Covid-19 Communications

Belgium Campus COVID-19 Communication 16 – June 2020 Examination Dear Students Belgium Campus iTversity has been communicating with you throughout the past three months of lockdown and we trust that you have followed developments. We have been authorised by the Council of Higher Education to change to online classes due to the Covid-19 pandemic and are committed to complete the academic year in December 2020. The mid-year examinations are scheduled to start on Monday, 22 June 2020 and will continue through to Friday, 3 July 2020. In the upcoming examinations, Belgium Campus (BC) will employ multiple assessment methodologies which will enable BC to adequately assess the performance of each student and will be done either orally, through case studies or through online assessments. Exam Preparation On the day of your exam, you need to log into Zoom prior to the exam start time, around 10 – 15 minutes before the scheduled examination time. Once connected, the invigilator will confirm your ID in the Zoom meeting against the list of students authorised to sit for the specific exam. When you log in with your username and password, we accept that the correct students have logged in. You will be required to accept and sign the pop-up terms and conditions before you will be allowed to start. Once you start your exam, BC will continue to monitor certain data points on your computer. For online exams, the same security measures applicable to seated exams as per the BC standard rules and regulations apply. Your invigilator may communicate a 5 to 10 minutes recorded session with you during your exam via the Zoom/Teams chat boxes in the event that something has changed. You are required to alert the exam invigilator when you have finished your exam and clicked the “Save” button. Your work will be saved on the exam server. Any questions that have been saved after the cut off time of the exam, can be referred to the review process. After the review process, if not saved correctly, the Examinations Commission will consider review requests on a case by case basis. To ensure any technical issues are sorted out before your exam, make sure you have checked your hardware and internet connection beforehand and if you are going to write using a mobile connection ensure you have sufficient data available. The system has been checked and tested thoroughly and we do not expect any problems, but in the unlikely event of something going wrong during the examination, students will receive a notification online. In the unlikely event of students being unable to continue, students will be requested to continue in Microsoft Teams. In the very unlikely event that the Microsoft Teams platform also fails, students will continue on Belgium Campus back-up servers. All relevant sections of the current Examinations, Assessment and Moderation Policies remain applicable in the case of students with valid reasons, are unable to either complete their examinations or are unable to write examinations. Belgium Campus understands the unique circumstances due to Covid-19 and the Examinations Commission will evaluate each request on a case by case basis. Fail-over measures have been implemented and will be communicated to students when circumstances beyond the control of the Belgium Campus interfere with its ability to provide any examination. Exam Preparation Students are required to agree to the terms and conditions of the exam. The student agrees to the measures taken and methodologies used to ensure students are able to present their knowledge in a fair and equitable manner. The consent provided through agreeing to the terms and conditions is also relevant to the necessary security measures taken to ensure that the examination is a true reflection of the student’s knowledge. This consent is provided by clicking on a pop-up communication during the exam. For oral examinations students will be provided with a schedule with and a specific timeslot allocated to the student during which they have to connect to perform this type of examinations. This schedule will be posted on the Belgium Campus team on Microsoft Teams. Please ensure you read the information provided as it will be specific to your online exam, including when the exam will be held and any permitted materials or special instructions. To access your exam online, you will be authenticated, and you will need the following: Speakers (usually built into your computer); A microphone (often this is built into the webcam); A reliable internet connection; and A suitable private space where you will not be interrupted. Before you sit for your exam online, you need to check that your internet connection and computer can sustain an online exam. You will be able to practice a few questions on Teams before the exam in a new designated group for the specific exams. You will be added to a team and there will be an open Zoom session for each exam as well. You will need to provide ‘exam conditions’ in the space where you choose to sit for your exam. This means similar conditions to what you would expect in an exam lecture hall. The room needs to be brightly lit, with no other people present and no interruptions. We suggest that you let your friends and family know that you are sitting for your exam and require a private, quiet space for the duration. Put a sign on your door asking people to come back later and turn your voicemail on. Unless your exam is ‘open book’, your workspace should be free of papers, books and sticky notes and your walls should be clear of any documents or materials which may be relevant to the exam. Remove anything on your desk that is not related to your exam. Your mobile phone, smart watch or other devices should be turned off or put away. To ensure your internet connection is not interrupted or slowed, ask other people in your house not to watch Netflix or download large files while you are sitting for your exam. BC will

