In this section you can read the latest specific updates for all locations of Aeres Hogeschool (Almere, Dronten en Wageningen). Below these updates you will find the latest general updates and general information that apply throughout Aeres.
The measures taken to control the spread of the Coronavirus have been extended until April 28, 2020. However, a clear signal has already been given for the period following. As prime minster Rutte puts it: "Don’t rely on going back to ‘business as usual’ after April 28... It may well be we have to continue this way..." It is therefore that the following decision was taken by the Executive Board of Aeres and management of Aeres University of Applied Sciences on April 1, 2020:
Until the summer holidays there will be no teaching or research activities at the locations of Aeres University of Applied Sciences. Teaching and examination will take place online. If national measures become less stringent before the summer holidays, we will look at a way to start carrying out our teaching and research activities on location again, in a responsible manner. We will take further decisions on this at the end of April and the end of May, if the national guidelines give reason to do so.
The Cabinet has announced that the current measures will be extended until April 28, 2020. This means that no educational activities will take place at our locations until the end of the May break. It has also become clear that even in the most positive scenario, a return to the 'normal mode of operation' after April 28 will take time. Consultations are being held today with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science on what this means for the UAS in the Netherlands. Subsequently, the Aeres crisis team will decide how we will deal with this. More information will follow at the end of this week.
The Corona crisis can seriously affect people's lives. Concerns arise about their own or their families health, or the consequences of the imposed measures with regards to finances, or perhaps social isolation. Know that the counsellors are ready to talk to all of our employees and students, conversations you have with them are confidential. The Counsellors for the faculties of Almere and Dronten can be found on the intranet (see also link under ‘Online studeren’ there you find their names under ‘Vertrouwenspersonen’). In Wageningen you can find them in Canvas, behind the link "Servicedocumenten" in the ‘Infogids’. Problems in finding them? Send an email to info.hogeschool@aeres.nl and indicate which faculty you work or study at, then we’ll provide you with the counsellors name and email address.
The imposed measures on no social gatherings/events until June 1, 2020 creates a lot of questions amongst many of you, especially the uncertainty and unclarity on the consequences for educational activities in higher education. More certainty and clarity is essential and necessary. Aeres UAS has decided, preceding the to be taken decisions from the government, to provide a leading decision with regards to the T3 examination period. The decision is as follows: all written exams which require physical attendance will be cancelled until June 1st, 2020. For those exams, alternative mode of examinations will be sought where possible until June 1st.
The decision take , as described above, has direct impact on the upcoming examination period of T3 for students of Almere and Dronten, which runs from 14 April to the May break. Because preparation time is short and quality and reliability need to be safeguarded, it is not possible to provide alternatives for all exams. A portion of the planned exams will postponed to a period later this academic year. All students will receive more detailed information on which exams will take place in T3 in alternative form and which ones will be postponed, what the planning will look like for the coming periods and what the foreseen consequences are.
Currently there are many intense discussion about prolonging the imposed measures on no physical classes in higher education.
To be specific prolonging online education until June 1, 2020. The council of university of applied sciences and the ministry of education will, most likely, provide clarity in the beginning of next week. Aeres Uas will await their decision but is preparing contingency plans in the meantime.
The cabinet has decided that the ban on meetings and events will be extended until 1 June and that it now also applies to groups of under 100 participants. In the next two weeks it will be determined whether the measures in education will also be extended.
In recent weeks, various media reported on fake emails from fraudsters posing as the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the RIVM. There are also e-mails on behalf of the "Aeres IT department" asking you to verify your details. The purpose of these emails is to find out your data or to start a ransomware attack.
Be extra alert to emails and websites that try to help you work from home and / or that are related to the corona virus and to recognize its symptoms.
The ministry of foreign affairs and the society for University of applied sciences have been preoccupied with the consequences of the imposed measures for both students and all university of applied sciences (hereafter UAS). The following has been decided:
To provide prospect students more time and space to register for study programmes the application deadline has been postponed by 1 month; from May 1 to June 1, 2020.
