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COVID-19: Update on measures taken by the University of Montpellier

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TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND OTHERS

Wearing a mask is recommended in indoor spaces.

Since March 14, 2022, wearing a mask is no longer mandatory. However, given the resurgence of COVID cases at the University, we feel it is important to strongly recommend its use indoors.

We would also like to remind you that protective measures must be observed and premises ventilated as much as possible.

The epidemic is not over, and people infected with COVID, regardless of their age, may experience fatigue that can have a lasting impact on all their activities, as well as sometimes severe symptoms. It is therefore important not to let our guard down.

Reminder of protective measures:

Wash your hands very regularly, greet people without shaking hands, avoid hugging, keep a distance of at least 1 meter whenever possible, cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue, use a disposable tissue and throw it away, avoid touching your face.

Special provisions apply in BIUs, SUAPS courses, cafeterias, etc.: please inquire for more information.

SUSPECTED COVID OR COVID POSITIVE?

If you have COVID symptoms, call your primary care physician or a doctor.

If you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or who needs to be tested: call your primary care physician or a doctor to find out what to do.

If you have any questions about your studies (class attendance, etc.), please contact your faculty, school, or institute.

For any medical questions, particularly for students at risk of COVID, you can contact the preventive medicine service.

For any other questions: email.

41 ambassadors deployed across various campuses

Trained by the Joint Preventive Medicine and Health Promotion Service (SCMPPS), these 41 students are present at various University of Montpellier sites to provide information and remind you of preventive measures.

Given the exceptional circumstances, let us bear in mind that the government measures are designed to protect everyone's health. It is important to limit close physical contact between people.

Getting back together, one solution: vaccination

COVID vaccination offers two levels of protection: individual and collective. It reduces the risk of infecting others and is currently the only way to protect yourself from severe forms of the disease. University is a place where we interact with others constantly, so it is important to achieve the highest possible vaccination coverage among both students and staff.

Several opportunities to get vaccinated will be available in the coming days at three university locations.

The approved schedule is provided below. You may arrive without an appointment.

If you are unsure, it is also possible to just seek advice about vaccination without necessarily getting vaccinated. The health insurance card, for those who have one, is required.

We hope that you will take advantage of this system, which has been set up directly within our university, so that this academic year can take place in person.

First dose
At the MDE Triolet on October 7, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., no appointment necessary
At the MDE Richter on October 14, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., no appointment necessary

1st and 2nd doses
Pharmacy site on October 12, hours 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., no appointment necessary
MDE Triolet on October 18, hours 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., no appointment necessary

You can also download the addresses of the various vaccination centers near the different campuses of the University of Montpellier and throughout Occitanie.

Information for staff and students

Regulatory acts
Information for students as of November 2, 2020

Travel to UM sites

To attend practical training courses, access university libraries, health services, etc.

It is essential that you bring:

  • a travel certificate available on the Ministry of the Interior website or on the "Tous Anti-Covid"app. Check the box for "Travel between home and place of work or educational or training establishment, business travel that cannot be postponed, travel for a competition or exam."
  • proof of identity,
  • Obtain proof from the institution confirming that the trip in question falls within the scope of authorized cases.

Health

To help you cope better with lockdown:

  • Your Preventive Medicine service remains open and will honor appointments for medical examinations and/or specialist consultations (psychology, dietetics). To make an appointment, contact your local branch, whose contact details can be found at www.umontpellier.fr/campus/sante-social-handicap. Consultations will preferably take place in person, but telephone consultations are also possible. Our team is implementing all necessary health measures to ensure your safety.
  • The University Health Center (CSU) is open, by appointment only, during its usual hours (10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.), and provides all in-person consultations: medical, psychological, and gynecological. For students who are already patients, teleconsultations are available. Contact: 04.11.28.19.79 or by email.
  • A toll-free number is available to answer your questions about COVID-19, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 0.800.130.000
    For emergencies, call 15.

Disability

The Handiversité service and the Preventive Medicine service are available to answer your questions about exam and/or study accommodations, access to digital course content, etc.

Financial hardship

Whether you are a student receiving financial aid or not, the University of Montreal and the CROUS continue to provide social assistance, including emergency aid.

The Student Life Department of the Campus Life Division works in conjunction with the CROUS social services department to provide you with support.
To request one-time emergency assistance, click here.

