Coronavirus: Current information

How will hygiene be ensured indoors?

Where rooms are used by different groups, heavily used surfaces (tables, door handles and light switches) and materials will be cleaned regularly. There are rules on this in each department. Rooms with windows must be aired at least hourly.

Must I use the SwissCovid app?

We strongly recommend that you use the SwissCovid app.

How does contact tracing work in teaching?

For teaching sessions, the module enrolments in IS-Academia are used for contact tracing; no additional collection of personal details is necessary.

In which situations must I wear a mask during on-site teaching events?

In all rooms a distance of 1.5 metres must be maintained whenever possible. If it cannot be maintained, masks must be worn.

Will I receive a mask from BFH?

Yes, BFH will provide all bachelor’s and master’s students with two free EMPA-approved washable fabric masks. These will be sent to students at home so that they are equipped for the first weeks. Thereafter it is your responsibility to ensure that you always have a mask to hand.

Will continuing education students also receive a mask from BFH?

Yes, continuing education students on longer courses (e.g. CAS or MAS) will receive masks on-site.

Do I have to wear the masks provided by BFH?

No, other masks are permitted. A scarf or similar does not count as a mask and is not permitted.

Must I wear a mask during breaks and when leaving or moving between teaching rooms?

BFH does not currently plan to make masks compulsory in the public areas. However, the departments can require masks to be worn at particular sites if the situation so requires.

BFH reserves the right to make masks compulsory everywhere if this is necessary in the light of the epidemiological situation.

What should I do if I don’t have a mask with me?

If you do not have a mask, you cannot attend classes for which masks are compulsory. It is usually possible for students and staff to purchase masks from Reception at a price of CHF 1.00.

Must I wear a mask in class when doing group work / working in close contact with others / talking to other students?

If a distance of 1.5 metres cannot be maintained, masks must be worn.

I don’t want to wear a mask. What should I do?

If you do not have a mask, you cannot attend classes for which masks are compulsory. If you are not present at a compulsory class, you will be recorded as absent. Students are responsible for catching up on missed teaching content themselves.

I have a doctor’s certificate stating that for health reasons I cannot wear a mask. Can I attend classes for which masks are compulsory without a mask?

In these situations, an attempt should be made to find a solution with sufficient distancing, if the teaching setting permits this. If this is not possible, absence will be classed as authorised absence (as in the case of illness).

Must the lecturer also wear a mask?

In situations in which masks are required, lecturers must wear one unless they are at least two metres away from the students they are talking to.

Who checks whether everyone is keeping to the social distancing and mask-wearing rules?

Everyone has a duty to abide by the rules and is responsible for doing so. In the teaching rooms, lecturers are responsible for enforcing the distancing rules and any applicable mask-wearing rules. If students do not comply, the lecturer can require them to leave the room.

Must masks be worn on excursions that are part of the teaching programme?

During excursions in the forest, field or animal sheds, masks must be worn if 1.5-metre distancing cannot be maintained (i.e. especially on the way to and from excursion sites). In special situations out and about, lecturers can also impose a general mask-wearing requirement.

Can I attend teaching on-site if I feel unwell or ill?

If you have obvious symptoms such as fever, feeling feverish, sore throat, coughing, shortness of breath, muscle pain, or sudden loss of sense of smell and/or taste, please follow the instructions on isolation: www.bag.admin.ch/selbstisolation.

If the symptoms occur on-site, the person concerned should inform the module coordinator and the head of the degree programme and go home immediately with a mask.

Should I stay at home if I feel ill, even if this means that I miss classes?

You MUST stay at home if you have obvious symptoms such as fever, feeling feverish, sore throat, coughing, shortness of breath, muscle pain, or sudden loss of sense of smell and/or taste. With regard to any teaching you may have missed, you should get in touch with the person responsible for the module. Students are responsible for catching up on missed teaching content themselves.

I have returned from a country/region with an elevated infection risk and am required to quarantine for 10 days. Can I attend classes in person if I comply with the protection measures?

No! The rules of the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health FOPH apply. Important: A negative test result does not remove the quarantine requirement or shorten the duration of quarantine. People who do not quarantine for the required ten days must expect to be fined.

I have to quarantine/self-isolate and can therefore not attend my classes. What should I do?

