Information for students of IHM following the release of restrictive measures of the Government of the Czech Republic

In Prague, April 16, 2020

At its meeting on April 14, 2020, the Government of the Czech Republic decided on the gradual release of restrictive measures taken due to health threats associated with the spread of COVID-19 caused by the occurrence of coronavirus (known as SARS CoV-2). One of the measures is that from Monday, April 20, 2020, examinations and consultations can be held for final year students at universities. Educational measures were consulted with the Ministries of Health and Education, Youth and Sports.

Personal presence at universities is only possible for employees and final years students. Concerning the Institute of Hospitality Management in Prague (IHM), only students of the 3rd year of the Bachelor studies (and additional semesters) and students of the 2nd year of the Master studies (and additional semesters) may be personally present at school. The personal presence of lower years students at school is still banned!

Nevertheless, in the current epidemiological situation, the Ministry of Health is imposing requirements on universities that must be met by both students and employees. Following measures must be strictly kept:

• Health condition: participation in consultations and examinations will be allowed under following conditions:
• Students must be free from acute health problems appropriate to the viral infection (e.g. fever, cough, shortness of breath, sudden loss of taste and smell, etc.);
• Obligatory hand disinfection will take place at the entrance to the test room (in the conditions of IHM, dispensers with disinfection will be placed at the entrance to the school building and in the corridors by the staircase);
• Obligatory protection of the upper respiratory tract on both sides (students and academics);
• Persons shall not be subject to quarantine;    
• Students affirm the Confirmation of non-infectiousness (in the conditions of IHM see below point 2).
• Organizational measures:
• For the consultation / examination, students will arrive at a specified time so as to minimize the risk of spreading a possible infection; students will be divided into smaller groups of no more than 5 persons;
• Evaluation and announcement of exam results will always take place after the examination of 1 student in the given time range;
• After notification of the examination results, the student shall leave the building of the school immediately;
• The classroom will be prepared in such a way as to ensure sufficient spatial spacing between students and academics (at least 2 meters), to keep the spacing is obligatory in common areas as well;
• Before the exam, students will stay in another (waiting) room under the same conditions;
• The number of members of the examination committee for the State Final Examinations will be reduced to the necessary minimum in order to preserve the equality of testing of students by specialists in the designated areas.

COVID-19 and the deliberate spread of new coronavirus have been listed as contagious human disease in the Czech Republic and its spreading is a crime!

Following the gradual release of measures by the Government of the Czech Republic, the IHM management decided on the following measures, which are valid from May 4 to July 1, 2020 and may be modified in relation to the current development of the epidemiological situation:

1. School operation interruption

The time of interruption of the IHM operation was used for the repair of water distribution systems in the background of the building. This work will continue until April 24, 2020. Between April 27 and May 4, 2020, the school building will be cleaned, and area disinfected. For these reasons, the school building will remain fully closed until May 4, 2020 inclusive.

2. Personal presence of students and employees at school

From May 5 to July 1, 2020, the school will resume its operation, but to a limited extent. The school will be open:

• Tuesday and Wednesday only, 7.00–15.00,
• And at the time of the State Final Examinations from June 15 to 24, 2020, both weeks from Monday to Thursday at 7.00–16.00,

with personal presence at school only for final years students and employees. Altogether 234 full-time students and 112 part-time students are involved in the final years. The extent of the limited operation of the school is adapted to this number of students.

The school building will be open during the limited operation of IHM on the following days only:

• 5. 5. and 6. 5.;
• 12. 5. and 13. 5.;
• 19. 5. and 20. 5.;
• 26. 5. and 27. 5.;
• 2. 6. and 3. 6.;
• 9. 6. and 10. 6.;
• 15. 6., 16. 6., 17. 6. and 18. 6. (State Final Examinations);
• 22. 6., 23. 6., 24. 6. and 25. 6. (State Final Examinations);
• 30. 6. and 1. 7.

All other students are banned from personal presence at the university and they will not be allowed to enter the school building!

Before entering the school building, all students of the final years are obliged to affirm in the IS of IHM “Confirmation of non-infectiousness”. The confirmation may be made electronically from Monday, April 20, 2020, from the front page with a visible link. Under the text of the Confirmation, the student of the final year clicks on the confirmation button. IS of IHM saves a record of every single click (not only the last one).

