COVID-19 Campus Updates For European Business Schools

The coronavirus pandemic hit Europe hard, but as we begin to exit what for many of us has been a third lockdown, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Many business schools have welcomed students back to campus, and more plan to do so by fall 2021. 

Schools have largely maintained a hybrid model of teaching, with students splitting their time between the physical and virtual classrooms. That seems to be the plan for most schools going forward. 

Here, we highlight the latest COVID-19 campus updates for Europe’s top business schools. This page is regularly updated with the latest campus reopening plans for MBA students, and more schools will be added as updates are released.

COVID-19 Campus Updates: Europe

Business Schools with Multiple Campuses

ESCP Business School

- Berlin campus 

As of May 20th, restrictions have been gradually loosened in Berlin. However, classes at ESCP remain online, with students not yet allowed to return to campus due to current restrictions from the Berlin Senate—according to a statement on ESCP’s website. 

From June 10th the school’s campus library has been open for on-site use. Students can book a table to work, browse the library, and ask questions at the help desk.

A negative test result is required to work or study on-site. As is wearing a mask through your entire stay on campus. The rest of the campus remains closed.

- London campus 

From May 17th COVID-19 restrictions in England eased further. This allowed for the restart of in-person teaching at higher education institutions. 

In-person teaching has resumed on ESCP’s London campus, along with student access to campus services. 

Students returning to campus are expected to self-test for COVID-19 twice weekly. This applies to students who are safely in England and able to travel to campus. 

There are still measures in place in England meaning if international students are travelling from a ‘green’, ‘amber’, or ‘red’ listed country, they will have to complete the necessary quarantine period upon arrival and provide a negative COVID-19 test. 

There are remote campus services available for those who cannot attend in-person. 

- Madrid campus

ESCP developed a new teaching model to adapt to the demands of the pandemic: Adaptive Model Blended Learning. The model is a hybrid methodology, and is flexible to allow the school to transition between fully in-person, fully online, or blended learning, depending on the circumstances.

The school is currently using a hybrid model of teaching. Recruiting events are also still mostly virtual, as are student events—although a few have started happening in person.

- Turin campus

This year ESCP’s Turin campus is offering a hybrid teaching format to students, with a part of the school’s lessons held online and a part of them in class.

For the next academic year, the school is planning to continue with this hybrid method, with most of the lessons held onsite with some asynchronous online classes. 

The expectation is that student events will also be in person, but ESCP is ready to switch them online if needed.

The same applies for recruiting events, which have been organized online during 2020/2021. These can be in-person for students living near Turin and online for international students and candidates.

UK Business Schools

Alliance Manchester Business School 

The Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS) campus is open with COVID-19-secure measures in place.

The school’s full-time MBA students have returned to campus for a hybrid model of teaching. There’s some face-to-face lectures while other sessions remain online.

Upcoming Global Part-Time MBA workshops scheduled for July will continue to take place online due to ongoing travel restrictions. Students who live locally will have the option to attend the virtual workshops on campus in small, socially distanced groups.  

From September 2021, Alliance Manchester Business School plans to welcome the new full-time MBA class to campus for their three-week induction period, core modules, and not-for-profit project. There will also be frequent socials and MBA+ and careers activities.

The school also hopes to reintroduce face-to-face teaching for the Global Part-Time MBA September workshops. Due to the highly international composition of the cohort though, the school is closely monitoring government travel advice.

AMBS is delivering Executive Education Open Programmes on campus in line with current government advice relating to social distancing.  

Cambridge Judge Business School

At Cambridge Judge Business School all student events are currently online, and the school’s campus visit program is suspended. 

In line with government guidance from Monday May 17th, university students have been allowed to return to in-person teaching. For students on courses where teaching would normally be taking place at this point in the academic year, in-person small-group University and College teaching can resume.

There is a hybrid teaching model in place, in which the MBA will be delivered in person complemented by a wide range of digital resources and preparatory study. This will continue to be used for the incoming students in fall 2021—there is also no delay to the start of the new academic year. 

All students of the business school are required to follow the health and safety protocols in place, pending further government changes. These include mask wearing, social distancing, checking your temperature on entering the building, and following the one-way system that is in place.

London Business School

London Business School is open for students and staff. The fresh air supply is on in lecture theatres, and the additional units that recirculate air are turned off for safety. 

Students, participants, staff, and faculty can collect free, at-home, lateral flow antigen testing kits from the school—the same tests that are available online or for collection from local pharmacies or test centers. Students attending lectures on campus are expected to self-test twice per week. 

You must wear a face covering while in any indoor space on campus except single person offices. Face coverings may only be removed while eating or drinking or in spaces where social distancing can be followed.

The school’s current lecture theatre occupancy is set at 50% capacity, and faculty are wearing personal protective visors while teaching. Lecture theatres are cleaned before each teaching session, and for those who can’t attend classes in person, Zoom is being used for virtual teaching.

COVID-19 Campus Updates For US Business Schools

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Business Schools in France / Monaco

HEC Paris

Since September 2020, the French government has authorized in-person teaching at universities, with strict regulations including social distancing and mandatory mask wearing.  

HEC Paris has since offered students a blended learning format consisting of in-person courses with reduced capacity, and online teaching. Students who do not wish to attend any in-person courses are offered the possibility of attending remotely.

All career fairs will remain virtual until the end of 2021. There is a possibility that smaller student/recruiter events might take place in person before then. 

With the progressive deployment of the vaccination campaign, the school expects courses to fully return to normal in September 2021, with full classroom capacity. Though should that not be possible, the model already deployed will guarantee academic continuity.

If borders are open in September 2021, and it is safe to do so, the school plans to also resume full academic and research activities in person and on campus.

EDHEC Business School

EDHEC Business School’s Lille and Nice campuses are open. Wearing a mask is required at all times on campus, and the required health and safety measures are in place on site—hand sanitizing stations, social distancing, and temperature checks, for example. 

Classes are in person, and the school plans to keep this in place for the upcoming 2021-22 academic year. The plan is for students to be able to benefit from the full range of on-campus services, including career support, catering, sports facilities, and student life.