All Academic Activities to be Performed Online for 14 Days Following Spring Break

An order by the ministry received yesterday recommends that all universities in the country suspend classes and that all cultural and sports events should be postponed.

Some students have already shared concerns in regard to the COVID-19 situation and the preventive measures the university is implementing. AUBG has decided to extend the period recommended by the Ministry of Health to allow for the close monitoring of students who are already on campus and will help provide the community with a safe environment when everyone returns.

All students who have not yet returned to Blagoevgrad are strongly encouraged to stay home for this period. Those who cannot return home or are currently on campus can stay as long as they follow the preventive measures outlined in our previous communications, including declaring their travels if any, maintaining good personal hygiene and avoiding mass gatherings, including cancelling rehearsals and sports practices, and off-campus venues such as dance clubs that involve crowds and close physical proximity. The canteen and residence halls will remain open to serve only AUBG community members and the staff are observing significant additional hygiene procedures to protect everyone. Access to the ABF Student Center and BAC will only be available to members of the AUBG community, using their ID cards.

As a residential university, AUBG values face-to-face communication and understands its importance for students' college experience. Following the best teaching practices, they also benefit from close interaction and individual attention by professors. The online education methods implemented are designed to feel like a real class where students can raise questions and participate in discussions through the virtual platform.

The university would like to urge students to not travel abroad for this two-week period and avoid public events. Everyone should keep in mind their own health and be responsible towards the health of others.

The university leadership has discussed a vast array of options and the online classes implementation came after a thorough deliberation. The safety of the AUBG community is the first and foremost priority.

Further information about the logistics of online classes will follow. Regular classes are expected to resume on March 23.

The university administration will remain open.