Belgium Campus COVID-19 Communication 15 – Some Positivity Amidst the Pandemic We find ourselves in unprecedented times. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on our daily lives and routines. We have been forced to become resilient and adapt, and we are proud to say that the Belgium Campus iTversity community has risen to the occasion. In a time where bad news seems to outweigh the good, we thought we would share some good news to brighten your lockdown period. Below are some of the achievements of our staff, students and the Belgium Campus community as a whole. With the help of our dedicated staff, our students’ technological competence and willingness to adapt, and the support from their parents, we were able to make an almost seamless transition to online learning in just 3 weeks. More than 90% of our students are successfully participating in online classes, and tests and assessments have been able to continue as scheduled before the lockdown. The Belgium Campus community’s resilience and positive attitude also shone through when we were faced with the challenge of handling upcoming events during lockdown. We were able to successfully host our first Online Open Day where we were joined by over almost 600 unique visitors! We are eager to make the upcoming one just as successful. We are also making the necessary arrangements to host our Career Days online so that our students don’t miss out on this unique learning and networking opportunity. It was with great sadness that we had to postpone our official graduation ceremony. However, this sadness quickly turned into pride and joy when our students allowed us to be a part of their lockdown celebrations by sharing their celebratory images with us. We are thankful that we can still look forward to coming together to celebrate when it has been declared safe to do so. Our students have also continued to work on joint innovation projects with their international counterparts at the University of Sydney and Penn State University. Their projects concepts ranged from improving the automotive industry with BMW, to a vertical farming robot that automatically plants and harvests crops in a three story vertical hydroponic greenhouse. Our students also participated in this year’s international virtual hackathon, Hack the Waste. We are proud to announce that 3 of our students, Thabang Mahlangu, Coert Grobbelaar and Chantel Mokoena, were even part of the winning teams! Visit our website to read about their innovative solutions and their contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals:https://www.belgiumcampus.ac.za/News/Hack-the-Waste-2020.html Since the announcement of the first few cases of the COVID-19 virus in South Africa and throughout this period of transition, we have remained dedicated to maintaining a transparent and constant stream of communication with our students and their parents. We are overjoyed with the support and compliments we have received and we commit to continuing to live up to this precedent. Below is some of the positive feedback we have received from students and parents. It really lifted our spirits and we hope it does the same for you. “I am impressed by how seamless Belgium Campus made the transition to digital platforms and I love that our online classes allow us to maintain the same lecturer-student relationships that we had in person.” – 3rd year BComp student, Tebogo Moropa. ‘The transition from campus life to online classes has been surprisingly smooth. The platforms at our disposal and the engagement from students has been exceptional.’ – 3rd year BComp student, Keamo Matlala. Thank you to Belgium Campus iTversity for taking such good care of our children (their students) and for the regular correspondence. I really appreciate it. – Ms. Adelheid Celliers, Mother. ‘I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to Belgium Campus iTversity and your incredible staff. I will be forever grateful for the assistance, understanding and dedicated attention you give to your students. My daughter graduated with an Honours degree in Computing (specializing in software engineering). Words alone cannot express the joy and gratitude we are experiencing right now! May Belgium Campus iTversity continue to excel in equipping our children with critical and essential skills and in all its endeavours. Thank you once again and may God Almighty bless all of you and Belgium Campus iTversity. I look forward to meeting you all in person at the graduation ceremony.’ – Ms. Maureen Nyakudya, Mother. We will be reopening our campuses to some of our students to make sure that no student is left behind in the 2020 academic year. The students returning are in line with the 33% guideline set out by the Department of Higher Education and were selected based on a survey assessing their ability to access online resources. The necessary measures are being implemented to make sure these students return to a safe and regulated environment. We look forward to welcoming them, and their innovative energy, back to our campuses. We would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every member of the Belgium Campus community for supporting us during this difficult time. Thank you to our students and their parents for trusting us to provide the best quality education regardless of the circumstances. We will continue to live up to the standard we have set as an institution and we will keep our promise to leave no student behind. Together, we can overcome any obstacle. Kind Regards, Belgium Campus iTversity Management