All employees who have access to the IS of IHM will see with the relevant student of the final year that he / she confirmed the Confirmation on that day. Once the Confirmation is done it will not be possible to withdraw. If a student observes the symptoms of the illness after confirming the Confirmation on that day, he / she must not go to school! The aim is to electronize the whole process, since even paper can be infectious and can be risky to handle.

All internal academic workers are required to have a personal presence at the workplace, on both days of the week starting May 5, 2020 and ending June 10, 2020, prior to the State Final Examinations, each day of at least 4 hours, always from 9.00 to 13.00. This time can be used by internal academic workers for individual consultations with final years students (at least 90 minutes / week) or for individual examinations of final years students. The obligatory personal presence is determined at the time of the State Final Examinations for all members of the examination committees. External workers are recommended to be personally present at the workplace on at least one of the two days, at least 2 hours between 9.00 and 13.00 (individual consultations of at least 30 minutes / week). In case of absence, the external worker will be represented by the head of the department.

All non-academic employees are required to have a personal presence at the workplace on both days of the week, beginning on May 5, 2020 and ending on July 1, 2020 for a minimum of 5 hours, compulsory from 9.00 to 13.00.

3. Operation of individual departments of the school

For the needs of students of the final years of IHM will be open:

• Study department, always on Tuesday and Wednesday at 9.00–12.00;
• Library, always on Tuesday and Wednesday at 9.00–12.00.

In the Library of Dr. Jaroslav Holoubek students must not stay, they can visit it only for the purpose of collecting or submitting study literature.

The secretary of IHM CEO and the secretary of IHM Rector will be open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9.00–14.00. The referent of The Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs will be available on Tuesdays at 9.00–14.00.

In the case of the Research Department, International Affairs Department, Marketing Department, IT Department and Operations Department, it is possible to contact their heads in advance by email and arrange a meeting in person at 9.00–14.00 on Tuesdays.

Neither the cash register nor the study will be in operation. With regard to the epidemiologically serious activities under the Public Health Protection Act, all gastronomic operations will be completely closed. The school canteen, day bar and RevPAR Café will not be open. The lunch will not be provided to employees, students, and other diners until June 30, 2020. Especially with regard to the protection of human health and the prohibition of gathering. We apologize for any inconvenience and restrictions. The reception at the entrance to the school building and the cloakroom will also be closed.

4. Use of the school premises

During the limited operation of the IHM (from May 5 to July 1, 2020), it is possible to use primarily the offices of individual employees and common areas (toilets, corridors, staircases), exceptionally also designated classrooms for individual testing.

5. Full-time Studies

The full-time form of studies is replaced by distance form for all students. For the final years, the school ends on April 30, 2020, for the lower years on May 21, 2020. The regular examination period follows. In the case of final years, the examination period will be extended from May 4 to June 10, 2020 (Bachelor studies), respectively June 17, 2020 (Master studies), for lower years the examination period will run from May 25 to June 30, 2020.

6. Combined Studies

After approval of the draft timetable by the heads of departments, the timetables for students of VI. term of the combined form of study (with the exception of the final years) will be published on May 17, 2020 in IS of IHM. If the epidemiological situation in the Czech Republic permits, the term will normally take place from May 25 to 28, 2020. In the case that its organization is not possible (mass contact forms of study will continue to be banned), distant form of study will take place. According to possibilities, part of the lessons for lower years students will be substituted and completed by individual consultations and extraordinary block lessons during the I., II. and III. term in the winter semester of the academic year 2020/2021.

7. Credits, examinations and recording of evaluation

Final years students of IHM are allowed to take credits and exams both in distance form and in person at the school at the time of its opening. Credits and examinations will be taken primarily in the offices of individual teachers, for the purposes of individual examinations, 5 designated classrooms can be used.

In the case of distance passing of credits and examinations, the student’s evaluation is recorded only in IS of IHM. In case of personal presence at school, the evaluation is recorded both in the study card (index) and in IS of IHM.

Lower years students may take credits and exams only in a distance way during the regular exam period or during the extended substitute exam period, which will run from September 1 to October 30, 2020 for a period of 9 weeks. With respect to the development of the epidemiological situation, it will be possible to take credits and examinations during the extended substitute exam period in a distance form and, if the conditions allow, in a full-time (contact) form.

