TMWWDG: media information: Thuringian universities postpone the beginning of the semester to 4 May
All upcoming university events cancelled / TMWWDG meeting planned for 30 March to decide how things will move forward
The beginning of the semester at Thuringia’s universities has been postponed to 4 May 2020 as a preliminary measure. This decision was made at a meeting of the State President Conference at Thuringia’s Ministry of Science. This represents a university response to the continuing spread of the coronavirus. In addition, all university events such as concerts, lecture series and presentations will be cancelled. Each university will make its own decisions regarding whether to close its libraries. Furthermore, universities will consider how far they can make use of online and e-learning services in the interim.
Thuringia’s Minister of Science supported the decision: »This is about stopping the rapid spread of COVID-19 and breaking the chains of infection that are bound to occur at colleges and universities if teaching activities are in full force with thousands of students«. The state and its universities will »keep their eyes on the road«, moving forward and responding appropriately to ongoing developments. An additional meeting will take place at the Ministry by 30 March to discuss how to move forward in the situation as it stands.
The Ministry, universities and Studierendenwerk Thüringen (Thuringia Student Services) agree that postponing the beginning of the semester must not put students at any disadvantage. Legal requirements and framework conditions such as examination deadlines should therefore be handled flexibly and exemptions approved. This also covers the receipt of benefits under the Federal Education and Trainings Assistance Act for University Students, which are usually tied to the beginning of the semester: a decree from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research has ensured that benefits will be paid out to their recipients as normal.
Today’s meeting also covered service-related and collective-bargaining-related regulations that might be affected by the postponement and by the spread of the coronavirus in general. The Ministry offered universities some corresponding recommendations for action. In addition, all those coming from high-risk areas or who have recently spent time in such areas are once again reminded that they must inform their university of where they have been.