Federal Council introduces tighter measures from Monday, 20 December. For the tertiary level as well as for certain educational offers and examinations, a 3G obligation now applies; for continuing education, the normal event rules apply.

At his meeting on 8 september 2021, the Federal Council extends COVID certificate requirement.

At his meeting on 23 June 2021, the Federal Council decided that the measures in place to contain the coronavirus will be eased and simplified significantly from Saturday, 26 June. Restrictions on class sizes for face-to-face teaching at higher education institutions will be lifted, and there will be no requirement to conduct regular testing.

At its meeting on 26 May 2021, the Federal Council decided that the 50-person limit for face-to-face teaching will be lifted at higher education institutions, provided there is a testing plan in place and authorisation is obtained from the cantonal authorities. Capacity restrictions no longer apply. Face masks must be worn and social distancing rules still apply.

The Federal Council decides on 14 April 2021 that as of 19 April 2021, presential teaching is again permitted at universities. Attendance is limited to 50 people and one third of the room capacity, and the requirement to wear a mask and to maintain a distance.

At its meeting on 28 October, the Federal Council decided on the ban on face-to-face teaching at higher education institutions starting from Monday, 2 November. Excluded from this prohibition are teaching activities that are a necessary part of an educational program and for which a presence on site is required as well as individual lessons.

At its meeting on 11 September, the Federal Council decided on the quarantine rules for persons entering Switzerland from neighbouring countries: only those regions of neighbouring countries where the infection rate is over the limit will be added to the list of countries and areas with an increased rate of infection, not the entire country. Border regions may be exempted from inclusion on the list. In so doing, the Federal Council is responding to the rapid rise in infection numbers, while still taking account of the close interaction between Switzerland and neighbouring regions. The revised ordinance will come into force on 14 September. At the same time, the list of risk areas will be updated.

The Federal Council puts further easing into force on 22 June

Der Bund publiziert am 8. Juni 2020 die "COVID-19 Grundprinzipien für den Präsenzunterricht an Bildungseinrichtungen der Sekundarstufe II, der Tertiärstufe und der Weiterbildung
als Grundlage für die Ausarbeitung der Schutzkonzepte der Bildungseinrichtungen".

On 27 May 2020 the Federal Council decides on extensive easing of measures as of 6 June

On 29 April 2020 the Federal Council decided to to ease further measures from 11 May. The universities are affected by the reopening of the museums and libraries.

On 16 April 2020 the Federal Council decided  to gradually ease measures against the new coronavirus. In phase three, set to commence on 8 June, upper secondary schools, vocational schools and higher education institutions will be allowed to resume face-to-face teaching.

On 8 April 2020 the Federal Council extends measures by a week until 26 April 2020.

On 13 March 2020 the Federal Council has prohibited all face-to-face teaching in all schools and universities until 4 April 2020. On 16 March 2020 the measures were extended until 17 April 2020.

Am 18. März 2020 hat der Bund in den Erläuterungen die Massnahmen für die Hochschulen wie folgt präzisiert (nur auf Deutsch):

«Bei Lehrveranstaltungen und Unterricht an Schulen, Hochschtulen und übrigen Ausbildungsstätten (z.B. private Lehrinstitute) befinden sich zahlreiche Menschen auf engen Raum über längere Zeit dicht beieinander. Als Massnahme zur Eindämmung der Verbreitung des Coronavirus werden deshalb an solchen Orten Präsenzveranstaltungen verboten (Abs. 1). Die Institutionen an sich sollen aber nicht geschlossen werden, damit beispielsweise Professorinnen und Professoren und Assistentinnen und Assistenten weiterhin ihrer Arbeit nachgehen können. Denkbar ist auch, dass zum Beispiel eine Lehrveranstaltung via Internet aus einem Hörsaal übertragen wird, was bei einer Schliessung einer Schule, Hochschule oder Ausbildungsstätte kaum mehr möglich wäre. (…)  Prüfungen, für die zum Zeitpunkt des Inkrafttretens dieser Massnahme bereits ein Termin festgelegt worden ist, können durchgeführt werden (Abs. 2). Dies aber nur dann, wenn geeignete Schutzmassnahmen getroffen werden, um eine Verbreitung des Coronavirus zu verhindern (Hygienemassnahmen und social distancing).»

Am 18. März 2020 hat der Bundesrat folgende Einreisebeschränkungen erlassen (nur auf Deutsch und Französisch):

«Um den Schutz der Bevölkerung vor dem Coronavirus weiter zu verstärken, dehnt die Schweiz die Einreisebeschränkungen auf Spanien aus. Diese gelten zudem ab sofort auch für den Luftverkehr aus Italien, Frankreich, Deutschland und Österreich sowie aus allen Nicht-Schengen-Staaten. Zudem setzt der Bundesrat die Erteilung von Schengenvisa wie auch von nationalen Visa für Angehörige von Drittstaaten für vorerst drei Monate aus. Die Einreise in die Schweiz ist für diese nur noch in Ausnahmefällen möglich.»

On 25 March, the Federal Council was informed by the FDJP that entry restrictions have been extended to all Schengen States.

On 31 March, the Confederation appoints the Swiss National COVID-19 Science Task Force: Release, Website

Information about how the universities are implementing the measures decided by the Federal Council can be found on the institutions’ own websites.

Information from the universities on the coronavirus

The universities provide information on their websites on how to deal with the coronavirus. They inform students and staff about their current operations.

Berner Fachhochschule

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich

Fachhochschule Graubünden

Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz

Fachhochschule Ostschweiz

Haute Ecole pédagogique Berne-Jura-Neuchâtel

Haute Ecole pédagogique Fribourg

Haute Ecole pédagogique du Valais

Haute Ecole pédagogique Vaud

Haute Ecole spécialisée de Suisse occidentale

Hochschule für Heilpädagogik

Hochschule Luzern

Kalaidos Fachhochschule Schweiz

Pädagogische Hochschule Bern

Pädagogische Hochschule Graubünden

Pädagogische Hochschule Luzern

Pädagogische Hochschule Schaffhausen

Pädagogische Hochschule Schwyz

Pädagogische Hochschule St. Gallen

Pädagogische Hochschule Thurgau

Pädagogische Hochschule Zug

Pädagogische Hochschule Zürich

Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana

Universität Basel

Universität Bern

Université de Fribourg

Université de Genève

Université de Lausanne

Universität Luzern

  • Coronavirus
    • Hotline Studierende: + 41 41 229 50 51
    • Hotline Dozierende: + 41 41 229 50 52
    • Hotline Mitarbeitende: + 41 41 229 50 5

Université de Neuchâtel

Universität St. Gallen

Università della Svizzera italiana

Universität Zürich

Zürcher Fachhochschule ZFH

 

Accredited institutions

IHEID

FernUni Schweiz

Eidg. Hochschulinstitut für Berufsbildung EHB

Facoltà di Teologia di Lugano (FTL)

Franklin University

Staatsunabhängige Theologische Hochschule Basel (STH)

Theologische Hochschule Chur (THC)