Universities in Canada Planning to Schedule Offline Classes in Upcoming Fall

Post-secondary institutions are more assured that returning to in-person classes for the fall semester would be secure. Thanks to assurances, all Canadians will be vaccinated by the end of September this year.

The public health authority, as well as each institution’s management, plays a role in the return to in-person learning practises. Those universities that have officially declared fall returns have also stated that they will track the threat of coronavirus and take appropriate precautions to protect students and staff.

International students are permitted to come to Canada under the new travel restrictions if they are attending a school that has a COVID-19 preparation plan. The United States travel restrictions will be revised later this month, and the rest of the world’s restrictions will be updated in mid-April.

According to a November 2020 Statistics Canada survey, universities accounted for approximately two-thirds of new foreign student enrolments at Canadian post-secondary institutions in the 2018-19 academic year. Here are several Canadian universities that have plans to welcome students back to campus, as well as some that will make official announcements soon.

British Columbia

The health minister of British Columbia told post-secondary institutions in the province to prepare for a complete return to on-campus activities on March 8. Following this decision, several B.C. colleges announced plans to resume in-person courses, while still prioritising student and staff health and safety.

In the fall, the University of British Columbia announced that they would resume in-person classes and increase in-person study. Quarantine plans for foreign students, if necessary, are also being worked out, as well as options for on-site immunisation.

In September, the University of Victoria plans to resume full-time in-person classes. Vancouver Island University, Thompson Rivers University, Simon Fraser University, the University of Northern British Columbia, Capilano University, and Trinity Western University have all expressed interest in offering in-person courses.

Alberta

This fall, the University of Alberta plans to welcome more students and staff back to campus, focusing on a hybrid model of on-campus and online learning.

“The University of Calgary has not made a decision on the delivery system (face-to-face or online) for classes in the Fall 2021 semester,” a spokesperson for the university told CIC News. This decision will be taken in April 2021, and students and the campus community will be notified.”

The University of Lethbridge is planning a “major return to campus” this fall, although certain health directives, such as mask use and physical separation, are likely to remain in effect.

Saskatchewan

This fall, the University of Saskatchewan intends to reinstate some kind of in-person instruction. The university’s president, Peter Stoicheff, said it’s too early to tell what will be provided on campus because of the vaccine roll-uncertainties. out’s For the winter semester of 2022, he anticipates a complete return to in-person courses.

Manitoba

The University of Brandon hasn’t said anything about resuming in-person courses. “Our goal is to announce a course of action for Fall 2021 that we can commit to, without having to backtrack or pivot halfway through the term,” the university’s registrar, Andrea McDaniel, said in a media release.

The University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg have both made no public announcements.

Ontario

In the fall, the University of Toronto plans to provide in-person training and assistance to students. It is planned that faculty, staff, and librarians will return to campus. Students may conduct research on campus as long as they follow those safety precautions.

According to a press release, Brock University plans to deliver as many courses on campus as possible, including laboratories and other experiential learning, graduate workshops, and undergraduate classes.

The University of Ottawa aims to provide a complete on-campus experience, with more courses offered in person or in “hybrid formats.” According to the CBC, the university will implement equipment in classrooms that will allow for simultaneous in-person and video conferencing teaching.

Western University wants to bring back face-to-face classes and expand its on-campus programmes.

In the fall of 2021, the University of Windsor will make a gradual return to face-to-face programming and on-campus events.

Quebec

Universities and CEGEPs in Quebec have previously stated that in-person training could be reinstated one day a week. Physical barriers must be respected both in and out of the classroom, and students and staff must still wear government-issued face masks.

In September, McGill University plans to resume in-person courses. Some classes will continue to use online instruction, but students and staff can expect to return to “more standard rhythms” of on-campus activity, according to the university.

According to Global, Concordia University plans to announce the fall semester in May, but it is considering offering a combination of in-person and online courses.

New Brunswick

For the fall of 2021, St. Thomas University intends to deliver both online and in-person courses. The university will make a final announcement between May and June.

Nova Scotia

Acadia University expects to be back on campus in the fall. Staff and students are being asked to start planning for face-to-face training. Some courses can begin the semester in a virtual or hybrid format before transitioning to completely in-person classes later on.

The University of Dalhousie anticipates that class size restrictions would keep larger lecture classes online. The university says in a press release that it “hopes” to provide in-person learning opportunities for groups of less than 100 students, such as tutorials, classrooms, and small-to-medium-sized classes.

Newfoundland and Labrador

After reversing its decision to completely return to in-person work in February, Memorial University is already resuming in-person study work. According to a spokeswoman for the university, an announcement about whether or not in-person classes will be offered this fall will be made shortly.