Page 36 - UniZulu Annual Report 2020

the strategic need to work towards successful completion of the academic year 2020 against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and the myriad challenges it poses. This led to multimodal teaching and learning strategies for all its students, with short-term and mid-term interventions, but also projects on the long-term horizon post the COVID-19 crisis phase. Initially, the implementation of the newTeaching and Learning Plan led to a revised academic calendar, and the implementation of digital learning and online training. The University 2020/2021 risk register, which originally had nine strategic risks, now has a tenth, which is the COVID-19 risk. The University has established a special COVID-19 response task team that has developed institutional readiness protocols and guidelines to be adhered to during the COVID-19 pandemic. The task team has produced a detailed plan that was submitted to DHET for approval. It reported twice a month on the readiness and progress in the University, which subsequently led to the rating of the University as one of the low-risk institutions by DHET. The Institution has appointed an occupational health and safety manager who has been identified as the University COVID-19 compliance officer by the Vice-Chancellor. The University Human Resources Staff Wellness Office organised several COVID-19 awareness workshops for all staff members while the Student Services Department, through the campus clinic, conducted COVID-19 screening
of staff and students, awareness campaigns, and sourcing of personal protective equipment and sanitisers. As part of protocols to regulate student conduct after returning to campuses, the University developed a Code of Conduct that is required to be signed by all students before or on return. UNIZULU, following Government Gazette No. 43258, dated 29 April 2020, in terms of Regulation 16(6)(b), developed a COVID-ready Workplace Plan to manage a phased return of staff and students to campus. In response, the University initiated several measures linked to the national Risk- adjusted Strategy and regulations with three focus areas being the physical environment and spaces preparation, screening, testing initiatives and provision of sanitisers, as well as measures to support students’ remote teaching and learning. The focus on the three has been to ensure that the goal of curbing the spread of the virus on both campuses, Richards Bay and KwaDlangezwa, is achieved. As a result of the above, most of the infrastructure plans were temporarily affected and delays were unavoidably suffered. The impact on Infrastructure is discussed under goal 6.
Students returned to campuses in a staggered way throughout the year and were able to perform well despite the challenges brought about by COVID-19. UNIZULU libraries continued to support academics and students during the move to online learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND ANNUAL REPORT 2020
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