Coronavirus (COVID-19) – important information

New coronavirus-related developments:

• In-person examinations should be mostly changed to online-based exams
• Summer semester 2021 starts with online teaching
• In-person examinations: please update your contact details in Stud.IP
• University Library // contactless lending soon to be offered again
• Student Services Association // refectory and cafeteria remain open
• Leisure trips to the rural district (Landkreis Passau) are permitted again

Other news from the University:

• Lecture series 'Universität heute' ('University Today') starts on 27 January

In-person examinations should be mostly changed to online-based exams

In light of the still worryingly high infection rates and the nationwide extension of the strict covid-19 lockdown, the University Executive once again sends an urgent appeal to all examiners to substitute scheduled in-person examinations with digital alternatives wherever possible: the aim must be to reduce the number of in-person exams to a bare minimum. Registered exam candidates will be notified directly by their examiners if their in-person exam is switched to an online format.
President Bartosch will talk about this in a new video address.

Summer semester 2021 starts with online teaching

The Extended University Executive decided on Wednesday that courses at the University of Passau will initially be offered exclusively online in the coming summer semester. Should the infection rate drop to sufficiently low level during the summer semester, online teaching can be supplemented by classroom-based teaching where possible. The University Executive wishes to create the necessary conditions, in terms of content and technology used, for new interactive hybrid formats that will enable students to choose flexibly between online and in-person attendance, depending on their individual situation.
For more on this, watch the video address from President Ulrich Bartosch.
This summer semester 2021 the lecture period is scheduled to start on 12 April. We will inform you here if this date is changed by the responsible ministries as a result of the pandemic.

In-person examinations: please update your contact details in Stud.IP

Examinations for the winter semester will start at the end of January. If you are taking in-person exams:

• Please enter your current telephone number in Stud.IP in the Profile tab under Contact tracing. The data stored there is not visible to lecturers or other students and will only be used if the local health authority orders contact tracing after an in-person exam or course.
• Please also update your current phone number and correspondence address in the Campus portal under user information.

It is of the utmost importance to us all that students and staff receive the best possible protection during in-person examinations. This is why the University is keen to ensure consistent implementation of the hygiene concept, which has proven effective in summer semester 2020. If it is discovered after an in-person examination that an exam candidate was infected, the risk of infection is very low for the other candidates if the hygiene concept was consistently observed. Depending on the specific situation, the local health authority can still require that contact persons be notified in order to interrupt chains of infection. Therefore, it is important that you enter your current phone number in Stud.IP to enable the authorities to contact you directly and without delay if necessary. Thank you for your help!

University Library // contactless lending soon to be offered again

The Bavarian state cabinet decided on Wednesday that 'Click and Collect' will be permitted in public and academic libraries (German text). Following the cabinet's decision, the state parliament is expected to approve this measure in the middle of next week. Once the new 'Hygienemaßnahmenschutzverordnung' (hygiene measure protection ordinance) is in effect, the University Library will once again be able to offer contactless lending in compliance with the existing protective and hygiene measures. Preparations for this are already underway. We will inform you here when the lending service is started up again.

Student Services Association // refectory and cafeteria remain open

You can continue to pick up food from the refectory and the cafeteria located in the same building (Innstrasse 29) during the extended lockdown. Likewise, the refectory's delivery service will continue to operate. For details and the current opening hours visit the Student Services Association website (German) .

Leisure trips to the rural district (Landkreis Passau) are permitted again

The City of Passau and the rural district of Passau have reached an agreement permitting leisure trips to the Landkreis, which starts just outside of the city limits. Nevertheless, the 15-kilometre rule remains in force, prohibiting leisure trips to places farther away than 15 kilometres.

Universität heute lecture series starting January 27 // public debate on the future of the University of Passau

What can a university be in general, and what should it be? How is its mission changing due to the current political and social demands – and what specific path does the University of Passau intend to take? 'In view of the current changes – the covid-19 pandemic, digitalisation of society, academisation of education, the growing and increasingly controversial role of science and not least because of the debate about the reform of higher education law in Bavaria, this is the right time to have this discussion', President Ulrich Bartosch said.
To tackle this issue, the University Executive has entered into an internal consultation process with all of the university's stakeholders, supported by an external, three-member team of advisers: molecular biologist and former president of the University of Göttingen Professor Ulrike Beisiegel, computer scientist and vice rector of the Technical University of Graz Professor Horst Bischof, and political scientist Professor Herfried Münkler, emeritus professor at Humboldt University in Berlin. At the same time, the University has also initiated a lecture series entitled 'Die Idee der Universität – heute (in Passau) , through which it wishes to engage in a public debate and find answers to these and other questions.

The first lecture will be held by Professor Herfried Münkler from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, 27 January. All students and other members the University of Passau are cordially invited to participate in the debate. The event will take place virtually via Zoom. Please register online if you wish to participate.

'When you have big and difficult things ahead of you, it is wise to ask at the right time for the help you will need. Over the next five and a half years, the University of Passau will work towards establishing itself more distinctly as a research-strong university. To do this, we must take certain indispensable steps, such as reorganising our internal structure and working on our external networks. We have successfully enlisted the help of experienced and proven experts, who will give us tailored advice on how best to implement these steps', said President Bartosch.
'It was important to us that the multifariousness of the University be reflected in the advisory team and that we benefit from its top-notch experience in the field of science funding and development. The University Executive is taking an interactive approach when involving relevant stakeholders and committees within the university in the deliberative process. The first two-day round saw a variety of encounters and intensive exchanges. The external consulting team therefore complements and supports all existing organisational forms of internal expertise at the University and, not least, the University Council. This process is initially planned to take two years. The advisors will receive reasonable emoluments.'

The next regular update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 27 January.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New coronavirus-related developments:

• Impact of library closure on submission deadlines (as reported on 16 December 2020)
• Student Services Association closes cultural rehearsal rooms
• 15-kilometre rule // what does it mean?