8. State Final Examinations

8.1 June 2020

With regard to the closing of hotels and restaurants in the Czech Republic until June 8, 2020, the date of the State Final Exams (SFE) at IHM has been postponed. SFE will take place both in distance form (on-line, videoconferencing) and in the personal presence of students at the university. The decision on the form of the Final State Examination (distance, in person) will depend on the decision and possibilities of each individual student of IHM and will be fully respected by the examination committees!

In the Bachelor studies the SFE will take place from June 15 to 18, 2020, and in Master studies from June 22 to 24, 2020, in the number of days according to the number of students enrolled.

The examining committee for the distance form of the SFE will meet in room No. 120, which will be equipped with the appropriate technology. Students who want to take the SFE in a distance form and fulfil the prescribed duties (obtaining the appropriate number of credits, embedded electronic version of Bachelor Thesis / Diploma Thesis in IS of IHM) will apply for this form of SFE by e-mail studijni@vsh.cz, by May 11, 2020 at the latest. The quality and speed of the technical connection between members of the examining committee and the relevant student will be verified in advance at least 7 days before the actual SFE. At the same time, data security during transmission is guaranteed and the entire audio and video recording from the FSE must be archived by IHM for 5 years!

The personal form of the SFE will take place at IHM in spacious rooms arranged so as to prevent crowding and gathering of persons. These are rooms No. 031 (ground floor), 101, 104, MA107, VA107 (1st floor) and 208 (2nd floor).

In the case of the personal form of the SFE, the final years students in the Bachelor studies are obliged to submit to the Study Department of IHM a study card (index) and 1 hardcover copy of the Bachelor Thesis by June 10, 2020 at the latest.

In the case of the personal form of the SFE, the final years students in the Master studies are obliged to submit to the Study Department of IHM a study card (index) and 1 hardcover copy of the Diploma Thesis by June 17, 2020 at the latest.

In the case of the distance form of the SFE, the final years students are obliged to send by post or another way 1 hardcover copy of the Bachelor / Diploma Thesis to the following address:
Vysoká škola hotelová v Praze 8, spol. s r.o.
studijní oddělení
Svídnická 506
181 00 Praha 8.

The hardcover copy of the work must be delivered in physical form by post or other delivery service at IHM by May 31, 2020 at the latest. Otherwise, the student will not be allowed to take the SFE by distance form in June 2020. It is the duty of IHM to archive Bachelor / Diploma Thesis for 70 years in both printed and electronic versions. Therefore, the final years students who want to take the distance form of SFE are obliged to deliver the hardcover copy of their work. These students do not submit or send their study card (index).

8.2 September 2020

The final years students who will take the SFE in September 2020 (from September 1 to 4, 2020) are obliged to submit their study card (index) and Bachelor / Diploma Thesis (electronic form in IS of IHM, printed form – 1 hardcover copy, 2 spiral copies) to the Study Department of IHM by June 23, 2020 at the latest. These works will be handed over to the academic workers for review on June 30 and July 1, 2020. Therefore, the mandatory personal presence of all internal academic workers at the workplace also applies on these days.

9. Graduation ceremony

The graduation ceremony for successful IHM graduates up to and including September 2020 will take place at the Ambassador - Zlatá Husa Hotel in Prague on October 8, 2020. The graduation planned on June 25, 2020 is cancelled due to the time shift of the SFE without compensation.

10. Open Days and admissions procedure for the academic year 2020/2021

Open Days will be held at IHM in the form of webinars and videoconferences, the first of which will take place on May 13, 2020. Applicants can submit their questions by email (info@vsh.cz, studijni@vsh.cz) or by telephone. The admission procedure (placement tests from foreign languages) will take place online without the personal presence of the applicants from May 4 to 28, 2020.

Selected certificates of applicants – foreigners proving their language proficiency will be accepted. In the first round of the admission procedure, applications can be submitted by April 30, 2020, in the second round by July 31, 2020 at the latest. The school-leaving certificate will be submitted by the applicants no later than 30 days after the start of the academic year 2020/2021, i.e. by September 30, 2020.

Selected information and dates will be specified by the relevant measures of the Rector. The above information has been discussed with the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer and is binding.

The decisions of the CEO and the Rector of IHM come into force and effect on the day of their issue, while the interruption of the IHM operation is valid until May 4, 2020.

Ing. Petr S t u d n i č k a, PhD.     
CEO
Institute of Hospitality Management in Prague 8, Ltd.

doc. Ing. Václav V i n š, CSc.
Rector
Institute of Hospitality Management in Prague

Photo