Communiqué of the Beginning of the Academic Course 20-21 in the ESI

Information on the situation and characteristics of the course 20-21

Hello everyone,

I hope that you are all well and that you have enjoyed and rested during the holidays.

In this first communication, I would like to welcome the students who are joining as new students in this new academic year, and also send a greeting to the rest of the students.

Through this email I want to inform you of the approach of the ESI regarding the start and development of this academic year, which starts in somewhat special circumstances due to the health situation in which we find ourselves.

From the School and the University, measures are being implemented to guarantee the safety of all ESI staff and students according to the indications of the health authorities, and in terms of teaching, the objective is to have 100% face-to-face, but in a hybrid scenario with simultaneous online broadcast if necessary, through the Microsoft TEAMS platform.

This University's commitment to face-to-face teaching has given rise to numerous works addressed in the summer to have classrooms large enough to allow compliance with the minimum distance between people of 1.5 meters. The first thing that will catch your attention is precisely the size of the classrooms and laboratories. This large size of classrooms may require in some cases that you use your laptop to better view the presentations of the teachers. Remember that on the ESI website https://esi.uclm.es/ You have the timetables with the classroom information that corresponds to you according to your group. Check it out as there may be some last minute readjustment. 

Students who may be immersed in quarantine due to the virus must communicate it through an email to the address covid.esi@uclm.es, and it will be managed so that they can attend class and laboratory sessions through the Microsoft TEAMS platform.

Regarding the start of the academic year, comment that the grade classes start on September 21 [NOTE: the first week will be 100% online through MS TEAMS for unexpected reasons], and very important, on the 17th we will have informative and welcome sessions in the ESI Assembly Hall, in the morning for first-year students, and in the afternoon for second and higher. Given the capacity limitations, the morning session will be organized by class groups and will be face-to-face, and the afternoon session will be for all second and higher students, and will also be held in the assembly room for students. until full capacity, and the rest will be able to connect by TEAMS. Information about these sessions is published in the usual forums (posters, Twitter and https://esi.uclm.es/).

Finally, here are some comments and recommendations regarding the health crisis caused by Covid:

• It is necessary to wear a mask in class and corridors.
• The installation of the Radar Covid app is suggested.
• Although the classrooms will be cleaned and disinfected regularly, it is not possible to do it between classes, so there will be paper and a disinfectant product to use if you consider it necessary at the beginning and/or end of classes.
• Tutorials with professors will preferably take place by appointment and through the Microsoft TEAMS platform.
• It is not considered appropriate to eat in the classroom, and to drink, the time with the mask lowered should be reduced as much as possible.
• It is recommended to attend class with a laptop to be able to follow the classes properly. 
• In addition to all of the above, the usual protocols must be followed (use of hydroalcoholic gel, maintaining social distance, etc.).

I would like to ask you for maximum responsibility in complying with all these protocols, since it is up to all of us to try to prevent the health situation from becoming complicated and the need to take more restrictive measures.

I say goodbye wishing you have a very productive course, in which you learn many valuable things for your future, and have many academic successes, and above all, that you do it with maximum safety and health.

Regards,

Eduardo Fernandez-Medina Paton

Director of the Higher School of Computer Science of Ciudad Real