Although many UAS’s try to continue educational activities and examination, albeit in alternative forms, problems arise for students and programmes in various forms. Consequently study delays and a negative binding study advice could occur. It was therefore decided to postpone the binding study advice for the current first year students, to their second year. That does not mean exams and assignments can be discarded. The details of this decision cannot be given at this stage but are being mapped out, more information will be provided at a later moment.
Some students might get into financial difficulty as a result of the imposed measures from the government, by losing their part-time jobs for example. DUO would like all students to become aware they can extent their monthly loans temporarily. This option is available retroactively until the start of the academic year. Moreover students can also request a tuition fee credit, which can be arranged by themselves in their DUO portal. If this proves insufficient they can contact DUO for other possibilities.
All activities are directed towards continuing of education, and is the main priority for all UAS’s. Therefore it has been decided to not hold the national student survey.
All university of applied sciences have to hand in a plan in which they map out how the quality of education is safeguarded and improved in the coming years. Based on these quality agreements in which the student council is involved, extra grants are made available. The assessment of these plans will most likely result in delays, it was therefore decided that the ministry of education will allocate all grants for 2021 to be used for the quality of education.
The ministry of foreign affairs has advised to ban all travel abroad for the coming period, unless strictly necessary. This is in line with our former formulated policy. All travel abroad in any form for both students and staff members planned until the 6th of April are cancelled. This also applies to all travel related for internships abroad. We are bearing in mind that this imposed measure will be prolonged. We therefore advise not to buy tickets for travelling abroad until further notice. We continuously monitor the situation and will inform you when the situation changes.
The ministry of foreign affairs advises students who are currently abroad to come back to The Netherlands. We have contacted all our students abroad and discuss their return home. The consequences of terminating your current study activities abroad will be mapped out as soon as possible and is also discussed in national crisis management teams as all Universities and Universities of applied sciences have to deal with this situation.
The consequences of the current situation for the binding study advice regulation , for all our first year students, is a topic of discussion on national level between all Universities and Universities of applied sciences and the ministry of Education. As soon as more information is available you will be informed.
During a national press conference on March 15 additional measures were put into place to stem the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
The government urges all it’s inhabitants to reduce travelling/commuting and social contacts where possible. The current measures put into place are prolonged to April 6th.
Our crisis team has been preoccupied with the consequences of these measures, the urgent call from our government to reduce travelling and social contacts and what this means to all of us.
What does this mean for our students in Dronten and Almere?
Finally all group activities/excursions/company visits have been cancelled until April 6th.
The Dutch government has announced that nationally all schools will close for the period from March 16 to April 6. For Aeres University of Applied Sciences, it was stated on March 13 that until March 31 no educational activities take place at the Aeres locations. Due to the measures taken by The Dutch government, this has been extended until 6 April.
We herewith sum up the most important decisions and principles:
1. Aeres University of Applied Science: no education at location
In order to prevent further spread of the coronavirus, there will be no educational activities offered at the locations of Aeres UAS in Almere, Dronten and Wageningen until 31-3-2020. Individual exceptions will be discussed personally with the student. The buildings will be open and we are looking into ways how remote education can be implemented. Please keep an eye to the Aeres website for more information.
2. Open days cancelled
Aeres has decided to reduce the number of events to a minimum. Also, following government policy, Aeres cancels all events with over 100 expected visitors until March 31. This means all open days of Aeres UAS in Almere, Dronten and Wageningen will be cancelled until March 31.
3. Travels and excursions abroad are cancelled
All forms of travelling and excursions abroad that take place in March are cancelled. This measure applies to both staff and students.
The cabinet has extended the duration of the measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. As a result of this extension, there will be no educational activities at Aeres schools and locations until May holidays.
Consultation with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science should clarify what this means for the education sector and for Aeres. This will be reported as soon as possible.
