The winter start will be virtual for thousands of university students in Quebec. With less than a week to go back to class, all educational institutions are returning to distance education, at least until January 17.
The students sailed towards the holidays with the impression that they would be back on campus when the new school year started. Omicron took less than three weeks to bring that hope to naught, at least for the start of classes.
The re-entry will take place as planned on January 10 in higher education institutions. However, it is in front of a computer screen that students will meet their new teachers.
The University of Montreal is postponing the return to campuses until January 31. “In the light of the most recent data on the evolution of the pandemic and after consulting our experts, the management has decided to extend the period of distance teaching and research at least until the end of January”, writes the institution in an email to students and staff.
UQÀM thus announced to its 37,000 students on Tuesday that “the winter term will be online and remotely until January 23, 2022 inclusive”. The University of the Latin Quarter is thus extending the teaching methods announced on December 30 by one week. UQAT, in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, does not plan any face-to-face return before the 23rd as well.
In Quebec, Laval University sets in motion the “fallback plan” presented a few days before Christmas. Classes will start on the 10th, but will be virtual until the 17th – at least. “It seems likely to us that the activation of the fallback plan should extend until January 30,” says the establishment.
Concordia University, for its part, is extending virtual education until January 20.
UQAR, Bishop’s University and Sherbrooke University had already announced an online re-entry, the day after the press briefing held by Prime Minister François Legault on December 30. In it, the government announced that primary and secondary school courses would be virtual until January 17.
MGill is postponing the physical return of its students to campus until January 24. “Our plan A provided for the resumption of face-to-face teaching on January 10, but we switched to plan B by postponing the return to campus for two weeks,” specifies the establishment.
In Trois-Rivières, the UQTR has not yet specified the terms of its winter return. The institution promises that directives will be issued this week.
Finally, in the Outaouais, UQO is also starting the winter session remotely, until January 17.
Activities that require a physical presence on campus, including those that take place in laboratories or involve simulations, will proceed as usual on most campuses.
Libraries also remain open, although health precautions are in order.
Travel abroad is suspended until further notice.
Since the arrival of the coronavirus, only the fall session 2021 has been able to take place entirely
“Under the circumstances, we still wish you a good start in winter 2022,” concludes the Université du Québec en Outaouais.