Introduction

Dear Zayed University Students,

Preparations are in full swing at Zayed University’s (ZU) campuses in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai as we gear up to welcome you all back, for the Fall Semester of the new academic year 2020/2021, that commences on Monday, August 24.

Considering the decline of the pandemic risk in the country and in line with the directives of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOE), Zayed University is set to implement a hybrid learning education model for the fall semester of 2020 that enables teaching and learning to continue both online and partially, face to face, on campus for necessary course work such as programs conducted in laboratories and studios. All non-essential operations, such as extracurricular activities, sports, and student activities/clubs, are to remain closed and the distance learning process is to continue as part of safety measures.

ZU is prioritizing the health and safety of its community members, especially students, and is working relentlessly to ensure that all necessary precautionary measures to protect them from the risk of COVID-19 are in place according to the standards of the UAE regulatory authorities. We have also instituted a remote working policy for a considerable percentage of our faculty and staff.

In order to achieve a safe, healthy and productive learning environment with the beginning of the new academic year,  Zayed University has put a plan for both students and faculty to achieve the best academic experience despite the exceptional circumstances that the whole world is facing.

As a community, we are all collectively responsible. Zayed University urges you all to adhere to the following instructions to ensure the continuity of proper education.

Starting Dates of Classes:

• All classes will start online on Monday, 24th Aug 2020.
• Designated lab and studio courses that require physical presence will tentatively switch to face-to-face on Sunday, 6th September 2020.

Learning Models:

Zayed university has put a plan in place to proceed with the Blended Learning, which is a process on a limited basis, eliminating non-essential processes, implementing distance learning, and taking all the required precautions.

Health, Safety, Access & Movement:

1. Campus Safety & Well Being Measures

• Students, academic staff, and employees shall be prohibited from study/work in campus, if they have symptoms of the common cold such as fever, headache, cough... etc.
• Students with special health conditions shall be provided with options, such as distance learning opportunities, to reduce the risk of infection.

2. COVID Tests & Health Declaration

COVID-19 testing for staff, faculty, students and visitors coming to campus will be mandatory starting from 30.08.2020. More details on the frequency of testing, where to test etc. will be shared with you in the coming days based on instructions from the Ministry of Education (MOE) and supporting regulatory authorities.

3. Online Trainings & Applications

• Pandemic online training and awareness is available on Blackboard and it is mandatory for all members of the community to complete the training before coming back on campus.

45 Minutes Online Induction: You are requested to access the training by clicking the below link. Kindly login using your ZU ID and Password. Pandemic Awareness Training

• All employees and students must register in the Al Hosn Application which is available on the App Store and Play store.

4. Sanitization

• All faculty, employees, students, and visitors must wear face masks at all times upon entry into the campus. Failure to comply with this procedure would deprive them of entry. Masks should continue to be worn whilst in campus.
• Allocated rooms and offices that are in-use will be cleaned and sanitized at the end of each day.
• Used studios and Labs will be sanitized after the end of every session.

5. Entry to Campus

• ZU will be controlling all entrances and gates to ensure that they do not get crowded at all day long
• Body temperatures will be checked at all entrance points by security before entering the campus – your cooperation is highly appreciated.

6. Social Distancing & Personal Measures

• All faculty, employees, visitors, and students should maintain a safe distance of 2 meters in the common areas and 1.5 meters within classrooms.
• Floor labels have been placed to ensure physical distancing - 1.5 meters where physical services are being offered such as cafes, business center etc.

7. Movement around Campus

• The movement of employees and students between departments and wings will be reduced as much as possible.

8. Medical Care & Wellness Centers

The University has two Medical Centers, both of them are in direct contact with health authorities across the nation in case of an emergency.

• Both centers have worked with the health authorities to provide Heat Detectors on each entrance and has summoned a specialized medical team which is available on campus.
• The health centers will only be open for emergency cases, however they are always available for online consultations between Sunday to Thursday 8am to 4pm.
• The health centers are located in the following ares within each respective campus:

a. Abu Dhabi Campus:
Contact details:
Female: 02-5993600
Male: 02-5993322

b. Dubai Campus:
Contact details:
04-4021766
04-4021907
Emergency calls: 0505539621

• An isolation room is available for any suspected cases of COVID-19.

9. Food & Beverage

• ZU’s main canteen will be available to provide packed food respecting the mandatory distancing.
• Only a limited number of cafes will be open.
• The Emirates Co-op Society will remain open on the Dubai campus
• There will be a limited number of water dispensers. We encourage you to get your own refill bottle of water.
• Food vending machines are no longer available on both campuses.