The cabinet has decided that the ban on meetings and events will be extended until June 1 and that it now also applies to groups of under 100 participants.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises all Dutch people to stop traveling abroad in the coming period, unless strictly necessary. This is in line with Aeres' policy: all foreign trips and excursions of any kind that take place until April 6 are cancelled for pupils, students, trainees and employees. This measure also regards travelling for internships abroad. We are seriously considering an extension of this measure. That is why we advise you not to buy tickets for a trip abroad now. We will of course monitor the situation closely and we will inform you when as soon as possible.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises students who are currently abroad to come back to The Netherlands. We are in contact with all our students abroad and we are discussing possible returns. We will map out the consequences of cancelling the internship or study abroad as soon as possible. This is currently also discussed nationally.
In order to prevent spreading of the coronavirus, the Dutch government decided to discontinue (almost all) educational activities in schools. The health of all pupils, students, course participants and employees is paramount for Aeres. From that starting point, the consequences of the government policy for pupils, students, trainees and employees are set out below.
As of Monday, March 16 through April 6, classes will no longer be offered at Aeres schools and locations. This new measure applies to Aeres Praktijkonderwijs in Emmeloord and all branches of Aeres VMBO, Aeres MBO and Aeres Training Centre.
Individual exceptions are discussed in person with students and trainees.
Since last week, Aeres Hogeschool and Aeres Tech had already suspended educational activities on location. The duration of this measure has now been extended to 6 April.
Aeres buildings remain open to employees and exam candidates.
The boards and education teams of Aeres Praktijkonderwijs, Aeres VMBO, Aeres MBO and Aeres Training Centre will discuss Monday 16 March how education can still be provided. This can include homework assignments and /or online lessons. The starting point is to prevent study delay where possible.
Intake activities for the 2020-2021 school year will also continue as far as possible.
For exam candidates, the aim is to continue the exams and practical exams as much as possible. When a practical exam is planned at a different location (for example, a company) and cannot be carried out due to corona measures, we will discuss how this can be solved.
Pupils of parents in crucial professions can contact the school management to discuss the options for childcare. An overview of these crucial professions can be found here.
Aeres has decided to cancel all events until April 15. Examples of events are: open days, congresses and information sessions.
Employees stay at home when they show flu or cold symptoms. They coordinate this with their manager.
For employees who do not show flu or cold symptoms, the following applies:
a. Teachers: this group is requested to come to work to prepare and implement necessary educational adjustments.
b. Other employees: in principle, the work continues. Managers discuss with their teams whether and how (partial) working from home can be completed, with the aim for continuity of necessary activities and processes. More information for employees will follow on March 16.
For educational support staff living in North Brabant the request is that they work from home, if possible. They coordinate this with their manager.
c. There will be no international travel for work until April 6.
d. Aeres asks all employees to be very reluctant in domestic travel for work and / or inviting visitors to the Aeres locations. Necessary work meetings can take place, with digital meetings strongly recommended.
In addition to the previous instructions, the following applies:
a. Always call the doctor if you have a fever above 38 degrees with respiratory complaints (coughing or shortness of breath).
b. Keep a distance of at least five feet from others as much as possible.
All forms of travelling and excursions abroad that take place in March are cancelled. This also regards travelling for internships abroad. This measure applies to both staff and students.
Aeres follows the guidelines of the RIVM in its coronavirus policy. In response to the tightened RIVM policy, Aeres has listed the consequences for students, trainees and employees. This is shown below:
1. Aeres University of Applied Science: no education at location
In order to prevent further spread of the coronavirus, the cabinet has called on universities of applied sciences and universities to stop offering education at locations of these universities with immediate effect. This means that there will be no educational activities offered at the locations of Aeres UAS in Almere, Dronten and Wageningen as of 13-3-2020 until 31-3-2020. Individual exceptions will be discussed personally with the student.The buildings will be open and we are looking into ways how remote education can be implemented. You will receive further notice. Please keep an eye to the Aeres website for more information.
2. Educational activities that continue
All other educational activities of Aeres (amongst which Aeres VMBO, Aeres MBO, Aeres Training Centre, Aeres Tech) will continue if reasonably possible. This means no Aeres-locations will be closing down.
