Thanks to staff and information for students on course assessment
Thanks to staff and information for students on exams and course assessment from the University Rector on 31 March 2020:
"Dear colleagues,
We now start a new week with new challenges, under circumstances in which we are all learning something new each day. I have been in awe of your tenacity and incredible adaptability in completely transforming your normal working practices to ensure that the University continues to function. Each of you have pulled together as one.
It has been truly incredible to see everyone adapt to new procedures, working and meeting remotely in this demanding situation. Every single member of staff has given their utmost to support students and teaching staff at the University.
In just two weeks, we have succeeded in adopting digital teaching methods, not only in every school and faculty, but in every single study programme at the University. We can be proud of the solution-orientated attitude among the University's teaching staff and the Herculean feats they have performed.
After a lot of hard work, arrangements for exams and assessment have now been revised in all courses at the University. In this challenge, too, you have all done exceptionally well. Later today I will send a message to students, giving them a brief explanation of this work and asking them to respect the fact that revised assessment methods unavoidably vary between courses in different schools and faculties. I will also announce measures that we are introducing, which have been discussed thoroughly at meetings with the school deans. We agree that these changes are fair and will help to accommodate students at a very trying time, without straying from our main focus on completing the semester as close to normal as possible. The message to students follows here below.
I urge you, dear colleagues, to persevere in your extraordinary efforts that have delivered such brilliant results in a very short period of time.
We must remember that this situation is temporary and the incredible solidarity that has characterised all our work recently will guarantee us victory in the trials ahead.
Best regards,
Jón Atli Benediktsson,
Rector of the University of Iceland.
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Dear students,
At the University of Iceland, we remain dedicated to our objective of completing this semester, as close to normal as possible considering the current situation. Over recent days, teaching staff have been hard at work revising the implementation of exams and assessment after it became clear that it would not be possible to conduct final exams on University premises. This work concluded yesterday and you should already have received information on the arrangements for course assessment – if not, you will very soon.
Unavoidably, the revised assessment methods differ somewhat between courses, since courses vary e.g. regarding practical study, continuous assessment, the weight of the final exam and the nature of the course material. Teaching staff have selected the assessment methods best suited to each course, within the framework set by the University of Iceland.
Solutions include e.g. take-home exams, digital exams in Inspera, assignments and essays. Many of these alternatives will be implemented at the same time as the original exam had been scheduled to take place. I urge you, dear students, to familiarise yourselves with the revised syllabuses for your courses.
In addition, the following measures have been introduced in response to COVID-19:
- Rules about second failures will not apply for the spring semester 2020.
- Students who pass the assessment for a course in the spring semester (achieve the minimum grade) may apply to the Division of Academic Affairs to have their published final grade changed to 'pass without grade'.
- Specific faculty rules requiring students to achieve a minimum grade in the final exam, when a course is assessed in part by a final exam (along with interim exams, essays, etc.), will not apply for the current spring semester. The weighted average grade for all course components will be the final grade.
- The submission deadline for theses – BS/BA theses and Master's theses – is extended by one week.
- There will be no need to submit a doctor's note to explain absence from exams or other assessment for the spring semester 2020. Students can simply report illness to the Student Registration, nemskra@hi.is, stating the name of the course, their name and ID number.
- Although it is not possible to hold exams on UI premises, care will be taken to ensure that students are able to sit make-up exams and resits for courses from the spring semester 2020 and the autumn semester 2019, in accordance with UI rules.
- The registration deadline for courses in the next autumn semester will be extended to 21 April.
With the above measures, we hope to eliminate the uncertainty that may be a source of stress for students at the University. I am grateful to students and teaching staff for the patience and adaptability you have all shown in these difficult circumstances.
Together, we will achieve our goals and prevail in these trials we now face.
I wish you all every success.
Best regards,
Jón Atli Benediktsson, Rector"
