We thank all members of the University for their considerate and responsible behaviour during this pandemic. Even though there is still a risk of another critical increase in the infection rate, with all due considerations, we are planning for a winter semester under largely normal university operating conditions with face-to-face classroom teaching.
This "return to campus" will be a new challenge we will all face together. University life cannot thrive without personal contacts and informal exchange. We therefore ask you to become actively involved in the process of reopening our campus and to continue making responsible decisions in order to protect your own health as well as that of the larger community: Please get vaccinated, get tested regularly where advised and stay at home if you have any signs of a cold.
The Harz University of Applied Sciences relies on interactive teaching, fosters good relationships between students and lecturers and prides itself on the many active student groups. This is what makes up the special character of the two campuses in Wernigerode and Halberstadt: let us together actively shape our University life again.
As long as the pandemic situation allows it, the upcoming winter semester will be conducted as an attendance semester. However, we may have to switch back to online teaching and home office at short notice. Therefore, we will implement a three-tier plan:
Green: generally face-to-face teaching
- Scenario 1: without distance rules
- Scenario 2: with distance rules in small groups
Yellow: generally online teaching
- Exceptions for labs and other courses in small groups with distance rules
Red: Exclusively online teaching, no exceptions
Decisive for decisions regarding criteria such as mask obligation, distance rules, regulations regarding face-to-face meetings based on vaccinated, recovered or tested status will continue to be the valid regulations of the state of Saxony-Anhalt as well as the parameters of the Robert Koch Institute (in particular the seven-day incidence for the district of Harz as well as any additional indicators regarding the state of the health system, mortality rates or long-term consequences of a Covid-19 infection). Specific regulations regarding the three-tier system will be made by the President’s office in close consultation with the extended Dean's Circle and the Health and Safety Officer before the beginning of the winter semester.
Only students who can verify that they have been vaccinated against, recovered from or have a negative test for COVID 19 are allowed to enter the university buildings (GGG rule in German: “Getestete, Genesene oder Geimpfte”). Test results must not be more than 48 hours old at the time of the check.
The university offers the possibility to obtain proof of a test via free supervised on-site self-tests from the 11th of October onwards. The on-site self-tests will take place at the following times (future changes are possible):
Wernigerode location: Mensa / Cafeteria
Mondays from 7.30 to 8.30 a.m.
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7.00 a.m. to 8.00 a.m.
Halberstadt location: Dean's office
Mondays to Fridays from 7.30 a.m. to 8.00 a.m.
It should be noted that the self-tests take 15-20 minutes
These tests are only valid within the Harz University of Applied Sciences.
Please remember general hygiene requirements for virus infections.
Mouth and nose cover: Students must wear a mouth and nose cover at all times within the university rooms. Exception: Mouth/nose coverings may be taken off at the assigned places during courses.
In addition, the measures for protection against the coronavirus are based on four pillars:
Pre-disinfection: The departments provide surface disinfectants so that every participant in an event (teaching, laboratory, consultations, etc.) disinfects his or her area in advance. The surface disinfectant has a contact time of 3 minutes.
Participant tracking: This semester we are using the system Tisch.Im. On the premises (the door plates on the outside of the doors) of Harz University there are QR Codes for scanning. Every participant of a meeting or course has to register by scanning before entering the room. Please follow the corresponding instructions on the website, which opens after scanning the QR Code. Participants without the possibility to scan the QR Code use the additional information below the QR Code. After leaving the room you do not need to scan yourself out again.
Ventilation: Ventilate the room for 3-5 minutes every 45 minutes, taking care not to open the window or tilt it to ensure sufficient air exchange. In rooms with ventilation systems (supply air/exhaust air), the air exchange takes place automatically.
Keep a distance: In winter semesters, the rule still applies that a distance (1.5 m) must be maintained whenever possible. Only in exceptional cases should the distance be less than this, in which case, however, a mouth-nose cover must be worn.
