This page is for sharing ideas and best practices in communication plus other resources around the COVID-19 pandemic, how it is affecting the NREN and R&E communities, and how GÉANT and NRENs are responding / can respond to provide each other with support and information.
PLEASE KEEP US UP-TO-DATE WITH YOUR COMMUNICATIONS PLANS / NEEDS / OUTPUTS IN THIS AREA - CONTACT laura.durnford@geant.org
RELATED ACTIVITIES / TOOLS / INFORMATION:
1) Academic Conferences Cancelled or Postponed due to COVID-19 Caution: bit.ly/cancelledcons (crowd-sourced overview started by an Assistant Professor of Library Services, University of Northern Iowa, USA.
2) A CEO Forum survey has gone to all CEOs and GNA-G members to understand their actions in terms of the following areas:
A. General B. Organization C. Network & Services D. Community E. Closing remarks
3) TF-EDU has a Wiki page to share information about tools and support for education: https://wiki.geant.org/display/NE/COVID-19+-+Remote+educational+tools+and+supporting+information
MESSAGING
IF YOUR ORGANISATION IS PREPARING MESSAGING AROUND THIS SITUATION, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO USE THIS COLLECTION OF INFORMATION AS A RESOURCE - use the filters to sort content by date, audience, delivery channel (medium), topic (category) and organisation.
| DATE | AUDIENCE | MEDIUM | CATEGORY | BY WHOM | TEXT | LINK | COMMENTS / CONSIDERATIONS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 March 2020 | Kantara members | GENERAL | Kantara Initiative | Dear Kantara Members, I am writing to you on behalf of the Board and Staff to say that we have you in our minds and in our hearts as we face this global COVID-19 crisis together. Our extended community is spread around the world and we are present in every continent. For many of us, working from home and in physical social isolation for short periods is not unusual nor uncomfortable such is the nature of 'net communications that we are so familiar with. Tho' for many, it is uncomfortable and we must use our powers of understanding to build the same confidence we have in ourselves, in others around us. Kantara's staff are located in Italy, Spain, the UK, Argentina and the US. We will continue to serve you 'business as usual' to the best of our ability, leveraging the timezone differentials that is so advantageous to an international organization like ours. Even before the full extent of the pandemic was known, we were seeing significant changes in our industry due to emerging economic realities. It is going to be tough for all of us without doubt, but the Kantara community has weathered economic storms before and it will weather this one with your unflinching support - just as Kantara's support will be unflinching in helping you or your organization. Stay safe and empowered. You, and Kantara everywhere, will get through this. Best wishes | n/a | ||
| 17 March 2020 | internal, staff | email, Slack | GENERAL | GÉANT Exec / Health & Safety Committee | I would like to say again, how glad I am that we have a standing H&S committee in GÉANT. We have worked together for many years (and trust me, it has never been as lively as now) and we see the benefits of this well-established trusted relationship between the Health and Safety Officer, representatives of GÉANT’s Executive Team, the Dutch PVT and members of staff from our locations in Cambridge and Amsterdam. So, first of all, thanks to all colleagues who have been in the H&S Committee in the past and who are in it now. We have a structure we can rely on and that is a blessing now. The following is a summary to staff and contractors of the COVID-19 related discussion we had in the H&S meeting today, 17 March 2020. Amsterdam Office The Amsterdam office will be closed as of tomorrow, 18 March 2020. When we say closed, we mean closed. If there are any extraordinary reasons, why anybody feels they need to go to the office after tomorrow, you have to let Hanna, your line manager and your respective Exec know and get permission. Cambridge Office At this point in time, the Cambridge office will remain open. Note, please that in City House additional precautionary cleaning was carried out to areas of the building today (17 March) following reports of a person from Rathbones who had been in recent contact with a person now showing possible symptoms. This is not a confirmed case – just sensible preventative measures taken by all concerned. As already stated yesterday, all of you who have concerns about coming to the office, please feel free to work from home. If you wish to come to the office, please do so. However, do not come to the office when you
We trust you to use your sense of responsibility here – please help us protect each other and to flatten the curve.
Please practice social distancing, also in the office. Don’t sit in clusters, make sure to keep distance, avoid any physical contact.
Please make sure to use one desk and one desk only.
Please note that until further notice, there should be no meetings involving external visitors held in the Cambridge Office. A decision on the ongoing training course will be taken today. We believe that it is unlikely that the auditors, who have been visiting us will be coming back. Please ensure all meetings in the foreseeable future are organised via VC. Home working We have to get prepared for a scenario in which we will all have to work from home over a longer period of time.
A subgroup of the H&S committee and IT will meet to discuss how we can improve home office environments, where necessary. Note that we are not only considering monitors, but also general ergonomics, ie chairs, etc. Please watch this space.
