Ressort Presse

• von Ulrike Bohnsack
• 08.05.2020

On 6 May, the state of NRW announced a relaxation of the regulations which now also allow universities to operate with limited presence again. The Rectorate of the UDE has not yet received any details from the Ministry of Science.

These would have to be examined in detail. "It is difficult to imagine, however, why we should deviate from our current line of digital teaching and release lecture halls and seminar rooms for on-site events again at short notice," stresses the Rectorate. "Apart from the fact that presence operation places special demands on hygiene protection and room capacities, the lever can't simply be shifted from online to presence teaching".

"Great efforts have been made from all sides to offer digital and e-learning formats in the shortest possible time. And, as students and lecturers report to us, it works quite well," said the university management. This does not rule out the possibility that at the end of the semester, such practical courses and exercises, which are difficult to implement digitally, may not take place again. But the UDE has kept this option open from the very beginning and has therefore spoken of a hybrid semester.

In careful steps the UDE has also already begun to open up. The university library is largely accessible again, and research activities are gradually being resumed. The changes to the examination regulations are nearing completion, so that examinations can probably be held again in June and made up for.

The UDE Rectorate's attitude of not rushing back into reference operation is in line with the German Rectors' Conference and the State Rectors' Conference, i.e. the mergers at federal and NRW level.

Report of the German Rectors' Conference:
https://www.hrk.de/presse/pressemitteilungen/pressemitteilung/meldung/hrk-sommersemester-2020-weiter-als-online-semester-durchfuehren-rueckkehr-zu-praesenzlehre-nur-schri/