In the summer semester of 2021, university operations will continue to be affected by the Corona pandemic. In order to be able to carry out academic operations as responsibly as possible in this continuing extraordinary situation and to enable studies to run smoothly under the conditions of the pandemic, we ask you to kindly take note of the following rules and regulations:
Anyone who returns or arrives to campus from a risk area, is requested to contact us at: arbeitssicherheit(at)hs-harz.de. Should symptoms of illness occur, please immediately contact the public health department at 0049 3941 59 70 55 55 (daily between 8am - 8pm).
Cabinet decides on quarantine measures for arriving and returning travellers
In order to contain the spread of Covid19 in Saxony-Anhalt, the government has adopted an ordinance on quarantine measures for incoming and outgoing travellers.
The regulation obligates persons who enter Saxony-Anhalt by land, sea or air from a state outside the Federal Republic of Germany from a risk area to go directly to their own home or other suitable accommodation immediately after entry and to remain quarantined there for a period of 14 days after entry. This also applies to persons who enter Saxony-Anhalt via another German state from abroad. During this period, the visitation of persons who do not live within the immediate household are prohibited. Violations of the regulation can be punished with a fine of up to 25,000 euros.
This means, that should you decide to come to Germany from a risk area, you will have to self-quarantine for 2 weeks upon arrival.
Please check here and here for all risk areas within Europe and worldwide.
We request you to stay home as long as we are not able to have regular classes on campus, as we are only offering online-courses at present. Students who travel to the university from abroad are requested to register via mail to: arbeitssicherheit(at)hs-harz.de
In the summer semester of 2021, university operations will continue to be affected by the Corona pandemic. In order to be able to carry out academic operations as responsibly as possible in this continuing extraordinary situation and to enable studies to run smoothly under the conditions of the pandemic, the Senate of the Harz University of Applied Sciences has passed the following resolution for the summer semester 2021:
The regulations of the Bachelor's examination regulations as well as the Master's examination regulations are to be applied. The following exceptions and deviations apply for the summer semester 2021:
The following applies to teaching:
Teaching will initially take place online starting 7 April 2021. As soon as the pandemic allows it, the Harz University of Applied Sciences strives to enable face-to-face teaching. Even if face-to-face courses are possible, students must have the possibility to continue participating in courses virtually. The content of face-to-face courses must therefore continue to be available digitally. This can be accomplished through a live transmission (hybrid teaching) or a recording for example. This rule does not apply to courses that cannot be streamed or recorded, or only with unjustifiable effort, and in which full attendance is given (e.g. project workshops/lab practical laboratory work in small groups).
Online courses should meet the didactic requirements of university teaching. In addition to materials for self-study, synchronous courses are to be offered to an appropriate extent.
Conditions for of face-to-face and hybrid courses:
The Faculties can allow attendance teaching if the seven-day incidence in the district of Harz is below 50. They should allow attendance teaching if the seven-day incidence is below 35. The values published by the Robert Koch Institut (RKI) for the Wednesday of the previous week are decisive for these decisions.
In the event of an acute case of infection on campus, deviations to this rule may be necessary in consultation with the local Health Department.
No lecturers or students will be obliged to either offer or take part in attendance courses in the summer semester 2021 - not even within the framework of hybrid teaching formats.
Attendance courses that are exempt from the digital availability regulation (e.g. project workshops/lab practical laboratory work in small groups) are feasible if the seven-day incidence in the district of Harz is below 100. If the seven-day incidence in the district of Harz is above 100, all attendance courses/events are strictly prohibited. The values published by the RKI for the Wednesday of the previous week are decisive for these decisions.
If attendance events are possible, the university will provide FFP2 or medical face masks as well as Corona rapid tests for students and lecturers. The wearing of a face masks is compulsory in all university buildings.
The following applies to internships:
Internships completed in the summer semester 2021 can be fully recognised even if they could not be completed in full. The details are regulated and decided by the Faculties.
