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On Friday August 28, 2020, in the evening, the Civil Protection Authority announced the extension of the special restrictive measures for the Regional Unit of Chania for another two weeks, i.e. until September 15, 2020. Given that during the validity of the special restrictive measures gatherings of many people are prohibited, it becomes clear that this extension affects the planned re-examination period to such an extent that there is no other solution than converting it to a remote examination period. Therefore, based on the decision of the recent conference of the TUC Senate (533/25.08.2020), the re-examination period 2019-2020 at the Technical University of Crete will be conducted remotely in its entirety, according to the schedule already announced, but with the remote examination method which has been chosen or will be chosen by each instructor for his or her course.

It should be understood by all members of the TUC Community that the above decision was not an easy decision, nor was it taken "lightly", but it is an emergency and necessary solution, in order to ensure the continuation of both the re-examination period and the new academic semester afterwards. Below, we list some key points to keep in mind regarding this decision:

• The intention of the University and the TUC Instructors was to conduct the re-examination period, according to the schedule and the examination methods that had been announced since 31.07.2020, based on the Senate Decision and the choices of the instructors of the approximately 400 courses, more specifically using a mixed examination system, where about half (218) of the courses, mainly compulsory core courses, would be examined live and the remaining remotely.

• The above point is also confirmed by the preparations that had been made: preparation of the schedule according to the official instructions of the Public Health Authority and the Ministry of Education, supply of sanitary material, detailed information to all participants in the exams, assurance of safe public transportation for the students, preparation of the examination areas with extra tables and seats, etc.

• Last week, after the announcement of the special restrictive measures, there was intense activity and official communication on our part, both with the Civil Protection Authority and with the Ministry of Education, to find out how exactly the special measures are applied in our case and to exhaust any margin of retention of the planned re-examination period.

• The special restrictive measures that have been imposed in various parts of the country have not affected any other university, except from the Technical University of Crete, which happens to be located in an area highly-affected by the pandemic. The reasons for the measures taken in the area of ​​Chania are not related to the TUC itself or the procedures followed at TUC during the pandemic, but to external factors.

• It is a fact that the area of ​​Chania shows a disproportionately large number of COVID-19 cases compared to the rest of Greece, especially among young people under the age of 30. Although the application of special restrictive measures is not accepted to the same degree by all local bodies, companies, organizers, but also individuals, the Technical University of Crete, taking into account the emergency situation and prioritizing the safety of its members, consciously chooses the safe way of converting the re-examination period to remote, despite the significant consequences that this change brings to all the members of the TUC community.

• The emergency change from live to a remote exam is not an easy or automatic process, as it requires a significant investment of time mainly by the instructors, but also by all those involved (students, supervisors, secretariats) for the adaptation. However, it was a commitment of the Senate and we hope that everyone will contribute to the successful outcome of this change and the completion of the re-examination period.

The Rectorate of the Technical University of Crete