Coming to the office is an important part of our daily routines. Humans are social animals and working in isolation does not come natural to many of us. Please make sure to stay in touch with each other. We would like to invite ideas on how to best develop a “buddy system” to ensure that we all have somebody else to check in with at a regular basis. For some of you this will happen naturally, but we need to make sure that each and every one of us has a buddy at all times. There are examples in the Amsterdam office already where this is being put in place – but if you have an idea how this could be set up in a practical and inclusive way for all of us – please speak to me. A reminder what to do, if you or somebody you live with has symptoms In the event that you suspect that you may have contracted, or been exposed to, COVID-19, it is important that you contact the correct people in GÉANT to discuss your situation. Every day there is a designated Exec Team Member and HR representative who will deal appropriately with the matter and communicate as required with GÉANT staff. You can find the rota on the COVID-19 wiki space: https://wiki.geant.org/display/CC/COVID-19+Contact+Rota In the Netherlands: All advice is summarized here: https://www.rivm.nl/en/novel-coronavirus-covid-1 In detail, this states: Do you have symptoms of a cold, or a fever of up to 38.0 degrees Celsius?
If so, you should call your GP or the out-of-hours medical centre. Get in touch immediately if you are experiencing severe symptoms. In the UK: Current UK advice is to use the online services at https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19 Avoid calling NHS111 directly wherever possible. Many thanks again for reading and let’s keep working together and ensure we come through this as one! | n/a | |
| 16 March 2020 | general, public | website | GENERAL | CANARIE | COVID-19: CANARIE UpdateWe are closely monitoring announcements from our government and health authorities and are taking proactive steps to protect our staff and our communities. Effective March 16, all CANARIE staff will work from home to practice social distancing as recommended by health authorities. Our return to the office will be determined by how this situation unfolds in Ottawa, where we are headquartered. All business operations will continue as normal and we will work diligently to ensure that we are serving the needs of Canada’s research and education community, and our partners and colleagues around the world. All updates related to CANARIE’s activities in relation to COVID-19 will be made on this page. During this time of shared challenges, we wish you and your loved ones health. Jim Ghadbane On behalf of the CANARIE Team | https://www.canarie.ca/covid-19-canarie-update/ | |
| 16 March 2020 | general, public | website | OPERATIONS | CANARIE | National Research and Education NetworkTogether with our partners in Canada’s National Research and Education Network (NREN), we are working to ensure that NREN infrastructure continues to support the needs of Canadian research and education communities as the COVID-19 situation evolves. Our network teams are on alert and sharing information as they monitor network operations across the country. Normal network escalation protocols remain in effect. Should you need to contact a member of our network team, please see: Network Operations Centre
Escalation ProceduresIn the event of an unscheduled problem or outage, contact our Operations Centre during weekdays between 08:00-17:00 Eastern Time (UTC-5) as follows:
Provincial and Territorial NREN Partners
| https://www.canarie.ca/covid-19-canarie-update/ | |
| 16 March 2020 | general, public | website | EVENTS / TRAVEL | CANARIE | Canadian Research Software ConferenceHeeding the guidance of Quebec Ministry of Health, we’ve made the decision to cancel this year’s Canadian Research Software Conference, originally scheduled for May 26-27 in Montreal. We thank our confirmed speakers and those of you who had registered to attend. All registration fees will be fully refunded. All hotel room bookings in the conference’s room block at the Omni Mont Royal can also be cancelled without penalty, up to 24 hours before the expected arrival date. Local Research Software Support – Funding Call 1In response to logistical challenges that members of Canada’s higher education community may be facing, we are extending the deadline for proposals to this funding call.
| https://www.canarie.ca/covid-19-canarie-update/ | |
| 16 March 2020 | general, public | website | GENERAL | GÉANT Marcomms | 16 March 2020 UpdateWe will be closing our Amsterdam Office space starting on 18 March 2020 and lasting until at least 6 April 2020.While our office space is closed, we will be working from home and are convinced we can do so with minimal disruption. You can contact us as always via the established email addresses and phone numbers. | https://www.geant.org/news_and_events/pages/geant-and-covid-19.aspx | |
| 16 March 2020 | internal, staff | GENERAL | GÉANT Exec | Dear all, Following up from my announcement at the meeting this morning, I would like to repeat the following two messages:
In general, for all working from home now:
And one item that I did not announce, but again to make it very clear: Travel: No one should be traveling across borders for work purposes at this point in time. If an exception is needed for business continuity, please speak to your line manager and ensure to involve your Exec! All, we are in this together – for better, for worse. None of us knows what is next and what will happen tomorrow or next week. The important bit is to get through this together, with calm, support to each other and the realization that this situation poses diverse complications in each and every one of our lives. Let’s be there for each other and help each other out. Stay safe! | n/a | ||