The following applies to administrative procedures:
In all cases in which the written form is prescribed by university regulations or is customary at the university, it is sufficient to send a scan or photo of the hand-signed document by e-mail to the responsible person/office at the university. Submission of the original is neither necessary nor desirable.
The following applies to examinations:
Choice of examination form:
The lecturer(s) should - wherever possible and reasonable according to the relevant study regulations - specify other examination forms than the examination form "written examination" in the summer semester 2021. Where study or examination regulations only permit the examination form "written examination", this can be replaced by the alternative examination forms "oral examination", "term paper" (also of short duration - a so-called "short term paper"), "presentation", "project work", " draft/design/concept work " - if applicable also in digital form. The chosen form of examination and the necessary technical equipment must be announced to the students before 31 May 2021.
Short term paper:
A short term paper is characterised by the fact that the issue of the assignment and its submission fall on the same day and are usually carried out electronically (e.g. via StudIP or Ilias). In the summer semester 2021, a short term paper can be selected as an examination form by the examiners in all modules and units.
Implementation of the examination form "written examination" and alternatives:
Attendance examinations may only be carried out in July 2021 if the seven-day incidence falls below a value of 50 according to the Robert Koch Institute for the district of Harz. The seven-day incidence values on the Wednesday of the previous week shall be decisive for the conduct of attendance examinations. The Faculties must ensure that the applicable hygiene concept of the Harz University of Applied Sciences is implemented when conducting attendance examinations. To ensure compliance with the hygiene concept, the scope and duration of attendance examinations may be reduced if necessary. If the examination form "written examination" was selected, students are to be informed about the alternative examination form and any necessary technical equipment no later than 31 May 2021.
The alternative form of examination shall be used if attendance examinations cannot be held.
Hardship applications for attendance examinations:
For students who, upon application to the respective examination board, credibly demonstrate that it is not possible or not reasonable for them to participate in attendance examinations during the examination period of the summer semester 2021, an alternative form of examination in the form of a non-attendance examination shall be offered during this period if possible. In justified cases, the examinations may be conducted in other formats than in the case of non-attendance examinations.
Submission of written work (e.g. term papers and project work):
Students must submit written work ("term papers", "short term papers", "project work" and "reports") as an electronic document by the deadline. If printed copies are requested by teachers, these should then be submitted within two weeks of the deadline.
Conduct of Oral examinations and presentations:
Oral examinations and presentations can also take place online.
BA/MA colloquia can be conducted by video conference, provided that all parties involved (first and second examiner, student) agree. Details of the implementation are regulated by the Faculties for their area of responsibility.
Withdrawal from registered examinations:
Students must withdraw independently from the registered examination in the online "Examination Registration Portal (LSF)" no later than midnight of the day before the examination. If the deadline is not met, the registered examination will be registered as a "5.0" or "n.b." for non-attendance.
Illness on the day of the examination is considered a valid reason for withdrawal covered by the Bachelor examination regulations (§ 14 BAPO) if this is supported by a medical certificate (incapacity to sit the examination). This regulation shall also be applied in Master's degree programmes.
Registration and submission of theses:
Students have the possibility of registering and also submitting their final theses by e-mail by the deadline (hard copies should then be submitted within 2 weeks of the submission deadline). Please send the final thesis by e-mail to both examiners and to the member of the Admission and Registrar's Office responsible for you.
The processing times stipulated in the study and examination regulations remain unchanged; in the event of illness/ quarantine/ library closures or the like, an extension of the processing time can be requested in accordance with the rules and standards of the examination regulations.
Declarations of independence:
Where study and examination regulations stipulate declarations of independence, a scan or photo of the hand-signed declaration of independence is sufficient.
Deadline warnings:
All deadline warnings (formerly scheduled registrations) for the summer semester 2021 are postponed to the summer semester 2022.
