Due to a recent coronavirus outbreak, all parties in connection with orientation week introduction week have been cancelled, and there will be no Friday bars until further notice.

2020.08.06 | Camilla Schrøder

About eighty political science tutors spent the weekend of 22 and 23 July together working on plans for orientation week. Six of them have subsequently tested positive for the coronavirus.

The events the students participated in were held in accordance with the heath authorities’ guidelines, and took place both on and off campus.

As a consequence of this outbreak, the senior management team has decided to cancel all parties in connection with orientation week, and to suspend Friday bars on campus until further notice.

Rector Brian Bech Nielsen regrets these developments on the students’ behalf, because these social activities are an important aspect of a good academic environment. Nonetheless, he stresses that AU has a responsibility to help lower the risk of infection in society.

“The outbreak among students is a reminder of just how fast it can spread. As long as the rate of infection continues to rise in Aarhus, we can’t justify allowing parties and Friday bars on campus. So unfortunately, we have to suspend these activities,” the rector explains.

The other planned activities for the upcoming orientation week programmes for new students will continue as planned. All tutors and orientation week instructors have designed their programmes to ensure that they comply with the healthcare authorities’ guidelines. For example, in-person events will take place in smaller groups; extra cleaning has been scheduled; the traditional weekend trips have been cancelled; and an online orientation week programme has been developed to supplement the ‘live’ programme.

“The most important thing we can learn from the situation right now is how important it is to carry on and keep up the hand sanitiser and distancing. Soon we’ll have more students and teaching staff on campus, and it’s important that we all comply with the health authorities’ guidelines. It’s a shared responsibility, and we all have to do our bit, both collectively and as individuals,” he says.

• Read more about outbreak at the Department of Political Science and get updates on the latest developments (in Danish)