Following the move to level 1 of the national lockdown and Wednesday afternoon’s briefing by the Minister of Higher Education, Belgium Campus iTversity would like to invite all students to return to campus from 5 October 2020, to make use of the facilities for online classes. This invitation extends to all residence students who can now return to campus and occupy their rooms. As per our previous communication, face-to-face classes will only resume next year, and this invitation serves to assist students who need to make use of campus facilities to continue with online classes.

Please indicate whether you would like to return to campus as a residence student by selecting the applicable option below:

NB: Please note that should you choose not to return to residence, you (or your sponsor) will still be held liable for the account as per our residence cancellation policy.

I will be returning to campus to make use of the facilities as a residence student

I will NOT be returning to campus, and will continue my studies from home

Consultation Sessions

We would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the consultation sessions commencing on 2 October 2020. These sessions are in response to the recent survey we conducted to determine the preferred mode of delivery for completing the academic year. Although the survey revealed that 90.4% of students would like to continue with online learning, we acknowledge and understand the request of some students to resume face-to-face classes. It is for this reason that we decided to offer students the choice to attend these sessions online or face-to-face on campus.

The sessions will allow students to meet with their lecturers on a one-to-one basis or in small groups, to actively engage with the course material and get answers to any questions they may have. They will take place on Fridays between assessments (10h00 – 12h00 or 15h00 – 17h00), strictly on an appointment basis. Students who wish to make an appointment can do so by sending an email to their lecturer.

Rules and Regulations

All students who choose to return to campus will do so in accordance with government regulations and under strict health and safety protocols. These include:

• Wearing an appropriate mask (covering the mouth and nose) at all times;

• Adhering to physical and social distancing rules. This means keeping a distance of at least 1.5 meters, preferably 2 meters, between yourself and those around you;

• Follow basic hygiene practices. This includes properly washing or sanitising your hands regularly;

• Adhering to the 50% venue capacity rule;

• Carrying your student card at all times. Student cards will be used for contact tracing purposes and no student will be allowed on campus without one;

• Completing pre-screening (via the Belgium Campus COVID-19 pre-screening app or at screening.belgiumcampus.ac.za) before leaving residence and on-campus screening between 6am and 7am at the cafeteria.

Residence students must also adhere to the following additional rules:

General

• Be in your room by 19:00 every evening;

• Sign in and out at the security guard house using your student card, each time you enter or exit campus.

Visitors

• No visitors will be allowed on campus, with the exception of people who are assisting a student to move into their room on the day of their return. In these instances, both the returning student and the assisting individuals will be required to:

  • Wear a mask at all times;

  • Undergo on-campus screening at the screening station, and self-screening through the Belgium Campus COVID-19 pre-screening app.

What to Bring

All students returning to residence are encouraged to bring the basic necessities outlined at the beginning of the year. You are also encouraged to bring the following additional items:

• Additional face masks (to add to the cloth masks supplied by Belgium Campus);

• Additional blankets;

• Additional bathroom towels;

• Alcohol based hand sanitiser;

• Hand soap;

• Diluted bleach solution for wiping down surfaces in your room;

• Extra cloths that can be used to wipe down surfaces in your room.

COVID-19 Health and Safety Training

In addition to the above, all students who wish to return to campus must first complete COVID-19 health and safety training and pass a test on the material covered. A COVID-19 training video has been made available on the Belgium Campus Teams under the ‘COVID19 – Training Material’ tab. You can complete your training by watching this video and completing the test online.

Alternatively, you can choose to attend the training via Zoom at the following link: https://zoom.us/j/8289277052, meeting ID: 828 927 7052. If you choose this option, please ensure that you attend one of the sessions on either 2 October 2020 or 9 October 2020 at the following times:

You will also be given access to additional resources including video content, demos, policies and procedures, and rules and regulations via a COVID-19 student SharePoint site. Please familiarise yourself with this content prior to your return. You are also encouraged to make use of the COVID-19 Resource Portal on our website, as well as the official South African government’s Covid-19 WhatsApp number: 060 012 3456, to stay up-to-date with the latest COVID-19 information.

The wellbeing of our students and staff remains our highest priority. We would like to thank you for your continued support and understanding. Without the support of our students and the Belgium Campus iTversity community as a whole, we would not have been able to save the academic year while ensuring that our campuses remain safe and operational.

Yours faithfully,
Belgium Campus iTversity Management