Coronavirus news

Students and lecturers can come to HAN again for all educational activities.  The 1.5-meter rule for higher education had already been dropped. And from 25 September, there will be no maximum group size for educational and other activities held at HAN anymore. Because the timetables were already made, you may not see the effect of this until term 2.

Having no maximum group size means that events such as graduation ceremonies and Open Days can also be held as they used to.

The hospitality industry is required to ask guests for a COVID certificate. This does not apply to the catering services in HAN buildings for students and employees. So you can buy a cup of coffee or a sandwich in the canteens and cafes on the HAN campus without a certificate.

Guidelines that still apply after 25 September:

• Give each other space
• Follow the indicated walking routes as much as possible
• Follow the hygiene guidelines: wash your hands regularly and cough and sneeze into your elbow
• Don't shake hands
• Test yourself regularly, preferably twice a week. Have you tested positive? Then don't come to HAN and get yourself tested at the GGD.
• Have you tested negative, but still have symptoms that could indicate corona? Stay home and get tested by the GGD.
• Order your self-tests for free at zelftestonderwijs.nl
• HAN ensures all spaces are properly ventilated.

Educational activities are all organized activities where lecturer(s) and student(s)/course participants and students/course participants can physically meet each other at HAN locations. These are activities that take place from the start of the degree or course up to and including alumni activities. Naturally, students can contact their lecturer or study coach by phone or email.

Educational activities do not include the defence of theses and doctoral theses in small groups (these take place online if possible) and final assessment activities that require the physical presence of the student. At all times the general instructions of RIVM and GGD are considered.

HAN follows the advice of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), the Municipal Health Service (GGD) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

• We follow the websites of the RIVM and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• We are in direct contact with the GGD.
• When it comes to communication from universities of applied sciences, we follow the advice of the Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences.
• Regarding travel abroad for work or study, we follow the travel advice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

To limit the spread of the coronavirus as much as possible, it’s important that you test yourself regularly – twice a week. Even if you have already been vaccinated. Test yourself even if you don’t come to HAN and especially if you are returning from abroad.  

You can order self-tests for free. Go to zelftestonderwijs.nl and log in using your HAN account. Have you tested positive? Then don't come to HAN and get yourself tested at the GGD. Have you tested negative, but still have symptoms that could indicate corona? Stay home and get tested by the GGD.  

Voluntary, but still important 

Doing a self-test is voluntary. It’s not required to come to HAN; it is voluntary and we will not ask you for test results. 

But it is still important to test yourself regularly. By doing so, you help to limit the possible spread of the virus. Precisely because there are many people who don’t suffer from an infection and therefore don’t realize they are infected, preventive testing helps reduce further spread of the virus. We therefore urge you to play your part in this and use the self-test. 

Error message when ordering the self-tests? 

Fortunately, the error message is often wrong; the order has usually been placed correctly. You can check the status of your order in your own account at www.zelftestonderwijs.nl/order. As soon as your order is ready for dispatch, you can track it on postnl.nl and in the PostNL App. 

Do you have questions about the self-tests? Check the FAQs on the order site zelftestonderwijs.nl. If your question isn’t there, please contact the Self Tests Service Team. You can find the contact details in My Account on the order site.  

Don’t use the self-test if you have symptoms 

The self-test does not replace the GGD test. The results of a self-test are less accurate. Do you have corona-related symptoms or have you been in close contact with someone infected with the coronavirus? Then make an appointment at the GGD to get tested. If the result of the self-test is positive, you also need to make an appointment with the GGD. 

RIVM measures remain in force 

Your health and safety and that of your fellow students and lecturers is a top priority. Self-testing is not mandatory, so the following measures remain in place: 

• Follow the hygiene guidelines: wash your hands regularly and cough and sneeze into your elbow. 
• Continue to follow the indicated walking routes. 
• Wear a mask when walking through the buildings. You can take your mask off when seated and during class activities. An exception to this is during practical lessons where sector protocols apply that require masks. 

Do you have fragile health? 

We know there are students and lecturers who would very much like to come to HAN, but for whom it would entail too many health risks. Is that the case for you? Make further arrangements with your study coach or manager. Of course, we won’t force you to come to HAN. 