Belgium Campus COVID-19 Communication (14) Dear students and parents, We are all in this together. We will leave nobody behind.   President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation to announce that the country will move from level 4 lockdown to level 3 on the 1st of June. The purpose of the lockdown is to slow down the spread of the virus and, following the recent insights into the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, some new measures are now to be taken. Further and more specific explanations were issued by the Minister of Higher Education, followed by the guidelines and protocols of Higher Health SA. We realise that we have only three weeks to comply with several very strict regulations. New protocols and guidelines have to be implemented by the 21st of June. We are constantly working to do just that – building further on the framework that we have already put in place at BC ITVersity. All the protocols of Higher Health SA, however, have not yet been finalised, so we are working pro-actively to build a solid but flexible framework in which we can progress towards what will be demanded from us and from you. What this means for BC ITversity, the institution Campus Readiness and Organisation to Comply with the Requirements   Level 3 measures for higher education will come into force in three weeks’ time, and, according to the regulations, BC ITVersity will then have to be in a position of accommodating a maximum of 33% of our students on campus. This is true for both commuting students and residence students. An extra issue to consider is that all our campuses are located in the so-called “hotspots”, as identified by the government. Consequently, this will require implementing a number of extra measures as well. In addition, the prediction models are telling us that the possible peak of the pandemic in South Africa is expected to occur between mid-July and mid-August. This means that we will have to monitor closely all the numbers and trends, and update the various risk analyses we are using, before we can fully open for face-to-face teaching again. So, the remote learning systems will remain the norm for the foreseeable future. Operational Preparation Training of academics and campus staff: information about the virus (what is it, spread and infection); prevention (hygiene and cleaning) Installation of information panels Sanitation points and other infrastructural adaptation of the premises Screening protocols and risk analysis: pre-screening forms and physical screening Safety and emergency protocols: for staff, students, classrooms, cafeterias, residence houses and other spaces on our premises, for ordinary operations and in the event that infections are detected. These preparations are being put in place but can only be fully implemented when the staff arrives back on campus, from the 1st of June. We will also have to wait until the final guidelines and protocols from Higher Health are published. When this happens, we will be assigned a representative from Higher Health who will be able to provide us with specific input on the implementation of the protocols. At this point in time, however, we do not know who that will be. Academic Year Organisation The classes of the second quarter of the academic year will be concluded on the 12th of June, and the examinations are planned for the 22nd of June. Selection of the 33% of the students Because of the imposed 33% rule, we will have to make a selection of students who can be allowed back on the premises. BC ITVersity will make this selection based on the guidelines given by the DHET, as well as the results of the survey we will be sending you. The selected students will be able to come on campus and make use of the infrastructure from the 18th of June onwards. This 33% rule applies to both the students who come to use the infrastructure (to study, use PC and Internet) and residence students. What it means for the students Selection Process: Fill in the Survey You will be asked to reply to survey questions so we can determine for whom it is necessary to return to campus and make use of the infrastructure, PCs and internet connections. All classes will still be taught online. This will be the case for all students, including those who come to study and stay on campus. Training and Screening The 33% returning to campus will be required to take a COVID-19 induction course for specific training to curb the spread of Covid-19 (information on the virus, protocols, etc.). All of this material will be available online. Please do consult our Covid-19 portal on our website. All students will be screened daily by using the Higher Health App once it has been made available. Note that this app will be ‘data-free’. Stay in touch BC iTversity will continue to communicate with you. It is important that you participate in the communication and the survey(s). We will soon inform you as to which students can return to campus. In addition, further information about the form, content and timing of the examinations will be published shortly. As per the academic calendar, the examinations are planned for the 22nd of June. We wish you all the best. Keep healthy and stay in touch. Kind Regards, Belgium Campus iTversity Management