| 16 March 2020 | federation subscribers, Australian ORCID users | GENERAL | Australian Access Federation | Dear valued AAF Subscriber and ORCID Member, Given the announcement of COVID-19 as a pandemic by the Word Health Organisation and the virus’ impact on our global research and education communities, we would like to inform you of the actions AAF has taken to ensure our business can continue to support your teaching, learning and research needs. Despite the uncertainty of COVID-19, we intend to continue to deliver the same quality of technical and customer service to you. The following measures are now in place to ensure continuity of our service. Availability of our Teams The AAF is a dynamic team with the capability for employees to work remotely while supporting our customers. As the AAF is a national organisation all AAF employees are equipped to seamlessly and securely connect, while working remotely at any time. We feel confident in our ability to continue to support your identity, access and authentication needs, regardless of our physical work locations. Availability of our Technology The AAF Technology is architected to be highly available, automated and monitored daily to ensure we meet the needs of our subscribers and respond to any issues in a timely and efficient manner. Rapid Identity Provider - AFF Cloud Service Subscribers using the AAF’s cloud-based Identity Provider (IdP) service called Rapid IdP will receive continued support during this period. For subscribers not yet using Rapid IdP, the service can eliminate single points of failure for connecting to the federation. Rapid IdP is supported by Shibboleth experts who configure and secure the IdP on your behalf. AAF manage all aspects of the deployment and configuration for you, so the server is always at the latest appropriate version. Rapid IdP is in a high availability and fully backed up configuration that undergoes annual penetration testing, including an assessment of common vulnerabilities. Should you need further information please contact enquiries@aaf.edu.au ORCID Working with ORCID ORCID have advised us that they are continuing to operate out of their virtual offices on every continent and as such they are well positioned to serve the community during this time. Researchers will continue to access the Registry as normal, member integrations will continue to work as normal, and the ORCID support desk will remain in operation as normal. For more information visit the ORCID blog. Support The AAF Support Team will continue to be your first point of contact during this time. The Support Team is available during business hours (Monday-Friday 8am – 4pm AEST exclusive Queensland public holidays) and is a single point of contact for getting in touch with the AAF Team. If you are experiencing issues, need assistance with any of our services and tools, or need support within your environments, please contact AAF Support. Email: support@aaf.edu.au Ph: +61 7 3854 2353 Website: www.support.aaf.edu.au Furthermore, if you require any urgent assistance with trust and identity in general as a result of the outbreak, AAF staff are readily available for consultation. We are grateful for your continued support during this difficult time and are committed to ensuring your use of the AAF and its services continues to operate seamlessly. | n/a | ||
| 13 March 2020 | general, public | website, blog news roundup | GENERAL | Internet2 | While COVID-19 presents unprecedented uncertainty, Research and Education Networks (R&E Networks) will play an important role in supporting our campuses and K12 schools as they move online. Infrastructure usage patterns are already changing greatly from traditional campus learning environments, in part because of the shift of users from purpose-built educational networks to consumer-oriented home networks. Keep checking back at this page for news and information about broadband support and the latest news for this changing environment.
For more information about Internet2's response to the coronavirus, please check this page for regular updates. | https://www.internet2.edu/blogs/detail/17578 | |
| 13 March 2020 | general, public | website | GENERAL | Internet2 | Internet2 is ready to assist as you are preparing your own organization for the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. Whether you need extra network bandwidth and capacity to support your increased video demands or additional services, we are here to help. Our network capacity policy related to emergencies is available to you as well.
March 11, 2020 Updates Internet2 continues to track the current situation around the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). As such, the following is meant to provide an update on Internet2’s preparations as concerns about the outbreak continue to progress. Internet2 continues to closely monitor events nationally and globally. We are monitoring the latest news and updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), (as well as local news in the areas where we have offices) among others. We are in close contact with our major vendors and service provider partners regarding any potential impact to both operations and ongoing programs. InCommon Federation and eduroam operations are being closely monitored to ensure the continued availability of those services for our members and subscribers. We will continue to monitor this rapidly evolving situation and provide updates as more information becomes available. We will provide an update soon regarding our peering arrangements for critical services. | https://www.internet2.edu/about-us/internet2-update/ | |
| 13 March 2020 | general, mailing list news | GENERAL | Internet2 | Internet2 is ready to assist as you are preparing your own organization for the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. Whether you need extra network bandwidth and capacity to support your increased video demands or additional services, we are here to help. Our network capacity policy related to emergencies is available to you as well. Here are the latest updates for our community:
| n/a | ||