GGD vaccinating at HAN in Arnhem again

To control the coronavirus and increase our protection as quickly as possible, it’s important that as many people as possible get vaccinated. HAN supports the national vaccination campaign so we’re inviting the GGD to vaccinate at the HAN Arnhem campus again.

Everyone can get vaccinated: students, staff, and also people from the general public. You can come for a first or second shot, with or without an appointment:

HAN campus Arnhem | Ruitenberglaan 31 | Vaccination bus

Monday 18 October from 09:00 to 17:30

The GGD offers the Pfizer and Janssen vaccinations at this location.

Janssen vaccine

Only one dose is required. This vaccine is available for anyone 18 years and above. If you’re younger than 18, you can get the Pfizer vaccine.

Pfizer vaccine

Everyone over the age of 12 can have this vaccine. When you get your first shot, we’ll make an appointment for the second one. Pfizer requires 2 shots to be fully effective.

Bring your ID and a mask. You can also get your yellow vaccination passport stamped and get help to activate your QR code in the CoronaCheck app. 

Naturally, it is your own choice to get vaccinated and not an obligation. So at HAN we won’t ask you for proof of vaccination to take part in educational activities.

Not everyone can manage that equally well. And that's very understandable! If you need a chat, support, a listening ear, a little more guidance or coaching; our student support staff are ready to help you! Here is a list of what support you can access and how. We are limiting personal, face-to-face contact as much as possible, so conversations take place by phone or via Teams. We will always respect your privacy.

Student psychologists
Do you need immediate psychological assistance? Then you can sign up by filling in the intake form and sending it to studentenpsychologen@han.nl. The forms are screened daily by a student psychologist. You will be contacted to discuss what happens next.
Contact: studentenpsychologen@han.nl, by phone (024) 353 04 34.

Student counsellors
You can contact one of the student counsellors by email or phone. You can also use the online appointment planner to schedule an appointment. Don't forget to include your telephone number; a student counsellor will contact you by telephone.
Contact: studentendecanen@han.nl | (024) 353 04 34

Training or coaching
Coaching calls will go ahead via Skype, phone, mail, Teams. You can continue to sign up for 'study skills coaching' via the online portal. Group meetings will continue online or in a different format. Sessions that are cancelled will be rescheduled. You'll be notified about this.
Contact: studenttrainingencoaching@han.nl

Course Transfer Desk
Are you thinking of switching to another degree program? You can discuss this via Skype, phone, email or Teams. Send an email to your Course Transfer Desk, and they will schedule a meeting with you.

• studiewisselpunt.FEM@han.nl
• studiewisselpunt.FE@han.nl
• studiewisselpunt.GGM@han.nl
• studiewisselpunt.Techniek@han.nl

Student Chaplaincy
You can also contact a chaplain for support or a conversation.
Arnhem: All group activities at the Arnhem Student Point have been cancelled until 1 June. Individual sessions can still take place both in person (provided all advised measures are followed) and by telephone, Skype and email.
Contact: Iris Springvloed | iris@arnhemstudentpoint.nl | (06) 39 70 92 03Iris Springvloed | iris@arnhemstudentpoint.nl | (06) 39 70 92 03
The building of the Student Church on the Erasmuslaan in Nijmegen is currently closed and there will be no celebrations. The team can be reached for guidance or consultation via email, telephone and Skype. Go to www.ru.nl/studentenkerk for current info and materials you can use to keep in touch. 
A small remote course has been developed for this period: MEANING in my life.
Contact: Nicole Schubert | nicole.schubert@han.nl | (06) 55 21 89 44

HAN confidential counselors
At HAN we treat each other respectfully. Unfortunately, incidents can still occur in which you as a student have to deal with unacceptable behavior such as aggression and violence, bullying, (sexual) harassment and discrimination, including digital behavior. If this happens, contact one of the confidential counsellors to discuss what you can do about it. You can choose which confidential counsellor you want to speak to, and you can be sure that your confidentiality is guaranteed.

Tips to stay mentally fit and study independently
How do you stay mentally fit in the current situation? Fortunately, there are a lot of things you can do. On Insite you will find some specific tips.

