University of Silesia in Katowice

Levels of safety at the university

→ Level 0

You are not bound by any restrictions. Abide by the basic principles of health and safety at work. The school functions in a traditional mode.

Find out more about 0 level of safety measures.

→ Level 1

We introduce sanitary restrictions in accordance with the binding GIS regulation – classes are held in a hybrid form both stationary and online. Abide by the principles of safety and hygiene – wear a mask, disinfect your hands regularly, avoid large groups of people. Consultations with teachers are conducted online, while exams may be carried out in a stationary form subject to maintaining sanitary principles. Follow the information and abide by the principles of participating in classes and remaining in the University in accordance with the information you will find at zdalnyus.edu.pl or gain at the dean’s office of your major – contact data to the relevant dean’s office may be found under this link.

More information about level 1 of safety measures.

→ Level 2

We introduce sanitary restrictions in accordance with the binding GIS regulation. Classes going forwards occur in an online form – with the exception of classes that due to their specificity must be held stationary (in case of this type of classes, i.e. Labs, a separate schedule is in place). Consultations and exams take an online form. Follow the information and abide by the principles of participating in classes and remaining in the University in accordance with the information you will find at zdalnyus.edu.pl or gain at the dean’s office of your major – contact data to the relevant dean’s office may be found under this link.

Find out more about 2 level of safety measures.

→ Level 3

The university enters the full online mode. All classes, exams and consultations take an online form. Follow the information and abide by the principles of participating in classes in accordance with the information you will find at zdalnyus.edu.pl or gain at the dean’s office of your major – contact data to the relevant dean’s office may be found under this link.

Find out more about 3 level of safety measures. 

BEHAVIOUR IN FACULTIES – principles to be adhered to in faculties

1. Abide by the principles of hygiene, wear a mask, disinfect your hands having entered the university and frequently during the day.
2. Maintain distance and in case it is not possible to maintain distance – cover your mouth and nose.
3. Do not shake hands when greeting others.
4. Use only the necessary tools/objects for effective realization of classes.
5. Abide by the principles related to the limit in the number of persons per room or lecture room – information in this regard may be found on each class or lecture room’s door.
6. Abide by the rules of the University functioning during the pandemics.
7. Abide by the safety principles before and after classes.
8. If you notice initial disease symptoms in yourself – stay at home. Do not put yourself and others at threat.
9. Remember – if you need to fully enter the online learning path, you may submit such a need during the semester directly to your dean’s office.

Contact with employees 

The majority of matters related to the course of studies may be organized through email or telephone contact – however, if your stationary presence is necessary, you will be informed of this fact by the university employee or lecturer. Remember that you can always get in touch with our teachers and lecturers by means of the Teams communicator. If you wish to meet with the lecturer or employee in the area of the university, abide by the principles of social distancing – wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth, disinfect your hands before entering and leaving the office. Remember also to check the schedule of work of a given teacher or confirm the meeting with him via email before coming to the University. Look after your comfort and safety as well as safety of others with whom you get in touch.
Where to look for help with respect of the epidemics – visit the website zdalnyus.edu.pl/en

What steps can you take after contact with an infected person or when you are infected.

You may use telephone consultation with your GP. If your symptoms persist up to 3-5 days from the telephone consultations – make an appointment at the doctor’s office where a GP will test your health state and should he consider that there is a need, he will direct you to tests towards COVID-19.

Contact the closest sanitary-epidemiological station by telephone (list of all locations of this type in Poland is available at gov.pl/web/gis). Until obtaining help, isolate yourself from other people.

Each station has a hotline (emergency number) open 24/7. The telephone numbers are available on the websites of the poviat sanitary-epidemiological stations. In some cases this may be the number of the station head. The fact that the telephone lines are available 24/7 is not always indicated on the website.

Symptoms such as fever above 38°C with coughing or breathlessness require consultations in an infectious diseases hospital. While travelling to the hospital avoid public communication. In the territory of the Silesian voivodeship there are seven infectious diseases hospitals:

• Bytom, Specialist Hospital no. 1, al. Legionów 49
• Chorzów, Specialist Hospital, ul. Zjednoczenia 10
• Cieszyn,Complex of Healthcare Centres, ul. Bielska 4
• Częstochowa, NMP Voivodeship Specialist Hospital, ul. Polskiego Czerwonego Krzyża 7
• Racibórz, The Józef Rostek District Hospital, ul. Gamowska 3
• Tychy, Megrez Sp. z o.o., ul. Edukacji 102
• Zawiercie, Poviat Hospital, ul. Miodowa 14

Psychological Support

Who should I contact if I am not copying with the present situation?

In the present circumstances most of us feel unsecure. This fear or uncertainty are completely natural – we are in a new situation and we do not know how long it will last and what consequences it will have. We worry about ourselves and about our close ones.

In some way the fear is to mobilize us to protect ourselves and those important to us, thus adhering to the recommendations and looking after ourselves. Nevertheless too large stress may cause that it will stop mobilizing us and enabling our functioning. What can we do to look after ourselves also in the psychological zone? What behaviours can excessively increase our discomfort?

You will find some information on how to support your psychological functioning during the pandemics below:

1. Try to discover the goods sides of the existing situation – think how you can use the time spent at home. Perhaps you had some activities you always put off for later that you might get involved in now. Perhaps you have for a long time wanted to tidy up your notes, photographs, clean up your computer? Maybe you have wanted to set up a blog or learn how to use a new programme or learn a foreign language online? Everything that will give you the feeling of “good job” and closure is worth engaging in.
2. Be close to others – support and give support. Despite limiting direct contacts with others it is worth maintaining ties. Isolation increases the feeling of concern. We all know we cannot organize meetings but we can call, write, send photographs to one another. Our impact on the development of the pandemics limits itself to adhering to the recommendations but we can also help out on a small scale those who are close to us. Giving support increases our feeling of proactivity and thus, while doing something for others we help ourselves at the same time.
3. Limit reading messages about progress of the current situation – constant watching of the new without engaging in things that we may have a real impact on may have a very negative impact on your mental well-being. If you have a problem with it, mark two moments during the day for reading such information. Direct the remaining energy elsewhere.
4. Accept the discomfort – create a place for your concerns, fears, thoughts and feelings – not because you want or enjoy them but because you need to do what is important. Significant change, and COVID-19 is such a change in our reality, creates uncomfortable feelings in ourselves, most frequently anxiety. If we do not accept this discomfort, we will not be able to move on. We will focus on the issue and through this, the solutions which might help will simply go unnoticed. Make room for the discomfort – you’ll watch the stress lose its strength ☺

You can read about ways of coping with anxiety on our portal wiecjestem.us.edu.pl.

For over ten years the students of the University of Silesia in Katowice have had the possibility of attending free psychological consultations. We encourage you, in a situation of increased stress, a temporary crisis or experiencing other difficulties to use the assistance of our professional experts. Consultations are entirely free of charge – if you feel a need to talk to a psychologist write to us at psycholog@us.edu.pl or, for students from Cieszyn, at psycholog.cieszyn@us.edu.pl.