Information regarding coronavirus

As of 1 July 2020 the 10th Genereal Decree of the city of Weimar applies, which supplements the »Thüringer Verordnung zur Neuordnung der erforderlichen Maßnahmen zur Eindämmung der Ausbreitung des Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2« in regard to the regulations on mouth and nose coverage / masks.

Following rules apply in Weimar until 31 July:

Obligation to wear a mask

• in medical facilities for patients and staff
• in stores for customers
• in public transport for passengers
• in the municipal administration

No mask obligation in restaurants and hotels.

Regardless of this, occupational health and safety and corresponding industry regulations must be observed.

As of Tuesday 16 June, students who have fallen into acute financial difficulties due to the coronavirus pandemic and depend on immediate help can apply for bridging assistance in the form of a non-repayable grant of up to 500 euros for the months June, July and August. The application is submitted via the website https://www.überbrückungshilfe-studierende.de and automatically forwarded to the responsible student service organisation (Studierendenwerk). From 25 June 2020, applications will be processed and paid out.

You can find further information in the FAQs by the German National Association for Student Affairs.

Joint media Information by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the German National Association for Student Affairs (DSW) (in German).

You can read the »Dritte Thüringer Verordnung zu Quarantänemaßnahmen für Ein- und Rückreisende zur Bekämpfung des Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (Dritte Quarantäneverordnung)« of 15 June here.

The »Thüringer Verordnung zur Neuordnung der erforderlichen Maßnahmen zur Eindämmung der Ausbreitung des Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 sowie zur Verbesserung der infektionsschutzrechtlichen Handlungsmöglichkeiten« with »Artikel 1 Thüringer Verordnung über grundlegende Infektionsschutzregeln zur Eindämmung der Ausbreitung des Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2« comes into effect on 13 June 2020. You can read it here (only available in German).

You can find a summary of the new ordinance on the website of the TMASGFF (only available in German).

According to the»Zweite Verordnung zur Änderung der Thüringer SARS-CoV-2-Maßnahmenfortentwicklungsverordnung« from 4 June 2020 the »Thüringer SARS-CoV-2-Maßnahmenfortentwicklungsverordnung« is extended until 12. Juni 2020.

You can read the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar general hygiene plan here. All members of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar must observe these regulations in the event of infection risk, epidemic, or pandemic.

Dear students,

This e-mail is to inform you on the conditions of the digital summer semester 2020.  Please do not hesitate to contact the responsible staff members should you have any further questions regarding this topic. We will continue to inform you on any new or additional regulations in this way and through our committees.  You will also be receiving further information when you enrol for the winter semester.

We wish you a successful summer semester 2020!

On behalf of the entire Board of Governance

Prof. Dr. Winfried Speitkamp
President

Synopsis

• The summer semester 2020 has begun digitally.
• There will be no classroom teaching before 2 June, 2020 and only in exceptional cases after this date and when in compliance with hygiene and safety measures. 
• Oral audiovisual exams and remote/online exams may take place. 
• Attendance examinations (such as written exams) may take place in exceptional cases and must comply with all hygiene and safety measures. 
• The application deadline to apply for a semester on leave or a part-time semester has been extended to September 30, 2020. 
• The deadlines for submitting final theses has been extended.
• Regulations for free attempts (»Freiversuchen«) for examinations are being developed. 
• Penalties will be waived in the calculation of long-term study fees.

1. Semester Period

The digital summer semester at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar began on May 4, 2020. The (digital) lecture period will end on Friday, 24 July and will be followed by a maximum three-week examination period.  

The winter semester 2020/21 will begin as usual on 1 October 2020 and will end on 31 March 2021. The winter semester lecture period will take place from 2 November 2020 until 5 February 2021. This will be followed by a two-week examination period. 

These dates can also be found on our website at https://www.uni-weimar.de/en/university/news/academic-year/ 

2. Digital Teaching and Classroom Teaching

Courses have been converted to digital formats as much as possible. As a result, it should be generally possible for students to complete a full summer semester.  

In courses or exams where attendance is mandatory (labs, internships, etc.), hygiene and safety measures are currently being developed and coordinated with safety management. Attendance will not occur under any circumstances before 2 June 2020. 

In certain cases, some courses have been switched between summer and winter semester. This will be expanded upon by instructors.  We encourage you to make use of your academic advising services to help arrange your semester in the most optimal way possible. 

3. Examinations

The respective study and exam regulations for each degree programme apply and are supplemented by the following regulations:

In response to the coronavirus situation, teachers have been encouraged to develop digital exam formats as well. This means that formats may deviate from those originally published in course catalogues and module catalogues.  

3.1 Oral and Written Online Examinations

Oral audiovisual exams and remote/online exams may take place as: 

• Individual examinations (1 candidate, at least 1 examiner, 1 assessor, 1 keeper of the minutes); this includes, for instance, the defence of final papers
• Group examinations (maximum 5 candidates, at least 1 examiner, 1 assessor, 1 keeper of the minutes); this includes, for instance, project presentations, final presentations

Written online examinations (unsupervised) may take place

• e.g. papers, term papers, essays, designs, drafts, sketches, journals, or portfolios. 

Supervised written remote/online examinations may not be done one students’ computers. 

3.2 Software for Remote/Online Examinations

Software services that have been centrally released by the university and which have relevant contracts, e.g. BigBlueButton and DFNconf with Pexip, may be used.

3.3. Formalities

In the case of oral remote/online examinations, written consent (e.g. by e-mail) is required from both the candidate and the examiner conducting the examination. 

Identification must be presented before remote/online examinations are carried out. 

3.4. Attendance Phase

If necessary, attendance examinations may take place and must comply with relevant hygiene and safety measures.  Students who cannot or do not wish to participate in attendance examinations may either take the examinations next semester or agree upon alternative examination formats with their course instructors. 

4. Pandemic-related Compensation for Disadvantages

Please make use of existing possibilities such as a semester on leave or part-time semester if you will not be able to complete your studies, either fully or partially, without issue in the summer semester 2020. The Student Office will happily offer advice on this and can be reached by phone +49 (0)3643 - 58 2323 or e-mail studium@uni-weimar.de.

The deadline to apply for a semester on leave or part-time semester for the summer semester 2020 has been extended until 30 September. 

• During a semester on leave students cannot receive credit points, but they may participate in examination retakes. 
• During a part-time semester, students may earn a maximum of 18 credit points.  The semester then counts as a half semester. 
• Deadlines for submitting final papers and term papers that were registered before the digital semester began on 4 May 2020 and that had to/have to be submitted after 16 March 2020, have been extended by a period of 33 calendar days.  
• The deadline by which all assignments required by the degree programme according to the respective study and examination regulations must be submitted is extended by the summer semester (6 months).  
• Regulations on free attempts (»Freiversuchen«) are being developed. 
• In extreme cases, students may apply to waive or postpone the payment of long-term semester fees.  

5. Further Information – Including Information on Financial Support

Visit https://www.uni-weimar.de/en/coronavirus to stay up to date on the latest developments.

On 14 May, the city of Weimar passed a new general decree containing regulations on the compulsory wearing of masks in the city of Weimar. The 9th general decree of the city of Weimar can be viewed here.

You can read the »Thüringer Verordnung zur Freigabe bislang beschränkter Bereiche und zur Fortentwicklung der erforderlichen Maßnahmen zur Eindämmung  der Ausbreitung des Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2« here (available in German only).

With this new ordinance the »Dritte Thüringer SARS-CoV-2-Eindämmungsmaßnahmenverordnung« ceases to be effective.