Impact of library closure on submission deadlines (as reported on 16 December 2020)

[Due to the large number of enquiries received, we are repeating the information posted on 16 December 2020, the date on which the libraries and reading rooms closed.] The Board of Examiners of the Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics and the Faculty of Business, Economics and Information Systems have decided that the submission deadlines for written assignments, seminar papers, project papers, dissertations and theses (or any other comparable type of coursework) will remain in force without modification. There is no general suspension or extension on these deadlines. The closure of the University's services and facilities over the Christmas holiday period (28 December to 5 January) was already taken into account when the submission deadlines were set. In justified individual cases, an extension or suspension of the submission deadline may be approved upon application to the relevant Board of Examiners in consultation with your supervisor. For this to go through, you must indicate in what ways the library closure presents a significant obstacle for submitting your paper, dissertation or thesis on time.
At the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, the submission deadlines for bachelor's dissertations and master's theses remain suspended.
There are special regulations for students at the Faculty of Law. For details, read the website of the Dean of Studies (German).

Student Services Association closes cultural rehearsal rooms until at least 31 January 2021

Unfortunately, due to the 11 January amendment of the Bavarian disease control ordinance and the curfew currently in force, the Student Services Association (Studentenwerk) has had to close the cultural rehearsal rooms, initially until 31 January 2021.
Exemption: Residents of halls of residence may—individually but not in groups—use the rehearsal rooms in their housing complex during booked timeslots.
The website of the student services association (German) provides answers to key questions regarding cultural promotions during the Covid-19 crisis.

15-kilometre rule // what does it mean?

Leisure trips outside of a 15-kilometre radius are prohibited for inhabitants of a rural (Landkreis) or urban districts (Kreisfreie Städte) with a seven-day incidence of over 200 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 population. The official seven-day incidence figures published by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) are pertinent. The 15-kilometre radius starts at the district limits of the municipality of residence. In addition, district administrative authorities with a seven-day incidence of more than 200 cases per 100,000 inhabitants may prohibit leisure trips to their district. At the time of writing, this is the case for the Passau rural district (Landkreis Passau), which begins just outside the city limits of Passau.

A reliable daily overview of where in Bavaria the 15-kilometre rule currently applies and/or excursionists are currently not allowed to enter is provided on the website of the Bavarian disaster relief organisation (German), which is updated by 11 a.m. every day.

The next regular update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 20 January.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Information from the University:

• University Library // outlook concerning services for academics
• Sports Centre // outlook concerning practical sports courses
• Student Services Association // refectories and cafeterias

University Library // outlook concerning services for academics

Due to the lockdown extension, the University Library reading rooms will remain closed. Borrowing deadlines have been extended until 31 January, and reminders will be suspended until then. As of Monday, 11 January, the UB will again offer the scanning and delivery service for researchers in the usual manner. As soon as the regulations of the Bavarian State Government once again allow for further services such as the on-site book check-outs or the scanning service for students, the University Library will inform you about this on its website. We will also inform you about further developments when and as they happen.

Sports Centre // outlook concerning practical sports courses

Against the background of the dynamic infection situation, all sports science institutions throughout Bavaria have agreed to suspend practical sports teaching until the end of January. The Sports Centre of the University of Passau is currently preparing to offer the suspended practical courses in the period from 1 to 19 February. Practical exams in physical education will be moved back in time. Students affected by this will be notified directly of the details. Here, too, we will keep you informed of further developments.

Student Services Association // refectories and cafeterias

Beginning Monday, 11 January, the refectory open again from 11a.m. to 2p.m. The cafeteria in the refectory building will open from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. At both facilities, there will be takeaway service only; it will not be possible to consume food and beverages on site until further notice.

The next regular update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 13 January.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New coronavirus-related developments:

• President's Christmas video address // online teaching is default teaching mode
• Impact of library closure on submission deadlines
• Examination dates for centrally organised in-person exams
• Season's greetings and next scheduled update

President's Christmas video address // online teaching is default teaching mode

In a video message, President Ulrich Bartosch wishes all university members a merry Christmas and gives an outlook on the remainder of the winter semester. Until the end of winter semester 2020–21, online teaching will remain the main teaching mode at the University. As before, there are exceptions for in-person examinations and practical courses which require special rooms.
Provided the infection rate in January or February 2021 allows for individual in-person courses and events, these can be held under the following conditions: compliance with the disease prevention rules in force at the time; mutual agreement between lecturers and students that the course take place as an in-person course; measures are taken to ensure that students who do not wish to attend in person are not disadvantaged (i.e. making sure they can attend the course remotely or through other suitable measures).

Impact of library closure on submission deadlines

The libraries and reading rooms are closed as of 16 December 2020.
The Board of Examiners of the Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics and the Faculty of Business, Economics and Information Systems have decided that the submission deadlines for written assignments, seminar papers, project papers, dissertations and theses (or any other comparable type of coursework) will remain in force without modification.
There is no general suspension or extension on these deadlines. The closure of the University's services and facilities over the Christmas holiday period (28 December to 5 January) was already taken into account when the submission deadlines were set.
In justified individual cases, an extension or suspension of the submission deadline may be approved upon application to the relevant Board of Examiners in consultation with your supervisor. For this to go through, you must indicate in what ways the library closure presents a significant obstacle for submitting your paper, dissertation or thesis on time.
At the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, the submission deadlines for bachelor's dissertations and master's theses remain suspended.
There are special regulations for students at the Faculty of Law. For details, read the web page of the Dean of Studies (German).

Examination dates for centrally organised in-person exams

The exam dates for the centrally organised examinations were put online on 14 December on the Examination Office's semester-related information page under the heading 'Examination dates'. The exact exam times and venues will follow on 25 January 2021.
For the non-centrally-set exams, please check the website of the corresponding Chair or the information in Stud.IP.

Season's greetings and next scheduled update

The Corona Updates Team (involving staff from the Communication and Marketing Division and the ZIM) wishes you merry Christmas with your loved ones and all the best for the New Year, but above all good health!

The next regular update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 13 January. If there are any urgent developments in the meantime, we will inform you via a special update.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus'). During the University's holiday closure from Christmas Eve to 6 January, we will also be on Christmas vacation. We are here to answer your questions until 23 December and then again from 7 January.