As a first step, you should inform the head of your degree programme.

Will I be disadvantaged if I cannot attend classes because of isolation/quarantine?

You have the right to equal treatment. In individual cases it may be that the teaching material cannot be replaced or compensated (e.g. excursions). Contact the lecturers who are delivering your class or module. They will ensure that you are able to access the documents and subject matter.

Students and staff in whom infection is confirmed or suspected should note this information:

Checklist: Suspected or actual coronavirus

This checklist been taken up as a new element of the BFH Framework Safety Concept.

When do I need a doctor’s certificate?

What happens if I can’t submit the doctor’s certificate in time?

Why do first-semester students have priority for classroom teaching?

This is intended to let newcomers settle into their new learning environment quickly at the start of their course.

I belong to a risk group. Must I still attend classes in person?

In principle, vulnerable students should attend classes in person unless they have a doctor’s certificate that confirms that protection on-site is inadequate for their specific situation.

Is attendance at classes in person compulsory or can I also participate digitally?

For each teaching session, this will be decided by the head of the degree programme in consultation with the module coordinator. If students are split into groups for modules with blended learning or hybrid teaching, you will be informed in writing by the lecturers or the head of your degree programme before the start of the teaching session.

Is there an online solution for all teaching sessions?

No. Modules for first-semester students, in particular, should take place on-site wherever possible. There will be increased combining of online and on-site teaching.

When will I know whether my class or lecture is taking place as an in-person event or a digital one?

Before the start of the module, you will receive written notification of the form of your teaching sessions and any scheduling and coordinating aspects.

What can I do if I have a doctor’s certificate that means that I cannot attend a teaching session on-site?

Contact the head of your degree programme. They and the module coordinators will find a solution that will enable you to continue studying.

Can I continue to participate in teaching sessions via distance learning, as in the spring semester?

The aim is to have as many students as possible attending classes in the BFH buildings, despite the necessary restrictions as a result of distancing and hygiene rules. This is especially important for classes with a large practical component. Heads of degree programmes can in consultation with module coordinators offer online versions or blended learning formats (asynchronous).

Can I make free use of digital teaching materials and recordings?

No, these are subject to copyright principles and the rights of third parties. This means that input and images from lecturers and fellow students must be treated as confidential. Third-party materials can only be used within the closed class group.

Will course costs be refunded in full as a result of the cancellation of (individual) continuing education events because of coronavirus?

Continuing education classes and courses can be cancelled or terminated by BFH irrespective of the opportunity to deliver them. The course fees will then be refunded. If ECTS credits have already been awarded, the refund will be pro rata.

As a result of coronavirus, it is not possible to hold an examination or competency assessment. What happens now?

In this situation, competency assessments can be postponed or the time allowed for them can be appropriately extended. In the case of student papers (with the exception of bachelor’s and master’s theses), a new or amended paper can be required. You will receive written notification in advance of such variations.

What happens if my competency assessment is classed as unsatisfactory?

Unsatisfactory competency assessments – with the exception of bachelor’s and master’s theses – will as a one-off not count towards your re-sit options if as a result of the coronavirus there are deviations from the module description either in relation to the implementation of the module or the learning unit being tested or in relation to the form of the competency assessment and if you were not informed of the deviations within two weeks of the start of the teaching event. In this situation, if the module is not completed with a satisfactory overall assessment, it can be repeated an additional time.

How will entrance exams/aptitude assessments take place?

If the examination or aptitude assessment must be conducted on-site, the applicable hygiene and distancing rules of the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health FOPH must be adhered to. If the form and content of the examination/assessment are changed, you will be informed of this promptly by the relevant department.

I am in quarantine/isolation and so cannot complete the competency assessment. What should I do?

In this situation, competency assessments can be postponed or the time allowed for them can be appropriately extended. In the case of student papers (with the exception of bachelor’s and master’s theses), a new or amended paper can be required. Affected students should get in touch with their lecturer as soon as possible.

Who can decide on changes to study programmes?

The heads of degree programmes are responsible for implementing measures relating to study programmes. They are supported by the module coordinators.

Can I be given leave retrospectively as a result of the coronavirus situation?

