UG want 5000 speed-tests for January exams
The plans were announced by the Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU). In addition to the universities of Delft and Eindhoven and the VU in Amsterdam, the UG wants to set up a speed-testing pilot programme once the government gives the go-ahead.
Last week, rector Cisca Wijmenga already hinted that plans were underway, after an earlier proposal for a UG speed-testing lane was put on hold due to the GGD Groningen opening an XL speed-testing lane at the MartiniPlaza.
Self-testing
The VSNU says there will be a separate testing facility at Zernike Campus in January. Approximately a thousand students and staff members a day will be able to do a self-test before on-campus classes.
The universities are doing these pilots and experiments to enable a return to on-site education, according to the VSNU. ‘Students and lecturers are eager to go back to on-site education. That would improve the quality of education, as well as the students’ and staff members’ well-being.’
Support
The plans do depend on financing and government approval, the VSNU says. The proposed five thousand speed-tests can only be performed if ‘the institutes receive proper financial and logistic support’. Students and staff will be able to administer self-tests once they become available.
On Tuesday, the Lower House will vote on a motion tabled by GroenLinks and D66. During the corona press conference earlier this week, prime minister Rutte said it might be possible in the new year to perform controlled experiments on the public at sports events, theatres, and business conferences.
There is one condition: the number of infections has to go down. However, Rutte didn’t mention anything about institutes of higher education.