• Staying mentally fit
• Studying independently

International students
Are you an international HAN student? If you think you are infected with the coronavirus, it is best to contact the GGD (0800 1351) or a general practitioner's office first (Arnhem: 026-3899696; Nijmegen: 0900 8880). They'll tell you what to do next.
If you have other medical complaints, contact a general practitioner by telephone, even if you are not registered with a general practitioner.

DUO (EU/EEA students)
Are you experiencing financial problems because of the corona measures? In cases like this, DUO is temporarily offering the possibility for higher student loans each month. That can be done with retroactive effect, as of the start of the academic year. You can also apply for tuition fee credit.

You can arrange this yourself in "Mijn DUO". Not enough? Contact DUO yourself to find out about the possibilities. DUO is aiming to help out as much as possible when it comes to students with financial setbacks due to the corona measures.

See also duo.nl/corona for all the info about financial support if you have fallen behind in the final phase of your studies due to the corona measures.

Financial support for students by Dutch government

The cabinet has decided to extend 2 measures for students:

1. The study delay support scheme for students who earned their degree between September 2020 and January 2021 will be extended to August 2021.
2. The scheme for students who were no longer eligible for a supplementary grant due to a study delay will be extended to August 2021.

The cabinet is still going to discuss a possible new scheme for students in the 2021-2022 academic year. Because of the cabinet’s resignation, it is currently unclear when this will happen. We are positive about these extensions but are still in discussions with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science about additional compensation to our funding, given the increased student intake of the past year.

More info?

Read everything about the financial support scheme for study delays, extra travel rights with your student travel card or about the possibilities of a supplementary grant at:

• The DUO website
• The website of the Dutch government

HAN Emergency Fund (non-EU/EEA students)

If you are a non-EER-student, then unfortunately you are not eligible for DUO schemes. But you may be eligible for a loan from the HAN Emergency Fund. Your financial  emergency may not be of a structural nature and it must meet a number of strict criteria. The application must be accompanied by all relevant supporting documents. You can find more information on this Insite page.

Educational activities will once again be held on campus. Do you need to come to HAN for practical training or an exam, but you can't or prefer not to? Talk to your study coach about this and discuss the options.

Exams and tests will take place at HAN again as of 20 September. Because the timetables were already made, you may not see the effect of this until term 2.

Your study coach, lecturers and the board of examiners are there for you if you have any questions or concerns.

What should I do if I’m unable to take an exam because of corona-related circumstances?
Do you already have health complaints, have you developed health complaints just before an exam and/or are you in quarantine? Then we ask you not to come to HAN for exams. Here are the follow-up steps you can take:

• Contact your study coach as soon as possible and inform them of your situation.
• Consider together how it will affect you and how to best ensure your studies will continue smoothly. The regular resit opportunities may be the right solution. Or your specific situation may require an extra exam opportunity or an exam in a different format to avoid a study delay.
• Draw up an action plan together with your study coach and submit a request to the board of examiners of your degree program if needed. When assessing your request, the board of examiners will take into account the special situation we are in and the related circumstances for you.

Exam opportunities
In case you miss one or more exams, remember there are always multiple exam opportunities each academic year. The downside is that it can lead to a build-up of exams and modular exams, or even not being able to start your internship. If this is the case for you, your study coach will help you find the best solution.

Some degree programs have to comply with industry protocols. Ask your supervising lecturer which protocol (if any) applies to your internship or practical assessment.

Graduation ceremonies
Graduation ceremonies are permitted again.

Certificates
Have you earned your propaedeutic, associate, bachelor or master degree? Then you can apply for an extract through the DUO Diploma Register. This extract is an official document issued by DUO, so it is valid proof that you have earned your degree certificate. It does look different from the original certificate. To log on to DUO, you need a DigiD with SMS verification.

If the above is not possible, you can request a certified copy from the Student Affairs Information Desk by sending an email to ask@han.nl, stating your student number and including a copy of your ID (black out your BSN number and passport photo).

Have you received a message that your certificate is ready? Then you can come and pick it up at the Student Affairs Enquiry Desk.

Do you live abroad and travel to HAN for your studies? In that case, the regular travel policy does not apply to you. Your situation is seen as exceptional. The Dutch government allows travel across the border for the purpose of study. In that case, you are also exempt from the home quarantine that applies after a stay in a high-risk area. So, you don't have to quarantine when you cross the border for work or study. But you do have to meet certain conditions:

• Physical presence at HAN is necessary. For example, you can't take an online lesson; and
• You must be enrolled at HAN and live permanently outside the Netherlands.