These regulations are valid for the summer semester 2021. Contrary regulations of the Harz University of Applied Sciences are not applicable during this time.
Update: Senate resolution 27/01/2021
In the summer semester of 2021, university operations will continue to be affected by the Corona pandemic. In order to be able to carry out teaching and study operations as responsibly as possible in this continuing extraordinary situation and to enable studies to run smoothly under the conditions of the pandemic, the Senate of the Harz University of Applied Sciences has passed the following resolution for the summer semester 2021:
The regulations of the Bachelor's examination regulations as well as the Master's examination regulations are to be applied. The following exceptions and deviations apply for the summer semester 2021:
The following applies to teaching:
It cannot be ruled out that teaching will initially continue to take place online from 7 April 2021. As soon as the pandemic allows, the Harz University of Applied Sciences will strive for face-to-face teaching. Even if face-to-face courses become possible, students must be given the opportunity to continue participating in courses virtually. The content of face-to-face courses must therefore also be available digitally. This can be done, for example, through a live transmission (hybrid teaching) or a recording. This rule does not apply to courses that cannot be streamed or recorded, or only with unjustifiable effort, and in which full attendance is required (e.g. project events/lab practicals in small groups).
Online courses should meet the didactic requirements of university teaching. In addition to materials for self-study, synchronous courses are to be offered to an appropriate extent.
The following applies to examinations:
Students also have the option of registering theses by e-mail and submitting them by the deadline (bound copies should then be submitted within 2 weeks of the deadline). Please send the final paper by e-mail to both examiners and to the staff member responsible for you in the Department of Student Affairs. The processing times stipulated in the study and examination regulations remain unchanged; in the event of illness/quarantine/library closures or similar, an extension of the processing time can be applied for in accordance with the regulations of the examination regulations.
Where study and examination regulations stipulate declarations of independence, a scan or photo of the hand-signed declaration of independence must be enclosed.
Oral examinations and BA/MA colloquia can be conducted by video conference, provided that all parties involved (first and second examiner, student) agree. Details of the implementation are regulated by the departments for their area of responsibility.
Presentations can also take place online in courses that are hybrid or only online.
Lecturers should - wherever possible and reasonable according to the relevant study regulations - specify examination performances other than the examination form "written examination" in the summer semester 2021. Where examination or study regulations only permit the examination form "written examination", this can be replaced by the alternative examination forms "oral examination", "term paper", "presentation", "project work" or "design work" - if necessary also in digital form. 3.
The following applies to withdrawal from registered examinations:
Students withdraw independently from the registered examination before taking the examination online in the Examination Registration portal.
If the deadline is not met, the registered examination will be booked as a "5.0" or "n.b." for non-attendance.
The certificate of incapacity for examination ( medical certificate) and the request for a doctor's certificate for the withdrawal from registered examinations are waived.
The following applies to internships:
Internships completed in the summer semester 2021 can be fully recognised even if they could not be completed in full. The details are regulated and decided by the departments.
For written form applies:
In all cases in which the written form is prescribed by regulations of the university or is customary at the university, it is sufficient to send a scan or photo of the hand-signed document by e-mail to the responsible person/office of the university. Submission of the original is neither necessary nor desirable.
These regulations are valid for the summer semester 2021. Contrary regulations of the Harz University of Applied Sciences are not applicable during this time.
Resolution of the President's Office of 7 January 2021:
In light of the decision of the Federal Chancellor with the heads of government of the federal states of 5 January 2021 (extension and tightening of the lockdown until 31 January 2021) as well as the current recommendation of the Health Office of the district of Harz not to conduct any attendance examinations, the Rectorate of the University of Applied Sciences, on the basis of the Senate's decision of 29 December 2020, after consultation and with the approval of the extended Dean's Circle, resolves the following regulations for the further course of the examination phase in the winter semester 2020/21:
1. The heads of the faculties are requested to ensure that no presence examinations of any kind take place in the period from 10 January to 30 January 2021 and that other examinations are also carried out in this period without students being present at the university, if possible. Within the framework of the existing regulations, planned face-to-face examinations should be replaced by other forms of examination as a matter of priority.
