FAQs in the Time of COVID-19

In view of the Coronavirus outbreak, the Emergency Response Group (ERG) of the College chaired by the President has been closely monitoring the situation. The ERG co-ordinates the precautionary measures and special arrangements to protect the students and staff. The health and safety of the College community is our highest priority. Please check regularly the information provided in this webpage. The College will also send emails to students and staff in case there are any updates of the precautionary measures and special arrangements.

Special Arrangements for Teaching and Learning

1. What are the class arrangements in March?
2. What are the arrangements for practicums and lab sessions?
3. Are there any adjustments for Semesters 2 and 3 schedules?
4. Will the suspension of classes/practicums/lab sessions delay my graduation or affect my summer vacation?
5. Could IELTS be waived for graduation this year?

Non-academic Graduation Requirements

6. College Seminars are cancelled, will my graduation be delayed?
7. Will internship coordinated by the College be cancelled?

Arrangement on Campus and Services

8. Can students return to the campus for self-study during the class suspension period?
9. Are there any services provided for students during the class suspension period?
10. Is the canteen open during the class suspension period?
11. What are the Preventative and Health Control Measures that have been implemented on Campus?

Resumption of Classes

12. Should I return to the campus immediately after the classes resume?
13. If 14 days self-quarantine is required for those returning from the Mainland, two-week lessons will be missed, will I be counted as absenteeism?

Arrangement on Library Services

14. Will overdue fines incur from 29 January to 15 March 2020?
15. Can I borrow or return library materials in this period?
16. Can I renew borrowed items without going back to the Library?
17. Can I access e-resources off campus?
18. Can I use printing and photocopying services during this period?
19. Can I make Inter-Library loan requests during this period?

Tuition Fees Payment

20. Can I make payment of tuition fees during the class suspension period?
21. Do students need to pay tuition fees for the class suspension period?

Admission Applications and Interviews

22. When could I submit an application for admissions and when would I be interviewed?

Staff on Self-Quarantine and Work Arrangement

23. If I have visited Mainland China and am required to undergo self-quarantine for 14 days, do I need to notify my Unit Head?
24. If I am residing in the same building as one of those published by the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) in the “List of buildings in which confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection have stayed during the symptomatic phase in the past 14 days”, what should I do?

Research Projects

25. I have some on-going research projects in hand. May I continue to conduct my research studies over the period?

Other Advices and Additional Information

26. What are the advices for students during the period of the Novel Coronavirus outbreak?
27. Where can I get the information about the Novel Coronavirus?

1. What are the class arrangements in March?

   On-campus classes will continue to be suspended after 15 March 2020. Tentatively, classes are planned to be resumed on Apr 6 (instead of 16 March 2020). On-line teaching will continue to be offered during the suspension period.

   Students and staff will be informed through emails if the suspension period is further extended.

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2. What are the arrangements for practicums and lab sessions?

   Practicums will be suspended until further notice. The College has been keeping contact with the Hospital Authority (HA) and other clinical partners. Practicums will be resumed as soon as possible after ensuring that the clinical environment is safe for practice.

   Some programmes are planning to offer lab sessions with preventive measures during the class suspension period starting from mid-March in order not to delay students' graduation. Students will be informed by the respective Programme/School regarding the arrangements.

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3. Are there any adjustments for Semesters 2 and 3 schedules?

   1. Semester 2 classes will be extended for 2 weeks to 2 May 2020 (instead of ending on 18 April 2020) to give more time for teaching and revisions. Final examinations will be held from 5 May to 19 May 2020. Schools may waive the final examinations of some courses (e.g. some of the GE and language courses). Students will be informed of the list as soon as possible.
   2. Semester 3 classes will be deferred for one week to start on 8 June 2020 and end on 25 July 2020 (instead of running from 1 June 1 to 18 July 2020). Final examinations will be held from 28 July to 4 August 2020.

   As the development of the novel coronavirus is still unpredictable, the College will closely monitor the situation. Students and staff will be informed through emails if the suspension period is further extended or further adjustments to the Academic Calendar are necessary.

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4. Will the suspension of classes/practicums/lab sessions delay my graduation or affect my summer vacation?

   The College is offering on-line teaching and has modified some assessment methods accordingly in order not to delay students’ studies. However, practicums, laboratory sessions, mandatory skill assessments and some discipline courses etc. are affected seriously and the deficiencies will have to be made up. Therefore, students’ graduation will have the possibility of delay.

   Students are advised to make themselves available during summer. Students should also be prepared that for some courses, make-up arrangements will only be available when the courses are offered again in the next academic year.

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5. Could IELTS be waived for graduation this year?

   As IELTS is one of the graduation requirements, it cannot be waived. Students who need to take the IELTS should check frequently the examination dates released by its official website: https://www.britishcouncil.hk/exam/ielts/dates-fees-locations

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6. College Seminars are cancelled, will my graduation be delayed?

   All College Seminars have to be cancelled during on campus class suspension period. Video seminars are being arranged for final year students. The College is closely monitoring the situations and further arrangements will be made in due course.

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7. Will internship coordinated by the College be cancelled?

   Tung Wah Office Intern Support Scheme (TWOI) will be continued in the summer. Respective students will receive invitation for application and interviews (if applicable) via email later.

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8. Can students return to the campus for self-study during the class suspension period?

   Students are allowed to return to the campus for self-study during the class suspension period. However, body temperature checking is carried out at entrance of campus. All the students are required to wear masks when entering the campus.

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9. Are there any services provided for students during the class suspension period?