The Bavarian state cabinet has taken the decision that further significant restrictions on public life will apply from Wednesday, 16 December 2020. For the University, this means:

• Beginning Wednesday, 16 December 2020, academic libraries across Bavaria will be closed. Therefore, all five reading rooms of the University Library will be closed as of tomorrow. Today is the last day on which visits to the reading rooms with prior reservation are permitted. The following alternative services are offered by the University Library: until Friday, 18 December, a scanning service for all user groups and a delivery service for academic staff (make requests by 17 December, last delivery is on 18 December): contact via the subject teams. Furthermore, sending by post of necessary literature for those writing their dissertations and theses will be offered until 18 December (details will be announced on the University Library website shortly). Short-term lending and returns are only possible today. Late reminders are suspended for the time being.
  The faculties will decide on extensions of the submission deadlines for bachelor's dissertations and master's theses due to the renewed library closure. We will inform you about this separately.
• The virtual format is currently the de facto default mode of teaching at the University of Passau. Upon consultation with the science ministry, in-person examinations and practical courses requiring special rooms at the university are still permissible in principle (e.g. practical sports courses). However, due to the current situation, the University's Sports Centre has decided to replace all sports practical courses with virtual formats from 16 December to 10 January inclusive.
• Since all Bavarian public-sector employees are encouraged to work from home as much as possible from 16 December, the University's service centres will be almost only available digitally from tomorrow onwards. This also means that it will not always be possible to process applications or requests sent by post or deposited in the letterboxes of the University. Exception: Bachelor's dissertations and master's theses and registrations for the autumn 2021 teacher education programme state examination (Staatsexamen Lehramt) can still be submitted by post or by placing in the letterbox (please note that the state examination registrations have to be sent by registered mail – 'Einschreiben'!). Prompt processing is assured.
• The refectory and cafeterias will also close on 16 December 2020. For more information, please visit the Student Services Association website (in German).

The next regular update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 16 December.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New coronavirus-related developments:

• Additional measures in force for all of Bavaria from today, 9 December
• In-person examinations: please update your contact details in Stud.IP
• Special regulations for the spring 2021 state examination for teacher education programmes

Information from the University:

• Awards of the University of Passau 2020

Additional measures in force for all of Bavaria from today, 9 December

The state cabinet have decided on further measures for Bavaria, which came into force today. One key point is that the exceptions for short-term, local border traffic have been revoked. Nevertheless, commuters who cross the border for work- or study-related reasons are still exempt from the quarantine requirement. In Covid-19 hotspots, including Passau, there is an extended curfew from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., effective as of today. For details consult the FAQ of the Ministry of the Interior (German). 

In-person examinations: please update your contact details in Stud.IP 

Exam registrations for the end of the winter semester are currently ongoing. We ask that those attending in-person examinations or courses/events at the University please enter their current telephone number in Stud.IP in the Profile tab under Contact tracing. The data stored there is not visible to lecturers or other students and will only be used if the local health authority orders tracing of contact persons after an in-person exam or course.
It is a matter of great concern to the University that students and staff receive the best possible protection during in-person examinations. This is why it is keen to ensure consistent implementation of the hygiene concept.
The hygiene concept has already proven its worth in the summer semester: if, after an in-person examination, it is discovered that a candidate was infected, the risk of infection is very low for the other candidates if the hygiene concept was consistently observed. Depending on the specific situation, the local health authority can still require that contact persons be notified in order to interrupt chains of infection. It is essential that you store your current telephone number in Stud.IP to enable the authorities to contact you swiftly and directly if needed. Thank you for your help!

Special regulations for the spring 2021 state examination for teacher education programmes

Accounting for the special circumstances in which the first state examination will take place in spring 2021, all candidates due to be examined at this examination date will receive a free attempt or an additional opportunity to resit the examination. In addition, winter semester 2020–21 will not counted for the purposes of the registration deadline provision of § 31(2) ff. LPO I. The regulations and further information can be found on the website of the Bavarian education ministry (German).

Awards of the University of Passau 2020

Once again, the University of Passau can point to outstanding achievements in its ranks that truly deserve an award. The diversity of our University is reflected in the different award statements. Usually, our festive, annual Dies academicus event is where we showcase what distinguishes us to our the University's friends and supporters. This year, exceptionally, we were unable to keep to our traditional setting for the award ceremony. Nevertheless, it is a particular challenge and pleasure for us to present all the honoured in the light they deserve. Please visit our website for an overview of the various prizes and a brochure with details on this year's winners (German). We will also be putting on short video portraits: The series will kick off with Dr Patrizia Perras (German text), who received the Kulturpreis Bayern for her doctoral thesis.

The next regular update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 16 December.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New coronavirus-related developments:

• New disease control ordinance // University Library remains open
• Register now to resit exams that were not counted in the summer semester
• Updated entry quarantine regulation

Information from the University:

• Internship reports now in ILIAS
• Financial support for student societies and initiatives

New disease control ordinance // University Library remains open

The Ninth Bavarian disease control ordinance (9th BayIfSMV; German text) entered into force on 1 December. For the University of Passau, there are no changes to the procedures previously in place. Since academic libraries are exempt from the general closure of libraries and archives (see § 22), the University Library can remain open to the same extent as before. As the hygiene concept ensures strict adherence to the minimum distance of 1.5 m at the library's reading desks, the wearing of face masks is not compulsory in those areas. However, face masks must be worn in all walkways of the library.

Register now to resit exams that were not counted in the summer semester

On 27 July we informed you about the extension of the Corona regulation: examinations for which you did not appear or that you attempted and failed in the summer semester 2020 were not counted. Before the start of the exam registration period in winter semester 20–21, the Examinations Office tagged the unattempted or failed exam attempts with the letters 'KNA' in HISQIS to indicate that they would not be counted. You can now register to resit these examinations. If you have received a deadline extension for completing your examination, the result of the assessment will be entered into your HISQIS account under the original exam registration for summer semester 2020. The examiners will notify the examinations administrators of the attained marks.
Please also note the information on exam registrations during a leave semester in the FAQs under the heading 'Questions regarding examinations'.