| 13 March 2020 | general, public | website, email, Facebook | GENERAL | URAN | URAN operating schedule during the coronavirus quarantineGiven the coronavirus pandemic and supporting the efforts of the world and national communities to contain the exposure, part of URAN staff will be operating mainly remotely. This in no way will affect the operation of our services. To implement additional network and service stability during quarantine, we suspend any Network Architecture changes and upgrades except service critical changes only. Our technical department will continue to provide customer support. We still receive calls on +380 44 204-9816 and respond promptly to messages sent to dopomoga@uran.ua The administrative staff will mainly work at home and communicate with clients online – via emails, messengers, etc. For any organizational or administrative questions, please contact boss@uran.ua Human health is the highest priority. We monitor daily the WHO and the Government of Ukraine on the development of the pandemic and act on their recommendations. The issue of holding an annual general meeting will be resolved later, depending on the situation. We stay in touch and wish you good health! | https://panorama.uran.ua/en/uran-operating-schedule-during-the-coronavirus-quarantine/ | |
| general, public | website | GENERAL | UoM | Page of links to messages sent to various stakeholders, e.g. University of Malta students | https://www.um.edu.mt/services/coronavirus | ||
| 11 March 2020 | general, public, | website | OPERATIONS | IUCC | MEITAL Guide on Tools for Online Learning: 2020 COVID-19 CrisisAs the spring 2020 semester opens, and in light of the uncertain and changing guidelines for gatherings and quarantine, the need to prepare for sustained online learning, either partially or in full, is clear. MEITAL, the Inter-University Center for E-learning, has prepared a technical and pedagogic guide to several synchronous and collaborative learning tools that can facilitate distance learning and recording, The guide can be found on MEITAL’s website (in Hebrew). Useful information? Share with a friend | https://www.iucc.ac.il/en/meital-guide-on-tools-for-online-learning-2020-covid-19-crisis/ | |
| general, public | website | GENERAL | HEAnet | We do not believe that this outbreak will have a direct impact on the services we provide to clients.The HEAnet Network has multiple resilient connections to the General Internet and there is sufficient capacity to cope with a shift to remote working and teaching. We are working with our connectivity partners to ensure that extra bandwidth can be provided at short notice in the unlikely event it is required. HEAnet are closely monitoring the evolving impact of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Ireland. We are following Irish government and World Health Organisation advice regarding both internal and international travel. In addition, normal service upgrades and changes are continuing, however should the situation worsen temporary change freezes may be implemented in order to reduce disruption to services. Work involving physical access to sites will be carefully considered and all client or commercial site restrictions will be observed. Should there be any restrictions on movement within Ireland, the most likely service to be impacted is the HEAnet network and our connectivity services. If a network fault occurs, restrictions on movement may mean that we are unable to visit a site to provide a fix. If this was to occur, we will communicate directly with affected clients. The situation is not currently affecting existing network services to the NREN and R&E community in Europe and we are remaining in contact with the GÉANT Operations Centre. We will continue to meet with clients on your sites, where there are no specific risks. We are encouraging colleagues with meetings at different locations to double-check there are no specific restrictions in place before travelling. We have also advised colleagues to explore other options for meetings, such as online. HEAnet will continue to monitor the situation, are regularly in communication with key suppliers of equipment, logistics and engineering services, and will inform clients of any significant changes to the current approach. We will also update you if the outbreak starts to impact on the operation of our services to clients. Please check this page regularly to ensure you always have the latest information. If you require further information on our response to coronavirus you can contact us at noc@heanet.ie Useful links | https://www.heanet.ie/news/heanet-statement-on-coronavirus-covid-19 | ||
| general, public | website | GENERAL | CSC | CSC's coronavirus bulletin 12th March Dear visitor, Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) spread and the recommendation of the Finnish institute for health and welfare (THL) and the Finnish Government (Valtioneuvosto), CSC is suspending all visits to CSC premises until further notice. In addition, CSC's employees will not travel or attend any external meetings for the foreseeable future. According to this decision CSC is cancelling all customer and stakeholder meetings as well as customer trainings and events until further notice. CSC will make attempts to organize these meetings using virtual tools whenever feasible. Customers will be informed separately. For more information, please contact: CSC Customer Service Open Monday to Friday from 8.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (09) 457 2821 or your CSC contact person Media: Minna Lappalainen, Marketing and Communications Director, 050 3150 235 Nina Lundahl, Marketing Communications Manager, 050 5982 298 | https://www.csc.fi/-/hyva-vierailija-?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.csc.fi%2Fhome%3Fp_p_id%3D101_INSTANCE_sQifOEbidMrG%26p_p_lifecycle%3D0%26p_p_state%3Dnormal%26p_p_mode%3Dview%26p_p_col_id%3Dcolumn-2%26p_p_col_count%3D4 | ||
| general, public | website | GENERAL | NORDUnet | Supporting the global challenges of the novel coronavirusSubmitted by Susanne Michelsen on Tue, 03/10/2020 - 14:34 In response to the current situation of the Corona virus R&E networks are moving to procure additional capacity on existing international links and server farms ahead of demand to ensure universities continue to have the bandwidth and services they need to meet the growing demand for video conferencing, remote learning and personal communications. Please read more here https://www.inthefieldstories.net/supporting-the-global-challenges-of-the-novel-coronavirus/ | https://www.nordu.net/article/supporting-global-challenges-novel-coronavirus | ||
