National College of Ireland believes that safety must be prioritised during a time of global pandemic. Recognising that there is a lot of unpredictability and stress in our lives because of COVID-19, the College wants to give some certainty to our students. With this in mind, we now confirm that we will continue to deliver classes online for Semester 2. This means that students can continue to work in the pattern they established during Semester 1, with all Student Supports in place, as at present.
This decision is taken in line with the Government Plan for Living with COVID-19, and, at all times, the College will follow HSE advice and Government direction.
Because we are operating an alternative assessment methodology (as implemented in Spring 2020), students will not have to present face-to-face or attend in-person, rather assessments/exams will take place online, in January and May 2021.
Semester 2 will commence on Saturday, 23 January 2021 and will finish on Friday, 30 April 2021; assessment period will be Friday, 7 May 2021 to Saturday, 22 May 2021. Full details are available on our Academic Calendar, and students will be directly apprised of any rescheduling.
The College has invested in strengthening online capacity, so that we can maintain our excellence in education even while delivering remotely. NCI's Online Library has been materially expanded. Student Supports are also available online. NCI's blog continues to issue helpful advice and links to easily accessible resources, and is a good starting point if a student is experiencing a difficulty and is unsure who to approach for help: remember, there is always someone to talk to at NCI, no matter what the problem.
NCI has also invested in making appropriate alterations to the college building itself, to provide as safe a physical environment as possible, ready for the return to face-to-face classes. The campus remains open for essential access, including for Click & Collect of physical text books, where necessary; and a limited number of on-campus study spaces, which must be booked in advance. Those planning to attend on campus must first complete a COVID-19 Questionnaire.
We are very proud of the resilience shown by our students. We look forward to welcoming you all back on campus some happy, healthy day, in the future.