   Starting from 24 February 2020, ALL the administrative/school offices are open to provide services from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. until further notice. Students/Staff are welcome to approach the offices should they need any assistance.

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10. Is the canteen open during the class suspension period?

    Canteen on the 4/F of KPC will be open on Monday to Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

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11. What are the Preventative and Health Control Measures that have been implemented on Campus?

    1. Preventative Measures

       • Common areas and facilities including floor carpets, door handles, lift button panel covers, and escalator handrails are cleaned intensively with 1:99 diluted bleach or other sterilize agents and disinfected once every three hours during campus opening hours.
       • New infra-red soap dispensers are installed at common lift lobbies.
       • Condition of drainage system is checked daily.
       • Contractors and service providers are requested to submit Health Declaration Form when entering the campus.
       • Posters about guidelines for washing hands with liquid soap and water are displayed.
       • Notices are posted inside toilets relating to the proper disposal of used surgical masks.

    2. Health Control Measures

       • Body temperature checking for staff/students is carried out at entrance of campus.
       • All staff and students are requested to wear masks when entering the campus.

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12. Should I return to the campus immediately after the classes resume?

    Those who have returned from the Mainland have to self-quarantine in their homes for 14 days before reentering the campus.

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13. If 14 days self-quarantine is required for those returning from the Mainland, two-week lessons will be missed, will I be counted as absenteeism?

    Schools will provide flexible arrangements for students in need, please report to your Programme Leaders and/or Schools and seek further advice.

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14. Will overdue fines incur from 29 January to 15 March 2020?

    Overdue fines incur during this period will be waived. The Library has informed the users via email about such arrangement.

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15. Can I borrow or return library materials in this period?

    Users can borrow library materials at the counter during the opening hours. They can also return the borrowed items at the counter or via book drops located at the library entrance and lobby of MKB.

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16. Can I renew borrowed items without going back to the Library?

    Users can renew borrowed items online via TWC Search. Please follow the steps at: https://www.twc.edu.hk/uploads/files/Lib/Online_renewal_2019_12.pdf.

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17. Can I access e-resources off campus?

    Users can access e-resources off campus using email authentication. Please refer to E-resources User Guide at:
    https://www.twc.edu.hk/en/Administration_Units/lib/guide_and_tutorial/e-resource_guide for information.
    

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18. Can I use printing and photocopying services during this period?

    Users can use printing and photocopying services at 5/F of the Library.

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19. Can I make Inter-Library loan requests during this period?

    All eligible users can continue to place Inter-Library Loans requests. However, the requested items will only be available when other partner libraries have resumed their services.

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20. Can I make payment of tuition fees during the class suspension period?

    Students can make payment to the College through the Finance Office counter on the 10/F of MKA on Monday to Friday from 10:00am to 4:00pm. They can also deposit their payment through the FO collection box outside 10/F of MKA during non-working hours.

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21. Do students need to pay tuition fees for the class suspension period?

    The college collects tuition fees by instalments.

    Whether there are classes or not will not affect tuition fees payment. But the College will not charge any retake fees if they are caused by class suspension.

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22. When could I submit an application for admissions and when would I be interviewed?

    The College continues to receive applications for the non-JUPAS programmes through the admission system https://www.twc.edu.hk/admission/ . However, all the admission interviews have been suspended until mid-March. Applicants will be informed by the Registry once interviews can be resumed.

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23. If I have visited Mainland China and am required to undergo self-quarantine for 14 days, do I need to notify my Unit Head?

    Colleagues who are required to undergo self-quarantine should inform their respective Unit Heads and the Human Resources Office ([email protected]) through email. They would be arranged to work from home during the quarantined period. Colleagues who have developed fever or feel unwell should seek medical consultation and take sick leave.

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24. If I am residing in the same building as one of those published by the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) in the “List of buildings in which confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection have stayed during the symptomatic phase in the past 14 days”, what should I do?

    As a precautionary measure, colleagues who are residing in the same building as those published by the CHP in the “List of buildings in which confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection have stayed during the symptomatic phase in the past 14 days”, they should undergo 14 days of self-quarantine. The list can be downloaded from the hyperlink https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/building_list_chi.pdf and enquiries can be made through the CHP hotline at 21251122.

    Colleagues should inform their respective Unit Heads and the Human Resources Office ([email protected]) through email and they would be arranged to work from home during the quarantined period. Colleagues who have developed fever or feel unwell should seek medical consultation and take sick leave.

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25. I have some on-going research projects in hand. May I continue to conduct my research studies over the period?

    Research projects that involve close contact with participants should be avoided. If principal investigators encounter difficulties in meeting the project completion deadline, they could contact the Research Office and apply for project extension.

26. What are the advices for students during the period of the Novel Coronavirus outbreak?

    All students should:

    1. refrain from travelling to the Mainland
    2. wear a surgical mask, particularly in crowded areas and public spaces
    3. consult a doctor immediately and report to the College if they have any symptoms of the coronavirus (e.g. fever, difficulty breathing or cough etc.)

    All students who have travelled outside HK within 14 days prior to resumption of on-campus classes will be requested to fill in the health declaration form. The link to the e-form will be available when the date for the resumption of on-campus classes is confirmed. Those who have returned from the Mainland have to self-quarantine in their homes for 14 days before reentering the campus.

27. Where can I get the information about the Novel Coronavirus?

    More information about the Novel Coronavirus can be found in the following websites:

    World Health Organization:
    https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

    The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of HKSAR Government
    https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/102465.html

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