UPT students returned to the campus
UPT students returned to the campus
Politehnica University Timisoara was one of the institutions that best adapted to the new reality imposed by the epidemiological context. It successfully transitioned from campus to online education, having the experience of the Virtual Campus and the e-Learning Center, through which it offered both online courses and a series of webinars that aimed to prepare and advise students on the use of new educational resources. Through the Career Counseling and Guidance Center, the university provided students with counseling for adapting to the new education system. It has been a challenging year for the entire education system, which has had to close its doors, transfer courses online, some fully, others alternating with hybrid education over different periods, depending on the public health measures for combating the pandemic.
In the last year there has been a major increase in resources used for online education in the UPT Virtual Campus, additional equipment needed for online activity has been purchased, digital tools have been developed, by students too, but also open online courses through the Center e-Learning.
"In the end, I think we have to look at the bright side of things, in the sense that we have adapted, this year. For us, at Politehnica University Timișoara, it was easier, because we had a fairly well-developed system, I mean the e-Learning Center and the Virtual Campus, which carried out online activities before the pandemic. Teachers who did not teach in the distance learning system only had to adapt their courses to an already existing platform, we did not have to develop a system from scratch. From this point of view, it meant a lot that the teaching staff had the necessary software tools at their disposal. We have expanded a lot in this area. The only inconvenience remains the area of applications, in some cases, where there are more complex installations, for which it was more difficult to record and broadcast the laboratory work online", said assoc. prof. eng. Florin Dragan, Ph.D., rector of Politehnica University Timisoara.
The UPT management allowed the faculties to decide if they organized the courses in a hybrid education system or to stay in the online system. Most faculties have chosen, so far, to stay online. Following the consultations with the students for each adopted measure, the faculties scheduled the application activities in hybrid system, in small groups.
Now, however, when the epidemiological situation has visibly improved and most students have expressed a desire to resume activities "face to face", the UPT leadership has decided to bring students to campus, especially those who are now in the first year, for carrying out experimental and laboratory activities imposed by the specifics of engineering education, for familiarization with sports facilities or those offered by the UPT Library, but also those in the final years, to complete their bachelor's theses.
In order to ensure maximum safety conditions for students, they will come to the campus in a staggered manner and will physically carry out mainly practical activities, other types of activities being still carried out online.
Accommodation is made in dormitories 20C and 21C, which have been prepared with everything necessary for the arrival of students, with a maximum of 3 students in each room, grouped by faculty. UPT dorms are equipped with a refrigerator in each room, with a laundry and kitchen on each floor. 24-hour security with qualified staff is provided at the entrance. Access to the dormitory is done with the student card. Last but not least, during this period the student canteen will offer diversified menus, at the subsidized price of 8.00 lei / meal card (type 1 and 2), exclusively for UPT students, daily between 12:00 and 20:00. Meal cards can be purchased from the canteen.
“Taking advantage of the drop in the infection rate in Timișoara and the region, we decided to bring the first-year students to the campus in the first place. Some faculties that already brought the first-years have opted to also bring second- and third-year students. Needless to say, they are not obligated to come. Classes still take place online but they are given the opportunity to see their faculty, the laboratories, to talk with the teaching staff. We especially wanted the first-year students to get in contact with the student life and UPT. Apart from laboratories, the students will visit the UPT Library, the sports facilities, where they can participate in activities, the Career Counselling and Guidance Center, the Department for Teaching Staff Training to be introduced to the pedagogic study module. Of course, there is also the student life in the Student Campus, they can feel the pulse of the city, get to know each other, which I believe is very important, because some of them had only met online. I believe it is important for them to develop social relationships appropriate for they age, because it is something they missed in the last year”, added UPT rector assoc. prof. eng. Florin Dragan, Ph.D.
Last but not least, the UPT management considers the safety of student activities a top priority. To that end, beside the sanitization measures that have already been taken, a conference was organized for UPT students on the existent vaccine types, the differences between them and the importance of getting vaccinated. The event was organized in collaboration with the Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Timisoara, with the help of prorector Dorel Sandesc’s collective. UPT facilitates participation in the Vaccination Marathon for its students, from May 14, 16:00 to May 17, 8:00, at the Regional Business Center in Timisoara, where students can choose between the Pfizer and Johnson&Johnson vaccines.