3. Events
Aeres has decided to reduce the number of events to a minimum. Also, following government policy, Aeres cancels all events with over 100 expected visitors until March 31. This applies to all Aeres-locations. For example: open days, conferences and other large meetings.
4. Employees
All employees are supposed to stay at home when they show flu or cold symptoms. Employees will coordinate this with their manager.
The following applies to employees who do not show flu or cold symptoms:
a. Aeres expects teachers to continue with their teaching duties. Work meetings can take place as planned. With regard to Aeres University of Applied Science (Aeres UAS) it will be discussed how remote education can be implemented. The management teams of Aeres UAS will meet on March 13 and there aim is to prevent study delay for all students as much as possible.
An additional measure for teachers living in the province of Noord-Brabant:
If they do not need to be at the Aeres location for educational tasks, we ask them to work from home as much as possible. The teachers will coordinate this with their manager.
b. Other employees: Work and work meetings can take place as planned. Aeres asks its employees to limit travelling for work and/or inviting visitors to the Aeres-locations.
An additional measure for employees living in the province of Noord-Brabant:
Work at home, if possible. Employees coordinate this with their manager.
5. Students and trainees on locations where educational activities still take place:
6. General instructions for everyone
On top of the directions above:
a. Always call the doctor if you have a fever above 38 degrees with respiratory complaints (cough or shortness of breath)
b. You can go to locations (for example an internship, or a company) for your work or study, provided that this is not in conflict with the policy and guidelines that apply to the location you are going to. If in doubt, consult with your contact person at the relevant location.
Aeres follows the guidelines of the RIVM in its coronavirus policy. In response to the tightened RIVM policy with regard to the province of Noord-Brabant, Aeres has listed the consequences for students, trainees and employees. This is shown below:
1. The educational activities of Aeres will continue if this is reasonably possible.
2. Employees living in the province of Noord-Brabant:
All employees living in the province of Noord-Brabant are supposed to stay at home when they show flu or cold symptoms. Employees will coordinate this with their manager.
The following applies to employees from the province of Noord-Brabant who do not show flu or cold symptoms:
a. Aeres expects teachers to continue with their teaching duties. However, if they do not need to be at the Aeres location for educational tasks, we ask them to work from home as much as possible. The teachers will coordinate this with their manager.
b. Other employees: Aeres asks other employees to work at home, if possible. The employees coordinate this with their manager.
3. Students and trainees living in Noord-Brabant:
All students and trainees from the province of North Brabant are supposed to stay at home when they show flu or cold symptoms. They are not allowed to be at the Aeres location.
Other pupils, students and trainees from the province of North Brabant are supposed to attend the educational activities. However, if they do not need to be at the Aeres location for educational activities, we ask them to stay at home.
4. Students, course trainees and employees who do not live in Noord-Brabant:
For this group, all Aeres activities continue wherever possible, while following the general instructions:
a. Call the doctor if you:
b. You can go to locations (for example an internship, or a company) in the province of Noord-Brabant for your work or study, provided that this is not in conflict with the policy and guidelines that apply to the location you are going to. If in doubt, consult with your contact person at the relevant location.
RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment calls on everyone: do not to shake hands when greeting someone. Aeres requests all students, trainees and employees to act according to this call.
On top of this Aeres follows the tightened RIVM guidelines for the province of Noord-Brabant. In the course of Tuesday 10 March there will be further communication about the consequences this has for students and employees.
RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment advises residents of the province of Noord-Brabant to limit their social contacts if they have a cold, cough or a fever. This means: stay at home. Aeres passes this advice on to all students, trainees and employees.
RIVM asks people living in Noord-Brabant with a cold, who have a cough or a fever, to avoid their social contacts as much as possible. For example, work at home, do not visit others or go to places where many people gather. If you have complaints and still want to leave the house, try to keep as much distance from others as possible. This reduces the chance of you spreading the virus unnoticed. Only call your GP if your symptoms get worse.
Students and employees who show symptoms and have recently been to one of the areas where the coronavirus is prevalent (China, South Korea, Iran, Singapore and Northern Italy), are adviced to stay at home.