Yes, bachelor and master students can be retrospectively given leave or have their matriculation terminated if as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic they have to perform military or medical service or similar, if they have out-of-the-ordinary caring duties or if the majority of teaching events have been postponed or cancelled. Requests relating to the autumn semester must be submitted on the appropriate form no later than 30 September. Leave of this sort will not count towards the maximum permitted leave.

The coronavirus pandemic and the associated measures have upset the planned course of my studies. Where can I get support and advice?

Contact the student advisory service in your department.

External counselling service

The protracted duration of the current exceptional circumstances can cause stress. We should like to draw your attention to the fact that the Counselling Centre of the Universities of Bern is offering counselling on-site, by telephone or online. For low-threshold psychological support we also recommend inclousiv.ch (in German), dureschnufe.ch (in Swiss German) and santépsy (in French).

What regulations apply?

As at 1 August 2020, the Corona Regulations 2 on derogations in teaching and continuing education apply. These take precedence where they deviate from the previous rules. This applies in particular to rules on competency assessments and examinations, teaching modalities, semester times, provision of continuing education courses, leave and termination of matriculation and refunding of fees. The Corona Regulations enable BFH to deviate from the applicable rules when there is good reason to do so. Deviations must be proportionate and preserve equality before the law. They must also be publicised in advance.

The regulations do not cover my situation. What should I do?

Contact the head of your degree programme about your situation. Officers will examine whether a special ruling is justified.

Does the BFH protection concept apply if the teaching session takes place at another location (outside BFH)?

No. For example, if a teaching session takes place at a non-BFH location as part of a cooperative master’s programme, the teaching site’s protection concept applies.

Are you planning an exchange semester or a regular course of study at Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH), but are uncertain about what is going to happen because of the current situation? Then you have come to the right place! We provide information on the latest developments to help you plan a successful exchange.

Last update on 18/08/2020

General information

Classroom teaching at BFH can be resumed from the autumn semester 2020 in mixed teaching forms (online and face-to-face). The courses offered will be adapted to the given sanitary restrictions (especially distance rules) and the available resources.

Entry requirements

Please always consult the entry requirements for your country of origin and examine the following list from the Federal Office of Public Health ) to check whether you are entering from a risk country and therefore have to go into quarantine in Switzerland for 10 days upon arrival.

People who would like to complete education or training in Switzerland that lasts over 90 days can submit a corresponding application. The applications are being processed by the migration office again.

Third-country nationals will have to submit their application to the Swiss diplomatic mission responsible for their place of residence.

EU/EFTA nationals will have to submit the application to the cantonal migration authority responsible for their future place of residence in Switzerland.

Entry will be possible as soon as EU/EFTA nationals have a residence permit, or third country nationals have an entry permit with a visa issued by Switzerland.

The International Relations Office of the BFH organises a quarantine service to assist students who must go in quarantine. Please consult your department's International Office for more information, if you belong to this group.

Further information: State Secretariat for Migration / Federal Office of Public Health

Classroom teaching

For up-to-date information please refer to the section ‘Classroom teaching (studies and continuing education)’.

Social life

The measures are gradually being relaxed and the colorful and appealing Bernese university environment is slowly but steadily returning to normality. Private and public events with up to 1000 people are allowed again under certain conditions. Mountain railways, campsites and tourist activities, such as toboggan runs or rope parks, are reopened and museum and amusement park visits, as well as cinema evenings, are possible again.

For further information see: The portal of the Swiss Government

Up to 30 people may meet in public spaces, while maintaining the distance rules. Private and public events with up to 1000 people are allowed again under certain conditions. Mountain railways, campsites and tourist activities, such as toboggan runs or rope parks, are reopened and museum and amusement park visits, as well as cinema evenings, are possible again.
For further information see: The portal of the Swiss Government

IMPORTANT: Please note that wearing a mask is mandatory on public transport. (Further information: Federal Office of Public Health)

Are you planning an exchange abroad in the 2020 autumn term? Then you should regularly check the information provided by your exchange university as well as the entry requirements of the country in question and, if necessary, contact the International Office.

What are the rules on working from home?

As from 15 September 2020, the rule is that no more than 50% of a person’s work can be done from home. Working at home is conditional on the activity, the situation in the team and the home workplace being suitable. The decision lies with the colleague’s superior. Permission to work from home can be given orally or in writing and can be withdrawn at any time. There is no legal entitlement. 