| general, public | website | GENERAL | GARR | Covid-19 emergency: GARR continues to ensure the functioning of the networkFrom Tuesday 10 March, GARR staff have been operating mainly remotely (smart working) following the evolution of the COVID-19 emergency. In this way our support to the research and education community continues with an even greater commitment, given the importance of the network for communicating and collaborating particularly at this time. | https://www.garr.it/en/ | ||
| general, public | website | GENERAL | RIPE NCC | RIPE NCC Services and Covid-19The RIPE NCC is striving to provide its services to members as normal. However, the situation with covid-19 has meant that we have had to postpone face-to-face training sessions in our service region for Q1 and Q2. | https://www.ripe.net/publications/news/announcements/ripe-ncc-services-and-covid-19 | ||
| general, public | website | GENERAL | JISC Marcomms | CoronavirusHelp and information for members around planning for coronavirus (COVID-19) Jisc and coronavirusWe do not believe that that this outbreak will have a direct impact on most of the services we provide members. We are continuing to monitor the situation, particularly with respect to suppliers who are critical to our services. In line with current advice, Digifest and other Jisc events are going ahead. We will continue to review in line with the latest guidance and will update event information and delegates accordingly. Read our statement on coronavirus in full. Official advice
Practical tips to ensure continuityWe've developed a guide to help you with continuity of learning and teaching during situations of enforced absence. It contains practical tips to maintain teaching, learning and business operations during circumstances where staff or learners are unable to physically spend time on campus. Read the guide on ensuring continuity of learning during enforced absence. Planning for coronavirus - join a free online briefing on 16 MarchWe're holding a free one-hour session for members on 16 March. We'll explore the areas that you're telling us are worrying you most, regarding how to ensure continuity during the current situation. We'll also explore how you can make best use of the technologies you already have. Find out more and book your place on our planning for coronavirus (COVID-19) online briefing Get support - join our communityWe've created a Microsoft Teams community space for those who are responsible for ensuring strategic and operational continuity during a potential coronavirus epidemic. Designed as somewhere to collaborate, ask questions and share experiences, it has four themed channels, focusing around business operations, remote working, student experience and wellbeing, and teaching and learning. Request to join the planning for coronavirus community. Access essential online contentWhether you work in FE or HE, you can support learners studying remotely by making the most of our online content. If your researchers and learners need unrestricted access to the full text of millions of research papers from around the world, or content from over 36,000 journals available via your desktop, we can help. Looking to support A-level or vocational students to continue learning from home? e-books for FE provides access to over 500 highly rated titles, all matched to the curriculum and available as a benefit of your Jisc membership. We're here to helpIf you have any questions, contact your account manager. | https://www.jisc.ac.uk/coronavirus | ||
| general, public, | website | OPERATIONS | Jisc Marcomms | Jisc statement on coronavirus (COVID-19)We do not believe that that this outbreak will have a direct impact on most of the services we provide members. Coronavirus information for membersGuidance for for members around planning for coronavirus (COVID-19). We are continuing to monitor the situation, particularly with respect to suppliers who are critical to our services. Should there be any restrictions on movement within the UK, the most likely service to be impacted is Janet and our connectivity services. If a network fault occurs, restrictions on movement may mean that we are unable to visit a site to provide a fix. If this was to occur, we will communicate directly with affected members. We will continue to meet with members on your sites, where there are no specific risks. We are encouraging colleagues with meetings at different locations to double-check there are no specific restrictions in place before travelling. We have also advised colleagues to explore other options for meetings, such as online. We will monitor, update and revise this guidance as the situation and government advice develops. We will also update you if the outbreak starts to impact on the operation of our services to members. Please check this page regularly to ensure you always have the latest information. We have created a new guide offering practical advice on how digital technologies can help your organisation ensure the continuity of teaching, learning and business operations when staff or students are unable to attend campus. We will keep iterating this based on your feedback. This page was updated on 6 March 2020. | https://www.jisc.ac.uk/about/corporate/coronavirus-statement | ||
| general, public, | website | EVENTS / TRAVEL | Jisc Marcomms | How does this affect the events that Jisc organises?In line with current advice, Digifest and other Jisc events are going ahead. We will continue to review in line with the latest guidance and will update event information and delegates accordingly. We are providing advice to all event attendees including guidance on how to avoid catching and spreading viruses like coronavirus. This includes providing additional hand sanitizers at registration, food stations, exhibitions and other areas where washing with soap may be inconvenient. We are asking attendees not to come if they:
