KU Leuven announces exam schedule adjustments
This morning, KU Leuven students received their adjusted exam schedules. To ensure physical distance to a maximum degree during the exams, the University has had to adapt both exam schedules and formats. Exams will be held from 1 June up to and including the first week of July.
In the past eight weeks, KU Leuven has made the transition to ‘truly digital’ education. Teaching staff and students have had to adapt to life and education off campus. The goal of the University has always been to let the exam period in June go on as planned. To achieve this, the University has drawn up a framework for the coming examination period. The exams will be partly digital and partly on campus, and ensuring sufficient physical distance is a priority.
Exam schedule adjustments
Today, the students received more information about the specific timing of the exams. “Thanks to the hard work of our Faculties and units, we were able to announce the new exam schedule today,” the Rector explains. "Despite the necessary changes, we have tried to stick to the original schedule as much as possible for as many students as possible. With this schedule, students can prepare as well as possible and fine-tune their study planning. The details about the exact starting times and precise locations will be clarified next week. In any case, students will not have to choose moments for their exams.”
“We are aware, of course, that this is not business as usual. Our ombuds, teaching staff, and student career counsellors are available to help students to develop a targeted and effective approach and to feel confident about their exam preparations and exams. Students with other concerns or difficulties can contact our Student Services. In a warm community, we leave no one behind.”
International and exchange students
For some of the exchange students and international students enrolled in an English-language programme at KU Leuven, not all information about the exam schedule is as yet available. Many international students are still in Belgium and will take the exams here, while a number of students have returned to their home country and will have to be assessed in a different way due to the travel restrictions. “This requires a bit more monitoring and preparation to ensure that the assessment of all students, wherever they are currently located, is equivalent,” according to the Rector. “But for them, too, we are working on finding the best possible solution as soon as possible.”
Health and hygiene first
For on-campus exams, significantly fewer students will be seated in an auditorium or exam room together. Furthermore, KU Leuven has extended the exam period for one week. In Leuven and on some other campuses, exams will be held on Sundays when necessary. The University will also use additional venues for exams, including the Brabanthal in Leuven, BOZAR in Brussels, Kinepolis in Antwerp, or Xpo in Kortrijk.
For some courses, the University has decided to go with an adjusted or different exam format. The teaching staff will inform students of the precise evaluation method or exam format in the coming days. More information about the possible exam formats is available on the corona website of the University.
We will create a safe environment on all our campuses. The social distancing guidelines that we will apply in and around our exam rooms are more strict than what is currently customary in society. The way in which we organise the exams in June is also assessed on a regular basis in consultation with the GEES, the Group of Experts tasked with the Exit Strategy. We are also not leaving anything to chance when it comes to the pedestrian traffic to, around and in our exam rooms; hygiene and health take priority. We will ensure that all students and staff members can go to their campus with an easy mind – although hearts tend to race just a little bit faster on any exam day.
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