The following conditions apply to working from home:

• Working from home is governed by the applicable rules on working time. Colleagues must ensure that they are contactable. The electronic calendar provides information on where colleagues are working. Discussions and meetings that require presence on-site may be planned for working-from-home days. 
• No compensation will be paid for the use (and depreciation) of private infrastructure when working from home.
• Technical problems (even if they are proven to lie with the employer) do not release staff from their work duties. If the work cannot be performed at home because of technical problems, colleagues must immediately inform their superior, who will decide on the further procedure.

Document ‘The Berner Fachhochschule’s policy on working from home during the coronavirus pandemic‘ (in German)

Risk group

Members of staff who are in a risk group are still entitled to work from home, provided that operational requirements so permit. If the work cannot be done from home, the STOP principle applies as set out in the protection concept. In principle, vulnerable members of the teaching staff (those who are in a risk group) are expected to deliver classroom teaching unless they have a doctor’s certificate that confirms that protection on-site is inadequate.

Regulations for meetings

Members of staff who are in a risk group are still entitled to work from home, provided that operational requirements so permit. If the work cannot be done from home, the STOP principle applies as set out in the protection concept. In principle, vulnerable members of the teaching staff (those who are in a risk group) are expected to deliver classroom teaching unless they have a doctor’s certificate that confirms that protection on-site is inadequate.

BFH has adjusted its research operations to comply with the official measures for containing SARS-CoV-2. All research activities and services must be performed in compliance with the recommendations of the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). 

Cooperation with external project partners from the economy, society, culture and the public sector is guaranteed in order to further promote innovation. 

Project partners should contact their contact person at the BFH or the Corona Crisis Staff for questions and further information: corona@bfh.ch

Please observe the following safety measures for working in the office:

Hand washing

Wash hands regularly with soap, particularly on arriving at work as well as before and after breaks.

Maintain distance

The maximum occupancy per room must be calculated to allow adherence with the 1.5-metre distance rule.

Possible measures:

• Rotations within and between teams, switching between on-site attendance and working from home
• Part-time attendance on site
• Use classrooms if possible

Cleaning of surfaces and objects

Ensure adequate regular ventilation in rooms (ventilate for around 10 minutes at least every hour).

For shared usage of office rooms: regularly clean surfaces and objects (e.g. work surfaces, keyboards, telephones) with a standard cleaning agent.

Hand washing

Wash hands regularly with soap before and after breaks.

Maintain distance

Observe the maximum room occupancy (min. 4 m² per person). Maintain distance when standing as well.

Cleaning of surfaces and objects

Ensure adequate regular ventilation in rooms (ventilate for around 10 minutes at least every hour).

Cantonal Council resolution from 16 September 2020: Procedures to be followed where employees are officially required to self-isolate or are exempted from attending the workplace on the grounds of pregnancy 
 

I have been officially ordered to self-isolate. Can I claim paid short-term leave?

If you are officially ordered to self-isolate – for example via the cantonal contact tracing programme – your superior will check with you whether you are able to work from home. If this is not practicable, you have the option of taking paid short-term leave. Your superior will approve leave for the required time period. This shall not extend beyond the official duration of self-isolation or 30 November 2020 at the very latest.

Paid short-term leave will be denied if you are shown to have flouted the hygiene regulations/code of behaviour issued by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), cantonal protective measures or BFH’s framework safety concept. Paid short-term leave will also be denied if you travel to an area that was already on the list of countries and areas with an elevated risk of infection at the time of your departure.

Important: on 16 September 2020, the Cantonal Council decreed that employees who are officially required to self-isolate may only be granted short-term leave once they have used up all of the annual overtime they have accrued. This regulation applies also to employees in the performance agreement model RAZ.

Further information on cantonal personnel legislation relating to the coronavirus pandemic can be found in the canton’s FAQ.

My child has been officially ordered to self-isolate. Can I claim paid short-term leave?

If you are unable to attend your workplace because you or any children living in your household have been instructed to self-isolate, your superior will check with you whether you are able to work from home. If this is not practicable, you have the option of taking paid short-term leave. Your superior will approve leave for the required time period. This shall not extend beyond the official duration of self-isolation or 30 November 2020 at the very latest.