Dear Students,

On May 4 we will start our first digital semester at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar! We are pleased that we can offer a wide selection of modules and projects and that we can work to find solutions together in this challenging time. For the first time, we are trying out a new system this semester. Now, more than ever before, curiosity, open-mindedness, patience and, where necessary, forbearance are needed from all of us - from the professors, the administrative staff and also you.

In a normal year, the campus, laboratories, workshops and university buildings would already be bustling with semester activity. Your lack of presence here is completely unusual for us: We miss the liveliness with which you otherwise fill Bauhaus-Universität Weimar as a place of creativity and experiment. Nevertheless, we are confident that we will create a good semester together with you and your positive energy. We are proud of the understanding and solidarity that you have shown regarding the current situation. We can assure you once again that there is a great deal of willingness on the part of the governing bodies, the teaching staff and administrative staff to find solutions even under circumstances which currently appear to pose considerable hurdles. 

We appreciate that there may be things in your private lives that require special attention and are sources of stress in many cases. Our sympathy goes out to all those who, due to current risk factors, are particularly worried about themselves, relatives or friends, roommates and neighbours. Please continue to adhere to the behavioural and protective recommendations. The health of all members of the university remains our primary concern. 

This e-mail will provide you with important information for the start of the digital semester and give you possible points of contact for enquiries. After intensive and constructive efforts in working groups at all levels and in consultation with the responsible ministry, several important points have now been decided:

1. General information about the Summer Semester 2020

The lecture period in the Summer Semester 2020 begins (digitally) on May 4, 2020 and ends on July 24, 2020. After that, depending on the faculty, there will be a three-week examination phase. For more specific information, please refer to the publications of your respective faculty examination offices. In justified individual cases, different arrangements can be made by heads of study courses. Unfortunately, we cannot yet tell you reliably whether the exam phase will take place digitally or in person as this will depend on the development of the pandemic and the requirements of the state of Thuringia. The »summaery«, our annual end-of-year exhibition, is expected to take place digitally around the 30th of July.

The bison portal or the online event directory will be available to you from Monday, 27 April. The digital Project Exchange (Projektbörse) which is carried out by some degree programs, will take place on Monday, 4 May. You can organise your own study timetable between 27 April and 4 May. For the specific terms of online projects, modules, and course enrolment etc., please look at your faculty-specific information, which is included in the bison portal and on the faculty websites.

Even for a digital semester, you must be registered, re-registered or on leave at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. If you have any questions about your status or if you are unable to register in the bison portal, please contact the Studies and Teaching Department (DSL) hotline (by telephone Monday-Friday 9 am-2 pm at +49 (0) 3643- 58 23 23 or by email to studium[at]uni-weimar.de). The DSL with its student office and the general student advisory service will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding long-term study fees, deadlines and other individual issues. We are aware that some of you may need more support because of the special circumstances surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic. We will do everything we can to keep disadvantages as low as possible.

2. Studying digitally

To study digitally you need a computer (also possible with tablets of course), access to the Internet and your university login. If you have any questions about logging in, please contact the SCC hotline: hotline[at]scc.uni-weimar.de. If you have any questions about software and licenses, please contact the responsible professor first.

As has been the case in previous semesters, the main tool for online teaching is our Moodle platform (learning management system). For tips on how to use Moodle and other topics related to digital studies, please first look into the toolbox or the e-labs pages: www.uni-weimar.de/elab. There you will also find tutorials and access to self-study rooms. To support you, 20 trained student e-tutors are working to respond to the additional demand. They are available to support professors and students in digital teaching. If you have any questions on this topic, please contact studium-digital[at]uni-weimar.de.

3. Study support areas

Since April 21, 2020, it has been possible to borrow and return books and DVDs in the University Library. This service is initially being offered from Monday to Friday from 10 am to 2 pm and only for university members. Orders from the entire media inventory of the library must be made beforehand via the online catalogue (OPAC) or via the Discovery Service (BibSearch). Information and advice will not be given in the library, but by e-mail at info[at]ub.uni-weimar.de or phone at +49 (0) 3643-58 28 10. Free-reading areas as well as the individual and group study rooms remain closed for the time being. 

As of April 15, 2020, borrowing copies of articles and partial copies of monographs (books) is being offered to library users under the "COVID-19 Emergency Service". Through an agreement with 'VG Wort', copies can be sent directly to library users until 31 May 31, 2020. The interlibrary loaning of monographs is not yet possible

Until May 4, 2020, the workshops, laboratories and student work rooms will not be open for use. We are aware that for many of you these are of high value to your studies. We are looking for solutions that meet the requirements for Coronavirus containment. In this respect, a general date for reopening cannot yet be given, as a detailed review on how this will work is currently in progress. Please bear in mind that certain groups will take priority, e.g. those working towards their final dissertation.

The Language Centre has been offering more than 35 language courses online since 20 April. We are pleased to see that over 1,000 participants have enrolled in these courses. Unfortunately, the premises of the Language Centre as well as the facilities of the University Sport Centre will remain closed.

4. Financial support

The state of Thuringia and the university have set up financial aid for students in acute emergencies. Please note this point in the FAQ for students on the Coronavirus topic page www.uni-weimar.de/en/coronavirus. Through the responsible ministry, the University Rectors' Conference and the Thuringian Presidents’ Conference, we are striving for further federal support for students. This has already been partially successful for the new arrangements on the BaföG, for example. Please consult the Studierendenwerk Thüringen (Thuringia Student Services) website https://www.stw-thueringen.de/english/stw-startseite.html  and do not hesitate to take advantage of these offers. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of staff, loans can currently be paid out in just a few days.

5. Exchange Students

All arrangements also apply to our exchange students. If you have any questions about the organisation of your studies, you can also contact the individual faculties’ international counsellors (https://www.uni-weimar.de/de/universitaet/struktur/dezernate/dezernat-internationale-beziehungen/international-counsellors-der-4-fakultaeten/). For other matters, please refer to your respective contact person in the International Office.

We hope that this information will help you get off to a good start in a successful digital semester. The next steps are currently in preparation. The university management and colleagues in the faculties and administration will provide you with the comprehensive information necessary for successful studies as soon as possible.

Tomorrow, Tuesday 28 April, we will also be offering you a new way of exchanging ideas: a live stream with the President: https://meeting.uni-weimar.de/b/ste-xkt-u7a . We look forward to answering your questions from 3 to 4 pm You can find all information beforehand on the Coronavirus topic page mentioned above.

This live stream is intended to complement the President's weekly office hours, which are every Tuesday from 3 to 4 pm, currently by telephone, without appointment. Naturally, there is a regular exchange with the members of the StuKo (Student Government).

Wishing you the best for the start of the semester and please continue to take good care of yourself.

On behalf of the Board of Governance,

Prof. Dr. Winfried Speitkamp (President) and Prof. Dr. Christian Koch (Vice President of Academic Affairs)

Die Thüringer Hochschulen, das Studierendenwerk Thüringen und das Thüringer Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Wissenschaft und Digitale Gesellschaft (TMWWDG) haben eine gemeinsame Erklärung zum Sommersemester 2020 veröffentlicht:

»Die Welt, Europa, Deutschland und auch Thüringen befinden sich aufgrund der weiteren Ausbreitung des Coronavirus in einer Ausnahmesituation, die es bislang in dieser Form noch nie gegeben hat. Die Corona-Pandemie und die damit einhergehenden Reise- und Kontaktbeschränkungen haben auch für den Hochschulbetrieb einschneidende Auswirkungen – sei es auf Lehre und Studium, auf die Forschung oder auf den Hochschulbetrieb im Allgemeinen. Alle Mitglieder der Hochschulen – die Studierenden, die Lehrenden, die Beschäftigten – unterliegen durch diese unvorhersehbare Entwicklung erheblichen Einschränkungen und Belastungen.