Updated entry quarantine regulation

The updated Entry quarantine regulation (EQV) is now available online. Under the new regulation, students and staff crossing the border when commuting to and from the University are no longer required to provide a weekly Covid-19 test. Please note that local, short-term border traffic without quarantine obligation is now only possible if you have a valid reason to cross the border. The EQV names matters related to work, business, education, healthcare and family as valid reasons, as well as daily errands; however, sports or exercise and tourism are expressly excluded as valid reasons.
Do you live in Upper Austria and need proof that you have to come to Passau for the purposes of your studies? You will shortly be able to download an official certificate issued by the University from Stud.IP. This certificate is valid if presented together with your current enrolment certificate.

Internship reports now in ILIAS

The Centre for Careers and Competencies now offers a wide range of internship reports from Passau students, which can serve as an inspiration and decision support for your own internship in Germany or abroad. The ZKK will continue to add new reports over time.
For further information, visit the new internship reports web page (German), Which also includes additional field reports from students whose internship abroad received Erasmus+ funding (page in German).

Financial support for student societies and initiatives

Student clubs and societies, as well as individual students, can apply for a grant of up to €2,500 from the University to realise their projects. For details, including the conditions and application process visit the project support page (German).
Innovative digital formats that enrich campus life during this winter semester are also eligible for funding.

The next regular update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 9 December.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New coronavirus-related developments:

• Lockdown in Passau // tightening of local, short-term border traffic rules expected

City of Passau: lockdown until 4 December // tightening of local, short-term border traffic rules expected

In an effort to reduce the high Covid-19 incidence rate in the city of Passau, Head Mayor Jürgen Dupper announced a new general decree today, Friday. From midnight on 28 November until midnight on 5 December, a number of additional rules apply in the city area in addition to the Bavaria-wide regulations, including:

• Leaving the house: You are only allowed to leave your place of residence if you have a valid reason. These are:
  • going to work or other work-related business.
  • visits to a doctor, veterinarian or other medical professional.
  • going shopping, including in preparation for Christmas.
  • making use of services permitted by the 8th Bavarian disease prevention regulation (BayIfSMV).
  • visiting your spouse, (civil) partner, relatives who are lineal descendants (i.e. children, grandchildren etc.) or antecendents (parents, grandparents etc.), people who are ill or disabled (outside of care institutions).
  • accompanying people who need your support or minors, or running errands for them.
  • visiting someone who is dying or in an acute, life-threatening condition.
  • attending a funeral.
  • participating in religious services (cf. § 6 of the 8th BayIfSMV).
  • taking exercise in the open air either alone or with others from your household or only one person from a household other than your own; important: you must not exercise in groups, even if the group formation is the result of a chance meeting.
  • taking care of animals in your care.
  • Please note that there will be increased police checks during the coming week.
• Stricter mask-wearing obligation: Face masks covering the nose and mouth must be worn at all times during any kind of meeting, without exception. This includes demonstrations, sports clubs and other associations and at the workplace. In public areas, you must not remove your face mask to eat, drink or smoke. The consumption of alcohol outdoors is completely prohibited.
• Tightened rules expected for local, short-term border traffic: With regard to the new entry quarantine regulation in Bavaria, a tightening of the rules for local, short-term border traffic and day trips to Upper Austria should be expected, said the Head Mayor.

General decree of the City of Passau (German text).
The new entry quarantine regulation is not yet available. We will inform you were when we receive new information.

The next regular update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 2 December.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New coronavirus-related developments:

• Covid-related changes to the Bavarian Higher Education Act will stay in force in the winter semester // no provision for free exam attempts planned
• Exam registration period for winter semester 2020–21
• Federal stopgap assistance for students in pandemic-caused hardship starts up again
• Weekly Covid-19 test requirement for cross-border commuters provisionally suspended

Information from the University:

• Diversity: Invitation to the UniVersity Lecture Series
• Festival Contre Le Racisme Passau from 1st to 14th December 2020

Notices from institutions in Passau and the surrounding region:

• The hospital (Klinikum Passau) is seeking computer-literate student/graduate assistants
• Open positions at Lower Bavarian primary and secondary ('Mittelschule') schools

Covid-related changes to the Bavarian Higher Education Act will stay in force in the winter semester // no provision for free exam attempts planned

Science Minister Bernd Sibler has issued a statement saying that there will be an extension of the term of validity of the amended provisions of the Bavarian Higher Education Act, which the Ministry of Science had introduced for the virtual Covid-19 summer semester 2020. Mr Sibler said that his ministry will soon introduce a bill to this effect in the state parliament.

The main change for summer semester 2020 was that certain deadlines were postponed and the standard period of study extended by one semester, which also brought about an extension of the maximum BAföG funding term. The announcement (German) on the website of the Ministry of Science provides further information.
Please note that there are currently no plans to introduce free-exam-attempt provisions in the winter semester.

Exam registration period for winter semester 2020–21

The registration period for examinations this semester will run from 1st December 2020 to 11 January 2021. Please read the notice (German) from the Examinations Office. If you wish to withdraw from an exam for which you had registered, you may do so until 11 January 2021; withdrawal after this date, unless for good reason, will result in your losing an exam attempt.
You will be informed in good time if there are any pandemic-related changes in registration or examination modalities before or during the examination phase.

Federal stopgap assistance for students in pandemic-caused hardship starts up again

The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is again providing grants from November 2020 to March 2021 to students who find themselves in acute financial hardship due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This assistance is distributed via the student services associations.
Applications for this assistance must be made online from 20th November 2020 onwards. A separate application is required for each month.
All further information on the stopgap assistance can be found on the student services association's website. If you have questions on the stopgap assistance, contact the student services association at 0800 26 23 003 or ueberbrueckungshilfe-studierende@bmbf.bund.de.

Weekly Covid-19 test requirement for cross-border commuters provisionally suspended

The current entry quarantine regulation (EQV) provides for a weekly test obligation for cross-border commuters (see § 4(1), German text). The Bavarian Administrative Court (BayVGH) has now suspended this provision provisionally, effective 24 November. Please read the BayVGH press release (German) for further details. The reaction of the Bavarian State Government remains to be seen: as the current EQV is set to expire on 30 November, it is to be expected it will be amended or replaced by a new regulation shortly.

