Information on the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)

• The usual deadlines for applications and semester starts apply until further notice.
• The selection interviews in the context of the application for a study place take place digitally.
• Certificates can be handed in later, where necessary.
• Students who require a visa only have to present their visa when they come to Germany. It is not necessary for the application.

The semester officially starts on October 1 but most study programmes start teaching mid-October. Contact your office of student affairs for exact dates. Freshers events take place from October 1 until teaching begins, either digitally, in person or as mix.

• Even if/when classroom teaching starts, international students at the Faculty of Management, Economics and Society can start their studies abroad online until they are allowed to come to Germany.

What about examinations?

• Examinations take place digitally. If this is not possible, exams are conducted under strict hygiene conditions.

Who can currently travel to Germany?

• EU-Residents:
  • EU citizens and nationals of the UK, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland are excluded from the travel restrictions. For up-to-date information, please check the website of the German Federal Ministry of Interior here: https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/faqs/EN/topics/civil-protection/coronavirus/travel-restrictions-border-control/travel-restriction-border-control-list.html#f13919566
• Non-EU-Residents (provided that they have a valid visa):
  • From countries with no travel restrictions:
    • Currently residents from the following list of countries can enter Germany without restrictions. The list of countries is updated by the German Federal Ministry of Interior every two weeks. Please check, if your country is on the list here: https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/pressemitteilungen/EN/2020/07/anpassung-einreisebschraenkungen-drittstaaten-en.html
  • From countries with travel restrictions:
    • If your country is not on the list and you wish to enter Germany, please get in touch with the International Office (international-office@uni-wh.de). The International Office can then help you to arrange your travel to Germany, as many documents are needed to successfully complete the process.
    • The process of entering Germany currently roughly look as follows:
      • You may enter Germany if you either have a permanent residency/ residency title in Germany or possess a document, which states that your study is not fully possible from abroad (should you need such a document, please reach out to international-office@uni-wh.de)
      • To avoid the two weeks quarantine you need to inform the local German police authorities at the airport of entry before you enter, carry a negative corona test with you that is not older than 48 hours before departure and carry the document with you, which states that your study is not fully possible from abroad. You can also get the corona test on arrival if landing at Frankfurt airport (for a fee).
      • Once you arrive, you have to register with the local Health Department in Witten (infektionsschutz@en-kreis.de) within 48 hours of arrival in order to avoid being quarantined for two weeks. Please send them your name, contact details and a PDF scan of your negative corona test (not older than 48h before departure).
      • Please contact the International Office for help with the above steps.

• Department specific details can be found under Regulations for UW/H-specific areas.
• For further questions about studying during the coronavirus restrictions, please contact the application offices. Contact details can be found under the respective degree programme.
• For further questions concerning international students, please contact the International Office at international-office@uni-wh.de.

Section regarding business trips has been updated.

Dear colleagues,
Dear students,

Many of you have questions and concerns regarding your studies in the winter semester 20/21. The greatest fear is that the winter semester will also take place exclusively digitally. Therefore, we would like to inform you of the current status of the next semester.

Within the new guidelines, we would like to make it possible for students to study on campus again. The University of Witten/Herdecke is, and will remain, an on campus university, a place of physical encounter and discourse.

The good corona development throughout Germany - apart from special regional situations that will always occur - and the new legal relaxations for the universities in NRW now give us the chance to plan and carry out the winter semester largely on campus again.

It goes without saying that the legally prescribed hygiene and protective measures must be observed when on campus teaching resumes. It will also require considerable effort to prepare the timetables and seating plans required for precise traceability. We are starting this task today in order to be well prepared for the autumn.

The digital summer semester is going well in all faculties and study programmes - with some limitations. We want to carefully evaluate the diverse, often surprising and positive experiences we have had with the digital switchover and definitely want to use them in the further development of our "Witten Didactics": Digital teaching and learning formats can and should be used if they contribute to making teaching more flexible and better in the form of a hybrid solution.

This plan is based on the current state of affairs, since nobody can predict with certainty how the pandemic will develop.

However, from today's perspective, the majority of our teaching activities will take place on campus again from October 2020. We are looking forward to an intensive winter semester. We want to make many of the physical and personal encounters possible again, which are simply a vital part of life and study at our university.

Last but not least: we remain vigilant, cautious and act responsibly.