If you require further information on our response to coronavirus you can contact your account manager. This page was updated on 6 March 2020. | https://www.jisc.ac.uk/about/corporate/coronavirus-statement | ||
| general, public | website | GENERAL | SURF Marcomms | Preventive measures SURF around coronavirus/COVID-19SURF is monitoring the situation regarding the coronavirus. We follow the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) advice on health and Ministry of Foreign Affairs with regard to travel advice. This leads to a number of concrete measures to limit the spread of the virus. | https://www.surf.nl/en | ||
| 12 March 2020 | general, public | website | GENERAL | GÉANT Marcomms | This page is intended to provide information around the coronavirus and any impact on the activities of the GÉANT Association. We will update the page as needed. 12 March 2020 UpdateThe GÉANT Association continues to closely monitor advice and recommendations from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and from Dutch and UK governments regarding the coronavirus. GÉANT's Health and Safety Committee utilises this information in decision-making regarding international travel and other considerations. We will continue to support our partners in the most effective way possible whilst ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our staff and the wider GÉANT Community. Health and Safety of our Staff and Contractors The Health and Safety of our staff and contractors, their families and communities are our first concern. GÉANT's Health and Safety Committee has worked together for many years and we now see the benefits of this well-established trusted relationship between the Health and Safety Officer, representatives of GÉANT's Executive Team, the Dutch PVT and members of staff from our locations in Cambridge and Amsterdam. Together with the Health and Safety Committee, GÉANT's Executive team and CEO monitor the situation and communicate in a transparent way with staff and contractors. | https://www.geant.org/news_and_events/pages/geant-and-covid-19.aspx | |
| 12 March 2020 | general, public | website | EVENTS / TRAVEL | GÉANT Marcomms | Travel Last week, we took the decision to suspend all future travel bookings, unless very urgent business requires travel. Such urgent requirements are judged on a case by case basis with a final decision from our CEO. Following the Dutch prime minister's press conference on 12 March 2020, we are encouraging our Dutch staff and contractors to work from home as much as possible. Over the past year and due to a more agile office environment in our locations in Cambridge and Amsterdam, the majority of GÉANT's staff and contractors have experienced working remotely or from home. We are at this moment ensuring that we can scale the ability of working from home to 100% of all staff and contractors over the next few days. It is our objective to be fully prepared should the situation arise in which we are asked to work from home by the respective national authorities. TNC20 GÉANT and Jisc remain committed to TNC20 with unchanged enthusiasm and dedication. To provide additional time before registering, the Early Bird registration has been extended to 31 March 2020. | https://www.geant.org/news_and_events/pages/geant-and-covid-19.aspx | |
| 12 March 2020 | general, public | website | OPERATIONS | GÉANT Marcomms | GÉANT operations GÉANT operations are closely monitoring the situation in all countries where GÉANT network POP locations exist. We are following WHO advice regarding international travel relating to these locations. Network Operations Centre activity in the UK is unaffected and all non-essential travel by NOC staff has been suspended. The situation is not currently affecting existing network services to the NREN and R&E community. Fault rectification and associated first line maintenance activities are outsourced and performed by in-country resources and therefore are not reliant on GÉANT engineering staff to travel. At this moment, our suppliers are confident about first line maintenance support and we are currently assessing with our suppliers the impact on ordering of new equipment. Until more clarity exists, planned physical Network Architecture changes and upgrades have been largely suspended. Only service-critical changes will be performed using GÉANT operations staff who will observe all advice regarding minimising risk of exposure. Should in-country travel by 3rd party engineering resource be restricted by the respective national government authorities or otherwise, then GÉANT operations will inform the local NREN and discuss any mitigation measures. GÉANT operations continue to monitor the situation and are regularly in communication with key suppliers of equipment, logistics and engineering services and will inform users of any significant changes to the current approach. | https://www.geant.org/news_and_events/pages/geant-and-covid-19.aspx | |
| 12 March 2020 | internal, staff | email, slack | GENERAL | GÉANT Exec / Health & Safety Committee | Today, March 12th, both the UK and the Dutch governments announced new recommendations in light of the Corona virus. UK Government update 12 March 12, 2020 The only key change in the UK is that people are advised to stay at home for 7 days if they have mild symptoms. NL Government update 12 March 2020 The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, held a press conference today and announced new recommendations that will now be in place for Major points: 1. Across the country, people with colds, coughing or sore throat and possibly fever should stay at home; they should avoid social contacts as much as possible until they are restored 2. All events with more than 100 people throughout the Netherlands should be cancelled 3. The Government asks people to work from home as much as possible 4. The group of people who are vulnerable (WHO defines this group as older persons and persons with pre-existing medical conditions (such as high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease, cancer or diabetes)) should avoid large gatherings and public transport.
