{"id":3598,"date":"2020-03-18T15:20:10","date_gmt":"2020-03-18T14:20:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.ki.se\/rektor\/?p=3598"},"modified":"2020-03-18T20:44:45","modified_gmt":"2020-03-18T19:44:45","slug":"the-coronavirus-updated-information-to-students-and-staff-at-ki","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.ki.se\/rektor\/2020\/03\/18\/the-coronavirus-updated-information-to-students-and-staff-at-ki\/","title":{"rendered":"The coronavirus: Updated information to students and staff at KI"},"content":{"rendered":"

Swedish version below<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Yesterday, the Swedish government recommended that all education at high schools (“gymnasieskolor”) and colleges\/universities should be done remotely, starting today. Obviously this have a major impact on Karolinska Institutet.<\/p>\n

We are now in an extraordinary situation with a lot of consequences, sacrifices and changes for all of us.<\/p>\n

First and foremost, this is about the health, safety and security for students and staff. We in the university management work intensively to ensure this – as do many others in our university right now.<\/p>\n

Do not forget to regularly check the updated\u00a0information to students and staff on KI\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Today I recorded a video<\/a> with the following message:<\/p>\n

—-<\/p>\n

I am grateful that you take a few minutes to listen to my message to you \u2013 our students and staff. We are in an extraordinary situation just now and we must join forces so as to get through this in the best possible way \u2013 as a university and as an important pillar of society.<\/p>\n

I trust you understand that the virus outbreak \u2013 which now amounts to a pandemic \u2013 calls for a number of measures in our university and in the society at large. These measures imply sacrifice and change \u2013 but they also bring out the best in us. Every day I see how you \u2013 our students and staff \u2013 make tremendous efforts to adjust to the new situation and how you help adapt the way we teach and learn and the way we work and serve. I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your efforts. I am grateful and I am impressed.<\/p>\n

Our foremost concern is the health, safety and security for students and staff. I want to emphasize that Karolinska Institutet fully supports the strategies and recommendations of the responsible authorities, the Public Health Agency of Sweden<\/a> \u2013 Folkh\u00e4lsomyndigheten \u2013 and the National Board of Health and Welfare \u2013 Socialstyrelsen. We interact and collaborate with these authorities on a daily basis. We are in a continual dialogue to help stay abreast of the development and to cope with it in the best way possible.<\/p>\n

It is important to stress that KI is not closed. We shall keep up our activities even if we have to work in a different way. The education goes on, but now on a digital base.\u00a0 We continue to support our collaborating hospitals and the health care sector, and we continue to provide the society at large with updated information on relevant research.\u00a0 Our experts are now visible and active in media virtually around the clock. We are grateful for their efforts. They meet an important demand.<\/p>\n

Finally I would like to address those of you \u2013 students and staff \u2013 who are far from your families and beloved ones. For you the present situation might be particularly challenging. Do not hesitate to get in touch with your fellow students, colleagues or supervisors. A university is a community, and we should all be eager to stretch out a helping hand.<\/p>\n

Thank you all for your attention.
\n