Notification by the Rectorate on COVID-19

Measures regarding studies, teaching and administration based on the requirements of the Austrian Federal Government to combat the pandemic

Dear students at SFU,

Enclosed we are sending you a letter from our responsible minister, Univ.-Prof. Dr. Heinz Fassmann. He asks you to be prepared for the next semester and, in your interest as well as that of your colleagues, to get vaccinated as a precaution. The SFU leadership concurs with this suggestion. We would like to return to largely face-to- face instruction with the upcoming 2021/22 winter semester. In this context, we want to do everything we can to ensure that there continue to be no covid disease clusters at SFU, knowing full well that there are always isolated cases of disease.
The international virology research community recommends vaccination against covid as a comparatively minor “evil” compared to covid illnesses, some of which can be very severe, and some may even die from them. If you have not yet been vaccinated, we ask you to think again about the consequences of vaccination or non-vaccination.

Univ. Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Alfred Pritz (Vaccinated)
Rector | Vienna, 19.08.2021

Download: WF058_21_Vaccination_appeal_for_students_en (pdf)

Further procedure SFU / COVID-19:
Research, study, teaching and examination operations at SFU until the end of the semester

as of 19.04.2021

In order to make a significant contribution to containing the COVID-19 pandemic, no face-to-face teaching is currently taking place at SFU Vienna due to the hard lockdown as decided by the rectorate. Since this lockdown will last at least until 02.05.2021, it is necessary to determine the further procedure for university operations in order to be able to fulfil the core tasks without loss of quality and to ensure the completion of studies without delay. It should also be mentioned that the student representatives have expressed the urgent wish to hold the internships in attendance as far as possible despite the COVID-19 crisis/lockdown. In the context of the above statements and current legal requirements and recommendations, the following procedure therefore applies:

1. COVID-19 protective measures for everyone in the buildings and in the research laboratory:
FFP2 masks mandatory
2-metre minimum distance
Regular disinfection and hand washing
Regular ventilation of the premises

2. COVID-19 testing:
Weekly testing of regular staff on testing services in Vienna.
– Rapid antigen tests or PCR-based tests (will be documented)

Classroom teaching (practicals)
– Teachers and students only with negative COVID-19 tests
– Rapid antigen tests not older than 48 hours
– PCR tests not older than 72 hours

3. study, teaching and examination operation:
Study and teaching operation:
Distance/digital operation (livestreams, MS Teams meetings, etc.).
Examinations:
In the procedure determined in each case by the faculties

4. research:
Max. 4 persons present in the research laboratory at the same time, in compliance with protective measures.

5. validity
The above procedure remains in force until further notice and must be adhered to at all times.
In case of non-compliance, a report will be made to the responsible supervisor.

Sigmund Freud Private University: No face-to-face teaching during Easter break

The ongoing pandemic is unfortunately a breeding ground for misunderstandings and rumours. In view of this, the Sigmund Freud Private University feels obliged to point out that during the hard lockdown at the Vienna location, no face-to-face teaching will take place either in the Human Medicine degree programme or in other subjects. Online teaching will of course continue in the usual way until the situation and the legal framework allow a return to hybrid or face-to-face formats.

Updated 01.04.2021

Dear Students, Dear Lecturers,
due to the current developments of the Covid-19 pandemic, study and teaching activities at SFU will be regulated as follows:

1. Teaching in all faculties will take place in the form of distance learning in the summer semester 2021. Courses will continue to be held online and made available either via livestream or as a recording.
2. Practical classes are an important part of the education at all faculties of the SFU. This takes place in compliance with appropriate safety measures. The measures for the courses affected by this are communicated directly by the respective faculties.
3. Detailed information on the degree programmes and the individual course formats is provided directly by the faculties on an ongoing basis. You can always obtain the latest information from the Study Service Centre of your faculty. The colleagues of the SSC are available for personal questions in the usual way.

These measures are valid at least until the end of the summer semester 2021. We will keep you informed about current developments and requirements for universities on the part of the Austrian Federal Government.

Univ. Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Alfred Pritz
Rector

Updated 2nd March, 2021

16th September, 2020 
Continuation of teaching in Corona times

Over the last semester, SFU has intensively tested different online teaching formats. We are now making every effort to guide our students through the winter semester 2020/21 in the best possible way.

Lectures take place as scheduled; teaching is largely carried out either as hybrid or online. With hybrid teaching, lectures and seminars are presented in the lecture halls and simultaneously streamed. Students can choose whether they participate in person at the university or follow the lectures remotely from another location via computer or cell phone.

In addition, learning materials are made available online. The programme heads, professors and lecturers are available to students for personal exchange and provide support wherever needed.

We consider it our responsibility to offer our students an academic environment based on a community of teachers and students where encounters and scientific exchange, contacts and friendships can be cultivated, even during a crisis as the current one.

27th August, 2020
Letter from the Rector at the beginning of the academic year 2020/21

Download: Updated information from the Rector_27.08.2020 (pdf)

25th July, 2020 
Letter from the Rectorate to students, lecturers and employees of the SFU

Download: Updated information from the Rectorate_25.6.2020 (pdf)

9th April, 2020
Information of the Rectorate on gradual reinstatement of regular university operations from May 2020 onwards

Download: Information Step-by-Step Plan SFU (pdf)

1st April, 2020
Information of the Rectorate

Download: Updated information from the Rectorate_1.4.2020 (pdf)