Stay healthy!

On behalf of the Task-Force

Stefan Zimmer

On behalf of the Präsidium

Martin Butzlaff          Jan Peter Nonnenkamp          Jan Ehlers

During the past few months, the coronavirus pandemic has called for various restrictions and measures. As the medical situation continues to improve, the restrictions applicable in public and at work can now be eased step by step. By introducing the following updated rules, UW/H too wants to take further steps towards “university as usual”.

First of all: the current hygiene measures (keeping a distance of at least 1.5 metres; thoroughly washing and disinfecting your hands; avoiding risks of infection) continue to apply on all UW/H premises. Events can only be held when participants adhere to the legal obligation to wear masks. Moreover, the name, date of birth, address and phone number of all participants have to be recorded. We will provide appropriate forms in the next few days.

The following rules have been updated:

Partial revocation of business trip ban

From now on, urgent business trips within Germany are permissible again and can be approved by the respective manager. An approval by the Executive Board is no longer required. Business trips can be authorised if digital communication forms are not possible or inappropriate. If you consider going on a business trip, please consider the trip’s relevance in relation to health risks you may face. Travelling abroad is still prohibited until further notice.

Please also bear in mind that the University’s travel budget has been cut until the end of this year. If the business trip you are planning involves any costs, you need to obtain your manager’s approval before starting your trip to ensure that you comply with the – significantly cut – travel budget.

Meetings required for professional or business reasons

The current coronavirus health protection regulations of 30 May 2020, § 4 (1), enable us to ease restrictions as meetings, assemblies and events for professional, commercial and business reasons are allowed on the premises of enterprises, companies and authorities, provided these events are no sociable events like company celebrations or excursions. The same applies if meetings, assemblies and events take place in conference and meeting facilities, including conference and meeting rooms in hotels and restaurants, in compliance with § 14 (3) of the coronavirus health protection regulations.

Rules regarding teaching and studying

Currently, rules regarding teaching and studying have not yet been updated.

Digital teaching will be continued during the current summer semester. Courses, seminars and practical trainings that have to be held as face-to-face meetings because they must take place in special facilities or need special equipment (e.g. laboratories, work spaces, recording studios, as well as coaching and exercises in art workshops and studios) are permitted. Such courses are limited to 20 participants and have to comply with the above-mentioned hygiene and documentation rules. Registered students just need to provide their student ID number.

In consultation with the programme coordinator, events for the current first-semester students serving to get acquainted with each other on a face-to-face basis may be held at the end of the summer semester. We will keep you informed about the details.

Non-teaching events organised by Witten/Herdecke University

In general, organising non-teaching events (e.g. professional trainings, symposiums or academic conferences) with up to 100 participants is possible again. In this context, however, preventive measures (social distancing rules, hygiene measures, documentation of participant data, etc.) are particularly important. Until further notice, any such event may therefore only be organised after prior approval by the Executive Board. The written application must be handed in together with a hygiene concept at least two weeks before the event takes place. The Executive Board submits the hygiene concept for approval by the competent public health authority.

Holiday planning as usual

The decision made in March to allow the cancellation of already approved days off only in exceptional cases has been cancelled. As of now, days off can thus be cancelled or rescheduled again in coordination with the managers. Approval by the Executive Board is no longer necessary.

Please bear in mind that you can transfer only up to five days to 2021.

At UW/H and in society as a whole, we are currently looking back on three months of dramatic and rapid changes: from immediate lockdown and University closure to cautiously easing some restrictions. Right now, we expect and hope to be able to take further steps towards “university as usual” soon.

Nevertheless, we have to bear in mind that infections may increase again and that we need to be able to quickly respond to a possible second wave of infection. Therefore, we are currently elaborating a concept that allows more face-to-face meetings and courses during the winter semester 2020/2021 and, at the same time, continue to use and develop the positive experiences we gathered by moving teaching online.

• The revised coronavirus health protection regulations explicitly ban the operation of university cafeterias. Students can therefore no longer visit the UW/H Cafeteria in the main campus building for the time being.

• Classroom teaching and face-to-face events are prohibited until 31 August 2020. This applies to classroom teaching and other face-to-face events on UW/H premises and elsewhere on behalf of UW/H, except for certain exams as well as laboratory and clinical courses which cannot be held digitally.