You can find this information on the website of the Dutch government. Please note: this is the line taken by the Dutch government, policies abroad may deviate from it. In Germany, for example, there are even differences per state. Do you live abroad? Then keep a close eye on the guidelines yourself, so you won't get any unexpected surprises.

Do you live permanently in the Netherlands and do you travel back and forth for a minor or other course abroad?
Then you are enrolled as a student at HAN and at the educational institution abroad. The above exception also applies to you.

Do you live permanently in the Netherlands and are you doing an internship or graduation project abroad?
Then the regular travel policy applies to you. If the destination country has code red or orange, HAN will not give you permission to do an internship in that country.

German test result requirement
The Netherlands has been designated a high-incidence area by Germany due to the increasing number of infections. Therefore, travel restrictions apply and people crossing the border must have a negative test result (in German, English or French) no older than 48 hours. These must be tests validated by the German authorities (PCR, rapid test and supervised self-test - employer may be a supervisor).

For border workers and students from the border region a test result no older than 72 hours is sufficient instead of 48 hours. So someone who goes from the Dutch border to Germany for work or internship 5 days a week has to get tested twice a week.

There is also an online registration requirement if you are travelling to Germany from the Netherlands. You can do so at www.einreiseanmeldung.de. Border workers and students from the border region only need to make a digital application once a week, so not every day.

We’ve adjusted the travel policy for students planning to travel abroad for their studies in the 2021-2022 academic year. The reason is that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced further easing of travel restrictions. This allows us to offer you more possibilities.
 
The principles of this policy are:

• We continue to follow the advice of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Are you residing in your home country (other than the Netherlands) for a minor, internship or graduation project? Then you are an exception to this policy.
• Are you going abroad for your studies (minor, internship or graduation project)? Then the following applies:
  • You can travel to countries with a green or yellow color code.
  • In principle you can travel to countries or areas with code orange, provided you have signed a statement declaring that you consider study abroad (minor, internship or graduation) essential for your study progress and that you absolve HAN of all responsibility. This requires you to sign a statement, which you can find here: Dutch version and English version
  • If a country has code red, you may not travel there. This is because HAN assumes that meaningful study or work is not possible at that location.
• Have you already left for a country and has the Ministry of Foreign Affairs changed the color code to orange or red during your stay there? Then it is your responsibility to assess whether you can continue your studies, minor or internship there or whether you should return. Any return due to a change of circumstances is your own responsibility and not that of HAN. You need to assess your situation yourself. You can get advice from the Dutch Embassy, your travel company or travel insurance company and HAN. Whether or not you take out cancellation insurance is also your own responsibility.
• For study trips abroad the same guidelines apply as for students travelling abroad for their minor, internship or graduation assignment. And study associations that are planning travel to locations with code orange must always contact the school management team beforehand.

Working at HAN
The government’s work-at-home advice is being eased and the new motto will be: Work at home when you can, at the office when you need to. We are following that advice.

Working partly at HAN and partly at home is a new reality.  The nature of your work will be the guiding principle. How we as an organization intend to further implement hybrid working (partly at HAN, partly from home - partly in-person meetings and partly online meetings) is becoming ever clearer, but the details have not been worked out yet. In the coming months, we’ll be fine-tuning the frameworks for working from home, in consultation with the Participation Council and others. We also expect new, national guidelines will be adopted for this. We will also determine what facilities and equipment are needed for working on location and working from home.

We aim to have this new agreement package in place on 1 January 2022. Until then, the current facilities and equipment for working on location and from home will remain the same. Those are:

• A monthly untaxed € 20 compensation for internet;
• The option to borrow a laptop, a separate keyboard, a height-adjustable chair, a headset and one or, if necessary, two monitors;
• The provision of a height-adjustable desk, after a workstation survey;
• Travel expenses for commuting by car will be reimbursed by declaration.
• Some office chairs have ended up in employees' homes over the past 1.5 years, which means there are not always enough office chairs for all workstations. Make agreements with your manager and colleagues about the use of available workstations.

You can contact ask@HAN.nl if you have any questions or problems.