Digital access

The UM provides its students with free access to Zoom Education and Microsoft Office 365 Education licenses.

Zoom Education allows you to hold online meetings for teaching or personal collaborative work.

Microsoft Office 365 Education provides access to Teams, Microsoft Office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), and OneDrive file storage. These tools can be used directly online (choose A1 license) or downloaded (choose A3 license).

To access these tools, log in to your UM digital workspace (ent.umontpellier.fr), click on the Teaching tab, and select the ZOOM and TEAMS/OFFICE 365 icons.

Digital equipment:

If you do not have a computer, you can contact your department, school, or institute, which may have solutions available. PCs are also available in the university libraries (by appointment). The student services department remains available to help you find a solution.

UM University Libraries: open by appointment

The university libraries are open by appointment only, allowing you to return or borrow documents and materials, as well as to work on site.

In order to ensure the safety of users and staff, health measures and rules for using the collections and spaces in the university libraries have been adapted. It is the responsibility of each individual to comply with these measures, in particular the wearing of masks, barrier gestures, and physical distancing.

How do I make an appointment?

Information / guidance / professional integration

The SCUIO-IP continues to answer all your questions.

Find all their services, phone numbers, and social media accounts at scuioip.umontpellier.fr.

Email contact

Student associations

The Student Life Department remains committed to supporting your initiatives, particularly those aimed at combating social isolation during lockdown.
Contact email

If you have any questions regarding these provisions, students from the Student Life Office are available to assist you.
Contact email

Message from the President dated September 16, 2020, to students

Dear students,

We are delighted to welcome you back to the University this fall. However, as the Covid-19 pandemic shows no sign of abating, enhanced precautionary measures are necessary.

Wearing a mask has therefore become mandatory on all University sites, for everyone, everywhere, both indoors and outdoors. Failure to comply with the obligation to wear a mask constitutes a breach of the University's internal regulations and may result in sanctions. As an exception, two washable masks will be provided to you by the University. Distribution is currently being handled by each faculty, school, or institute.

If you are at potential risk of severe COVID, you must systematically wear medical masks, which may be prescribed by a doctor.
Students who have proven vulnerability to COVID, as certified by a doctor, may request adjustments to their studies, in the spirit of the adjustments granted for disabilities, by contacting the preventive medicine service by email.

In addition to wearing a mask, protective measures must always be applied with vigilance. It remains very important to wash your hands regularly, and to this end, numerous hand sanitizer dispensers have been installed at various locations.

If you test positive for COVID, if you have been in close contact* with someone who has tested positive for COVID, or if you have COVID symptoms, we urge you to consult your doctor as a matter of priority to find out what to do. If you do not have a doctor, you can call 0 800 130 000 (free service and call) who will be able to refer you to a general practitioner. You can inform the COVID correspondents at your faculty, school, or institute or the registrar's office of your situation by providing your phone number, date of birth, and the date on which you took a test (or will take one) or the date on which you first experienced symptoms. This information, which will be communicated to the Regional Health Agency, will help in the fight against the virus by breaking the chains of infection. You can also consult the Santé Publique France fact sheets (available for download at the end of this message).

University services (libraries, joint information, guidance, and career services (SCUIO-IP), Common Preventive Medicine and Health Promotion Service (SCMPPS), Handiversité, Art & Culture, Common Physical and Sports Activities Service (SUAPS), and Student Life Service) have mobilized to support you on a daily basis by offering services that are as close as possible to the "normal" functioning of a university.

Finally, the start of the academic year is usually synonymouswith festive events and integration. We would like to remind you that organizing such events on the premises of the University of Montpellier is not permitted. Given the resurgence of the epidemic, we also strongly advise against organizing and participating in such events outside the university. They are particularly conducive to the spread of the virus. We would also like to remind you that hazing is a criminal offense punishable by six months' imprisonment and a fine of €7,500. It is strictly prohibited.

We know that the context of this new academic year is difficult for you. However, this should in no way dampen your motivation and desire to succeed: together with the management teams of the UFRs, Schools, and Institutes, as well as the teaching staff, we are doing everything we can to ensure that your year goes as smoothly as possible.