GÉANT Health and Safety Committee Update 12 March Given the above announcement GÉANT has reviewed it’s position which is now as follows:NL based staff are encouraged to work from home as much as possible in line with the recommendation from the Dutch government. GÉANT Employees in the UK should discuss the situation with their line managers if they are concerned about coming into the office. Line managers will | n/a | |
| 11 March | event participants | EVENTS / TRAVEL | PRACE | Dear participant, speaker, session chair, staff member, stakeholder of the EuroHPC Summit Week (EHPCSW) 2020, Thank you for your registration for this year’s edition of our conference. Close to 500 of you were planning to participate during one or more days of the week-long event, showing that the sessions and speakers we lined up as well as the networking possibilities we included in the programme suited your interests and needs. One topic that has been on everyone’s mind these past weeks – and will do so for the foreseeable future – is the COVID-19 pandemic. New outbreaks and the spread of the coronavirus causing this illness are on the news daily, and we are all worried and unsure how the situation will develop and how it will affect us personally and professionally. As the health and well-being of everyone involved in the EuroHPC Summit Week 2020 is of the utmost importance to us, we have been keeping a close eye on the situation and regularly consulting the official guidelines of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the World Health Organisation, and the Portuguese government. Considering the current situation with many organisations putting travel bans in place, and local and national governments ordering quarantine perimeters around clusters of infections, we have come to the conclusion that continuing the conference is untenable and have therefore decided to cancel the event. We apologise for any inconvenience caused, these are exceptional and regrettable circumstances and we do hope for your understanding. We will update this page with more information and answers to frequently asked questions as we go forward. If you have any further questions, please contact us by e-mail. We will do our best to answer you as quickly and completely as possible. A number of sessions will be transformed into virtual / all-digital meetings, and we will list these on a dedicated page to be created here We can already tell you that EHPCSW 2021 will take place in Porto, Portugal, in March next year - stay tuned for more details to come! Thank you again for your support and looking forward to meeting you next year, The EuroHPC Summit Week Organisation & Programme Committee | n/a | ||
| 6 March 2020 | internal, staff | EVENTS / TRAVEL | GÉANT Finance | Dear Colleagues In light of recent developments regarding COVID-19 we are anticipating a significant number of travel and events (organised internally, by GÉANT Association) to be cancelled or postponed. In all instances steps need to be taken to mitigate the financial impact on GÉANT. In order to manage the process of claiming (or via insurance) “cancelled” costs (i.e. costs relating to activity that will not take place, which ordinarily would not be claimable from an EC funded project), it will be extremely helpful if colleagues could assist in the following way: If your trip or event is cancelled, please contact the relevant person below to inform them of any cancelled events/ travel:
**this is mainly aimed at Event organisers** Please provide the PO’s that have been allocated for the event. If a separate contract was signed after the PO (i.e. venue hire) please send a copy of the signed document. A list of expected attendees will also be required.
This request has no impact on those working outside GÉANT Association, i.e. those working for NRENs. I appreciate that this is adding a little more overhead at a time when due to COVID-19 things are already pretty stressful. Your help in this respect is much appreciated and will ensure that the financial impact to GÉANT from COVID-19 will be mitigated to as large an extent as possible. Thanks, | n/a | ||
| 5 March 2020 | external, general, public | website | GENERAL | GÉANT Marcomms | The GÉANT Association continues to closely monitor advice and recommendations from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and from Dutch and UK governments regarding the coronavirus. GÉANT's Health and Safety Committee utilises this information in decision-making regarding international travel and other considerations. We will continue to support our partners in the most effective way possible whilst ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our staff and the wider GÉANT Community. | https://www.geant.org/News_and_Events/Pages/GEANT-and-COVID-19.aspx | |
| 5 March 2020 | external, general, public | website | EVENTS / TRAVEL | GÉANT Marcomms | GÉANT and Jisc remain committed to TNC20 with unchanged enthusiasm and dedication. To provide additional time before registering, the Early Bird registration has been extended to 31 March 2020. | https://www.geant.org/News_and_Events/Pages/GEANT-and-COVID-19.aspx | |
| 5 March 2020 | external, general, public | website | OPERATIONS | GÉANT Marcomms | GÉANT operations are closely monitoring the situation in all countries where GÉANT network POP locations exist. We are following WHO advice regarding international travel relating to these locations. Network Operations Centre activity in the UK is unaffected and all non-essential travel by NOC staff has been suspended. The situation is not currently affecting existing network services to the NREN and R&E community. Fault rectification and associated first line maintenance activities are outsourced and performed by in-country resources and therefore are not reliant on GÉANT engineering staff to travel. Until more clarity exists, planned physical Network Architecture changes and upgrades have been largely suspended. Only service-critical changes will be performed using GÉANT operations staff who will observe all advice regarding minimising risk of exposure. Should in-country travel by 3rd party engineering resource be restricted by the respective national government authorities or otherwise, then GÉANT operations will inform the local NREN and discuss any mitigation measures. GÉANT operations continue to monitor the situation and are regularly in communication with key suppliers of equipment, logistics and engineering services and will inform users of any significant changes to the current approach. | https://www.geant.org/News_and_Events/Pages/GEANT-and-COVID-19.aspx | There has been close liaison between marcomms and the operational teams regarding this messaging. The ops team has also sent its own messages to its contacts. |