Die Thüringer Hochschulen, das Studierendenwerk und das Wissenschaftsministerium (TMWWDG) werden sich den damit verbundenen Herausforderungen solidarisch stellen, um mit Entschlossenheit und Einfallsreichtum gemeinsam Lösungen für die rund 50.000 Studierenden und fast 10.000 Beschäftigten an den Hochschulen des Landes zu finden. [...]«

Die ganze Erklärung können Sie hier lesen.

If you have found yourself in financial difficulty due to the conoavirus pandemic, you can apply for an interest-free social loan of up to 800 euros through Studierendenwerk Thüringen. This was announced by the Thüringer Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Wissenschaft und digital Gesellschaft (Thuringian Ministry of Economics, Science and Digital Society) in a press release (available in German only, see below).

Detailed information can be found here: https://www.stw-thueringen.de/english/social/financial-hardship-loans/haertfalldarlehen.html

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Sozialdarlehen soll Studierenden durch Corona-Krise helfen

Der Pandemieplan der Bauhaus-Universität Weimar ist für Universitätsangehörige hier einsehbar (Zugriff nur aus dem Universitätsnetz).

Dear Bauhaus-Universität Weimar employees and students,

today the Robert Koch-Institute raised its risk assessment for Germany to »high«. As a university, we are currently in a serious situation.

In order to prevent the further spread of the virus and protect all of us, the following binding regulations have been set:

• For the time being, the start of the summer semester has been provisionally postponed until 4 May 2020. This decision was made by the Landespräsidentenkonferenz (Conference of State Presidents). Courses requiring attendance are suspended immediately. There are no exceptions to this regulation.

• Written examinations may not take place and will be rescheduled once the summer semester has begun. Oral examinations are to take place digitally if possible. Due dates and deadlines for final examinations and term papers are, in general, extended for the closure period.

• University facilities such as workshops, the check-out services in the University Library, sports facilities, the Language Centre, student workrooms, and laboratories are now closed. If you would like to pick up any materials or work left in any of these locations, check your faculty's webpage.

• If you are not yet in Weimar, we strongly advise that you postpone your arrival until the start date for the summer semester is certain.

• The university is making every effort to avoid any disadvantages or damage that may be caused by these regulations.
  
  
• All office hours are suspended. Contact to university employees can be made via e-mail or telephone.

• Please refer to the Studentenwerk Thüringen webpage for questions regarding housing and BaföG regulations: www.stw-thueringen.de This page also provides a list of appropriate contact persons regarding these issues.

Any students who are currently abroad or who had planned to go abroad have been notified separately.

The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is taking these preventative steps and acting according to our responsibility for our members and will not be waiting for the authorities to implement them.

The rapid spread of the coronavirus, along with the severe progression of the virus, requires cooperation and responsible behaviour. It is crucial that everyone complies with the given regulations and recommendations. (www.rki.de, www.BzgA.de, www.stadt.weimar.de/aktuell/coronavirus-en).

Please be aware that the length of these restrictions, the further operation of the university, and the consequences of this situation cannot be predicted with certainty due to the sheer number of unanswered questions.

Inquiries regarding when the semester will begin and how the semester will be structured cannot be answered at this time. We are happy to take any of your questions, comments, or suggestions regarding study matters at studium[at]uni-weimar.de.

We are doing our best to find practical and efficient solutions. Technical concepts for online work are the way.  We do ask, however, for your understanding, since there is currently enormous demand and such a short-term arrangement cannot be guaranteed.

We will inform you via our coronavirus website of any concrete dates or instructions as soon as we receive them. We recommend that you consult this site regularly: www.uni-weimar.de/en/coronavirus.

We strictly advise university members about the mandatory drastic reduction of all social contacts outside of your own household. We do understand that many people are concerned about the course of these developments. Please be assured that we, within the Board of Governance and within the University Task Force are in direct communication with all university units and are constantly working on the best possible regulations for our university.

Look after yourselves and one another and stay healthy!

Our thoughts are with all those who have already been affected, their families, and those waiting for test results. We wish to thank all those who are acting in solidarity and preventing the spread of the virus by staying in home quarantine.

On behalf of the Board of Governance

Prof. Dr. Winfried Speitkamp
President

Versand: 13.02.2020

Betreff: Informationen für Beschäftigte zur Allgemeinverfügung der Stadt Weimar vom 13. März 2020

Liebe Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter,

die Stadt Weimar hat heute, Freitag, 13. März 2020, eine Allgemeinverfügung erlassen, die auch die Bauhaus-Universität Weimar betrifft. Präsenzveranstaltungen in der Lehre finden ab sofort nicht mehr statt.

Der normale Dienstbetrieb in der Bauhaus-Universität Weimar wird für alle Beschäftigten bis auf Weiteres grundsätzlich fortgeführt.

Aufgrund der Verfügung der Stadt sind auch Schulen und Kinderbetreuungseinrichtungen geschlossen. Falls Sie davon betroffen sind, werden wir gemeinsam mit Ihnen eine Lösung finden. Entsprechende Informationen finden Sie so bald wie möglich auf unserer Website.

Für Montag, 16. März, bitten wir Sie, mit Ihrer/Ihrem Vorgesetzten zu klären, welche Lösung gefunden werden kann; hierbei wird es kulante Regelungen geben. Die Vereinbarung von Home-Office zur Corona-Gesundheitsprävention wird direkt zwischen den jeweiligen Vorgesetzten und Mitarbeitenden (bitte schriftlich per E-Mail) vereinbart. Entstehende Fragen sind ebenfalls auf dieser Ebene zu besprechen.

Im Namen des Präsidiums der Bauhaus-Universität Weimar

Prof. Dr. Winfried Speitkamp
Präsident

COVID-19: Hochschulen verschieben Vorlesungsbeginn auf 4. Mai

Alle weiteren hochschulbezogenen Veranstaltungen abgesagt / Zur Entscheidung über weiteres Vorgehen erneutes Treffen am 30. März im TMWWDG geplant

Der Vorlesungsbeginn an den Thüringer Hochschulen wird zunächst auf den 4. Mai 2020 verschoben. Das wurde heute bei einem Treffen der Landespräsidentenkonferenz im Thüringer Wissenschaftsministerium beschlossen. Damit reagieren die Hochschulen auf die zunehmende Ausbreitung des Corona-Virus in Thüringen. Darüber hinaus werden sämtliche Veranstaltungen wie Konzerte, Ringvorlesungen oder Vorträge an den Hochschulen abgesagt. Über die mögliche Schließung ihrer Bibliotheken entscheidet jede Hochschule selbstständig. Zudem prüfen die Hochschulen, inwieweit in der Zwischenzeit Online- und E-Learning-Angebote eingesetzt werden können.

Thüringens Wissenschaftsminister Wolfgang Tiefensee unterstützt die Entscheidung: „Es geht darum, die rasante Ausbreitung von COVID-19 zu stoppen und Ansteckungsketten zu unterbrechen, die es im vollen Lehrbetrieb mit Tausenden von Studierenden natürlich gerade an den Universitäten und Fachhochschulen gibt.“ Land und Hochschulen würden bei ihrem weiteren Vorgehen daher weiterhin „auf Sicht fahren“ und angemessen auf die laufenden Entwicklungen reagieren. Spätestens am 30. März wird das Ministerium zu einem erneuten Treffen einladen, um situationsbezogen das weitere Vorgehen zu besprechen.