We thank you in advance for your determination to combat the spread of the epidemic and wish you a wonderful academic year.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Philippe Augé
President of the University

Alexis Vandeventer
Student Vice President

* High-risk contact: any person who has had direct contact with a confirmed case in one of the following situations without effective protective measures (surgical mask worn by the case or the contact person, general public mask manufactured in accordance with the AFNOR standard or equivalent worn by the case AND the contact person, hygiaphone or other physical separation such as glass or Plexiglas):

  • Student or teacher in the same class or group;
  • Student, teacher, or other staff:
    • having shared the same living space (housing, etc.) as the confirmed or probable case;
    • having had direct contact with a case, face to face, less than 1 meter away, regardless of the duration (e.g., conversation, meal, flirting, hugging, kissing). On the other hand, people encountered briefly in public spaces are not considered to be at-risk contacts.
    • having provided or received hygiene or care services;
    • having shared a confined space (office or meeting room, personal vehicle, etc.) for at least 15 minutes with a case, or having been face-to-face with a case during several episodes of coughing or sneezing.

Consult the Santé Publique France fact sheets:

Message from the President dated May 19, 2020, to students

Dear students,

The gradual lifting of lockdown restrictions in our country began on May 11. Although you will be away from campus until September, you remain at the center of our concerns. While exams have begun in many departments, issues such as internships, mobility, and enrollment are all topics on which we are focusing, in conjunction with the directors of UFRs, schools, and institutes.

We are also particularly attentive to the fight against student poverty.

We would therefore like to draw your attention to the exceptional aid of €200 offered by the government to help, on the one hand, students who have lost their job or internship due to the Covid-19 crisis and, on the other hand, overseas students who have remained in mainland France. This aid is intended for students in initial training, whether or not they receive a scholarship. To apply, eligible students must complete a form available on the government website.
Overseas students can also benefit from negotiated rates for their return trip (https://bit.ly/2z1Oy2E).

But beyond these measures, the University of Montpellier remains fully committed to responding to the social emergency. The Student Initiative Solidarity and Development Fund (FSDIE) has been increased to meet requests for exceptional financial assistance. This assistance can be combined with aid from the government or the CROUS to enable students in difficulty to meet their needs. All information is available online here.

In addition, for those of you who, due to lack of resources, cannot access digital services, the University of Montpellier offers exceptional financial assistance to help you sign up for an internet package, change your current subscription, or purchase a 4G dongle. To benefit from this assistance, contact the UM Student Services Department.

In addition, various university services are available to assist you: if you wish to speak to a healthcare professional (doctor, psychologist, etc.), you can contact the Joint Preventive Medicine and Health Promotion Service or the University Health Center (CSU) in Montpellier by making an appointment at 04.11.28.19.79 or by email.

Further information about student life can be found on the university website.

We remain by your side thanks to the dedication of our teaching and administrative teams, who are working hard to keep university life going, even remotely.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Philippe AUGÉ
President of the University

Alexis VANDEVENTER
Student Vice President

Message from the President dated March 30, 2020, to students

Dear students,
In light of the lockdown, which is the only way to stop the spread of COVID-19, our University has taken steps to continue fulfilling its essential missions as best as possible, particularly that of providing you with a high-quality education.

Many issues remain sensitive: the interruption of professional placements, particularly internships, the digital divide, and social difficulties remain problematic. In conjunction with the directors of UFRs, Schools, and Institutes, and thanks to the involvement of teaching staff and our services, every effort is being made to provide you with the most relevant educational solutions. Please continue to check your university emails for information about the various measures organized by your department. We know that the question of how exams will be conducted is one of your main concerns. This is understandable. We are working on various scenarios, even though we have no idea when the University will be able to resume its normal activities. We ask for your patience.

Such a disruption to your studies and personal life, in this difficult general context, can be a source of discomfort, anxiety, and isolation, but, as we keep saying, social distancing should not mean social isolation.

Following on from this email, we would like to present the provisions put in place by our university's departments and services to support you during this difficult period in terms of student life, health, disability, social assistance, professional integration, documentation, culture, and sports.

We will also support student initiatives aimed at combating social isolation.

Sadly, our campuses are deserted, but we remain by your side.