Belgium Campus COVID-19 Communication (13) Dear: Students and Parents, Following Sunday night’s address by President Cyril Ramaphosa and Saturday’s briefing by the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, we feel it is important that we reiterate our commitment to ensuring the continuation of the academic year in the safest way possible. We are in the process of exploring all possible implications the return of students may have and identifying the necessary procedures that must be implemented to make this possible in a safe and regulated way. We will send out further communication regarding this as soon as it possible to do so. We thank you for your continued understanding and support during this difficult time. We encourage you to stay safe by continuing to adhere to the rules and regulations outlined by the Government to help mitigate the spread of the virus. Kind Regards, Belgium Campus iTversity Management

Belgium Campus COVID-19 Communication (12) Dear: Students and Parents,   We are in this all together, we will leave nobody behind The COVID-19 Corona virus is still a major game changer in our personal and professional lives. We see that people and nations all over the world are affected. In South Africa we have now gone from the extremely strict lockdown level 5 to level 4. Let us examine what that means for both the BC ITversity and you. It is vitally important that you keep in touch and communicate with us: help us, help you, and nobody will be left behind. Also, we are in this for the long haul. We do not know when we will be at the peak of the epidemic, some even think that we will reach the infection peak as late as September. So it is very well possible that we cannot open our campuses again before we get the all clear after the curve has flattened out. BC ITversity was pro-active in suspending academic activities on March 16,2020, to prepare for future operations. On April 30, 2020, the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation published a statement on the measures to be taken in this new situation. We believe that the Campus is ready. The most important issues addressed are the following. From the moment the President declared the COVID-19 pandemic to be a national disaster on Sunday 15 March, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, in conjunction with institutions suspended academic activity. The authorities want to lower the infection curve and make sure that lives are saved. At the same time they wish to save the academic year During the Level 4 lockdown period all higher education institutions are prohibited to organise regular, campus based academic activities. At the same time measures must be taken to make sure that the students will not lose this academic year, and that they can continue their study programme by other means and methods than class bound education. This, as you know, includes remote education, specifically by means of digital teaching, learning and support platforms. Furthermore, while the campus is closed to the students, preparations for the return of the students in a later phase must be undertaken. This includes biosafety protocols, equipment and tools to ensure the physical safety of the people on campus, such as necessary measures to enable social distancing, deep cleaning of the facilities, availability of hand sanitisers, and such like. In the meantime, the academic year 2020 is being reorganised in order for the students to complete their academic requirements, possibly extending into 2021, depending on the evolution of the pandemic. Also, institutions should try to find extra means to help students to participate in this new form of teaching and learning, by partnering with corporations to obtain internet connection, looking at the availability of digital platforms and the necessary hardware, such as laptops etc. What this means for BC ITversity, the institution Campus Biosafety and Organisation After shutting down our campuses on March 16, substantial effort has been made in coping with the necessary adjustments, such as changing from classroom-based education to remote teaching and learning. This necessitated new investments being made to ensure that the transition could be executed. Also, the facilities on the campuses were completely deep-cleaned, protocols for social distancing and physical security were put in place and the necessary materials were acquired, such as hand sanitisers, mouth masks, information boards, etc. The second quarter of the academic year, which runs to June 12, will be fully online. We have prepared study accommodation on campus for those students that do not have adequate facilities at home, but the latest statement from the ministry of higher education unfortunately prohibits us to open them even partially. We are hopeful though that we are able to organise the exams of 22 June on campus. According to the statement the institutions of higher education should use the month of May to prepare for re-opening. BC ITversity already has done everything to reopen all our facilities, we are now waiting for the go-ahead from the authorities. But in the meanwhile, we must be patient. From the 11th of May a restricted number of academic and other staff will be present again on campus. Student needs regarding remote education We also realise that a number of students are facing problems such as the lack of having an adequate internet connection, data, PC or Laptop. BC ITversity has started a number of activities in cooperation with other partners and stakeholders to find solutions for this. Here is a short overview. As a private not-for-profit educational institution, BC ITversity is doing everything we can to make a meaningful contribution to solving this problem. We have reached out to government, network providers and businesses to zero-rate our online platform and to provide our students in need with devices. The following actions have been taken: Application by BC ITversity for whitelisting our educational online platform with Vodacom on March 18, 