Students and staff can start to return to their on-campus classrooms, lecture halls and office desks. However, the transition will take place gradually, with operations now being planned for the return.

“It feels very positive that we can start looking forward to being able to carry out teaching and research on site. Although we can probably expect to continue with digital teaching in part for the rest of February. Many of our students need time to return to Malmö after a long period of digital studies, and the spread of infection is still high; we need to safeguard the quality of education during this transition period,” says Vice-Chancellor Kerstin Tham.

The government restrictions to limit the spread of Covid-19 began to be phased out as of 9 February, with a mandate that a return to the workplace should take place gradually. This means that previous decisions made by Malmö University ceased to apply from that date. The exception to the Vice-Chancellor’s decisions concern the Faculty of Odontology, which is covered by special regulations and advice set by the Swedish Public Health Agency regarding dental care.

University management will now plan for how the step-by-step return will be managed. Tham emphasises how important it is to breathe life back into the University's premises, and re-establish a university environment and culture that is attractive and creative for both employees and students.

“We need to work towards this in the spring, which I look forward to – we need to feel job satisfaction and community. At the same time, we need to be mindful of the great spread of infection, so it is still important that we stay at home if we are ill, or have symptoms,” Tham concludes.

Text: Communications Department