We know you are courageous in the face of adversity, and our thoughts are especially with those of you who are currently interning in hospital departments, as well as those who are facing difficult circumstances.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Philippe AUGE
President of the University

Alexis VANDEVENTER
Student Vice President

Message from the President dated March 20, 2020, to students

Dear students,

Following announcements by the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, and the Government, lockdown measures have been put in place, resulting in the suspension of face-to-face classes. Faced with this unprecedented situation, the University of Montpellier is fully mobilized to develop measures to enable you to continue your university life as smoothly as possible. First and foremost, let us keep in mind that these measures are being implemented with the aim of protecting everyone's health and that, as such, the use of remote communication tools must be the norm.

Our primary objective has been to ensure educational continuity despite the pandemic. To guarantee this, the directors of the UFRs, Schools, and Institutes are in daily contact with the educational managers and remain your primary contacts in this area.

I am also aware of your concerns regarding future internships and exams. Please be assured that the decisions and measures that will be taken with the directors reflect our desire to support you so that this pandemic does not penalize you in any way in your studies and that equal opportunities are respected.

This applies to all students, and particularly to students with disabilities, for whom the Handiversité service remains mobilized. Similarly, we are working with the Ministry to find solutions for students who find themselves stranded abroad.

In addition, SCUIO-IP continues to answer all your questions about career guidance and professional integration. You can find the services and contact details by email.

Beyond these educational issues, the period we are going through can become a source of anxiety, worry, and unease.

Social distancing, which is often mentioned, should not lead to social breakdown.

In consultation with the University's Student Vice President, Alexis Vandeventer, I therefore decided that a number of actions should be continued or initiated.

Access to the resources and online services of the Joint Documentation Service remains available viathe ENT (Library tile). This is already the case for the books, journals, and databases that you currently consult, and over the course of next week, other resources will become available, including novels and comic books. Online courses and tutorials to help with documentary research are available on Moodle or on the University of Montpellier channel. Personalized research assistance sessions (appointments with a librarian) and a remote question and answer service are available by email.

Similarly, if you want to continue enjoying cultural offerings during lockdown, we offer content to discover, read, and listen to via the University of Montpellier Art & Culture Facebook account.

The University Physical Activity and Sports Service will be sending you a number of tutorials in the coming days aimed at helping you stay physically active and relax.

Student associations linked to the Student Life Office are also available to provide support if you feel isolated.

If you have any medical concerns, you can contact the Joint Preventive Medicine and Health Promotion Service (SCMPPS). Your message will be forwarded to a healthcare professional. The University Health Center (CSU) in Montpellier also remains open and continues to provide medical and psychological consultations. You can make an appointment by calling 04.11.28.19.79.

Finally, CROUS is maintaining its emergency assistance program for students who need it.

Whatever the situation, the campus life department is available to guide and support you.

Finally, I would like to assure you of the complete solidarity and support of the University of Montpellier in the face of this major crisis.

Yours sincerely, Dear students,

Philippe AUGE
President of the University

"Tous Anti Covid" app

Launched on October 22, 2020, the "TousAntiCovid" app aims to facilitate the provision of information to people who have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19 and to speed up their care. This new app complements the existing barrier measures.

A university committed to fighting the spread of Covid-19

Scientific potential

With the CEMIPAI services laboratory, one of the largest Level 3 microbiological safety research facilities in France, the University of Montpellier and the CNRS offer the scientific community the opportunity to work in a controlled environment on infectious biological samples and class 3 biological agents, such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis viruses, mosquito-borne viruses (Chikungunya, Dengue, Zika), pathogenic bacteria, and prions.

CEMIPAI works in particular with researchers fromthe Montpellier Research Institute (IRIM/UM, CNRS), those from the multidisciplinary research unit Pathogenesis and Control of Chronic Infections (PCCI/Inserm, UM, EFS) on the issue of antibodies, and those fromthe Max Mousseron Biomolecules Institute (IBMM/CNRS, UM, ENSCM).

Solidarity with healthcare workers and patients

In solidarity with healthcare workers and patients, the University is organizing a collection of medical equipment (protective masks, gloves, gowns) in its research laboratories for the Montpellier University Hospital. This operation is being coordinated at the institutional level by Professor Jacques Mercier, Vice President in charge of research.