Paid short-term leave will be denied if you are shown to have flouted the hygiene regulations/code of behaviour issued by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) or cantonal protective measures. Paid short-term leave will also be denied if you are required to self-isolate as a result of travel to an area that was already on the list of countries and areas with an elevated risk of infection at the time of your departure.

Important: on 16 September 2020, the Cantonal Council decreed that employees who are officially required to self-isolate may only be granted short-term leave once they have used up all of the annual overtime they have accrued. This regulation applies also to employees in the performance agreement model RAZ.

Further information on cantonal personnel legislation relating to the coronavirus pandemic can be found in the canton’s FAQ.

I am pregnant, and my doctor has instructed me not to attend the workplace. Can I claim paid short-term leave?

Under the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research’s ordinance on hazardous and arduous work during pregnancy and maternity (Maternity Health and Safety Ordinance; SR 822.111.52), pregnant employees may be instructed by their doctor not to attend the workplace because of the coronavirus risk. If this applies to you and we are unable to assign you another, medically approved workplace and you cannot work from home, you have the option of taking paid short-term leave. Your superior will approve leave for the required period. This period shall automatically come to an end if the risk at the workplace ceases or if we are able to assign other work to you and it will not extend beyond 30 November 2020 at the very latest.

Your entitlement to paid short-term leave is not affected by any annual overtime you may have accrued. This regulation applies also to employees in the performance agreement model RAZ.

Further information on cantonal personnel legislation relating to the coronavirus pandemic can be found in the canton’s FAQ.

SAP time sheets in the event of paid short-term leave

In all of the above cases, employees with annual working hours should report the paid short-term leave under absence code 0714, ‘Caring for dependants’. As a rule, this will be entered under the master cost centre. The usual specifications for reporting absences apply:

• Do not exceed a daily total of 8.4 hours (do not generate overtime hours).
• Do not exceed the weekly total (do not generate overtime hours).
• Do not combine ‘from–to’ entries and fixed totals (e.g. 3 hours).
• In the Information section, enter ‘Corona’.
• Part-time employees may only report the working hours and/or ‘Caring for dependants’ on their agreed/customary working days.

What are the rules on taking holidays?

For employees in the working time models JAZ and RAZ, the following applies: the planned holidays must be taken. The head of department decides on justified exceptions. 

Holidays in risk countries

Anyone who travels to the relevant areas and countries despite these travel warnings and is subsequently subject to official quarantine requirements is not entitled to be paid during this period. The missed time must be covered by annual working time, holiday or long-term account credits or taken as unpaid leave. If someone falls ill with Covid-19 as a result of such a stay, the Personnel Office may (upon application by the appointing authority) reduce the member of staff’s salary or stop it completely on account of gross negligence (Article 53 of the Personnel Regulations).

Students and staff in whom infection is confirmed or suspected should note this information:

Checklist: Suspected or actual coronavirus

This checklist been taken up as a new element of the BFH Framework Safety Concept.

When do I need a doctor’s certificate?

What happens if I can’t submit the doctor’s certificate in time?

Yes, BFH will provide all permanent staff with two free EMPA-approved washable fabric masks. These will be sent to their home address at the end of September. Apart from that, it is the responsibility of members of staff themselves to ensure that they have a mask whenever one is needed.

In situations in which masks are required, lecturers must wear one unless they are at least two metres away from the students they are talking to.

Worldwide measures to combat the pandemic have made travelling abroad, for conferences or research meetings for example, more complex than before. The Federal Office of Public Health recommends that you avoid unnecessary travel abroad.

FOPH: New coronavirus: Information for travellers

Please be aware that the public health situation can change rapidly. If your travel destination is classified as a country or area with an increased risk of infection, you will be required to self-isolate following your return to Switzerland – irrespective of how the country or area in question was classified prior to your departure.

At BFH, the heads of department are responsible for approving work-related travel abroad.

Events at BFH with up to 300 people are permitted provided that the measures set out in the Covid-19 Ordinance – special situation can be put in place.