Einig waren sich Ministerium, Hochschulen und das Studierendenwerk Thüringen darin, dass durch die Verschiebung des Vorlesungsbeginns keine Nachteile für die Studierenden entstehen dürfen. Rechtliche Vorgaben und Rahmenbedingungen wie z.B. Prüfungsfristen sollen daher flexibel gehandhabt und Ausnahmeregelungen zugelassen werden. Das betrifft auch den Bezug von BAföG-Leistungen, der üblicherweise an den Vorlesungsbeginn geknüpft ist: Hier ist bereits durch Erlass des Bundesforschungsministeriums sichergestellt, dass die Leistungen regulär an die BAföG-Empfänger ausgezahlt werden.

Weitere Themen des heutigen Treffens waren dienst- und tarifrechtliche Regelungen, die durch die Verschiebung und generell durch die Corona-Ausbreitung betroffen sein könnten. Dazu hat das Ministerium den Hochschulen entsprechende Handlungsempfehlungen übergeben. Außerdem werden alle Personen, die aus Risikogebieten stammen oder sich zuletzt dort aufgehalten haben, noch einmal ausdrücklich darauf hingewiesen, dass sie verpflichtet sind, sich bei den Hochschulen zu melden.

Link zur Meldung

25 June Update #4: Hygiene plan for the step-by-step opening of workshops and workspaces as well as equipment lending at the Faculty of Art and Design

12 June
Update #3 Hygiene plan for the step-by-step opening of workshops and workspaces as well as equipment lending at the Faculty of Art and Design

7 May Update #2 Ways to step-by-step opening of workshops, workrooms and studios as well as lending of equipment at the Faculty of Art and Design

29 April: Information on the Digital Summer Semester at the Faculty of Media

28 April: Important information on the start of the semester at the Faculty of Art and Design

24. April: Fakultät Architektur und Urbanistik: Informationen zum Semesterbeginn

20 April: Faculty of Civil Engineering: Mailing to all students

18 March: Art and Design: Update #1

18 March: Architecture and Urbanism: Facilities closed to the public / teaching activities stopped

16 March: Examination office and PC pools of the Faculty of Civil Engineering closed to the public with immediate effect

16 March: Workshops, Labs, Computer pools, ateliers and studios as well as the dean's office of the Faculty of Art and Design are closed to the public with immediate effect

17 March: Examination Offices, PC-Pools and Media Library of the Faculty of Media closed to the public with immediate effect

The number of student jobs is dwindling and the beginning of the lecture period has been postponed due to the closures of many institutions. If you are looking for a way to make good use of your time during this period, below are some opportunities:

How can I receive financial support?

If you have found yourself in financial difficulty due to the conoavirus pandemic, there are various support services you can take advantage of:

Interest-Free short time loan through Studierendenwerk Thüringen

You can apply for an interest-free social loan of up to 800 euros through Studierendenwerk Thüringen. Thuringian universities – including the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar – are offering the student community a wide range of services and support. Half of the loan amount is taken over by the State of Thuringia in order to relieve the students financially. This means that out of a maximum of 800 euros in loans, a maximum of 400 euros will have to be repaid.

Loans can be applied for by submitting an application to asb[at]stw-thueringen.de. The informal application should include a description of the applicant’s current emergency situation.  Detailed criteria can be found at https://www.stw-thueringen.de/english/social/financial-hardship-loans/index.html. Applications will be substantiated and coordinated with responsible Studierendenwerk staff who will contact applicants via e-mail. 

For further assistance, visit the Studierendenwerk website (German).

Interest-free KfW Student Loan

To support German and international students during the Coronavirus crisis, the KfW Student Loan is also offered as an interest-free loan until 31.03.2021. The student loan of up to 650 euros per month can be applied for regardless of your own income or that of your parents.

Since 8 May 2020, students in Germany can receive the KfW student loan at a temporary interest rate of 0%. From 1 June 2020, this loan will also be open to all foreign students, if they are registered at a German address. For details on how to apply for the interest-free KfW Student Loan and the conditions, please visit the KfW Bank website (German).

Bridging assistance by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the German National Association for Student Affairs (DSW)

A bridging assistance in the form of a non-repayable grant of up to 500 euros each for the months June, July and August (e.g. max. 1.500 euros) is provided by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the German National Association for Student Affairs (DSW) as of 16 June 2020. The application is submitted via the website www.überbrückungshilfe-studierende.de and automatically forwarded to the responsible student service organisation (Studierendenwerk). From 25 June 2020, applications will be processed and paid out.

You can find all further information in the FAQs on the German National Association for Student Affairs website.

Students who are experiencing particular psychological stress due to the pandemic – for example due to the illness of family members or social isolation – can contact the Studierendenwerk Thüringen - Psychosocial Counseling - Weimar, Marienstr. 15a, 1. OG, R 210, phone: 03643-58 16 81, e-mail: psb-weimar[at]stw-thueringen.de, for psychological support.

Schedule an appointment via e-mail: psb-weimar[at]stw-thueringen.de
Opening hours:
Tuesday 3pm – 4pm
Thursday 10am – 11am

Dear students,

This e-mail is to inform you on the conditions of the digital summer semester 2020.  Please do not hesitate to contact the responsible staff members should you have any further questions regarding this topic. We will continue to inform you on any new or additional regulations in this way and through our committees.  You will also be receiving further information when you enrol for the winter semester.

We wish you a successful summer semester 2020!

On behalf of the entire Board of Governance

Prof. Dr. Winfried Speitkamp
President

Synopsis

• The summer semester 2020 has begun digitally.
• There will be no classroom teaching before 2 June, 2020 and only in exceptional cases after this date and when in compliance with hygiene and safety measures. 
• Oral audiovisual exams and remote/online exams may take place. 
• Attendance examinations (such as written exams) may take place in exceptional cases and must comply with all hygiene and safety measures. 
• The application deadline to apply for a semester on leave or a part-time semester has been extended to September 30, 2020. 
• The deadlines for submitting final theses has been extended.
• Regulations for free attempts (»Freiversuchen«) for examinations are being developed. 
• Penalties will be waived in the calculation of long-term study fees.

1. Semester Period

The digital summer semester at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar began on May 4, 2020. The (digital) lecture period will end on Friday, 24 July and will be followed by a maximum three-week examination period.  

The winter semester 2020/21 will begin as usual on 1 October 2020 and will end on 31 March 2021. The winter semester lecture period will take place from 2 November 2020 until 5 February 2021. This will be followed by a two-week examination period. 

These dates can also be found on our website at https://www.uni-weimar.de/en/university/news/academic-year/ 

2. Digital Teaching and Classroom Teaching

Courses have been converted to digital formats as much as possible. As a result, it should be generally possible for students to complete a full summer semester.  

In courses or exams where attendance is mandatory (labs, internships, etc.), hygiene and safety measures are currently being developed and coordinated with safety management. Attendance will not occur under any circumstances before 2 June 2020. 

In certain cases, some courses have been switched between summer and winter semester. This will be expanded upon by instructors.  We encourage you to make use of your academic advising services to help arrange your semester in the most optimal way possible. 

3. Examinations

The respective study and exam regulations for each degree programme apply and are supplemented by the following regulations:

In response to the coronavirus situation, teachers have been encouraged to develop digital exam formats as well. This means that formats may deviate from those originally published in course catalogues and module catalogues.  

3.1 Oral and Written Online Examinations

Oral audiovisual exams and remote/online exams may take place as: 

• Individual examinations (1 candidate, at least 1 examiner, 1 assessor, 1 keeper of the minutes); this includes, for instance, the defence of final papers
• Group examinations (maximum 5 candidates, at least 1 examiner, 1 assessor, 1 keeper of the minutes); this includes, for instance, project presentations, final presentations

Written online examinations (unsupervised) may take place

• e.g. papers, term papers, essays, designs, drafts, sketches, journals, or portfolios. 

