Dear USIU-Africa Community,

We trust that you have been keeping well. As an institution, COVID-19 has taught us that we can respond with flexibility in the face of a crisis. Many of us have adjusted to this as our new normal and are working hard to ensure that our daily operations continue with as little disruption as possible.

As we continue adapting to this new way of life, we continue to urge each of you to adhere to the health protocols that have been put in place by the government, to ensure that we continue to play our part in curbing the spread COVID-19 virus, but also ensure that we prioritize our health, safety and well-being.

During the period that the University has been closed for face to face learning, we have learned several important lessons, which we will apply come 2021, since it is likely that the disruption as a result of COVID-19 will continue into next year. It is therefore upon us as an institution to remain proactive, and anticipate any changes that will require swift response from us.

To this end, starting from next semester (Spring 2021), we will be offering on-campus learning for students who require practical and laboratory requirements to meet their course requirements. This is to ensure that our students are on course to complete their studies on time with the least interruption possible, this will also help us test the measures that we have put in place for when we eventually resume face to face learning fully.

In addition to this, the Library will also be open during this time, to allow students to access materials critical to their research and study. However, all virtual library services will continue throughout the semester. To support the reopening of the Library, we have put in place extensive safety protocols to ensure that it remains a safe place for anyone who will visit it at this time, including sanitization procedures after every two hours of use. A detailed description of what we will implement to ensure your safety on campus is provided Here Please review this carefully to understand the library schedule and the limits in numbers.

We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and update our plans accordingly, to ensure that we maximize the USIU-Africa experience, while protecting the safety of our students, staff and faculty.

Should you wish to make an inquiry on the planned phased reopening, feel free to contact the Director, Operations on pwarui@usiu.ac.ke

Professor Paul Tiyambe Zeleza

Vice Chancellor