The planning of this year's start of studies has, as usual, taken place for several months. However, this year's planning has been extra special. Creating good social and professional meeting places and at the same time following the authorities' requirements and recommendations for infection control has been our focal point. It might be that some of the recommendations have been broken here and there, but our observations indicate that everyone has been exceptionally skilled when it comes to ensuring infection control. Last Friday, we had the Minister of Health and Care Services Bent Høie visiting our students outside the Physics Building, and he seemed very pleased with what he saw and experienced.
In this post, I will write about a few of the many highlights this past week, some of which I have witnessed myself, others I have been informed about by my colleagues at the Faculty.
- In the nice summer weather, the student association "Realistforeningen" organized outdoor events for our students serving refreshments behind Vilhelm Bjerknes' house. Tuesday evening I stopped by and greeted our new students. They enjoyed themselves and had a good time. The work that was put down in order to ensure infection control was absolutely exemplary. I would like to thank the "Realistforeningen" and all other student associations who always make sure that our new students have a great start of studies experience.
- The attendance at the game night with the new physics students was very good, and the program was carried out under a strict infection control regime where a "depot" of equipment and carefully packaged food that got a fresh dose of disinfectant for each new group. Buddy groups were spread out throughout the Physics Building, and they made sure that the board games were not exchanged between groups. Students expressed that they looked forward to being physically present at campus, not only participating in digital lectures.
- At the Department of Biosciences (IBV), what is usually one program for the start of studies, was divided into three parallel programs. This was done in order to comply with the rules for distancing and cleaning. Similar programs were implemented at all departments that have many students in their study programs. The program at IBV included a digital yoga class with a professor - at Zoom!
- All of our departments and student buddies have been very action-oriented. For example when the news about the park situation in Oslo became known early last week, the buddies at the Department of Mathematics immediately made changes. They dropped their plans for organizing large events in a park to quickly set up several smaller outdoor activities with fewer people in each group.
- Although we will have as much physical attendance at our lectures as possible, this autumn will also focus on digital teaching. Several of our departments have added an introduction to digital teaching at the start of their studies. The purpose of course being to make the new students more familiar with digital lectures, which we'll start running already this week.
Although the start of studies is mostly about socializing and creating a good learning environment for our students, it also includes introductions to the academic content of our study programs. These introductions take place in various ways, such as popular science lectures, excursions and quizzes in natural science. In addition students get their first introductions into good study techniques.
Welcome to the University of Oslo. Where it is - and will continue to be- safe to study and work!