The University of Montpellier remains mobilized in the face of Covid-19

For several months now, the Covid-19 epidemic has been forcing institutions to adapt their operations to new constraints.

Continuity of teaching and increased support for students in difficulty, maintenance of remote working in departments and protection of essential on-site staff, continuity of research and support for partner companies... The University of Montpellier was able to organize itself during the confinement and is now pursuing its plan to resume activities.

Since March 16, the University, like the rest of society, has had to adapt to unprecedented rules. There were many urgent matters to deal with, starting with the organization of educational continuity for the 49,000 students enrolled at the UM. Students with disabilities have not been forgotten: the Handiversité service and the SCMPPS (Service Commun de Médecine Préventive et de Promotion de la Santé) remain available to answer any questions they may have.

Thanks to the mobilization of all the teaching teams and the Information Systems and Digital Department (DSIN), distance learning was rolled out in record time via the Moodle platform and the UM'sdigital workspace (ENT ). Numerous books, journals and databases that are usually available for consultation have been made available by the documentation service. Loan and return desks have been set up by appointment in the university libraries.

As for exams, they have already begun in a large number of departments. The question of internships, mobility and enrolments has been the focus of all our attention, and solutions have been found thanks to the crucial commitment of teachers and directors of UFRs, Schools and Institutes. Our mobilization is now focused on the organization of the start of the new academic year in September.

Supporting students in difficulty

The continuity of activities was, of course, conditional on digital access for all. Nearly 350 computers provided by the Occitanie region have been distributed since April 16 by the university's logistics and campus life departments. 6,000 in digital connection aid has already been allocated to the most disadvantaged students to enable them to subscribe to a package, modify their current package or acquire a 4G key. Amendments to internship agreements and support for internationally mobile students have also been rapidly put in place.

To go even further and support those hardest hit by the crisis, the UM's FSDIE social fund (Fonds de solidarité et de développement des initiatives étudiantes) has already released over €150,000 in social aid and simplified allocation procedures to make them effective in less than 24 hours. This measure is in addition to the exceptional €200 assistance offered by the French government for students in precarious situations who have lost an internship or a job, as well as for overseas students who have stayed in mainland France.

The SCMPPS continues to provide medical and psychological consultations by telephone, as does the university health center (CSU), which offers its services on site or remotely. Measures to combat isolation have also been deployed, enabling students to adapt their sporting activities to the "On continue de bouger" website set up by the SUAPS, or to discover the cultural content on offer via the Art & Culture Facebook account.

Supporting employees

As soon as the lockdown began, a steering committee was set up around university president Philippe Augé to ensure the administrative and institutional functioning of the establishment, in dialogue with the CHSCT. Remote working was encouraged whenever the situation allowed, and here again, the DSIN's intervention was decisive in setting up a secure and functional digital environment.

For staff whose presence on site is essential, all recommended barrier measures have been put in place by the facility managers. Masks, visors and hydro-alcoholic solutions have been supplied where necessary. A daily watch is maintained to keep detailed records of the personnel present on site. In these difficult times, the Human Resources Department and the UM's support staff (occupational physicians and psychologists, clinical psychologists, coaches, social service assistants, disability advisors) remain as attentive as ever to the needs of our staff.

The plan to resume face-to-face activities was activated on May 11. Employees who were unable to work remotely were gradually able to return on site, in accordance with the specific rules set up by the establishment: limiting the number of people working simultaneously in the same department, controlling meetings and gatherings by continuing to give priority to electronic communications, and limiting public reception to priority activities only. To date, around 15% of staff have returned to face-to-face work.

Maintaining research activities

More than ever, research is at the heart of our concerns, and Montpellier's scientific community has demonstrated its excellence since the beginning of this crisis. At this time, the most urgent need is, of course, to find an effective treatment. The coordination of randomized trials on the effects of hydroxychloroquine by Professor Jacques Reynes at Montpellier University Hospital, and the research on antibodies carried out by theMontpellier Infectious Diseases Research Institute (IRIM) are just two examples. Screening is another key area where innovation plays a key role, as demonstrated by the work on automated reading of rapid saliva tests carried out by the Vogo sportech project in Montpellier, which brings together the CNRS, the Montpellier University Hospital, the Sys2Diag laboratory and the SkillCell biotech company.

Numerous studies carried out in our laboratories are also helping us to better understand the origin and nature of the viruses we face. Such is the case of phylogenetic tracing, thanks to the PhyML software developed by Stéphane Guindon of the Montpellier laboratory of computer science, robotics and microelectronics (Lirmm). Others focus on improving global health monitoring, such as the European Mood project, which involves researchers from 25 institutions, including the University of Montpellier and CIRAD. In addition, a key initiative on infectious diseases of the COVID type could soon be launched, the aim being to consider ways of preventing such epidemics, taking a broad view of the issue, from the source (animal reservoirs) to human diseases, via the pathways that viruses use to evolve from one environment to another.

More generally, it's all the researchers who, in record time, were able to redirect their current research projects to acquire new knowledge about Covid. The MUSE I-SITE is providing overall financial support of €250,000 to these teams.

In sectors less concerned by work on the epidemic, the limitation of face-to-face work and the development of telecommuting were also applied to guarantee staff safety. Only those operations whose interruption would have led to the loss of essential studies were maintained. For the 24 start-ups present on campus, the university has decided to exempt them from social security charges, in order to support them at this particularly delicate time for young companies. As for administrative and technical staff, since May 11, the business resumption plan has enabled researchers to gradually return to their laboratories.

Solidarity with caregivers

Beyond its own walls, the University of Montpellier has also turned its solidarity efforts towards its nursing staff, by organizing a collection of medical equipment. Research teams from CNRS, Inserm, CIRAD, INRAE, IRD, ENCSM and the University of Montpellier, which make up the 120-strong MUSE consortium, mobilized en masse in Montpellier and Nîmes, along with other regional teams (notably in Perpignan and Banyuls-sur-Mer). Gloves, masks and gowns were collected and handed over to staff at Montpellier University Hospital, at the instigation of the UM's Vice-President in charge of Research Jacques Mercier.

The FabLabs at the Montpellier-Sète and Béziers IUTs and the Pro3D platform (Polytech) are also making a valuable contribution, manufacturing protective visors for use by carers and now UM staff.