2. Examinations which cannot be held by 30 January 2021 may be held in the period from 8 to 26 March 2021. Substitute dates are to be announced by the departments by 15 February 2021.
3. The department heads shall make arrangements in the event that there are also pandemic-related restrictions in this alternative period. 4.
4. For all attendance examinations, students who, upon application to the examination board of their faculties, demonstrate that it is not possible or not reasonable for them to attend, must be offered an alternative form of examination.
Update - Senate resolution of 12/29/20
The Senate resolution of 12/16/2020 is modified as follows (changes/additions in bold):
1. Due to the lockdown tightening until January 10th 2021, there will be no attendance examinations from January 4th to 8th 2021. Instead of attendance examinations, either other forms of examination are to be chosen [by lecturers] (within the framework of the existing regulations) or the attendance examinations are to be moved to other dates during the examination period, such as evenings or Saturdays. For this purpose, the examination period will be extended by one day until January 30th 2021. This may mean, that the exam schedules will have to be adjusted in adherence to the overall goal of having as few attendance exams as possible in January 2021. For students who, upon application to the respective examination board, credibly demonstrate that it is not possible or unreasonable for them to partake in attendance examinations during the examination period from January 11th to 30th 2021, an alternative form of examination in the form of a non-attendance examination shall be offered (during this period if possible).
2. Should attendance examinations not be possible from January 11th 2021 to January 30th 2021 due to the effects of the pandemic situation, the examinations of the courses concerned shall take place between March 8th and 26th 2021 - then if possible in the form of non-attendance examinations - the form of which may be determined by the examiners. The determination that attendance examinations are not feasible during certain periods shall be made by the President’s Office after consultation with the extended Deans' meeting. For students who, upon application to the respective examination board, credibly demonstrate that it is not possible or unreasonable for them to partake in attendance examinations during the examination period from January 11th to 30th 2021, an alternative form of examination in the form of a non-attendance examination shall be offered (during this period if possible).
3. The Senate welcomes the fact that, in accordance with the Senate resolution of December 16th 2020, the examination schedules have been adjusted, particularly in the Faculty of Business Studies, in order to significantly reduce the number of attendance examinations for January 2021.
4. However, the remaining large number of attendance examinations with high numbers of participants remains problematic in the Faculty of Business Studies (based on the planning status from December 21st 2020). This poses a particular risk in the current pandemic situation due to the high density of students on campus and possible contacts between students before and after the exams. The Faculty of Business Studies is advised to take appropriate measures to further greatly reduce the number of attendance exams, to make use of additional rooms, and to minimize the risk of infection before, during, and after exams in consultation with the University's Pandemic Officer. In addition, should the health authorities designate maximum values regarding the number of students who may be on campus at any one time, these values must be taken into consideration when scheduling attendance exams.
Update from 27 November 2020
The currently valid regulations of the Rectorate resolution of 29 October 2020, in particular on online teaching, will be extended for December 2020. In addition, it is only in implementation of the federal/state regulation that mouth and nose protection is to be worn within buildings of the university. This does not apply at the workplace, provided that a distance of 1.5 metres to other people can be safely maintained.
Update from 18 November 2020
In addition to the Rectorate's decision, the Academic Senate of the University on 18 November 2020 adopted the following regulation for the examination period in January 2021:
Written examinations and short term papers which have been completed during the examination period (January 2021) and which are graded "insufficient (5.0)" will be considered as withdrawal from the examination - not as a failed attempt. This does not apply, however, if the grade "not sufficient (5.0)" is due to an act of deception.
