In-classroom and Online Teaching and Learning Combined for all students

Welcome to all our students from around the world, whether you are studying in the Netherlands, in Germany, or in Austria, or in one of the many other countries where you may be at this time. Whichever programme you are studying, the Bachelor of Business Administration, the Master of Business Administration, or the Master of Science MBM programme, we want to empower you to get the very most out of your studies.

We are starting this academic year, in 2020, after having experienced a period of disruption, angst, and lockdown across the world caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. By now it is clear that we will be living with the effects of the coronavirus for some time to come and there is no magic solution. What is important is that we do not let this life-changing event stop us from developing, from learning, from improving our livelihoods, and from keeping moving on forwards.

Online, Live and Blended

At Wittenborg, we have taken this opportunity to further develop our online support courses and move to a system of teaching and learning that will sustain us through the coming academic year. This means that students who are in the Netherlands can follow lessons live in the classroom, as long as this is possible.  Students who are in the Netherlands can also choose to follow the live lessons through the online learning systems, such as Moodle and Microsoft Teams.

At the same time, students who are not able to be in the Netherlands during their studies this year can follow the live lessons online. At the same time, teachers will continue to film keynote presentations and upload all their materials through the virtual-learning environment as they have been doing since March. This will allow students also to follow the modules online even if they can’t attend all the live lessons.

Students who attend live lessons in classrooms have been requested to do so with their own laptops. The laptop should have battery power to last the lessons on that day. This is because there are limited possibilities for charging during lessons.

All examinations and assessments will be carried out online with online open-book exams replacing the examination system that we once had. Submissions of projects and papers have always been online and this will be continuing. This will allow students wherever they are to carry on with their studies and gain their credits. An additional benefit of online examinations will be through not having to use so much paper, improving our contribution towards sustainability.

Project weeks will be conducted in a blended-learning format, possibly with only group leaders coming to school to meet the project week team. This will depend on group sizes and numbers of students. All students will be able to follow project weeks online.

As the academic year progresses, some changes may be made. For instance, the move towards e-books from paper books will be sped up and we hope that before block 3 all textbooks will be available online as e-books.

For updates on our approach to teaching and learning at Wittenborg please keep an eye on these webpages: https://www.wittenborg.eu/covid19-teaching-and-learning-wittenborg-august-2020-block-1.htm

Safety at all times @Wittenborg

When possible, we will encourage students to come to school to interact with each other, their teachers and staff members. However, during this uncertain period, when it is unclear as to further outbreaks of the virus and the effect that this will have on society in the Netherlands, Wittenborg has chosen to introduce the wearing of face masks for all students attending lessons. Face masks must be worn at all times in classrooms and communal areas by students and staff. However teachers should not wear facemasks when teaching.

Wittenborg endeavours to keep its students and staff as safe as possible at all times, and has published its safety guidelines which is distributed in all locations. Please take note of all requirements and adhere accordingly. It should be noted that the Dutch government will update its policies when it is necessary, and these changes will generally be communicated to the country in Dutch through special television announcements. Wittenborg will always ensure that its students are kept up to date with all changes as they happen.

Good Luck, Stay Safe and See You Soon!

The coming year will be challenging for all of us, but we will not put our lives and careers on hold. At Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences, we will work hard, study and prepare for the light at the end of the tunnel, and emerge stronger, more confident, more qualified and more skilled than ever before.

Be inspiring to others and be inspired!

Peter Birdsall

President, Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences

WUP 19/8/2020
by Peter Birdsall
©WUAS Press