Insurance during placements and study visits
Students participating in placements or study visits inked to a programme course are all covered by the accident insurance included in the SLU student insurance policy – regardless of whether the placement is voluntary or compulsory. However, the course coordinator must have authorised the placement or study visit, and the student must notify them of when and where it will be carried out. The activity must take place before the student passes the course.
The following applies for the liability insurance (if a student injures a person or damages an item or property):
Compulsory placement or study visit (credits awarded) – depending on where the placement is being carried out, SLU or Kammarkollegiet will pay compensation for any damage a student may have caused.
Voluntary placements or study visits – the student or placement provider must have their own insurance coverage.
Vaccinations
Those who have followed the vaccination programme for children in Sweden will have good protection against tetanus and do not need any further vacinations before beginning their studies. The National Board of Health and Welfare’s immunisation guidelines for tetanus and diphtheria states that once a person has recieved four doses of the vaccination, they need to be re-vaccinated every 20 years.
Since 2012, the area around Uppsala has been part of the tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) risk zone. Therefore, students who will be in close contact with animals as part of their degree project should consider getting vaccinated against TBE. This also applies to those at an increased risk of being bitten by ticks.
The vaccinations SLU recommends for its students are voluntary and must be paid for by the students themselves.
Spread of infection
General guidelines on preventing the spread of infection:
Students are expected to follow the instructions they are provided and practice good hygiene during all practical work with biological materials, such as disections, laboratory sessions and exercises with live animals.
To prevent the spread of infection, you must find out about and follow the specific regulations and procedures that apply for the particular teaching premises. When working with farm animals, you must comply with the rules for each disease control and inspection programme.
If you may have been exposed to a disease that falls under the Epizootic Act while outside of SLU (see the Swedish Board of Agriculture’s regulation SJVFS 1999:102), you must notify the relevant department before returning to SLU.
Study visits and practical exercises involving animals
Study visits and practical excercises involving animals are often the first chance students will have to put theory into practice. These activities should be seen as a cooperation between tutors and supervisors and their students. However, the tutor or supervisor has the overall responsibility and their decisions must be respected.
To ensure that the time allocated to study visits and practical exercises runs as smoothly as possible, you must adhere to the following general rules:
- Find out and follow any specific rules and instructions provided during each study visit or exercise.
- Aspects of disease control, animal protection and occupational safety must always be observed.
- Be orderly.
- Be on time and stick to the schedule.
The use of animals and animal products in teaching
The Policy on the use of animals in research and education at SLU contains information about the use of animals and animal products in teaching.