Travelling to the HAN campus
Preferably come to the campus by bike or on foot if possible and only use public transport if necessary.

Are you unable or unwilling to teach in person? Approach your manager about this and discuss the possibilities.

NWO has taken a number of measures to support researchers. The first is that ongoing rounds where no more interaction is required with applicants can go ahead according to schedule. For other ongoing rounds, interviews are being postponed and deadlines for submission extended.

NWO is well aware that postponing interviews is not a good thing for the people involved in application procedures. They are therefore looking for ways to proceed with the grant allocations. The importance of utmost care and a level playing field for all candidates means that finding a solution takes time. In April, NWO will provide solutions in consultation with the knowledge institutes. The deadlines for upcoming calls have been postponed by one month and those for more complex calls with consortia will be put on hold and resumed again one month after the national measures are lifted. If second-flow funding is cut back for longer periods due to these measures, financial problems may arise.

At the moment there is insufficient visibility on the extent of the situation, but the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science remains in contact with NWO and the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences.

Do you live abroad and travel to HAN to work? In that case, the regular travel policy does not apply to you. Your situation is seen as exceptional. The Dutch government allows travel for the purpose of study or work across the border. In that case, you are also exempt from the home quarantine that applies after a stay in a high-risk area. So, you don't have to quarantine when you cross the border for work or study. However, as a border worker you have to meet conditions:

• You have to be physically present at work;
• You can't work from home; and
• You live in another EU Member State, but work in the Netherlands and return at least once a week to your place of residence outside the Netherlands.

You can find this information on the website of the Dutch government. Please note: this is the line taken by the Dutch government, policies abroad may deviate from it. In Germany, for example, there are even differences per state. Do you live abroad? Then keep a close eye on the guidelines yourself, so you won't get any unexpected surprises.

German test result requirement
The Netherlands has been designated a high-incidence area by Germany due to the increasing number of infections. Therefore, travel restrictions apply and people crossing the border must have a negative test result (in German, English or French) no older than 48 hours. These must be tests validated by the German authorities (PCR, rapid test and supervised self-test - employer may be a supervisor).

For border workers and students from the border region a test result no older than 72 hours is sufficient instead of 48 hours. So someone who goes from the Dutch border to Germany for work or internship 5 days a week has to get tested twice a week.

There is also an online registration requirement if you are travelling to Germany from the Netherlands. You can do so at www.einreiseanmeldung.de. Border workers and students from the border region only need to make a digital application once a week, so not every day.

HAN is not giving staff permission to travel for work/business to countries or areas with red or orange travel advice. If, as a staff member, you are in a country where the advice changes from green/yellow to orange/red, you should check whether the stay is really necessary and whether there are possibilities to go home.

Registration

As a staff member you are obliged to register when you go abroad. It is important that you do this so that HAN has a complete overview and can take targeted actions if necessary. The registration form for staff can be found on Insite.

 

Do you need support? Don’t hesitate to inform your manager. Also, the reintegration and prevention coordinators are there to help you with such matters. Just contact the reintegration and prevention secretarial office | reintegratie-preventie@han.nl

You can also use the online self-help module “Dealing with corona stress”. For more info on this, go to the learning portal of the HAN Academy.

Questions? Contact the HR Enquiry Desk | (024) 353 05 50 | Vraagpunt.HR@han.nl.

Student guidance
We’d like to ask lecturers and study coaches to monitor and guide students at an individual level where needed. Students may be feeling insecure about their own health or that of their loved ones, their study progress and possibly other issues.

 

 

For the most up-to-date information on opening times of the buildings on the Arnhem and Nijmegen campuses, check Insite. While on campus, follow the RIVM and HAN guidelines.

See the rules of conduct in the buildings

The HAN buildings are ventilated in different ways:

• natural ventilation
• mechanical ventilation
• balanced ventilation
• or mixed mode ventilation

You can see which method is used in which building in the overview below. Regardless of the ventilation method used, it is done according to RIVM guidelines and with 100% fresh outside air; air is not recirculated. It is advisable for all locations, but especially those with natural ventilation, to occasionally open facing windows and/or doors if possible.

The Service Desks and the Service Information Desks can be reached as follows.