• The re-opening of the University Library is subject to certain conditions.

• Cafeteria re-opening: To ensure that infection control is not neglected in spite of all the culinary delights, the team of the Hochschulwerk asks you to take note of the following:
  Please be advised that we can only allow as many guests in the seating area of the cafeteria as there are designated seats available.
  Please disinfect your hands before entering and after leaving the cafeteria.
  Please maintain a minimum distance of 1.5 metres from other visitors when entering and during your stay in the cafeteria.
  Please do not move the tables and chairs, as their placement follows a hygiene plan, which we must adhere to.
  Please observe the sneezing and coughing etiquette (sneeze or cough in the crook of your arm).
  Please wear (except when eating and drinking) the face mask you brought with you.
  Please follow all other hygiene rules that apply in the university.

• Opening of the main campus for guests: External guests may enter the main building of the university under these conditions:
  They must wear a mouth-and-nose mask during their stay.
  They observe the hygiene measures recommended by the Robert Koch Institute (https://www.uni-wh.de/en/uwh-international/university/information-on-the-novel-coronavirus/#protection-measures-for-everyone).
  They keep a distance of at least 1.5 meters from other people.
  After entering the building, they disinfect their hands - a disinfectant dispenser can be found behind the revolving door.

• Business trips and face-to-face meetings for three or more persons are still prohibited.
• The home office rule also remains in force until further notice.
• All internal as well as external events and meetings in presence (on the premises of the UW/H or in the name of the UW/H elsewhere) are cancelled until further notice.
• The re-opening of the University library on May 4 is subject to certain conditions.
• The re-opening of the cafeteria on May 4 is subject to certain conditions.
• Starting May 4, external guests may enter the main building of the university under these conditions.

The University requires all employees to wear a mask outside your office in all areas publicly accessible from Monday, 27 April 2020.

Our decision is based on the national obligation to cover nose and mouth, for example by wearing so-called everyday face masks, when using public transport or going shopping from next Monday onwards.

This week, UW/H has already provided masks for every staff member. If you don't have one yet, please contact your manager or human resources.

Social distancing on University premises as well as the prohibition of business trips have been prolonged until May 4.

Studying at Witten/Herdecke University during the COVID-19 pandemic

The Schools of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing Science already started into the summer semester 2020 last week. Other degree programmes will follow next Monday. Due to the pandemic, UW/H moves to digital teaching and learning to avoid any delays. During the last weeks, more than 600 participants have prepared themselves in over 110 workshops designed to assist instructors in shifting to remote teaching and to create new teaching formats. We announced some regulations regarding teaching and exams on this site some time ago. After the Federal Government and the Federal States have taken new decisions on contact restrictions to contain the COVID-19 pandemic (https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-en/news/fahrplan-corona-pandemie-1744276), first cautious steps can be taken to reopen universities (e.g. lab courses or exams in compliance with special hygiene and safety precautions) from 4 May 2020.

Our task force as well as examination boards and faculty councils have already agreed and taken many measures to move teaching and exams online. As of 18 April 2020, the NRW decree on how to meet the challenges for university operations caused by the coronavirus epidemic ("Verordnung zur Bewältigung der durch die Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2-Epidemie an den Hochschulbetrieb gestellten Herausforderungen)“ will be in effect, enabling us to come up with further options for implementing teaching and exams during this crisis.

Dentistry and economics, for example, vary a lot regarding requirements, curricula, internships and examination formats. Different measures and adaptations are therefore necessary for each degree programme. In particular, the state examination programmes of human and dental medicine are mainly subject to federal legislation and only to a limited extent to the above-mentioned NRW decree.

As the further development of the coronavirus crisis is difficult to predict, we have to be prepared that our decision-making basis may change rapidly. Please bear in mind that the following measures and adaptations reflect the current state of planning and may change at short notice. We will keep you informed about any changes as they occur.

Latest updates:

• Teaching & exams – general information
• Teaching and exams - Medicine
• Teaching & exams – Dentistry
• Teaching & exams – Nursing Science
• Teaching & exams – Psychology
• Teaching & exams – Management & Economics
• Teaching & exams – Humanities and Arts / Studium fundamentale
• University Library

Current risk assessement for Germany has been updated.

Vice President Prof. Jan Ehlers informs via YouTube on the topic of digital teaching.