2020, including follow-up on March 31. The South African Private Education (SAPHE) organisation, of which BC ITversity is a member, has sent letters to the DHET and telecom providers (Telkom, MTN, Vodacom and Cell C) on April 8, 2020, requesting their support for zero-rating, including private institutions. SAPHE addressed the Competition Commission on April 16, 2020, for access to reduced cost or zero-rated data as per the Government Gazette issued on March 26, 2020. The DHET started negotiations with Mobile Network Operators for zero-rated data on April 20, 2020. Application by BC ITversity for daily 10GB + 20GB on behalf of our students on April 24, 2020. SAPHE and Universities of South Africa (USAf) has a longstanding relationship and in a meeting during the week of April 20, 2020, the parties agreed to work together and SAPHE was requested to put together a working paper on how they can work better with USAf. On April 23 APPETD (Association of Private Providers of Education,

COVID-19 Communication (11) – Graduation Postponed Dear: Students and Parents,   The COVID-19 pandemic and the continuation of the national lockdown has forced us to make the unavoidable decision to postpone our May Graduation Ceremony. It is with deep regret and sadness that we have had to make this decision. We are aware of how hard our graduandi have worked to reach this milestone and we do not want to deprive them of the celebratory ceremony they deserve. Our 8 May Graduation Ceremony has therefore been postponed until further notice. As soon as we have clarity on group gatherings set out by the rules and regulations of the government, we will inform you of a new date. We want to limit the effect that this postponement has on our graduandi as much as possible. As such, electronic copies of certificates will be sent to graduandi via email on 8 May. Physical copies will also be made available on request. We would like to take this opportunity to unofficially congratulate all our qualifying students. We are extremely proud of your hard work and dedication. We would also like to thank you and your parents for your continued support and understanding during this difficult time. We look forward to the official ceremony where we can come together as graduandi, families, academia and friends, to celebrate this momentous achievement. In the meantime, we encourage you to stay safe and follow the precautionary measures outlined by the Government, the World Health Organization and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases to mitigate the spread of the virus. Together we can overcome this COVID-19 crisis.   Yours faithfully, Belgium Campus iTversity Management

Belgium Campus COVID-19 Communication (10) Dear: Students, Parents, Staff and Friends of the Belgium Campus iTversity Community,   We may have addressed some of you on occasions such as the academic opening, graduation, or any other event; however, we do not often reach out to the entire Belgium Campus community directly. But the current situation calls for such a communication. The COVID-19 pandemic has had such an impact that we feel we must reach out to you now. The global and disastrous impact of the virus has necessitated the implementation of several political measures in our country, which have a great impact on our higher education institution. Sadly enough, we all witness how this sinister virus is impacting our families, our friends, our communities, our very own way of life. None of us are left untouched, and it hurts to see how our prosperous campus life has come to a complete standstill. It is not the first time that we highlight the importance of your trust, your contribution and your support and we are thankful for that. During these difficult times we ask for your help to cope with the uncertainties of the current situation. We are facing a daunting task to tackle the problems and prepare for the emergence of an entirely new global system, while we remain optimistic that our world will thrive once again. We would therefore like to inform you that for a start we have adopted a policy of full compliance with the government’s directives. Although we find ourselves in times of emergency, we shall continue to stick to our values of academic integrity, inclusiveness, equal treatment, truthfulness, character building and self-reliance through transparency, factual dialogue and fact-driven decisions. It’s time for facts, not fear. CNN started the ‘Facts First’ campaign and defined it well: “In a time of uncertainty, facts provide clarity; in a time of anxiety, facts comfort; in a time of misinformation, facts correct; in a time of division, facts unite; in a time of crisis, facts matter most.” Some countries are advocating the so-called ‘herd immunity’ strategy, whereby group-immunity is built up through a policy of the ‘survival of the fittest’. In addition to the fact that it is opposed by the WHO and many reputable epidemiologists, this strategy goes against the Belgium Campus’s values of inclusiveness and solidarity with the disadvantaged. We have had no choice but to close our campuses as part of the lockdown measures set out by the government to contain the virus. Consequently, we decided to optimize the use of information and communication technology (ICT) and deliver our programmes online. However, the process of shifting to virtual teaching and learning is easier said than done. The shift clearly exposes the digital divide within our country, its education institutions, and the students at these institutions. Some are far better equipped than others, and internet access remains a problem. Like most other higher education institutions, we were fast to respond to this disruptive