| 2 March 2020 | internal, staff | Slack internal | GENERAL | GÉANT Exec / Health & Safety Committee | UPDATE TO ALL STAFF REGARDING CORONAVIRUS Sent on behalf of the Health and safety Committee: We previously communicated on the Coronavirus on 3rd February as per the original mail below, the H&S Committee met today to agree on an update to all staff. Whilst advice from the World Health Organisation has not substantially changed it is clear that many have concerns regarding the virus and how it may affect us and the recent outbreaks in Europe have added to these concerns. In response to concerns about the safety of travel, whether by air or public transport, we would like to share the following information from the WHO website on the current understanding of how the virus is transmitted and suggest that you review the sections highlighted below.https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses · How does COVID-19 spread? · What can I do to protect myself and prevent the spread of the disease? · How likely am I to catch COVID-19? · Should I worry about COVID-19?This also provides some general information on travelling during the coronavirus outbreak: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/travel-adviceWith immediate effect all staff are to conduct a Travel Risk Assessment for all European Travel – the purpose of this step is to ensure that staff are considering the very latest information on travel safety location by location as recommended by their respective Government. In addition to conducting a travel risk assessment, there is also a need for staff to continue to monitor the advice on safety of travel right up to the date of travel. Staff will also be required to consider the risks to return travel should an outbreak of the virus occur in their location. There is no expectation that staff will be required to travel on business unless they feel entirely comfortable and safe with the arrangements for the travel required. The Travel Risk Assessment form and information can be found here https://geant.app.box.com/folder/12434068610Staff who decide to travel must be in good health and not in any of the health risk groups identified (see https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses – Who is at risk of developing severe illness?). Travellers should pay particular attention to regularly and thoroughly cleaning their hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water, particularly before eating – small bottles of hand sanitiser are in our offices and staff can take one with them for travel.For staff who have already booked European travel and not conducted a risk assessment they should now complete a travel risk assessment and consider all risks appropriately up to the day of their travel and as above consider the implications on return travel to establish whether or not travel remains safe and appropriate for them.Given that a significant number of organisations are now choosing to cancel international events, even outside of affected areas, staff are advised to consider their planned participation very carefully, and where there may be uncertainty of an event going ahead. Where relevant, staff should give consideration to cancellation costs of flights etc. and possible use of flexible booking terms where available.Whilst considering how these measures may affect GÉANT, staff are advised that any initial concerns about the impact of Coronavirus on business travel or travel to work by public transport or attendance in our offices should ideally be discussed first with their line manager, however HR staff and members of the H&S Committee can also be approached if required.These arrangements will remain in place until further notice and are subject to change. The H&S Committee will continue to monitor and evaluate any changes in advice from National and International bodies monitoring the Virus. The Committee are also considering how best to ensure business continuity should the effects of the Virus become more serious or widespread.Further updates from the H&S Committee will follow over forthcoming days. (edited) who.int Q&A on coronaviruses (COVID-19) WHO is continuously monitoring and responding to this outbreak. This Q&A will be updated as more is known about COVID-19, how it spreads and how it is affecting people worldwide. For more information, check back regularly on WHO’s coronavirus pages. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019WHO is continuously monitoring and responding to this outbreak. This Q&A will be updated as more is known about COVID-19, how it spreads and how it is affecting people worldwide. For more information, check back regularly on WHO’s coronavirus pages. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019WHO is continuously monitoring and responding to this outbreak. Th… Show more https://www.who.int/images/default-source/health-topics/coronavirus/gettyimages-1181575980.tmb-1200v.jpg?Culture=en&sfvrsn=7ec493b8_4 | n/a | |
| 1 March 2020 | external, NREN community | meeting registration pages | EVENTS / TRAVEL | GÉANT staff (various) | Information on COVID-19 Whilst advice from the World Health Organisation has not substantially changed it is clear that many have concerns regarding the virus and how it may affect us and the recent outbreaks in Europe have added to these concerns. In response to concerns about the safety of travel, whether by air or public transport, we would like to share the following information from the WHO website on the current understanding of how the virus is transmitted and suggest that you review the sections highlighted below.
There is further information on travelling during the coronavirus outbreak GÉANT is actively monitoring the WHO advice and the situation in general in locations where GÉANT meetings are planned and will keep in contact with participants if the situation changes. Please do talk to your own organisations about their advice to employees on travel. | e.g. https://eventr.geant.org/events/3240 | |
| 28 Feb 2020 | internal, staff | EVENTS / TRAVEL | GÉANT Finance | Dear Colleagues, Given the developing situation with the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), with immediate effect, and until further notice, all new travel bookings (all modes of travel, including by train and plane) will be suspended to provide a duty of care to all staff and avoid unnecessary cancellation costs in the future. Although at this time, there are no formal reasons not to travel, we note that many people in our community are cancelling travel to various meetings and asking for VC alternatives. Therefore, travel planning for future meetings is to be suspended until we have more clarity on developments. Our account with our travel agency has been temporarily suspended. Please note, this temporary travel ban applies to all future bookings. If you have already made a booking, please ensure that you monitor the https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/travel-advice to determine if it is safe to continue with your travel plans/meetings. Please remember that risk assessments for all visits that have already been booked to all destinations must be undertaken. There is no expectation that staff who have already booked their travel will be required to travel on business unless they feel entirely comfortable and safe with the arrangements for the travel required. Staff will continue to be informed regarding the impact of Coronavirus on GÉANT operations, and specifically in relation to forthcoming events. Please let me, or your manager or any member of the Exec know if you have any queries regarding the above. | n/a |