Diversity: Invitation to the UniVersity Lecture Series

Vice President Professor Christina Hansen, Women's Representative Professor Andrea Sieber and the Diversity and Equal Opportunities Section cordially invite you to the UniVersity Lecture Series (German page). In signing the Diversity Charter in summer 2020 the University of Passau committed itself to (further) developing an organisational culture characterised by mutual acceptance and appreciation and participation of all members of the University. The UniVersity Lecture Series is one of the building blocks of this initiative, as it shines a light on fundamental questions of diversity and society whilst encouraging widespread debate even beyond the university. The virtual lectures will take place on Tuesdays from 4 to 6 p.m. and are open to anyone interested (prior registration via Stud.IP or by sending an e-mail to diversity@uni-passau.de is required). The first lecture of the series, Wie aus Vielfalt Diversity wurde – eine vielleicht provokative Einführung, will take place on 1st December. Please note that the lectures will be held in German.

Festival Contre Le Racisme Passau from 1st to 14th December 2020

The AStA will again be organising the Festival Contre Le Racisme from 1st to 14th December. Due to the Covid-19 situation in Passau, this year's festival will take place online. You can find further information in the University's event calendar (German).

The hospital (Klinikum Passau) is seeking computer-literate student/graduate assistants

Klinikum Passau is looking for assistants with strong IT skills (especially computer science or mathematics students) to work for them for 10 to 15 hours per week. For the job description, please read the announcement (German).

Open positions at Lower Bavarian primary and secondary ('Mittelschule') schools

In the current school year, the Government of Lower Bavaria will continue to hire teaching staff in many districts on the basis of fixed-term contracts. If you are a student enrolled in a teacher education programme (for any school type), you can apply if you have passed

• an EWS exam (with a result better than 3.5) or
• the first state examination (better than 3.5)

at a Bavarian university. For details, turn to the Government of Lower Bavaria website (German).

The next regular update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 2 December.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New coronavirus-related developments:

• University Library: processing fee for daytime lockers; no fees for interlibrary loan copies
• Reintroducing physical reserve collections

Information from the University:

• Online courses of the Bavarian virtual university (vhb)
• CampusCard and semester bus pass // remember to validate!
• Refectory introduces take-away food container recycling system from 1st December – register now!

University Library: processing fee for daytime lockers; no fees for interlibrary loan copies

The 10-euro processing fee for exceeding the locker use period for a longer time has been reinstated. Payment can be made at the central library check-out desk. However, no fees for interlibrary loan copies will be charged for the time being.

Reintroducing physical reserve collections // information for lecturers

The University Library has announced that it is now once again possible to set up physical reserve collections (i.e. from winter semester 2020–21). Lecturers who wish to do so are requested to contact the respective contacts in the specialist teams (German page).

Online courses of the Bavarian virtual university (vhb) // information for students

This winter semester (2020–21) the vhb is offering more than 580 online courses. This allows you to supplement your studies with additional courses wherever and whenever you like. The course programme is available from the Bavarian virtual university's website. The online courses, divided into currently 15 different subject groups, can be accessed free of charge by enrolled students. For further information, please read the circular (German text) from our President, Professor Ulrich Bartosch, and the President of vhb, Professor Godehard Ruppert.

CampusCard and semester bus pass // remember to validate!

Due to a number of enquiries, we would like to remind you that as of 15th October you need to have a validated your CampusCard to be able to use the card as a bus pass. First-semester students of the University of Passau have received a pre-validated CampusCard for winter semester 2020–21. Students in their second or higher semester have to validate their CampusCard at one of the four validation terminals distributed across the campus for it to function as a bus pass.

Refectory introduces take-away food container recycling system from 1st December – register now!

The Student Services Association will introduce a sustainable and deposit-free take-away food container recycling system from Relevo on 1st December 2020. This will save about 1,000 to 1,500 disposable food containers for its 'mensa-to-go' take-away service – per day! Please note that this also means disposable packaging will no longer be provided for you to take away your food as of that day. If you wish to use the Relevo system, you have to sign up beforehand (German web page). If you do not wish to participate in this recycling system, you can alternatively bring your own reusable crockery to pick up your food from the refectory. For further information visit the Student Services Association website (German web page).

The next regular update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 25 November.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New coronavirus-related developments:

• New entry quarantine directive (EQV): clarification of what is considered local border traffic for the purposes of the EQV; testing obligation for cross-border commuters

New entry quarantine directive (EQV): clarification of what is considered local border traffic for the purposes of the EQV; testing obligation for cross-border commuters

In our update of 11 November, we informed you about the amended entry quarantine regulation (German text), which permits stays of up to 24 hours without quarantine and testing obligation to facilitate local border traffic. Having received a number of enquiries and following a clarification of the legal situation, we can now say this: cross-border commuters do not fall under this local border traffic arrangement and are thus still required get a weekly Covid-19 test. This means that stays of up to 24 hours are possible, e.g. for shopping, visits to the doctor etc., and for such visits there is no quarantine or testing requirement. However, if you are a resident of a risk area and it is absolutely necessary for you to travel to Bavaria for work or study, and if you return to your place of residence regularly – at least once a week – you have to have yourself tested on a weekly basis. Please note: As this is a legal obligation, it is up to you to ensure that you have the test done as required; you will not be reminded or specifically asked to do so by the authorities.

The next regular update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 18 November.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New coronavirus-related developments:

• Exam script viewing for exams written in summer semester 2020
• New infection protection ordinance // updated hygiene concept
• New entry quarantine directive // local border traffic permitted

Information from the University:

• University election: Repeat election on 8 December // volunteers sought for poll clerk duty

Exam script viewing for exams written in summer semester 2020 // information for students

Please contact the relevant chair for viewing your exam scripts from summer semester 2020. The Examinations Office organises exam script viewing for a part of the centrally organised examinations. Because of the pandemic, exam script viewing cannot take place in person this year. Therefore, if you have registered, you will receive a scan of your exam scripts. The students concerned have already been informed by e-mail.

New infection protection ordinance // updated hygiene concept

The University has updated its hygiene concept (German text) based on the eighth Bavarian disease control ordinance (8th BayIfSMV, German text). The main changes to the BayIfSMV are that the graduated measures represented by traffic-light phases have now been replaced with blanket contact restrictions: meetings in public spaces as well as in private settings are now only allowed between persons from a maximum of two households. The maximum number of people who may meet at any one time is 10. Conferences, trade fairs and similar events are prohibited.

