Dear students,

we are all facing a situation we have never encountered before. Almost all of Europe and the Czech Republic, together with it, live in a state of emergency that is reflected in all aspects of our private and professional lives. It is clear that this situation does and will affect your study life. We want to assure you that we will do everything possible at BUT so that you can continue your studies properly, complete as many enrolled courses as possible and move on to the next stage of your studies.

A clear priority of BUT is to create such conditions for graduate students of Bachelor‘s or Master’s degree studies that will enable them to complete this semester in the shortest possible time and subsequently complete and submit the final thesis and pass the state final examinations. But of course, we are solving the study situation of all our students.

I would also like to thank you for the fact that many of you act as volunteers, or help in any way those who need it. I would like to inform you now of the individual measures that are being prepared in relation to your studies. It is clear that many circumstances are still unknown, some of which can be predicted only with a certain degree of probability. The situation changes every day and we will keep you informed as it is reflected in study matters.

I believe that together we can manage this difficult period.

Petr Štěpánek, Rector of BUT

Distance learning

The teaching of subjects where possible takes on the form of distance learning, especially through e-learning. For most courses at BUT this form of instruction is possible, but it always depends on the particular subject of the particular faculty or department. The information about the course of distance learning can be found on the website of your faculty, or teachers will contact you. For the subjects where the teaching (or part of the teaching) cannot be replaced by distance learning, the teaching will only take place after the current restrictions have been lifted. You will be informed in good time on the BUT website, faculty pages as well as by teachers about the specific periods when this teaching would be “replaced”.

For subjects where all tuition takes place in a distance form and it is possible to fulfil all conditions for granting credits in a distance form, you will be able to obtain credits within the original timetable set by the academic year schedule. For subjects where some part of teaching will have to be completed, or some of the tasks necessary for obtaining the credit will be completed after the current obstacles have been lifted, you will be informed of the deadline for passing the credit by each teacher as soon as it is clear when the current limitations will be lifted.

• We are examining the possibilities of non-presence possibilities of examinations, but at present, we do not assume that it is possible to take exams in a distance form.
• In the view of the above, BUT will allow each student, including foreign students, in relation to external conditions (which we are not currently able to predict in terms of time or scope) to be able to complete all exam dates when it is possible to come to the exam without any problems.
• We also expect the whole exam period to be shifted by a few weeks, or to the period of summer holidays, at worst until the beginning of the fall semester - the specific implementation at BUT depends on the date when the restriction of the free movement of persons will end.

The dates and form of submission of final theses will be determined by individual faculties and departments of BUT to their students with regard to the nature of theses. So, follow the information at your faculty or discuss it with your supervisor.

State final examinations, including the defence of final theses, cannot be held in a distance form according to valid legal regulations. It is therefore clear that it will take place only when personal presence before the committee is possible. It is likely that in some cases the final state examinations may not take place until September 2020. Please follow this information at your faculty or BUT department.

The requirements for the passing of students to the next year of study given by the BUT Study and Examination Regulations and internal standards do not change. The deadlines for checking the fulfilment of these requirements will be set with regard to the further development of the situation in the Czech Republic and with regard to the possibility of taking exams at each individual BUT department. Students who are unable to meet the set conditions for objective reasons can apply for an exemption to be decided by the Dean or the Head of the University Department.

• Study fees must continue to be assessed for students who meet the statutory fee requirements. This is due to the fact that the extension of the standard length of study increased by one year happened before the current epidemiological situation.
• However, each student has the possibility to request a reduction or remission of the assessed fee within 30 days of receiving the decision on the fee obligation. If a particular fee obligation is affected by the current epidemiological situation, this will be taken into account and the specific fee will be reduced or waived entirely. When assessing any such application, the student's current social situation may also be taken into account if the student applies for it and proves his/her situation.
• According to current information on the website of MEYS, the Ministry of Education is preparing legislative changes and modifications in the student matrix so that the current state of emergency does not lead to prolonged studies. We welcome this initiative of MEYS, and if the appropriate changes are made to the law, we will apply them immediately in the BUT environment.

We ask students to follow the BUT Halls of Residence and Dining Services web pages for up-to-date information. Canteens operation is currently limited in view of the situation and the Government Resolution.

The significant information about the accommodation is published on the website of the University and the Halls of Residence and Dining Services. The Halls of Residence and Dining Services is in contact with the students involved. Here, too, we ask students to continuously follow the media and the website of the university and the Halls of Residence and Dining Services, as the information is updated with regard to the decision of the Government of the Czech Republic and the development of the situation. BUT management and the Head of the Halls of Residence and Dining Services would like to thank all students for their cooperation and compliance with the government regulations.