Supervised written remote/online examinations may not be done one students’ computers. 

3.2 Software for Remote/Online Examinations

Software services that have been centrally released by the university and which have relevant contracts, e.g. BigBlueButton and DFNconf with Pexip, may be used.

3.3. Formalities

In the case of oral remote/online examinations, written consent (e.g. by e-mail) is required from both the candidate and the examiner conducting the examination. 

Identification must be presented before remote/online examinations are carried out. 

3.4. Attendance Phase

If necessary, attendance examinations may take place and must comply with relevant hygiene and safety measures.  Students who cannot or do not wish to participate in attendance examinations may either take the examinations next semester or agree upon alternative examination formats with their course instructors. 

4. Pandemic-related Compensation for Disadvantages

Please make use of existing possibilities such as a semester on leave or part-time semester if you will not be able to complete your studies, either fully or partially, without issue in the summer semester 2020. The Student Office will happily offer advice on this and can be reached by phone +49 (0)3643 - 58 2323 or e-mail studium@uni-weimar.de.

The deadline to apply for a semester on leave or part-time semester for the summer semester 2020 has been extended until 30 September. 

• During a semester on leave students cannot receive credit points, but they may participate in examination retakes. 
• During a part-time semester, students may earn a maximum of 18 credit points.  The semester then counts as a half semester. 
• Deadlines for submitting final papers and term papers that were registered before the digital semester began on 4 May 2020 and that had to/have to be submitted after 16 March 2020, have been extended by a period of 33 calendar days.  
• The deadline by which all assignments required by the degree programme according to the respective study and examination regulations must be submitted is extended by the summer semester (6 months).  
• Regulations on free attempts (»Freiversuchen«) are being developed. 
• In extreme cases, students may apply to waive or postpone the payment of long-term semester fees.  

5. Further Information – Including Information on Financial Support

Visit https://www.uni-weimar.de/en/coronavirus to stay up to date on the latest developments.

Dear Students,

On May 4 we will start our first digital semester at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar! We are pleased that we can offer a wide selection of modules and projects and that we can work to find solutions together in this challenging time. For the first time, we are trying out a new system this semester. Now, more than ever before, curiosity, open-mindedness, patience and, where necessary, forbearance are needed from all of us - from the professors, the administrative staff and also you.

In a normal year, the campus, laboratories, workshops and university buildings would already be bustling with semester activity. Your lack of presence here is completely unusual for us: We miss the liveliness with which you otherwise fill Bauhaus-Universität Weimar as a place of creativity and experiment. Nevertheless, we are confident that we will create a good semester together with you and your positive energy. We are proud of the understanding and solidarity that you have shown regarding the current situation. We can assure you once again that there is a great deal of willingness on the part of the governing bodies, the teaching staff and administrative staff to find solutions even under circumstances which currently appear to pose considerable hurdles. 

We appreciate that there may be things in your private lives that require special attention and are sources of stress in many cases. Our sympathy goes out to all those who, due to current risk factors, are particularly worried about themselves, relatives or friends, roommates and neighbours. Please continue to adhere to the behavioural and protective recommendations. The health of all members of the university remains our primary concern. 

This e-mail will provide you with important information for the start of the digital semester and give you possible points of contact for enquiries. After intensive and constructive efforts in working groups at all levels and in consultation with the responsible ministry, several important points have now been decided:

1. General information about the Summer Semester 2020

The lecture period in the Summer Semester 2020 begins (digitally) on May 4, 2020 and ends on July 24, 2020. After that, depending on the faculty, there will be a three-week examination phase. For more specific information, please refer to the publications of your respective faculty examination offices. In justified individual cases, different arrangements can be made by heads of study courses. Unfortunately, we cannot yet tell you reliably whether the exam phase will take place digitally or in person as this will depend on the development of the pandemic and the requirements of the state of Thuringia. The »summaery«, our annual end-of-year exhibition, is expected to take place digitally around the 30th of July.

The bison portal or the online event directory will be available to you from Monday, 27 April. The digital Project Exchange (Projektbörse) which is carried out by some degree programs, will take place on Monday, 4 May. You can organise your own study timetable between 27 April and 4 May. For the specific terms of online projects, modules, and course enrolment etc., please look at your faculty-specific information, which is included in the bison portal and on the faculty websites.

Even for a digital semester, you must be registered, re-registered or on leave at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. If you have any questions about your status or if you are unable to register in the bison portal, please contact the Studies and Teaching Department (DSL) hotline (by telephone Monday-Friday 9 am-2 pm at +49 (0) 3643- 58 23 23 or by email to studium[at]uni-weimar.de). The DSL with its student office and the general student advisory service will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding long-term study fees, deadlines and other individual issues. We are aware that some of you may need more support because of the special circumstances surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic. We will do everything we can to keep disadvantages as low as possible.

2. Studying digitally

To study digitally you need a computer (also possible with tablets of course), access to the Internet and your university login. If you have any questions about logging in, please contact the SCC hotline: hotline[at]scc.uni-weimar.de. If you have any questions about software and licenses, please contact the responsible professor first.

As has been the case in previous semesters, the main tool for online teaching is our Moodle platform (learning management system). For tips on how to use Moodle and other topics related to digital studies, please first look into the toolbox or the e-labs pages: www.uni-weimar.de/elab. There you will also find tutorials and access to self-study rooms. To support you, 20 trained student e-tutors are working to respond to the additional demand. They are available to support professors and students in digital teaching. If you have any questions on this topic, please contact studium-digital[at]uni-weimar.de.

3. Study support areas

Since April 21, 2020, it has been possible to borrow and return books and DVDs in the University Library. This service is initially being offered from Monday to Friday from 10 am to 2 pm and only for university members. Orders from the entire media inventory of the library must be made beforehand via the online catalogue (OPAC) or via the Discovery Service (BibSearch). Information and advice will not be given in the library, but by e-mail at info[at]ub.uni-weimar.de or phone at +49 (0) 3643-58 28 10. Free-reading areas as well as the individual and group study rooms remain closed for the time being. 

As of April 15, 2020, borrowing copies of articles and partial copies of monographs (books) is being offered to library users under the "COVID-19 Emergency Service". Through an agreement with 'VG Wort', copies can be sent directly to library users until 31 May 31, 2020. The interlibrary loaning of monographs is not yet possible

Until May 4, 2020, the workshops, laboratories and student work rooms will not be open for use. We are aware that for many of you these are of high value to your studies. We are looking for solutions that meet the requirements for Coronavirus containment. In this respect, a general date for reopening cannot yet be given, as a detailed review on how this will work is currently in progress. Please bear in mind that certain groups will take priority, e.g. those working towards their final dissertation.

The Language Centre has been offering more than 35 language courses online since 20 April. We are pleased to see that over 1,000 participants have enrolled in these courses. Unfortunately, the premises of the Language Centre as well as the facilities of the University Sport Centre will remain closed.

4. Financial support

The state of Thuringia and the university have set up financial aid for students in acute emergencies. Please note this point in the FAQ for students on the Coronavirus topic page www.uni-weimar.de/en/coronavirus. Through the responsible ministry, the University Rectors' Conference and the Thuringian Presidents’ Conference, we are striving for further federal support for students. This has already been partially successful for the new arrangements on the BaföG, for example. Please consult the Studierendenwerk Thüringen (Thuringia Student Services) website https://www.stw-thueringen.de/english/stw-startseite.html  and do not hesitate to take advantage of these offers. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of staff, loans can currently be paid out in just a few days.