Service Desks

The Service Desks at Kapittelweg 33, Ruitenberglaan 26 and 31 are open from 8.00 to 17.00.

Student Affairs Enquiry Desk

The Student Affairs Enquiry Desk is open from 8.00 to 16.30.

HR Enquiry Desk and other Service Information Desks

Available by phone and email from 8.00 to 17.00. The post is processed on a daily basis.

Outgoing post can be delivered to the reception desks at K33 and R26. Incoming post is opened centrally and, if necessary, sent to the home address of the addressee. Confidential post items are dealt with by the HAN archivist.

Check the Open Days page for more information and the next date.

Check the Open Evening page for more information and the next date (only in Dutch).

Yes. Check the Student for a Day page for more info.

Yes, they are going ahead. International students do their interviews online.

In January 2021, the Netherlands started vaccinating the population. Since then, everyone 12 and over has been invited for their vaccination.

Do you have a Dutch study permit? And are you registered in the municipal administration here in the Netherlands? Then you are also eligible for a vaccination.

Is it compulsory to get vaccinated in the Netherlands? No, it’s your own choice. Make sure you are well informed, so you can make the right choice.

Good to know:

• Vaccination is free
• You get the shot in your upper arm
• The vaccine consists of 2 doses: you get the second dose 3 weeks after the first one. 7 days after the second dose you’ll have maximum protection against COVID-19.

For more detailed information please check: Dutch vaccination programme against COVID-19 | Coronavirus COVID-19 | Government.nl

 

HAN has taken extra (hygiene) measures to prevent/limit the spread of the Coronavirus as much as possible. Cleaning is done several times a day with disinfectants. Notice that the towel or soap dispenser is empty? Or that an area hasn’t been cleaned? Report it to the ServiceDesk: ServiceDesk@han.nl of (024) 353 16 66.

In addition, almost all HAN buildings, apart from GW1 and VG75 in Nijmegen, have mechanical ventilation. These systems are currently installed so that no recirculation of air takes place. Only clean air from outside is brought in. This is also what the RIVM advises regarding ventilation. We also recommend airing rooms now and again by opening facing windows or doors for 10 to 15 minutes.

• Work at home if you can and at HAN when you need to.
• Stay home if you have cold symptoms or a fever and get tested.
• Disinfect your hands when entering the building
• Wash your hands regularly
• Don’t shake hands
• Cough and sneeze on the inside of your elbow
• Use paper handkerchiefs
• Follow the indicated walking routes
• Avoid busy areas
• Come to HAN by bike if possible
• Follow the RIVM and HAN guidelines and instructions from HAN colleagues

The flowchart below shows what you can do if you have complaints, come from an area at risk or have been in contact with someone with a suspected coronavirus infection. This flowchart applies to staff and students.

Do you have symptoms, such as a fever or cold? Get tested and don’t come to HAN for (practical) training, an exam or work. Have you come from abroad recently? On your return, go into quarantine.

Are you infected with the coronavirus? Then report it:

• As a student to your study coach
• As an employee to your supervisor and - if you’re sick - also at the reception desk of the building where you (normally) work

Your personal data will not be registered centrally. HAN's safety advisor only keeps the statistics up to date. As a university of applied sciences, this is important in order to be able to guarantee the continuity of (practical) training and exams as well as possible and to keep HAN safe.

For the time being, HAN's regular sick leave and care leave policies apply.  

For staff:

• The regular sick policy applies. That’s because we as HAN want to track if and when our business-critical processes might be at risk.
• If there are medical reasons preventing you from working, report this by phone to the reception at HAN and to your manager.
• In case of mild cold symptoms, we follow the advice of RIVM, GGD and WHO. The general principle is that you don’t report sick with such symptoms, but you continue your work at home. Just like you would in a normal situation.
• Fear of infection and the care of sick family members are in principle not valid reasons for reporting sick. If you are not sick but decide not to work anyway, you’ll have to use your sustainable employability hours (DI hours) or leave hours. Contact your manager about this if you have any questions.

For students

• If you can’t study due to medical reasons, report this by phone to your study coach.
• Fear of infection is no reason to call in sick.
• Care for sick family members is no reason to call in sick.
• In case of mild cold symptoms, we follow the advice of RIVM, GGD and WHO. Don’t come to HAN, but study at home.