As deans of research universities, we know the need for in-person academic interaction between students and professors and the importance of offering teaching in a research environment. The pandemic forced us to restrict this possibility to our students, notably undergraduates. Theoretical classes were offered remotely, but practical classes (laboratory, field, visits and technical trips) were hampered, despite the efforts of the teaching staff.
We are convinced that the training of future professionals is not restricted to activities in classrooms and laboratories. There is a need to offer other technical-scientific activities in conjunction with cultural, sporting and social actions, which can only be properly enjoyed when students are on campuses.
Both students, teachers and staff are exhausted due to the demands arising from remote activities. Particularly, students with greater social vulnerability, who need institutional support, are those most affected by removal from campuses.
It is our duty to show society the specificities of research universities, in which students, on the same day, can take classes with different groups and, often, in different buildings and units. Under these conditions, health care needs to be careful. We have had negative examples abroad that we do not need to repeat.
When we make the decision to return in person on a larger scale, even though universities have never stopped, this will be based on science and respect for life, based on four fundamental pillars: vaccination, biosafety, social protection and monitoring of the pandemic.
Evidence shows that vaccination reduces the risk of serious and fatal cases by around 90%. Complete vaccination, understood as people who received the second dose or single dose at least 14 days ago, is a condition and requirement for in-person activities.
Universities, respecting the particularities of campuses and units, will expand their in-person activities, with all precautions, in particular distancing, the use of masks and hand hygiene, strictly following health recommendations. Conditions for quality hybrid teaching, which will be necessary, will be priorities.
Universities will maintain the detection of Sars-CoV-2 to monitor cases, following the best testing standards, as well as guidance and assistance systems via remote means. We will be attentive to the behavior of new variants of the virus. Assistance and support instruments will be reinforced for students with socioeconomic needs.
Universities have been fulfilling their mission of meeting the needs and desires of society. The science produced in our institutions, in record time, offered solutions to combat the health crisis; we maintained the flow of teaching activities, including stricto sensu postgraduate studies; and we preserved the number of graduates and postgraduates, with all the difficulties arising from the lack of access to campuses.
We will continue to fulfill our task. We will not hesitate to back down and restrict access if the epidemiological situation requires it, always respecting science and life.
TRENDS / DEBATES
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Original article published in the Folha de São Paulo newspaper on 9/9/2021, in the Tendências/Debates column.
