Coronavirus: students at Debrecen University refused to take midterm exams?

An international student wrote to us that they could not take midterm tests and collect bonus points during the semester because of the coronavirus. However, without those, he says, they have smaller chances to get a passing grade because of the end-term exam. In contrast, they have to attend all classes.

Below you can read the e-mail from the professor teaching the course:

The foreign student (let’s name him Pete because he wanted to remain anonymous being afraid of the university) says that even though they cannot collect bonus points for their end-term exam, they have to attend all classes, practicals, seminars. Therefore, the virus will continue to spread. He added sadly that the department of the university “is doing its best to abuse the situation to make sure we all go for finals and

most probably fail there, and repeat a year, paying another 16,000 dollars!!“

He said that in other countries like China or Italy the universities were already closed because of the epidemic, but all professors have to upload materials on e-learning and they can pass their exams online.

Pete said that he does not know how many students fail on the end-term tests, but he cleared that they have to sign papers regarding the rules and regulations that will apply in that semester. Now “the Department of Biochemistry has single-handedly decided to change the rules, in an illogical manner […]. So, all in all, this course of action does not help prevent transmittance of disease,

but it only assures a harder semester for all students (Hungarian or Foreign), at such hard times!!” 

The university did not say that those students who cannot take midterm tests during this semester would not have to pay extra money if they fail the course or get a reduction in their tuition fees. Pete says that this is because the university does not want to “lose monetary benefit.”

He added that there were protests against the department’s course of action, and the International Student Union (ISU) was asked to help them somehow.

We sent our questions regarding the issue to the university, but they did not answer yet.