After the decision of the German Chancellor and the heads of government of the federal states regarding the containment of the coronavirus, the University leadership would like to communicate the following rules and regulations:
Courses/examinations:
Courses will be offered exclusively online from November 2 until the end of November. Exceptions, e.g. for laboratories etc., will be decided individually by the dean's office in coordination with the president’s office.
Regulations for examinations are governed by the decision by the University Senate from the 14.10.2020 and apply until further notice (see Corona page of the HS Harz website).
Students on campus:
Please stay away from the campus. There are no office hours in the departments (contact is only possible online or by telephone).
The libraries at both campus locations will remain closed. It is still possible to obtain literature (for details see Corona page of the HS website).
Details about the services offered by the Studentenwerk Magdeburg (Mensa/Cafeteria) are not yet available.
Meetings of student groups/initiatives on campus are not permitted. The student meeting rooms and learning labs will also remain closed during this time. Please note that public meetings are only allowed with members of your own household and one other household. Meetings of people in apartments and private facilities must also be restricted.
Other events:
The University Senate session on November 18 will likely take place as a video conference.
University events, such as the “Halberstadt Lecture” on November 9, the “Generationen Hochschule” on November 10, or the meeting of the Christian University Advisory Board on November 17, will not take place in presence on campus. Further information will be provided by the Department of Communications and Marketing. The premises of the Harz University cannot be used for external events during this period.
Employees on the Campus:
Please stay away from campus and make use of the home office regulations (see also Corona page of the HS Harz website). Details are regulated by the deans, central facilities and project managers (employees receiving third-party funding) in consultation with the Presidency.
Meetings are to be held exclusively online.
Business trips/excursions:
These are currently prohibited, this includes business trips/excursions that have already been approved. The only exceptions are business trips that are absolutely necessary for the maintenance of university operations and must be approved by the president’s office.
Sports events:
All Sports events are currently prohibited, this also includes all outdoor group activities. Possible online offers will be communicated through university sports.
These rules and regulation are initially valid until the end of November.
Resolution of the President (in concordance with the Deans) from 29.10.2020
In the winter semester 2020/2021, university activities are still affected by the corona pandemic. In order to be able to carry out teaching, study and examination activities as responsibly as possible even in this still extraordinary situation and to enable smooth studies under the conditions of the pandemic, the Senate of the University has passed the following resolution for the winter semester 2020/2021:
The regulations of the Bachelor examination regulations and the Master examination regulations are to be implemented. The following exceptions and deviations apply for the winter semester 2020/2021:
1. Examinations:
2. Withdrawal of registered examinations
3. Otherwise, the following provisions of the Senate resolution of 26 March 2020 shall continue to apply:
4. These regulations apply to the winter semester 2020/2021. Regulations of the Harz University of Applied Sciences to the contrary are not applicable during this period.
On the basis of the Senate resolution of 22 July 2020, the faculties are currently planning the winter semester 2020/21. The majority of courses at all faculties will be held online during the winter semester. The Harz University encourages lecturers to offer face-to-face and hybrid courses (on-site courses with students streamed on the Internet). Students are then asked to attend these courses on site.
In addition, there will also be courses in some areas (e.g. laboratory courses, communication training, continuing education, examinations) in the winter semester for which presence in Wernigerode and Halberstadt will be necessary.
The course plans of the Faculties are available online.
The orientation days will take place from 28 - 30 September at the Halberstadt and Wernigerode locations. The aim is to revive student life with the numerous student associations - especially at covered outdoor locations. Here the risk of transmission of the virus is estimated to be significantly lower than in closed rooms.
We find ourselves in a difficult situation: on the one hand, we would like to see life come back to the campuses in Halberstadt and Wernigerode, both within the framework of courses and through extra-curricular activities. On the other hand, we must not underestimate the danger of a flare-up of infection, especially in the autumn and winter months.
Through our behaviour, we want to contribute to keeping the incidence of infection under control and to making the planned activities on campus possible throughout the winter semester.
Last update: 08.10.2021