These sections have been updated:

• General preventive measures

These sections have been updated:

• Temporary library operations
• Update on Bachelor, Master and Doctoral theses
• Digital semester start
• Staff presence at UW/H
• New leave arrangements (remaining 2019 leave days; leave days already requested)

• The cafeteria on campus will probably be closed until 19 April 2020. The Hochschulwerk student association will continue to stock up all automatic vending machines located in front of the serving counter.
• During the closure period, you will have the following food and beverage options in the main building:
  Hot beverages (e.g. various coffee drinks, hot chocolate)
  Cold beverages (e.g. fritz soft drinks, tees, juices, water)
  Sweets and snacks (e.g. fruits, chocolate, muffins, cereal and granola bars, potato crisps)
  Various sandwiches and pretzels (will be stocked up frequently)
  Organic vegetarian soups, ready to heat in the microwave (will be stocked up frequently)
• Until further notice, the food truck located between the main campus building and FEZ is open from Monday to Friday, from 11:30 am until 2:00 pm. However, it is no longer possible to eat in front of the truck.

• Based on the announcement of the NRW federal state government, all examinations with obligatory attendance on University campus are suspended from 19 March to 20 April 2020.
• The Registrar’s Office is no longer physically accessible. They are still available by phone and email. Various procedures (registration, re-registration and exmatriculation) can be done electronically.
• The office of the StudierendenGesellschaft (SG) is closed. However, the SG staff are still available via email and telephone.
• Many employees have already moved their workplace to home office in consultation with their manager. If you would like to make use of this option, please discuss this with your department heads in order to find individual solutions.
• The telephone hotline exclusively set up for UW/H members is active from now on. Questions will be answered by a team from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and either answered immediately or forwarded to the leaders of the respective working groups / teams of experts. The number is: +49 (0)2302 / 926 – 38050.

• The start of the summer semester is postponed to 20 April 2020. The last day of the semester continues to be 17 July 2020.
• UW/H classroom teaching (lectures, seminars and clinical practical trainings) is suspended with immediate effect.
• - Any clinical blocks (School of Medicine) are also suspended with immediate effect. This also applies to GP internships and clinical psychology internships.
• - Clinical electives (School of Medicine): shall be continued or started anew based on case-by-case decisions by the respective institution.
• - Curriculum framework (School of Medicine): The respective institutions (labs, surgeries, hospitals) decide on implementing the curriculum framework.
• - Residency (School of Medicine): Students currently in residency at university or teaching hospitals and surgeries shall be able to complete their residency. Subsequent cohorts shall also be able to start their residency as planned. Teaching during the residency should be implemented virtually, if necessary and feasible. Residency should take place only at institutions in Germany, if not having been started abroad already. (Recommendations of the German Association of Medical Schools, 15 March 2020)
• Outgoings (Medicine, Psychology, Management and Economics, Humanities and Arts): Students who are already abroad shall continue and complete their stay if the receiving institution agrees. Students setting out to study abroad have to cancel their travels.
• Bachelor and Master theses must be submitted electronically to the Dean’s Office by the deadline. In addition, printed versions should be sent by post to the responsible offices as soon as copyshops are open again.
• Experiments and empirical work (study and research papers) with active participation of test persons or individuals (e.g. interview partners, focus groups) can be carried out as long as hygiene and safety precautions are taken in line with current recommendations.
• Certificates: The University will ensure that certificates are issued within a reasonable period of time.
• Doctoral procedures shall be continued. During the empirical research phase, however, the exceptional COVID-19 pandemic situation must be taken into account.
• Library and study rooms: The library is closed but borrowing books is possible under certain circumstances. All study rooms on campus are also closed.

• Task force members join forces in the working groups listed below to answer questions in response to operating restrictions and to prepare University members for new arrangements regarding the University’s operations while these exceptional conditions prevail:

  Teaching & Exams
  Human Resources & Work Organisation
  Outpatient Centres
  Research / Labs & Third-Party Funding
  Student and Staff Involvement
  Communications

• A new email address is now available (corona@uni-wh.de). From this email account, questions on restrictions applying to the University’s operations will be answered.
• For data protection reasons, emails shall still be sent to praevention@uni-wh.de in the possible event of an infection.
• A telephone hotline will be set up exclusively for UW/H members. Questions will be answered by a team from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and either answered immediately or forwarded to the leaders of the respective working groups / teams of experts. The number is: +49 (0)2302 / 926 – 38050.

