Dear community,

Yesterday Saturday, June 13, it was 3 months since the face-to-face teaching activities at the ESEIAAT stopped and next Tuesday 16, it will be 3 months since the confinement began, closing the entire UPC. In those days, very few imagined that it would take so long to get to the current situation. As the days passes it recovers part of the activity which had been suspended, that had been greatly limited or that had been transformed, such as our teaching. Perhaps the pace of recovery is too fast, but obviously the data of new regrowths have been drastically reduce clear that data on new contagions have been drastically reduced and it is hoped that one-off regrowths can be controlled. The UPC in Terrassa is following the pace of the rest of society and, for now, there is no official evidence that new cases of infection have been reported among the School community since the end of April. This is great news; we will celebrate it whenever possible. Now it is necessary to give support to our colleagues who are in the recovery phase. Lots of encouragement!

During this week had been held a historic School Board, the first ESEIAAT’s online Board. Many issues were presented and 8 agreements were reached, including the presentation and approval of the Annual Review-Management Report 2018-19 (which will bear little resemblance to what we will have to do for this academic year 2019- 20…). In addition, a number of points related to the curricula of our degrees were approved. On one hand, it had been accepted a Modification of three master's degrees, which is updated and new specialties are proposed (highlighting the opening for this September of the new specialty of Biomedical Engineering to the Master's degree in Industrial Engineering). On the other hand, proposed the creation of a new master's degree called the Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering Research, which will be, if all goes well, the School's tenth master's degree starting in the academic year 2021-22.

The same Wednesday was the final presentation of the sixth edition of CreativeLab where the participating students (25 students) presented four innovative projects to the Industrial Director of SEAT-CARNET and staff of the Innovation Department of Volkswagen Germany. The satisfaction of our industrial partners was very high, highlighting the value of our students and their creativity. It seems clear that in the future we must continue and deepen the model of industrial challenges.  

During this week, it has also been intensely prepared the near future. The first meetings have been held to explain and prepare for September 2020-21, which will undoubtedly be a major organizational challenge. On Thursday, there was a working meeting with those responsible for Courses 0 in order to adapt them to the new situation. On Friday, part of the Executive Team met with the Degree Coordinators to explain and discuss the teaching model that the Executive is proposing for September and which aims to adapt efficiently to any contingencies. Next week we will replicate this meeting with Coordinators of Master's degrees, with departmental representatives at the School and with the Student Delegation. From all these meetings must emerge the model of what teaching will be like for the next academic year and which can be presented to the whole community during this month of June (as soon as possible).  

Solidarity, responsibility, vocation for service and exceptionality are the causes that will make ESEIAAT one of the centers in Catalonia where the University Admission Tests will take place, selectivity. Now it is necessary to respond to the official request that has reached us and contribute to society by ceding the use of the spaces of the School for these tests, thus minimizing the travel of boys and girls from Terrassa to other centers.  

As for practical information, no one forgets that next week begins the period of Final Exams of the School, for all those subjects that have it. The computer systems, and in particular the ATENEA platforms and especially ATENEA Exams, have been tested and refined for 2 weeks with satisfactory final results. At this moment, there are no serious incidents but it could be the case of having a problem during the evaluation acts and, when the case arises, important decisions would have to be made.

To prevent problems, the Student must have an e-mail or telephone number to contact the teacher in order to report any incident during an exam (remember that you can request the call to be diverted from the office to another number).  

For teachers, the School has set up a Final Exam Support Group in order to give you an emergency hand if the incidents exceed your scope during the development of a test. The group is made up of six teachers from the School who have collected information on incidents that have occurred and how they have been successfully overcome. There are two members of the group who are part of the School Executive Team so that, if necessary, the decisions taken would be formally endorsed by the Direction.

The Support Group will provide real-time assistance from 8:00 to 21:00, that is to say, throughout the exam schedule, for all PDI staff who have a problem making the exam. I hope the incidents are minimal and I am sure you will make responsible use of the service. We encourage you to use it whenever you consider it appropiate:

-         Calling 93 401 64 53

-         By sending an email to suportexamens.eseiaat@upc.edu  

To conclude, and taking advantage of the fact that three months ago when all this began, I want to do the exercise of remembering the feelings of that moment: disbelief, great concern and, of course, enormous uncertainty. No one was clear about what we had to fight against or the strength of our opponent but in any case, the weight of responsibility was very high because we are a very big school. Crucial decisions had to be made in an accelerated way to reorganize the ESEIAAT’s university life, which is equivalent to saying decisions that affected more than 4000 people. Changing the course of a transatlantic like the ESEIAAT cannot be done abruptly or impetuously and we must thank once again the magnificent response of our community that quickly moved into action after the initial concern.

Now we have a very good part of the job done but we have to finish it. Important decisions are still needed to be able to organize the next academic year and fulfill the mission entrusted to us by society with the utmost efficiency. We count on all of you and I am convinced   that together we will make it!!

Thank you everyone and please take great care, stay safe!

A big hug,

Xavier Roca                  

Director of the ESEIAAT

"Every day that passes we are closer."