New entry quarantine directive // local border traffic permitted

On 9 November a new version of the entry quarantine regulation (German text) came into force. This means that short-term, local border traffic at the German-Austrian border is now officially regulated, i.e.  stays of up to 24 hours are possible without the need for quarantine or testing.

University election: Repeat election on 8 December // volunteers sought for poll clerk duty

The Election Committee has declared some of the results from this summer semester's elections void after they had been challenged. This affects the elections for student representatives in the Senate, the Faculty Councils of the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, and student representatives to the Student Parliament. A repeat election was ordered.

This will take place on Tuesday, 8 December 2020. For all further information, in particular on how to apply for postal voting documents, please visit the Elections Office website.

Volunteers are still needed for poll clerk duty on 8 and 9 December (this covers both staffing the polling station to ensure a proper election and the counting of ballots). If you are willing to lend your support as a poll clerk, please register in Stud.IP using course code 909090. Thank you! Please contact Susann Herfurth (extension 1103, susann.herfurth@uni-passau.de) if you have any further questions.

The next regular update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 18 November.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Information from the University:

• DiTech will continue to provide support for online teaching and digital examinations in the winter semester
• Performance bottlenecks in Stud.IP
• Opening hours of the underground student car park
• School holiday on 18 November // Family Day cannot take place

DiTech will continue to provide support for online teaching and digital examinations in the winter semester

The Transfer Forum for Didactical Technology (DiTech) will continue to provide support for online teaching and digital examinations in the winter semester. For more information about the team and the planned support offers, please read the current announcement (German) on the website.
More details will be published over the coming days and weeks on the DiTech website and the students' information page (German). On the website you can also subscribe to the DiTech newsletter, which provides regular updates on existing offers and and registration modalities. Please send your enquiries and suggestions to online-lehre@uni-passau.de.

Performance bottlenecks in Stud.IP

We are currently seeing occasional performance issues in Stud.IP due to activities that are typically carried out at the start of each semester in Stud.IP, such as when many users simultaneously plan out their timetables on the system. This affects lecturers and students alike as everyone tries to register for their online courses in Stud.IP during the same period. Experience has shown that this problem goes away by itself after a few days. Nevertheless, the ZIM is continuously working on measures to optimise performance and is seeking a solution for this problem.

It would help to even out the load on our servers if you used those hours where there is less activity on the servers, i.e. before 8 a.m. and after 4 p.m., for creating your timetable. Also, when looking for an access link to an online course, please first check your e-mail inbox for a Zoom link from your lecturer, and only log on to Stud.IP to search for the link if you cannot find it in your inbox.

Opening hours of the underground student car park

The underground student car park at Innstrasse 27/29 will be open during the same hours as during the semester break, i.e. all students are still entitled to park there during the building opening hours. These are the opening hours until 12 February 2021 inclusive:

Monday to Friday: 6:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Weekends: 8:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
The underground car park is closed from 23 December 2020 to 6 January 2021 (Christmas break).

Please note that in order to use the car park you must affix a valid parking permit for the relevant semester in a clearly visible place in the car (e.g. on the inside of the windscreen). You can download this parking ticket online from the Campus Portal.

School holiday on 18 November // Family Day cannot take place

Schools will be closed on 18 November, the Day of Repentance and Prayer, which is a school holiday but not a general public holiday. Sadly, our Family Day cannot take place this year due to the pandemic. During the Family Day, which has become something of a tradition over the past few years, staff and students can bring their children to the University, who will be looked after and involved in plenty of fun activities. We very much regret that this cannot take place this year and ask for your understanding. However, staff members can make use of the generous telecommute arrangements on that day. We hope that fun family days with exciting workshops will take place at our university again as of next year.

The next regular update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 11 November.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New coronavirus-related developments:

• Recreational sports at the University reduced to virtual classes
• Refectory and cafeteria in the refectory building remain open // Nikolakloster cafeteria closed

Recreational sports at the University reduced to virtual classes

Due to the current developments in the Covid-19 pandemic and the decisions of the federal and state governments and the City of Passau, the previously planned recreational sports programme cannot go ahead as planned on 2 November 2020. Regrettably, we have to suspend the in-person sports courses and close the fitness centre until further notice. This does not affect the practical physical education courses for the teacher education programmes, which cannot be conducted digitally. These will instead place as planned under very strict hygiene measures.
As recreational sports play an important role in achieving study–life and work–life balance, especially during such difficult times as the present pandemic, the Sports Centre will offer university members various digital classes as a substitute for the general recreational sports offering. Course fees will exceptionally be waived to enable as many students and staff as possible to participate. For further information and registration details, visit the Sports Centre website.

Refectory and cafeteria in the refectory building remain open // Nikolakloster cafeteria closed

The refectory will continue to offer the following services in compliance with the hygiene regulations: Mensa-to-go and the refectory delivery service. Due to the new ordinances, food consumption on site (book-a-mensa) will no longer be permitted as of next week. The cafeteria in the refectory building will also remain open, but the Nikolakloster cafeteria will close. Please check the Student Services Association's website (German) for details.

The next regular update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 4 November.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New coronavirus-related developments:

• Video message from the University Executive welcoming our students
• Dissertation/thesis writing deadlines at the Faculty of Business, Economics and Information Systems (Wiwi) will be reinstated on 9 November
• Coronavirus update of the Faculty of Law
• New information for cross-border commuters from Upper Austria // local border traffic to become possible again

Other information from the university:

• Europe Lecture planned for 13 November rescheduled for summer semester
• Updated overview of terms of office

Video message from the University Executive welcoming our students

In a new video address President Ulrich Bartosch and Vice President Bettina Noltenius welcome all students, and particularly the first-semester students, to the University and provide some information on the current state of affairs.

Important information on participation in courses taught face to face in winter semester 2020–21

The lecture period starts on 2 November. As a rule, the courses will take place online, but in certain exceptional cases there will be face-to-face courses on campus. To ensure that we all get through this semester safe and sound, you will find important information on the face-to-face courses in the FAQs under the heading 'Questions about the winter semester' (the English version of the FAQs will become available on 2 November). If you are attending face-to-face courses, please read them carefully and prepare for your visit to the campus accordingly.

