Dear Students,
During the ongoing pandemic, detailed evaluations have been carried out in interaction with all our academic units to determine the best education option for the 2020-2021 fall semester at our university. Decision making process is carried out in the light of the decisions taken and guidance provided by the Higher Education Council of Turkey and the TRNC authorities by giving priority to the health of our students and staff members.
On the basis of all these evaluations, the University Senate had unanimous agreement on the continuation of the English Preparatory Program, undergraduate and graduate courses and examinations on our campus through distance learning methods (fully online) in the fall semester of the Academic Year 2020-2021. The Senate also unanimously agreed to re-evaluate the issue of allowing additional time at the end of the semester for courses with practical component depending on the course of the pandemic.
Depending on the course of the pandemic, a separate decision will be taken regarding the 2020-2021 Academic Year Spring Semester and you will be informed of that decision later.
During this distance education period, our educational processes will be carried out in line with the METU quality and standards ensuring strict compliance with the educational quality requirements of our university.
For your health and safety, it is strictly advised not to travel since all registration procedures, classes and exams will be conducted remotely. You do not need to come to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus for the fall semester. However, if you decide to come to the Island, with your own will, you will have to travel in accordance with the quarantine rules and practices decided by the TRNC authorities and announced on the official pages of the relevant TRNC authorities. If you decide to come to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, it is recommended by the relevant authorities to plan your arrivals as of October, considering the dates specified in the 2020-2021 Academic Year calendar, which was also published on our webpage.
It has been announced that our students who will travel to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus by air or by sea from countries in the category B (or from the countries in the Category A travelling via Turkey) until October 1, 2020 will be taken to the isolation centers that will be determined by the state authorities as soon as they arrive on the Island and they will be kept in quarantine in these centers (outside the Campus) for 7 days. You should follow the travel warnings and restrictions on the official webpage of the TRNC Ministry of Health (https://saglik.gov.ct.tr/COVID-19-RISK-CATEGORIES-DUE-TO-COUNTRIES). Since we do not have any information about isolation centers and their conditions, we recommend that our students who will attend the exam should plan their travels in a way that does not coincide with the important dates. Considering the conditions required by the isolation process, and in order to protect the health of our students, it will not be possible to allow our students to isolate themselves on campus. Our students should not travel if not essential, and they should carefully follow the travel arrangements for the country of destination if they have to travel. Travel warnings and quarantine requirements are different for the Category B and C countries.
We would like to remind you that our students who are in the risk group, who have a chronic disease, heart disease, who are under cancer treatment, or who have to take medicine that is difficult to obtain in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, should not travel, for their own health, especially during this sensitive period.
In line with all this information, our campus dormitories will be opened on September 28, 2020 for students who decide to come to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus for the fall semester. Our students who fulfill all the requirements such as quarantine, PCR test etc. that will be applied by the TRNC authorities on the relevant dates, and certify that they have completed these requirements, will be accepted to the Campus dormitories. You can send your questions relating the dormitories to nccdorms
metu.edu.tr.
In line with the decisions and recommendations made regarding the pandemic, student community activities will be carried out online, library services will be limited to only borrowing books, cafeterias will only provide takeaway service, computer laboratories will be closed, and the sports center will provide services to the extent allowed by the official authorities. Necessary arrangements will be made and announced to you depending on the course of the pandemic. We would also like to remind you that if there is an increase in cases with the arrival of the winter season, it may be possible to rearrange the campus entrance and exit rules in line with the restrictions that may be imposed by the official authorities, and in such a case, there may be regulations such as restrictions in air and sea transportation and curfew.
Since transportation services were suspended during this process, our students must provide their transportation with their own means.
In line with the precautions regarding your health and safety, it will not be possible for our students’ relatives who accompany them to stay on campus until a further announcement.
Students who decide to come to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in October despite all the risks and restrictions stated are required to fill in the following notification form:
You can send your detailed questions about fall semester educational activities to nccregmetu.edu.tr.
We wish each of you an academic semester in good health and success.
Kind regards,
President’s Office