Decision on international exchanges for the spring semester 2021
The Vice-Chancellor took a decision that students who have planned international exchange studies at one of MDH’s partner universities during the spring semester 2021 will not be able to carry out the exchange if this entails physical meetings or travelling. Distance tuition at one of our partner HEIs is thus not affected by the decision.
For the autumn semester 2020 a decision was taken not to allow physical mobility. In the current pandemic, with the recommendations that exist and with regard to the uncertain situation in the world with the spread of infection, the situation by and large does not appear to be different ahead of the spring semester 2021. At the start of the autumn semester there had been a reduced spread of infection, both in Sweden and in the countries with which MDH has exchange agreements, but now a new wave of infection is spreading, resulting in increased uncertainty regarding a number of societal functions.
MDH is unwilling to contribute to the spread of infection, either in Sweden or abroad, and at the same time wants to avoid students falling ill in other countries a without the possibility of getting back to Sweden. The same applies to situations where whole cities or countries are closed down (lockdowns) at short notice, where students can have difficulties getting their daily lives to work, keeping up their studies or getting themselves back to Sweden.
Therefore the recommend position not to allow physical mobility will continue to apply for the spring semester as well. The total number of students affected is around 50, at EST and IDT. HVV and UKK are not planning any international mobility during the spring semester 2021.
Students travelling on their own
In certain cases students study abroad under their own auspices for one semester. This means that the studies abroad do not take place at one of the University’s partner HEIs, but the students have instead applied for and paid for their studies themselves. Since the University is not permitting physical mobility during the spring semester 2021, MDH may not approve study plans for such independent studies abroad during the spring semester 2021.