Academic Year 2021-2022

Update to MTU Students (All Cork Campuses) 17 September 2021

As previously advised, MTU is planning for a substantially increased on-campus delivery in 2021-2022, in line with public health guidelines and specific government guidance for higher education.  This will be done in a careful and phased manner, under the overarching guidance of the prevailing Covid-19 public health advice.

Our planning continues to be informed by the following key principles:

·         the health and safety of MTU students and staff

·         the effective and consistent delivery of academic programmes, maintaining the integrity and high academic and professional standing of our MTU awards

·         the effective and safe continued operation of our research, enterprise and other outreach activities

General university information regarding practical classes, tutorials, lectures, and work placement has been previously posted on the university website and on the Covid-19 portal.

Please note that while we aim to achieve an overall consistent approach, there will necessarily be some variance in this approach across the various campuses and departments, as follows:

Faculty of Business and Humanities

School of Business

In the School of Business, each Head of Department has communicated with students on each full and part-time programme. An overview of the approach to on-campus and remote activity has been provided to them this week.  In general, full time undergraduate students are on campus for one to two days per week with the remainder delivered online. This is subject to change as the semester progresses and students are reminded to check their timetable daily, particularly for the first two weeks. We will try not to make any significant changes in weeks 3 to 5 and timetables may change again when students return after reading week.  Students have received information on registering for electives, return to campus, coordinator contact details and alerting them that further communication will be sent with specific information for next week’s timetable.

School of Humanities

The School of Humanities, comprising the Department of Tourism and Hospitality, Department of Sport, Leisure and Childhood Studies, and the Department of Applied Social Studies all have different requirements, and each of the three Heads of Department have been in contact with their students this week advising them of their timetables.  Programmes which have practical or lab-based elements will all be delivered on-campus.   It is still necessary to deliver some theoretical modules online for the immediate future.

Faculty of Engineering and Science

School of Science and Informatics

Currently we plan to have first year students in the Department of Biological Sciences and Department of Physical Sciences on campus for laboratory classes on Mondays and Tuesdays with continuing students on campus one/two days per week on Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays.

Students in the Department of Computer Science will be on campus for laboratory classes with class groups timetabled over approximately two days.

School of Building & Civil Engineering

It is the intention to have all full-time undergraduate students on campus for a minimum of two days per week for key laboratory, fieldwork and tutorial activity, some lectures may also be delivered on campus on these days. Remaining lectures and tutorial will be delivered online on other days.

School of Mechanical, Electrical and Process Engineering

The plan is to have students on campus at least one day per week for workshop/lab/CAD practical classes. Students in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering will be on campus two consecutive days per week for lab/computer-based practical classes.

Centre of Craft Studies

Craft apprentices across ten trades will be fully on-campus for all labs/practical classes; delivery of theory classes will be done remotely in most cases.

National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI)

NMCI’s maritime programmes are subject to international maritime regulation. In light of the ongoing Covid-19 situation NMCI is in receipt of a number of derogations from the regulator to support the delivery of your programme for the coming Academic Year. Timetables are being finalised at this time on the basis of those derogations. Individual student cohorts have been contacted about timetabling for this year and you will be in receipt of further information shortly.

NMCI’s maritime programmes involve compulsory sea time requirements under international maritime regulation. Particular sectors of the shipping industry have been significantly impacted by the pandemic and this has resulted in a shortage of berths on ships for cadets at present. This situation will impact programme timetables for all of the coming Academic Year.

All maritime programme practical and lab elements will be delivered on-site NMCI. Lectures will generally be delivered on-site with some exceptions.

Crawford College of Art and Design(including Media Communications)

Each Head of Department has communicated with students on each full and part-time programme. An overview of the approach to on-campus and remote activity has been provided to them this week.   All programmes will have significant activity in-practical based modules on campus, with the large number of theoretical lectures delivered remotely except for some Masters programmes. Students can expect to be on campus across the full week. Students have received information on their class timetables or studio and workshop arrangements, information on electives, return to campus and coordinator contact details.

Cork School of Music

All programmes will have significant activity in-person on campus, with a very small number of theoretical whole-class lectures delivered remotely. Students can expect to be in the School across the full week. Timetables have been issued.

COVID-19 Guidelines

MTU has a comprehensive range of risk controls in place including ventilation, physical distancing, cleaning, face coverings, maintaining good hand and respiratory hygiene, and staying at home if feeling unwell. Further information on these protocols is available at (https://covid19.cit.ie/

In particular, please note that:

1.      Details on the return to campus process for students are available here

2.      Mask wearing continues to be mandatory within university buildings. While this policy will be reviewed for 22 October, it is expected that mask wearing is likely to continue to be a requirement in many settings through Semester 1. For now, exceptions will be made only in exceptional cases, for example, in the case of specific types of practical classes. Academic departments will advise students locally.  Any such exceptions are subject to hand and respiratory hygiene.

3.      Hand and respiratory hygiene and desk wipe-down protocols must be observed. Please wash your hands regularly and use the hand sanitisers available on entry and exit of all buildings.

4.      Lectures will be of duration 45 minutes in the hour to allow time to mask break, move between classes, and avert the possibility of large congregations in corridors, etc.

5.      Students must advise the university if they 

i.        Have been diagnosed with Covid-19,

ii.   Are experiencing Covid-19 symptoms.

In the above instances, the student is advised to remain off campus and follow HSE guidelines.  

6.      Further information on the procedures to be followed re dealing with symptoms of Covid-19, reporting of sickness, testing, and return to campus following illness will be posted on the Covid-19 portal

7.      The university urges all staff and students to avail of the national vaccination programme. Please consult with your doctor should you have any concerns. However, in line with guidelines governing personal medical data, the university will not distinguish between vaccinated and unvaccinated staff and students attending on campus.

8.      Students who have concerns about their health status and on how this might impact on their study should communicate these to the academic department at the earliest possible opportunity, under the Individual Extenuating Circumstances Policy.

Key Semester 1 Dates

Information regarding key dates for Semester 1 (including Reading Week and Examinations) has been posted on the university website.Academic departments will issue programme-specific information regarding assessment in the coming weeks.

Student services and supports

The Student Experience is central to the MTU Community ethos. Student services and supports will continue to be available, both onsite and remotely, to assist and enable students over the coming year.  It is anticipated that there will be substantially increased onsite activity in the area of sports, clubs and societies from Semester 1. 

We will also continue to work with the Students’ Unionto reach out and include all students.

Details of all student services and supports are available on the Covid-19 Portal and are updated regularly. These supports include the Student Assistance Fund (SAF). Students experiencing financial difficulties may apply for SAF support. 

Library

Opening hours and details regarding ‘click and collect’ services will be posted on the relevant library websites and Covid-19 portals.  Please note that the Bishopstown Campus Library is currently closed due to essential maintenance works. It will open in late September/early October: updates will be posted here

Canvas Learning Management System, IT Support

The Canvas Learning Management System will continue to a very important teaching, learning and assessment tool this academic year; click here to access support for students. General IT support for students is available here

Students are reminded of the importance of access to a computer and internet connectivity to support their learning. Those students experiencing financial difficulties in this context are advised to apply to the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) for support.