Dissertation/thesis writing deadlines at the Faculty of Business, Economics and Information Systems (Wiwi) will be reinstated on 9 November

In some cases, the deadlines for bachelor's dissertations and master's theses are still suspended. In the meantime, the libraries have reopened. According to the latest amendment of the University's Corona regulation, the boards of examiners can decide on the extension or suspension of submission deadlines due to restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic; this may be done as a sweeping, general decision or on a case-by-case basis. The Board of Examiners of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Information Systems has taken the decision to reinstate the writing periods for dissertations and theses as of 9 November 2020. The Examinations Office will inform all students affected by this decision individually of their new submission deadline (= original submission date + the number of days between library closure or dissertation/thesis registration and 9 November 2020).
We will also inform you here if and when the other boards of examiners decide to lift the suspension on their writing periods.

Coronavirus update of the Faculty of Law

The Dean of Studies of the Faculty of Law has issued new guidance on teaching in the winter semester as well as on examinations and other matters. You can find this on the website of the Dean of Studies (German).

New information for cross-border commuters from Upper Austria // local border traffic to become possible again

Upper Austria was declared a Covid-19 risk area on 24 October 2020. In principle, it is possible for University staff and students to cross the border from Upper Austria to Passau to go to the university. However, the amendment to the Entry Quarantine Ordinance (Einreisequarantäneverordnung, EQV) has resulted in new requirements: with immediate effect, cross-border commuters must submit a negative Covid-19 test result within seven days of their first entry into the country after 23 October 2020 and regularly thereafter in each subsequent calendar week in which they enter Bavaria. For Passau this can be sent by e-mail to pendler@passau.de. For details of the requirements, please read §3 of the current EQV (German).

In a border town like Passau, this new regulation causes considerable inconvenience for university staff and students. The University immediately contacted the City Council and the Ministry of Science as soon as this was announced to support the interests of the university members. We are beginning to see the first indication of a solution: the City of Passau has already considerably bolstered the test capacities in the city test centres for cross-border commuters.

Furthermore, according to media reports, the decision was taken yesterday to amend the EQV again promptly to make so-called local border traffic possible again. It is now possible to go on a short-term visit of less than 24 hours without having to go into quarantine. For regular cross-border commuters, however, the weekly testing requirement remains in effect. According to the information available to us it may be that the State of Bavaria will bear the costs of testing for Austrian citizens as well. However, there has not been official confirmation of this yet. We will inform you as soon as we have further information.

We are currently receiving many enquiries about commuter certificates. Staff members already received a commuter certificate in spring as proof of their employment at the university. This is still valid. If you are a staff member and need a new certificate, please contact the personnel office ('Personalbüro'). There are no special commuter certificates for students. As proof that you are currently studying at the University of Passau, please use your current enrolment certificate.

Europe Lecture planned for 13 November rescheduled for summer semester

Unfortunately, it has become necessary to cancel the Europe lecture announced for 13 November due to the current infection situation. It will be rescheduled for the summer semester.

Updated overview of terms of office of the University Executive and governing bodies of the University of Passau

October usually brings a number of personnel changes in governing bodies at the beginning of the winter semester. Please note the updated overview of terms of office (German). Would you like to be informed of every change? Then subscribe to our weekly Termine und Personen newsletter (German), which will keep you up to date about personnel changes and other events and dates during the lecture period.

The next regular update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 4 November.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New coronavirus-related developments:

• Winter semester begins with online teaching // Announcement from the President

Winter semester begins with online teaching // Announcement from the President

The Robert Koch Institute reported over the weekend that the 7-day incidence for the city of Passau has exceeded 100. The Covid-19 traffic lights are now showing deep red. Due to the worsening infection situation, President Professor Ulrich Bartosch and the University Executive have taken the decision that courses at the University of Passau will initially be offered online in the current winter semester, with few exceptions. Please read the president's circular for details.

The next regular update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 28 October.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New coronavirus-related developments:

• Corona traffic light on red // what this means for the university
• Voluntary self-reporting of a suspected or confirmed Covid-19 infection by students
• Nikolakloster cafeteria opens

Corona traffic light on red // what this means for the university

The Robert Koch Institute reported today that the 7-day incidence for the city of Passau has exceeded the threshold of 50; the 'corona traffic light' is therefore showing red. The rules introduced at the amber stage remain in place: the wearing of face masks is still compulsory throughout the entire campus, including the outdoor areas. As a new measure, the seating areas in the foyers of the university buildings may no longer be used now that the corona traffic light is showing red. Please note that only up to 5 people from 2 households may meet in public areas – this also applies to the public areas on campus (e.g. the Innwiese lawn). Classroom teaching at Bavarian universities is still limited to 200 persons at a time. However, the existing room capacities are much smaller when factoring in the 1.5-metre distance rule: our largest lecture theatre, in the Audimax Building, can now accommodate only up to 121 people.

Voluntary self-reporting of a suspected or confirmed Covid-19 infection by students

Did you use the library or attend a course or other event at the University in person and have since tested positive or have a reason to suspect that you may be ill with Covid-19? Then we would ask you to report your illness to us directly. Although there is an official reporting chain, depending on how the infection rates develop, there may be a delay before the university is informed by the health authorities. If you inform us directly, this would allow us to take appropriate measures more quickly than would otherwise be the case. Please use the form on this page: www.uni-passau.de/en/covid19-self-report. We appreciate your help.
Staff members who are infected should contact Human Resources and inform their superiors, as before. If a student tells you about a Covid-19 infection, please point the self-report form out to them.