crisis. For many institutions, this situation will further complicate the existing challenges, including budgetary inadequacies, systemic inefficiencies, low adoption of technology, and low capacity to generate funds internally. Public institutions may eventually receive assistance from the state to overcome the consequences of COVID-19. We as a private not-for-profit institution, have to operate with a business model that is heavily dependent on tuition fees and corporate funding for survival. As an ICT institution we have risen to the occasion and promptly have taken the opportunity to improve and maximize our ICT operation by investing heavily in new infrastructure to keep up with the rapidly changing global educational landscape in a successful way. We consider this threat, as well as the approaches to overcome it, as the catalyst for long-lasting changes which should enable us to successfully complete our mission and vision as one of the private key players in the South African educational landscape. Let us unite, open our mind and touch hearts As we have entered a lockdown period of several weeks, we would like to take this time to reflect and thank all members of the Belgium Campus community for their continued cooperation and support during these difficult times. It is only as a result of this dedication and commitment that we are able to cope and prepare for the future. Thank you to our students and their parents for understanding the severity of the situation and for allowing us to comply with the government’s order to close our campus, including vacating our residential facilities. We realize that this was not a simple issue, particularly for residence students whose parents or relatives had to travel a great distance on such short notice. Your cooperation does not go unnoticed; it is greatly appreciated. Thank you to our support, admin and academic staff who continue to go above and beyond their duty in preparing for the lockdown. We are grateful for your continued hard work and dedication to provide our students with the quality education they deserve. Without your efforts, we would not be able to make the necessary provisions to save the academic year by providing online classes. To all our staff who must stay home out of necessity, thank you for your understanding. We still count on all of you when the situation gets back to normal. Lastly, we would like to thank our security team who have continued to keep our campuses safe. Your task is extremely important, especially during this time of increased risk. Let us, in hardship, prepare for an extraordinary destiny What we are facing is, simply put, daunting. The disruption of our lives is unprecedented, proven by the fact that we receive many heart-breaking messages of growing worries. It takes time and patience to respond and finetune everything for each of our individual community members. We see some students struggling financially, with parents becoming temporarily unemployed and students losing their student jobs, all having trouble making ends meet. While we do not always know the full extent of

Belgium Campus COVID-19 Communication (9) Dear: Students and Parents,   During last night’s address to the nation by President Cyril Ramaphosa he announced a 2-week extension of the national lockdown until 30 April at midnight. In reference to our previous communications this email serves as confirmation to all our students, that we commence online classes on 15 April 2020 for full-time classes and 18 April 2020 for part-time classes. Class schedules & online platforms Online class schedules have already been published for students on Canvas. Full-time students should please check their schedules on Canvas regularly, as these are being updated, to avoid missing any online sessions. Microsoft Teams will be used in conjunction with Zoom Video Communications to conduct our online classes. Students will receive an invitation to the online classes in Microsoft Teams through their Belgium Campus student e-mail accounts only. You will only be able to login to Microsoft Teams classes using your Microsoft Office account credentials that were provided during your enrolment at our institution. If you are experiencing any Microsoft account-related problems or any other technical issues during this period of online classes, you should please contact [email protected] Since our institution have received communication from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) regarding COVID-19 and the investigation of online classes; the faculty has been preparing short videos, presentations and exercises that will be uploaded on the Microsoft Teams classes. Microsoft Teams will allow students to view which students they have class with if they want to assist or collaborate with their peers/class mates. The live classes, utilising Zoom, will be recorded and uploaded on Microsoft Streams, which can be accessed using your online office 365 account. Class schedules & online platforms Microsoft Teams also has built-in analytical tools that our faculty members can use to determine which students attended the online classes and viewed content after online classes. For students that cannot access the online courses due to lack of access to data, double classes will be scheduled when contact classes may resume offering the opportunity to catch up (see Faculty Calendar). Once we receive more communication and instruction from the DHET regarding the return of students to campus we will open classes for resident students to access online classes at the campus while ensuring that we practise strict social distancing and hygienic measures as advised by Department of Health and the World