10. Payments & Transactions on Campus

• Cash payments is not encouraged on campus  - we encourage you to use electronic payment options as much as possible.

Academic Aspects:

1. 1.     Presence on Campus, Online Classes, Face to Face Classes, Labs and Studios:
2. 2.     Online Teaching & Learning Platforms: Blackboard, Zoom and Microsoft Teams are enabled for online learning purposes.

• The hybrid system of education provides ZU’s students, faculty and staff with different ways to engage and complete their tasks, while adapting to the prevailing scenario in the best way possible – either through face-to-face learning/work, remote learning/work, or a combination of both.
• The system also ensures that only a maximum 25 percent of the students (and 50 percent of faculty and administration members will be present and teach/work at both campuses.

1. 3.     Class Schedules: Each student will be receiving its schedule via Student Access Program (SAP).

1. 4.     Grading & Attendance: The Pass/No Pass grading model introduced and adopted for the Spring and Summer 2020 terms will be in effect for the Fall 2020 semester.  Furthermore, class attendance will be recorded.

1. 5.     Library Access: Libraries on both campuses have developed guidelines below to continue to provide services as well as access to resources and space to our users. The below is a summary outline of our plan for the Fall 2020 library operations. Please note that a detailed guideline on Library operations will be sent in the coming days – please keep an eye out for other campus announcements.

a. In person service hours:

Both libraries are open for in person visits during our operation hours:
9am-3pm both Sunday – Thursday AUH and DXB Library

b. Online service hours:

Reference Services for general inquiries and research support are fully online. For both libraries:

8am-5pm Sunday – Thursday, 12-5 Saturday via Online Chat and Online Appointment system

c. Space:

We have implemented physical distancing and sanitizing measures to ensure the health and safety of our users.

As the situation continues to develop and we receive guidance from the government and the university administration, we will modify and adjust the plan as needed.

d. Collections:

Print collections

• Browsing print collections is not allowed to avoid cross contaminations.
• To facilitate access to print collections, users can make a request and our staff members will retrieve the material for you to pick up in the library during the operation hours.
• Alternatively, we offer scanning services where a chapter or portion of the materials can be scanned and emailed to you. Make a request here.
• All circulating print collections will be quarantined for 7 days before returning to shelves.
• Checked out materials can be returned to the drop boxes located by AUH Male Gate 8, AUH Female Gate 9, and DXB (Administration entrance between Wing A and Wing B), or inside of the libraries during our operation hours.

e. Electronic resources: all electronic resources can be accessed online either on campus or off campus.

Support Services:

1. IT Support: The IT Support teams are assigned to manage the technical support needs effectively on site and remotely. The support will be available, Sunday to Thursday, 8am - 6pm.

You can contact the centers using any of below mentioned methods

• Email - IT.ServiceDesk@zu.ac.ae
• Web - http://sanad.zu.ac.ae  (through extranet while off-campus)
• Phone: Abu Dhabi - 02 599 3666, Dubai - 04 402 1777

1. Student Accessibility Services (SAS)

a.    Returning Students

• The majority of ZU Students of Determination will be taking their academic courses online.
• SAS will provide the necessary support to ensure that students have connectivity.
• Students of Determination will only come to the department if they require specific training, which cannot be delivered online.

b. Newly Registered Students of Determination

• Individual appointments will be arranged with students with Physical Disabilities and their guardians, to administer one-on-one needs analysis and intake sessions.
• Students with Learning Difficulties will be screened and assessed in order to create an Individual Educational Plan (IEP).
• Where required Assistive Technology workshops will be run for Students of Determination.

c. In special cases, SAS specialists will visit the student’s home to train them and family members on accessing ZU online platforms. In addition, SAS staff will contact all registered Students of Determination regularly to ensure that they are coping with online learning and academic challenges.

3. Transportation: ZU will not be providing any transportation for the Fall Semester. We urge you to arrange for your own personal transportation in case you need to be present on campus.

4. Call Center/ Switchboard:  is available to receive calls and transfer it to the right dept. through switchboard team. For any inquiries Please contact us on:

• AUH campus: 02 599 3111
• DXB campus: 04 402 1111

From Sunday to Thursday from 8am to 4pm

We will be uploading an FAQs section on the ZU main website (zu.ac.ae) in the following days with more detailed information. Please check your emails regularly for updates as the semester progresses.

Most importantly, as you are about to start this new semester, take the time to consider your own role in your learning journey, we encourage you to continue to make your education a priority — it is the one thing we hope you don’t “distance” yourself from.

We wish you a successful year ahead!

Stay safe!