The task force informs university members about containment measures by email and video:

Classroom teaching:

• The start of the summer semester has been postponed until 20 April 2020 – 17 July 2020 continues to be the last day of the semester.
• UW/H classroom teaching will be suspended with immediate effect until 19 April 2020. This applies to all theoretical and practical courses, lectures and seminars.
• Medicine:
  • This also applies to the clinical blocks of the School of Medicine.
  • Medical students are free to engage in crisis support services of cooperating hospitals (e.g. hotlines). This engagement is to be coordinated with the hospitals on a case-by-case basis.
• Dentistry:
  • Student involvement in patient care is arranged separately (please see below "UW/H patient care facilities").
     
• Faculties will soon inform students about digital teaching and learning alternatives.
• Only in order to address specific needs and in well-founded exceptional cases, authorisation to conduct face-to-face courses may be obtained from the task force and the Executive Board by email to praevention@uni-wh.de.

Examinations:

• Any examinations scheduled to take place can still be taken as planned for the time being.
• We are currently working on finding appropriate solutions for holding examinations and will keep you informed.

Other meetings and events:

• Any internal and external face-to-face meetings and events (on UW/H premises or elsewhere on behalf of UW/H) are suspended until 19 April 2020.
• Digital formats may of course serve as an alternative.
• Only in order to address specific needs and in well-founded exceptional cases, authorisation may be obtained from the task force and the Executive Board. Apply for special permission by email to praevention@uni-wh.de.

Business trips:

• Business trips are prohibited until 19 April 2020.
• Business trips that have already been approved must not be started.
• If free cancellation is not possible, amounts paid will be reimbursed.
• Only in order to address specific needs and in well-founded exceptional cases, authorisation may be obtained from the task force and the Executive Board. Apply for authorisation by email to praevention@uni-wh.de.

School and nursery closures:

• From Monday, 16 March 2020, schools and nurseries in North Rhine-Westphalia are closed.
• Employees who need to take care of their children and have no other option arrange with their superiors whether they can work from home, take leave or time off in lieu, or work extra hours at a later time.

UW/H patient care facilities (dental clinic, outpatient centres):

• Employees and students of UW/H outpatient centres play a major role in ensuring patient care and thus have to take even greater responsibility in the current situation.
• They need to lay down special rules for their respective care situations in consultation with their superiors.

Course of action for individuals with possible COVID-19 infection:

• A possible COVID-19 infection can be assumed if individuals have returned from a high-risk area or had been in contact with a confirmed case of infection.
• In this case, the person concerned shall proceed as follows:
  • Inform her/his superior and discuss when the infection may have occurred.
  • Stay at home until the required period of self-isolation has elapsed (up to 14 days after presumed date of infection).
• If the person concerned experiences symptoms (such as fever, difficulty breathing, cough), she/he shall inform the competent public health authority and ensure that she/he will be tested as soon as possible (UW/H provides support if delays occur; in this event, the person concerned is asked to contact UW/H by email to praevention@uni-wh.de).

• The task force publishes a policy on the recommended course of action.

• Students are asked to observe travel and safety recommendations to protect themselves and others from getting ill. The task force makes students aware of recommendations and instructions regarding the coronavirus disease agreed upon and asks students to follow the advice provided on travelling in Germany and abroad, and in particular regarding trips to high-risk areas.
• In general, the task force recommends everybody avoid travelling to affected areas for their own protection. Students returning from an affected area are asked not to come to the University for 14 days after arrival until an infection can be ruled out.
• From now on, business trips to affected risk areas will no longer be approved. Employees are asked to also refrain from travelling to risk areas while on holiday.

• UW/H sets up this website to inform about the current corona disease situation. This site serves to provide background information on the coronavirus, preventive measures, risks of infection, as well as advice on how to react to suspected cases. The site will be updated on a regular basis.

• UW/H assembles a task force, which consists of a body of experts (virology experts, UW/H clinics management, facility management and more) and is led by Professor Zimmer. This group will meet several times a week and ensures that appropriate actions will take place at the appropriate time.
• The task force makes University members aware of the advice given by the World Health Organization, which is updated frequently. Information regarding hygiene measures and answers to frequently asked questions provided on the WHO website are particularly useful.