Health Organisation, however this will only be applied if and when the DHET instructs us to do so. Class schedules & online platforms As per previous Belgium Campus COVID-19 communication (8), an instructional document detailing the specifics of both Microsoft Teams and Zoom Video Communications platforms, that all students familiarise themselves with these platforms prior to the start of classes, has been uploaded to Canvas and can be accessed at the following link: https://portal.belgiumcampus.ac.za/courses/3/discussion_topics/820 Structured training will also be provided during your first online class. Class schedules & online platforms We also require students to monitor the online calendar on the Belgium Campus website as some changes will be made on the faculty calendar regarding study leave, examination blocks and recess periods; to ensure that your academic programme for this year is not affected. If you experience any difficulties or require assistance, please send an email to: [email protected] Should we receive any further communication from the Government that will require us to change our approach, you will be informed timeously via your student emails and our Belgium Campus iTversity website.   Yours sincerely, Belgium Campus iTversity Management

Belgium Campus COVID-19 Communication (8) Dear: Students and Parents   In reference to our previous communication, classes will resume on 15 April 2020. Due to the current COVID-19 situation, it is uncertain whether these classes will be face-to-face or online. However, following instruction from the Minister of Higher Education, we are in full preparation for online classes. This email serves to inform students of the various platforms that will be utilised for online classes and where they can find further information regarding these platforms. Microsoft Teams in conjunction with Zoom Video Communications will be used. A guidance document detailing the specifics of each platform will be uploaded to Canvas and can be accessed at the following link: https://portal.belgiumcampus.ac.za/courses/3/discussion_topics/820. Students can also access their online class schedule via Canvas. Please ensure that you check your schedule regularly to avoid missing any online sessions. Saturday classes have been postponed until 18 April and will take place on the platforms listed above. We ask that all students familiarise themselves with these platforms prior to the start of classes so that we are able to use class time optimally. If you experience any difficulties or require assistance, please send an email to: [email protected]   Should we receive further communication from the Government requiring us to change our approach, you will be informed in due time. Yours sincerely, Belgium Campus iTversity Management

Belgium Campus COVID-19 Communication (7) Dear: Students, Parents and Staff   During Monday night’s State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a 21-day national lockdown starting 26 March at midnight. The terms of this lockdown include the closure of all companies that are not essential to the production and transport of food, basic goods and medical supplies. However, companies who are able to continue their operations remotely have been encouraged to do so. Following this address, Belgium Campus iTversity would like to assure parents and students that every possible measure is being implemented to continue with the academic year. Online classes will commence on 15 April as previously communicated and we ask that all tuition payments continue as scheduled to allow for this. Online classes will be recorded and made available to students for revision purposes and for students who, for one reason or another, were unable to join a class. The classes will enable students to interact directly with their lecturers and peers during class time and after classes through dedicated groups and chat forums. Further information and logistical arrangements will be communicated to students and parents via email and will also be made available on students’ online portals and through Microsoft Teams. Residence students will be allowed to occupy residence after the lockdown. Under no circumstances will students be permitted to occupy residence at an earlier date. Please note: this date is currently 17 April but is subject to change dependant on further communication from the Government. We encourage parents/students to continue making residence payments as scheduled. Lost time will likely be caught up during the holidays and residence accommodation will be made available during this time. We ask all members of the Belgium Campus community to play their part to remain safe during this difficult time. Continue to follow the precautionary measures outlined by the World Health Organization and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and comply with all instructions provided by the Government to mitigate the spread of the virus. This includes the following: Stay at home and avoid public places; Only leave home to seek medical care and/or to buy food, medicine and other necessities; Limit social interaction; Maintain social distancing, maintain at least 1 metre distance between yourself and anyone else at all times; Do not shake hands or hug; Take extra care of personal hygiene, wash hands frequently with hand sanitizers or soap and water for at least 20 seconds; Practise respiratory hygiene, this means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze; If you think you have contracted the COVID-19 virus, you are required to inform the authorities’ helpline immediately on 0800029999 and inform Belgium Campus iTversity.   Yours sincerely, Belgium Campus iTversity Management