5. Exchange Students

All arrangements also apply to our exchange students. If you have any questions about the organisation of your studies, you can also contact the individual faculties’ international counsellors (https://www.uni-weimar.de/de/universitaet/struktur/dezernate/dezernat-internationale-beziehungen/international-counsellors-der-4-fakultaeten/). For other matters, please refer to your respective contact person in the International Office.

We hope that this information will help you get off to a good start in a successful digital semester. The next steps are currently in preparation. The university management and colleagues in the faculties and administration will provide you with the comprehensive information necessary for successful studies as soon as possible.

Tomorrow, Tuesday 28 April, we will also be offering you a new way of exchanging ideas: a live stream with the President: https://meeting.uni-weimar.de/b/ste-xkt-u7a . We look forward to answering your questions from 3 to 4 pm You can find all information beforehand on the Coronavirus topic page mentioned above.

This live stream is intended to complement the President's weekly office hours, which are every Tuesday from 3 to 4 pm, currently by telephone, without appointment. Naturally, there is a regular exchange with the members of the StuKo (Student Government).

Wishing you the best for the start of the semester and please continue to take good care of yourself.

On behalf of the Board of Governance,

Prof. Dr. Winfried Speitkamp (President) and Prof. Dr. Christian Koch (Vice President of Academic Affairs)

Dear students,

Sehr geehrte Studierende,
 
ich schreibe Ihnen heute aus dem International Office der Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, da Sie sich als Austauschstudierende/r gerade zu einem Auslandssemester an einer Partnerinstitution befinden oder einen solchen Aufenthalt für die nahe Zukunft geplant haben. Die Situation in Bezug auf das Coronavirus entwickelt sich rasant und vielleicht überlegen Sie, ob Sie den Aufenthalt fortsetzen oder abbrechen sollen. Mit dieser Mail möchte ich Ihnen gern umfassend Ihre Möglichkeiten darlegen, sodass Sie Ihr weiteres Vorgehen sorgfältig entscheiden und entsprechend weiter planen können. Wir haben uns bemüht, die Lage so klar wie möglich zu beschreiben, Sie finden nachfolgend auch Ansprechpartner, an die Sie sich mit Rückfragen wenden können.
 
Zuerst: Die Bauhaus-Universität Weimar hat sich entschieden, Ihre outgoing Austausch-Studierenden nicht zur Rückkehr nach Weimar aufzufordern. Die Situation stellt sich von Ort zu Ort unterschiedlich dar, stellenweise sind Reisen auch nicht mehr möglich. Auch in Weimar sind umfassende Maßnahmen zur Verhinderung der Verbreitung des Corona-Virus ergriffen worden, die das öffentliche und soziale Leben stark einschränken. Auch wird sich an der Bauhaus-Universität Weimar das Sommersemester verschieben. Nach einer Entscheidung der Thüringer Landespräsidentenkonferenz ist der Beginn thüringenweit auf den 4. Mai als frühesten Termin verlegt worden (eine weitere Verschiebung ist möglich). Die Universität bittet diejenigen Studierenden, die einen anderen Hauptwohnsitz haben, nicht vorzeitig nach Weimar anzureisen.
 
Insofern wird die Entscheidung über Rückkehr oder Verbleib an der Gasthochschule immer eine Einzelfallentscheidung sein. Wir möchten Sie bei dieser Entscheidung bestmöglich unterstützen, indem wir Ihnen unten stehende Informationen bereitstellen, die Ihnen die Abwägung erleichtern kann. 
 
Regelungen zur vorfristigen Rückkehr in Bezug auf ETCS:
Die Bauhaus-Universität Weimar bemüht sich, möglichst verträgliche Lösungen zur Anerkennung von Studienleistungen von Studierenden zu finden, die durch Schließungen der Partnerhochschulen wegen des Coronavirus früher an die Bauhaus-Universität Weimar zurückkehren. Dies könnte bspw. durch die Anerkennung von bereits absolvierten Leistungen beim Partner geschehen oder durch die Ermöglichung des Weiterstudierens in Weimar im Sommersemester. Wenden Sie sich bitte mit Fragen an die jeweiligen International Counsellor bzw. Auskunftspersonen der Fakultäten:

• Fakultät Architektur & Urbanistik, Bereich Architektur: Nicole Wichmann Sperl (nicole.wichmann-sperl[at]uni-weimar.de)
• Fakultät Architektur & Urbanistik, Bereich Urbanistik: Caroline Kauert (Caroline.Kauert[at]uni-weimar.de)
• Fakultät Bauingenieurwesen: Birgit Bode (Birgit.Bode[at]uni-weimar.de)
• Fakultät Kunst und Gestaltung: Christina Dobritz (christina.dobritz[at]uni-weimar.de)
• Fakultät Medien: Annette Reese (annette.reese[at]uni-weimar.de)

Wir bitten um elektronische Konsultationen; bitte sehen Sie von einem Besuch in den Büros der Mitarbeitenden ab.
 
Bei vorfristiger Rückkehr bitte folgende Stellen informieren:

• Franziska Schütz (International Office): franziska.schuetz[at]uni-weimar.de
• Dezernat Studium und Lehre (Prüfungsangelegenheiten): studium[at]uni-weimar.de

Sollten Sie sich für eine Fortsetzung des Aufenthaltes an der Gasthochschule entscheiden:
Bitte orientieren Sie sich an den Informationen der lokalen Behörden, halten Sie die auferlegten Maßnahmen ein und befolgen Sie die Anweisungen der Gesundheitsämter und der Gasthochschule. Sollte das Auswärtige Amt eine Reisewarnung für die Region aussprechen, in der Sie sich aufhalten, ist dies gleichzusetzen mit einer Aufforderung der Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, den Aufenthalt umgehend abzubrechen und nach Deutschland zurückzukehren. Dies gilt auch unabhängig vom Coronavirus und den davon ausgehenden Gefahren. Die Bauhaus-Universität Weimar betrachtet dann die Mobilität als beendet und erkennt ggf. danach erworbene ETCS nicht mehr an. Gegenwärtig existiert eine solche Reisewarnung für die Region Wuhan, aber beispielsweise nicht für Italien. Wir raten Ihnen außerdem, sich im elektronischen Erfassungssystem des Auswärtigen Amts von Deutschen im Ausland »Elefand« einzutragen. Wenn Sie keine deutsche Staatsangehörigkeit besitzen, informieren Sie sich bitte bei der Botschaft Ihres Heimatlandes.
 
Falls Sie aufgrund einer Reisewarnung des Auswärtigen Amtes Ihren Auslandsaufenthalt abbrechen müssen und dabei auf Unterstützung angewiesen sind, melden Sie sich bitte beim Sekretariat des International Office (Telefon +49(0)3643 / 58 23 73, sandy.resch[at]uni-weimar.de).
 
Regelungen für diejenigen, die ihren Auslandsaufenthalt noch nicht angetreten haben:
Wenn Sie Ihren Auslandsaufenthalt noch nicht begonnen haben, raten wir Ihnen von einem Antritt der Reise ab. Die Situation entwickelt sich sehr dynamisch und es ist nicht absehbar, welchen Restriktionen Sie im Gastland bei Einreise, sofern diese überhaupt möglich ist, als aus Deutschland Kommender unterworfen sein werden. Die in den vorangegangenen Abschnitten dargelegten Kulanzregeln gelten für Sie womöglich nicht, wenn Sie trotz der offensichtlichen Gefahr die Reise antreten und später abbrechen müssen. Sicher abgedeckt sind dagegen Stornokosten, die aus Absage der Reise entstehen, bis zur Höhe des ursprünglich zugesagten Stipendiums.
 