• A person must be designated for the event who is responsible for implementing the measures.
• Participants’ contact details (surname, first name, telephone number, seat number if possible) must be collected and retained for 14 days, after which they should be destroyed or deleted.
• Hand sanitiser must be provided at the entrances.
• There must be a distance of at least 1.5 metres between seats or between people who are standing. If this is not possible, masks must be worn.
• The flow of people (e.g. when entering and leaving the hall and during breaks), must be managed so that a distance of 1.5 m between participants can be maintained.  If this is not possible, masks must be worn.

For this purpose, ‘events’ covers all occasions with internal or external visitors, including special examination formats (e.g. public concerts, colloquia). For teaching events (Bachelor, Master, continuing education) in the strict sense, the rules in ‘Guidelines for teaching at BFH (studies and continuing education) in the autumn semester 2020/2021’ apply.

Events with external visitors must be notified in advance: Notification form

External event organisers may continue to use our premises on condition that they have their own protection strategy. The BFH rules apply in the communally used areas (corridors, toilets, etc.).

A specific protection concept must be drawn up for any event attended by more than 300 people. The rules as set out in the explanations in the Covid-19 Ordinance – special situation apply.

The library reading rooms are open. The hygiene and distancing regulations of the BFH framework safety concept apply to counter operations and (self-service) borrowing.

For information on individual libraries, please refer to their webpages: bfh.ch/libraries.  

Cafeterias and staff restaurants may adjust their activities to reflect increased university operations. They will do so under the guidelines of the Covid-19 safety concept for catering. For information on individual cafeterias, please refer to the pages for the facilities in question on the internet or intranet.

The following rules apply to everyone:

• Groups of up to 6 people may sit together at a table without additional social distancing. As far as possible, people should remain in the same groups.
• There must be a distance of at least 1.5 metres between tables.
• Where there is a flow of people, they must remain 1.5 metres apart. If this is not possible, masks must be worn.
• Staff and students should keep a written or photographic record of who they have sat with on which day so that they can provide this information if there is a case of infection.
• External visitors are not permitted. In the event of exceptions, the visitors’ personal details must be recorded.

Other measures will be defined by the individual cafeterias in the light of the local situation.

BFH buildings can be accessed by staff and students. Access for external individuals is regulated individually for the various sites. For further site-specific information please visit: www.bfh.ch/en/about-bfh/locations-facilities/locations/

As a rule, if it is impossible to maintain a distance of 1.5 metres (preferable), masks are to be worn. A BFH-wide obligation to wear masks in the buildings is currently not planned. However, at the individual locations of the BFH, a compulsory mask in buildings can be issued if local conditions require it. The information will be provided by the specific department.

Mandatory masks in buildings means that all persons in public areas wear a mask. This obligation does not apply in classrooms and offices if the distance can be maintained.

This list was last updated on: 08.09.2020

AHB

• Biel, Solothurnstrasse 102

• Burgdorf, Gsteig

EHSM

• alle Gebäude (ausgenommen Sportaktivitäten)

Gesundheit

• Bern, Murtenstrasse 10

• Bern, Schwarztorstrasse 48

HAFL

• Zollikofen, Länggasse 85: Nur einzelne, speziell bezeichnete Bereiche: ab 09.09.2020 sind dies die Mensa (Anstehen und Zirkulation), die Studierendenküche sowie Vorraum und Treppe der Aula

HKB

• Bern, Eigerplatz 5a: Maskenpflicht ab 14.09.
• Bern, Fellerstrasse 11: Maskenpflicht ab 14.09.
• Bern, Ostermundigenstrasse 103: Maskenpflicht ab 14.09.
• Bern, Papiermühlestrasse: Maskenpflicht ab 14.09.
• Bern, Schwabstrasse 10: Maskenpflicht ab 14.09.
• Bern, Zikadenweg 35: Maskenpflicht ab 14.09.
• Biel, Jakob-Rosius-Strasse 16: Maskenpflicht ab 14.09.

• Biel, Seevorstadt 99: Maskenpflicht ab 14.09.

TecLab

• Burgdorf, Jlcoweg 1

TI

• Burgdorf, Jlcoweg 1
• Biel, Höheweg 80
• Biel, Quellgasse 21
• Biel, Seevorstadt 103
• Burgdorf, Gsteig

Wirtschaft

• Bern, Brückenstrasse 73