Measures implemented by the University of Montpellier

  • A special steering committee led by the University President coordinates the institutional operations of the institution.
  • Biweekly conference calls with the directors of academic departments, schools, and institutes, led by the president.
  • Daily conference calls between directors and heads of central and shared services and administrative directors of departments, schools, and institutes, led by the Director General of Services.
  • Information from the Health, Safety, and Working Conditions Committee.

For essential activities that must be carried out in person, organization and procedures are put in place by the directors of each facility to ensure that on-site reception is provided under the best possible conditions in terms of hygiene and safety:

  • A specific email address to answer all questions.
  • Regular and targeted communication via email and social media.
  • Dedicated pages on UM websites (students, public) and intranet (staff) to follow news related to the pandemic and disseminate health guidelines.
  • Regular updates to the institution's website dedicated to digital devices and creation of an emergency number for the service center.

Given the University's organization, its multi-site location, and its operating methods, educational organization is the responsibility of the UFRs, Schools, and Institutes. Each structure has therefore developed its own version of the educational continuity plan. The UFRs, Schools, and Institutes are therefore the primary point of contact for students.

  • Widespread adoption of distance learning practices with DSIN teams mobilized to support teachers.
  • Increased use of existing digital tools at the institutional level (Moodle, Video, etc.) and at the national level (SupNumérique, FunMOOC, Digital Thematic Universities, etc.).
  • Ongoing discussions regarding the exam schedule and the adaptation, where necessary, of alternative assessment methods.
  • Implementation of amendments to internship agreements to take into account the diversity of situations (teleworking, postponement, interruption, etc.).
  • Establishment of a social assistance program for international students experiencing difficulties (particularly related to increased transportation costs) in returning to France, in collaboration with CROUS.
  • Continuing to provide support for specific groups (elite athletes, artists, working students), particularly students with disabilities.

Particularly vigilant on the issue of equal opportunities, the University takes into account the potential digital divide for certain students (lack of equipment, problems accessing the internet). Discussions are currently underway with the Occitanie Region to find solutions and, for example, make computers available to students.

"Social distancing, which is often mentioned, should not lead to social breakdown."

In consultation with the University's Student Vice President, it was decided that a number of actions should be continued or initiated, including:

In accordance with the recommendations of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research Innovation regarding the continuity of Research, only essential activities that could not be carried out remotely were maintained in person. This is of course also the case for laboratories engaged in research on the COVID-19 epidemic or comparable epidemics, an area in which the University of Montpellier is particularly involved.

  • Limitation of in-person research activities and use of teleworking and remote working, with some exceptions.
  • Continuation of laboratory activities in person, where the interruption of certain procedures would lead to the loss of essential, sensitive, or particularly complex scientific studies, or those that would be difficult to reorganize.
  • Support for the 24 companies (start-ups) located on the sites, close to the laboratories, through exemptions from social security contributions.

Additional information

Various local, national, and international studies are currently underway on lockdown issues. We invite you to participate:

The research team at the National Resource and Resilience Center, supported by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research Innovation, would like to assess the impact of quarantine on the mental health of university students. To do this, we need your participation.

To ensure that this study is representative and relevant, we invite you to respond to the various questionnaires sent out throughout the study. You will be asked to respond several times (every month during lockdown if it is extended, then approximately every three months) for a period of one year from the start of the national lockdown. The questionnaires are anonymous; your identity will not be disclosed at any time.

If you feel unsettled or in difficulty during or after completing the questionnaire, please do not hesitate to ask for support. Information is available on the website of the National Resource and Resilience Center (CN2R). You can also contact the national medical and psychological support and care service on the 24/7 toll-free number (0 800 130 000) or your general practitioner. In case of emergency, call the SAMU-centre 15 by dialing 15.

  • Participate in the study and complete the first questionnaire (it takes less than 15 minutes to complete).

Share your feelings about lockdown, your state of health, and contribute to the advancement of research and knowledge about the coronavirus: www.confins.org

The CONFINS study is a collaborative research project that aims to better understand the impact of the coronavirus epidemic, commonly known as COVID-19, and lockdown measures on your well-being and mental health. We also want to better understand your opinions and fears about this epidemic, its treatments, and vaccines.

This survey is conducted by a research team from MONTPELLIER RECHERCHE EN ECONOMIE (MRE, University of Montpellier).

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