Ich hoffe, Ihnen mit diesen Informationen eine Hilfestellung zur eigenverantwortlichen Entscheidung bezüglich Ihres Auslandssemesters gegeben zu haben. Für Rückfragen stehe ich Ihnen gern zur Verfügung.
 
Ich bedauere sehr, dass sich Ihr langer geplanter Auslandsaufenthalt nun so unerwartet wendet und hoffe, dass die allerorts eingeleiteten Maßnahmen greifen und sich die Situation bald günstig entwickelt. 

Bleiben Sie gesund!
 

Mit vielen Grüßen
Christian Kästner
Leiter Dezernat Internationale Beziehungen

Dear Bauhaus-Universität Weimar Students,

The situation regarding the coronavirus is consistently unfolding. Assessments and recommendations have been implemented. The Board of Governance will be erring on the side of maximum caution, reasonably taking measures and publishing information based on expediency. We will be permanently updating our website (www.uni-weimar.de/coronavirus) and informing you via e-mail.

Please check to see if any of the following conditions applies to you:

• Travelling to or returning from risk areas – regardless of whether or not you are suffering from symptoms (www.uni-weimar.de/coronavirus)

• Contact with anyone from a risk area who is suffering from the illness (https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Risikogebiete.html)

• Symptoms of coronavirus

Please follow the procedure here:

Contact the City of Weimar's Health Department:
City of Weimar’ Health Department hotline (German only): +49 (0) 3643 / 76 25 55
Hours: Monday – Friday, 7am – 8 pm and Saturday and Sunday 9 am – 3 pm

Further information in German, English, Arabic, and Chinese can be found on the Public Health Department website: https://stadt.weimar.de/aktuell/presse/mitteilung/informationen-zum-coronavirus/

The Public Health Department is the authority on which concrete measures are to be taken. Please follow the recommended procedure.

Additionally, it is required that you inform the university via e-mail at studium[at]uni-weimar.de  

If you do not speak German, we have set up an English hotline:
phone: +49 (0) 3643 / 58 23 63
hours: Monday- Thursday: 10 am – 4 pm; Friday: 10 am – 2.30 pm and Saturday: 10 am – 4 pm

The Board of Governance of Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is closely monitoring this developing situation and making all efforts to find solutions for both existing and anticipated issues.
We are also in contact with other Thuringian universities, Studierendenwerk Thüringen, and the city of Weimar.

These preventative measures are being put in place in order to make the semester start in April possible.  Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. Questions or comments may be directed to studium[at]uni-weimar.de.

On behalf of the Board of Governance
Prof. Dr. Winfried Speitkamp
President

» Download the Mailing to the students on 10 March

Dear members of Bauhaus-Universität Weimar,

We are currently receiving a high volume of inquiries regarding coronavirus and the uncertainties of how to deal with it at our university. As the situation cannot be conclusively assessed at this time by medical experts and new information is still emerging, uncertainties are to be expected.  

We are in contact with state authorities and will react immediately if required. Any changes in the assessments made by the public health department with be passed on to you as quickly as possible. This includes recommendations and information, as well as the cancellation of events or facility closures.
Please pay attention to postings on our online Message Boards: https://www.uni-weimar.de/en/university/news/message-boards/

We ask you, as members of the university community, to act prudently and responsibly if you suspect that you may be ill. We also ask that you refrain from overgeneralizing or placing other under unwarranted suspicion.

This email is intended to provide all university members with up-to-date information and recommendations regarding coronavirus:

• Those who have been in a risk area (as identified by the Robert Koch Institute) should – regardless of their symptoms – avoid unnecessary personal contact and stay at home if possible. If you are experiencing acute respiratory symptoms, be sure to follow proper coughing and sneezing etiquette and make sure to wash your hands properly. Consult your physician if you are experiencing symptoms, but be sure to call the doctor's office – with the help of a translator if needed – first to let them know about your symptoms.

• Further helpful information has been posted on our website, which we are updating regularly www.uni-weimar.de/en/coronavirus

We would also like to direct you to the following reliable sources:

• European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en
• Federal Centre for Health Education: www.infektionsschutz.de/coronavirus-sars-cov-2.html
• Federal Ministry of Health: https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/en/press/2020/coronavirus.html

We would like to thank you for your cooperation and understanding during this challenging situation.

On behalf of the Board of Governance,
Prof. Dr. Winfried Speitkamp
President

» Download the mailing of the presidium to all members of the university on 28 February

In diesem Bereich haben wir verschiedene Themen, die für Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter im Home-Office relevant sind, gebündelt. Weitere ausführliche Informationen finden Sie auch auf den Seiten des SCC unter: https://www.uni-weimar.de/de/universitaet/struktur/zentrale-einrichtungen/scc-rechenzentrum/service/

Dear Bauhaus-Universität Weimar employees and students,

today the Robert Koch-Institute raised its risk assessment for Germany to »high«. As a university, we are currently in a serious situation.

In order to prevent the further spread of the virus and protect all of us, the following binding regulations have been set:

• For the time being, the start of the summer semester has been provisionally postponed until 4 May 2020. This decision was made by the Landespräsidentenkonferenz (Conference of State Presidents). Courses requiring attendance are suspended immediately. There are no exceptions to this regulation.

• Written examinations may not take place and will be rescheduled once the summer semester has begun. Oral examinations are to take place digitally if possible. Due dates and deadlines for final examinations and term papers are, in general, extended for the closure period.

• University facilities such as workshops, the check-out services in the University Library, sports facilities, the Language Centre, student workrooms, and laboratories are now closed. If you would like to pick up any materials or work left in any of these locations, check your faculty's webpage.

• If you are not yet in Weimar, we strongly advise that you postpone your arrival until the start date for the summer semester is certain.

• The university is making every effort to avoid any disadvantages or damage that may be caused by these regulations.
  
  
• All office hours are suspended. Contact to university employees can be made via e-mail or telephone.

• Please refer to the Studentenwerk Thüringen webpage for questions regarding housing and BaföG regulations: www.stw-thueringen.de This page also provides a list of appropriate contact persons regarding these issues.

Any students who are currently abroad or who had planned to go abroad have been notified separately.

The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is taking these preventative steps and acting according to our responsibility for our members and will not be waiting for the authorities to implement them.

The rapid spread of the coronavirus, along with the severe progression of the virus, requires cooperation and responsible behaviour. It is crucial that everyone complies with the given regulations and recommendations. (www.rki.de, www.BzgA.de, www.stadt.weimar.de/aktuell/coronavirus-en).

Please be aware that the length of these restrictions, the further operation of the university, and the consequences of this situation cannot be predicted with certainty due to the sheer number of unanswered questions.

Inquiries regarding when the semester will begin and how the semester will be structured cannot be answered at this time. We are happy to take any of your questions, comments, or suggestions regarding study matters at studium[at]uni-weimar.de.

We are doing our best to find practical and efficient solutions. Technical concepts for online work are the way.  We do ask, however, for your understanding, since there is currently enormous demand and such a short-term arrangement cannot be guaranteed.

We will inform you via our coronavirus website of any concrete dates or instructions as soon as we receive them. We recommend that you consult this site regularly: www.uni-weimar.de/en/coronavirus.

We strictly advise university members about the mandatory drastic reduction of all social contacts outside of your own household. We do understand that many people are concerned about the course of these developments. Please be assured that we, within the Board of Governance and within the University Task Force are in direct communication with all university units and are constantly working on the best possible regulations for our university.

Look after yourselves and one another and stay healthy!

Our thoughts are with all those who have already been affected, their families, and those waiting for test results. We wish to thank all those who are acting in solidarity and preventing the spread of the virus by staying in home quarantine.

On behalf of the Board of Governance

Prof. Dr. Winfried Speitkamp
President

Versand: 13.02.2020

Betreff: Informationen für Beschäftigte zur Allgemeinverfügung der Stadt Weimar vom 13. März 2020

Liebe Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter,

die Stadt Weimar hat heute, Freitag, 13. März 2020, eine Allgemeinverfügung erlassen, die auch die Bauhaus-Universität Weimar betrifft. Präsenzveranstaltungen in der Lehre finden ab sofort nicht mehr statt.

Der normale Dienstbetrieb in der Bauhaus-Universität Weimar wird für alle Beschäftigten bis auf Weiteres grundsätzlich fortgeführt.

Aufgrund der Verfügung der Stadt sind auch Schulen und Kinderbetreuungseinrichtungen geschlossen. Falls Sie davon betroffen sind, werden wir gemeinsam mit Ihnen eine Lösung finden. Entsprechende Informationen finden Sie so bald wie möglich auf unserer Website.

Für Montag, 16. März, bitten wir Sie, mit Ihrer/Ihrem Vorgesetzten zu klären, welche Lösung gefunden werden kann; hierbei wird es kulante Regelungen geben. Die Vereinbarung von Home-Office zur Corona-Gesundheitsprävention wird direkt zwischen den jeweiligen Vorgesetzten und Mitarbeitenden (bitte schriftlich per E-Mail) vereinbart. Entstehende Fragen sind ebenfalls auf dieser Ebene zu besprechen.

Im Namen des Präsidiums der Bauhaus-Universität Weimar

Prof. Dr. Winfried Speitkamp
Präsident

Dear Bauhaus-Universität Weimar staff and students,

To expand upon the information we published on Friday regarding the coronavirus, we wish to inform you further on the following situations and recommended procedures:

(1) Information for Employees:

Travelling to or returning from risk areas (no symptoms)

• If you have visited any of the Robert Koch Institute-designated risk areas (https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Risikogebiete.html) within the last 14 days are asked to stay at home for 14 days, regardless of whether or not you are experiencing respiratory disease symptoms. Further information may be obtained by contacting the City of Weimar’s Health Department (03643 / 76 25 55). Be sure to inform your supervisor of your absence by phone or e-mail.

• If you are not experiencing symptoms of the virus, clarify with your supervisor whether you can work from home during this time, or if you have to be exempted from work. Employees will continue to be paid if they are required to take a leave of absence. Supervisors are requested to report employees who are returning from risk areas to the Service Centre for Security Management by e-mailing dirk.schmidt[at]uni-weimar.de.

Contact with Someone from a Risk Area Who Is Suffering from the Illness 

• If, in the last 14 days, you have had contact with anyone who has been in a risk area and is experiencing symptoms of the virus, contact the City of Weimar’s Health Department hotline (03643 / 76 25 55)

Symptoms of Coronavirus

• If you are experiencing coronavirus symptoms after returning from a designated risk area, or after having had contact with anyone suffering from coronavirus, contact your doctor immediately. Be sure to call first and explain that you have been in a risk area or in contact with someone who has been in a risk area and is experiencing symptoms of the virus (fever, for example). If you are experiencing symptoms, take extra care to follow proper health etiquette. This includes coughing and sneezing etiquette, washing hands thoroughly and often, avoiding unnecessary contact, and staying at home if possible.  

Business Travel

• As a precaution, business trips to the above-mentioned risk areas will not be approved until further notice. Any approvals that have already been granted for business travel are invalid. Cancellation fees for business travel that have already been paid may be reimbursed without required further explanation or proof.

• Regarding business travel to non-risk areas, please contact the event organizer or cooperation partner to clarify whether the event will take place or not. In addition, we ask that you clarify with your supervisors if the business travel is absolutely necessary.

• Further questions regarding business travel may be directed to Human Resources, Travel Cost Centre by e-mailing saskia.edvardsson[at]uni-weimar.de or beate.haltmeyer-forstner[at]uni-weimar.de.

Heavily Trafficked Public Places

• We ask employees who work in heavily trafficked public areas to follow proper health etiquette (keep your distance from others, sneezing etiquette, etc.). If you have any uncertainties regarding possible risks, contact your doctor and supervisor. This person will contact the Service Centre for Security Management and decide on appropriate measures. Following this, the occupational health service will be consulted if required.

(2) Information for Events

• In the case of events that have already been planned, the event organizer and the Presidium are responsible for determining whether the event will take place or not. This is done by consulting the Robert Koch Institute »Allgemeinen Prinzipien der Risikoeinschätzung und Handlungsempfehlung für Großveranstaltungen« (General Risk Principles and Recommendations for Major Events) (PDF from 28.02.2020 at https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Risiko_Grossveranstaltungen.pdf?__blob=publicationFile).
  Decisions on event cancellations or postponements will be made on a case-by-case basis. Further questions may be directed to Dirk Schmidt, Head of the Service Centre for Security Management (dirk.schmidt[at]uni-weimar.de). Dirk Schmidt is also responsible for the initiating these procedures for the university.

• The decision to postpone the university’s Open Campus Day (HIT) on 7. March was made after careful consideration based on the assessment list for major events provided by the Robert Koch Institute. These assessments are not directly based on specific numbers of attendees, but instead based the event organizer’s comprehensive individual evaluation, which includes factors such as room size and the expected audience.

The Presidium is closely monitoring this developing situation and making all efforts to find solutions for both existing and anticipated issues. We are also in contact with other Thuringian universities, Studierendenwerk Thüringen, and the city of Weimar.

On behalf of the Presidium
Prof. Dr. Winfried Speitkamp
President

» Download the Mailing from the Presidium adressing staff members on 6 March

Dear members of Bauhaus-Universität Weimar,

We are currently receiving a high volume of inquiries regarding coronavirus and the uncertainties of how to deal with it at our university. As the situation cannot be conclusively assessed at this time by medical experts and new information is still emerging, uncertainties are to be expected.  

We are in contact with state authorities and will react immediately if required. Any changes in the assessments made by the public health department with be passed on to you as quickly as possible. This includes recommendations and information, as well as the cancellation of events or facility closures.
Please pay attention to postings on our online Message Boards: https://www.uni-weimar.de/en/university/news/message-boards/

We ask you, as members of the university community, to act prudently and responsibly if you suspect that you may be ill. We also ask that you refrain from overgeneralizing or placing other under unwarranted suspicion.

This email is intended to provide all university members with up-to-date information and recommendations regarding coronavirus:

• Those who have been in a risk area (as identified by the Robert Koch Institute) should – regardless of their symptoms – avoid unnecessary personal contact and stay at home if possible. If you are experiencing acute respiratory symptoms, be sure to follow proper coughing and sneezing etiquette and make sure to wash your hands properly. Consult your physician if you are experiencing symptoms, but be sure to call the doctor's office – with the help of a translator if needed – first to let them know about your symptoms.

• Further helpful information has been posted on our website, which we are updating regularly www.uni-weimar.de/en/coronavirus

We would also like to direct you to the following reliable sources:

• European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en
• Federal Centre for Health Education: www.infektionsschutz.de/coronavirus-sars-cov-2.html
• Federal Ministry of Health: https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/en/press/2020/coronavirus.html

We would like to thank you for your cooperation and understanding during this challenging situation.

On behalf of the Board of Governance,
Prof. Dr. Winfried Speitkamp
President

» Download the mailing of the presidium to all members of the university on 28 February

The university is making every effort to provide all buildings and sanitary facilities with signs in English and German in order to explain how to deal with the coronavirus. If not all entrances and sanitary rooms in your area are signposted accordingly, you can download the information signs here and print them out yourself.