Nikolakloster cafeteria opens

The Student Services Association has reopened the cafeteria in the Nikolakloster Building. It is the second cafeteria to reopen after the cafeteria in the refectory building. The opening hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mondays to Fridays. Any changes to the opening hours will be announced on the Student Services Association's website. Please be sure to observe the distance and hygiene rules. You must put on your face mask before entering the cafeteria and keep it on while on the premises.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 28 October.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New coronavirus-related developments:

• Amendment of the seventh Bavarian disease control ordinance // new rules for the university
• Decision on face-to-face courses and other in-person events at the University of Passau

Amendment of the seventh Bavarian disease control ordinance // new rules for the university

Following a change in the disease control ordinance, new rules took effect throughout Bavaria on Saturday in the event of localised increases in infection risk. This is now the case in Passau. For the University of Passau this means:

• Masks must be worn in all public areas in buildings and when attending any in-person events or courses: When attending these events and courses (e.g. lectures) at the university, the face mask must also be worn while seated. According to the science ministry, the mask-wearing requirement also applies to lecturers. Masks can be removed at the workplace if you are working alone in your office. If you share your office with others, you may only remove your mask if the minimum distance of 1.5 metres can be safely maintained at all times.
• The obligation to wear masks also applies all outdoor areas on campus: The University of Passau is extending the general requirement to wear face masks prescribed by the City of Passau to the campus. This means masks must be worn in all areas of the campus, even those not thus far indicated in the ordinance of the City of Passau.

Decision on face-to-face courses and other in-person events at the University of Passau

The University Executive is in close contact with experts in the region to coordinates its decisions. Against the background of a rising infection rate, some of you may wonder whether face-to-face courses will continue to be possible. As long as we all consistently observe the strict precautionary measures (distance rule, regular airing, wearing face masks, contact tracing and using the Corona App etc.), there is no fundamental reason at this time why it should not be possible to hold a somewhat reduced number of smaller courses taught in person this semester. The University Executive therefore stands by its decision to allow as much face-to-face teaching as possible in the prevailing circumstances this winter semester.

Nevertheless, if the numbers continue to rise, we must be prepared to switch to an online format at short notice.
For lecturers, the following still applies: As far as possible, we ask that you offer alternative means of instruction rather than relying solely on face-to-face lectures (e.g. by making documents available online, recording the lectures and so on). Doing so allows students belonging to high-risk groups to participate, even if they cannot attend in person.

The health authorities are not currently seeing the classroom-based teaching at schools and universities as the main driver for the Covid-19 infections, nor the office environment, where distances and hygiene measures are observed. Instead, the greatest risk of infection comes from close contacts and celebrations with large numbers of people, especially in the private sphere, where the distance and hygiene rules are often neglected. This makes it all the more important for each and every one of us to act responsibly and consistently reduce the number of close contacts. This is the only way to slow down the current sharp rise in the infection rate and avoid even stricter rules and restrictions further down the line.

Thank you for your help!

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 21 October.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

The Covid-19 infection rates are taking a worrying turn. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the University Executive has been in contact with experts and has relied on their expertise to make its decisions. The University Executive is also liaising with them now to determine the best course of action given the current situation. We will issue an update on the situation on Monday.

New coronavirus-related developments:

• Current rules on entry to Germany from abroad
• University Library: more reading rooms to open as of 26 October

Other news from the University:

• Changes in responsibilities and portfolios of the University Executive members
• Update on the meeting of EU transport ministers and project exhibition on 29 to 31 October
• University Library: Passau Search Portal to replace both InfoGuide and Primo

Current rules on entry to Germany from abroad

The International Office is providing information in German and English on important coronavirus-related rules when entering or returning to Germany from abroad. It is expected that these rules will change substantially over the coming days and weeks. The International Office will update the information accordingly and provide it in the frequently asked questions section.

University Library: more reading rooms to open as of 26 October

From 26 October 2020, all five reading rooms of the University Library will be reopened. The Nikolakloster, Business & Economics and Computer Science & Mathematics reading rooms are open to users from Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. To allow the provision of library services in the late evening and on weekends, the central library and law library reading rooms will be open from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and the central library will additionally open on weekends from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Information on the booking timeslots and access to the booking system will be made available in due course on the University Library website.

Changes in responsibilities and portfolios of the University Executive members

As announced in July, Professor Dennis Solomon resigned as Vice President for International Affairs effective 31 July 2020. Professor Bettina Noltenius was appointed Vice President for the remaining term of office, which ends on 31 March 2023. On 14 October, the University Executive adopted a new schedule of responsibilities: Vice President Professor Christina Hansen takes over the International Affairs and Diversity portfolio. Professor Bettina Noltenius is now Vice President for Studies, Teaching and Ethics. The English website will be updated presently to reflect the changes.

Update on the meeting of EU transport ministers and project exhibition on 29 to 31 October

In an ongoing research project, academics from the University of Passau are looking at how digitalisation and artificial intelligence can be used to ameliorate mobility in non-urban areas. As previously announced, the initial results from this project were to be presented to the European transport ministers at the university on 29 October.
Yesterday it transpired that the planned EU transport ministers' meeting will not take place as an in-person meeting because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Nevertheless, the programme planned for the Innsteg Auditorium, including the exhibition, will take place in compliance with all hygiene rules and will be streamed live to all 27 EU capitals. We will keep you informed on ways in which you can follow the event and see the accompanying exhibition as a university member as soon as the details of the new rules and conditions become available.

University Library: Passau Search Portal to replace both InfoGuide and Primo

On 19 October 2020, the Passau Search Portal will go online and replace InfoGuide and Primo. Using the new portal, any search you carry out will no longer be confined to only the holdings of the University Library and Bavarian Regional Library Passau (aka State Library Passau) but will simultaneously include the Bavarian Union Catalogue and an extensive licensed articles database. The search results will be displayed under the three tabs: Catalogue of the University & State Library of Passau, Union Catalogue of Bavaria & Berlin-Brandenburg and Articles & more. All users’ library accounts, personal search settings and watch lists will be transferred automatically to the Passau Search Portal to ensure a smooth transition to the new platform.
We will publish the access link, together with additional information, on the University Library website next Monday.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 21 October.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New coronavirus-related developments:

• Suspension of dissertation/thesis writing periods at the Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics ends on 15 October
• New BAföG rules // applications must be submitted in October despite coronavirus situation

Suspension of dissertation/thesis writing periods at the Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics ends on 15 October

The writing periods for bachelor's dissertations and master's theses are currently suspended throughout the university. In the meantime, the libraries have reopened, albeit with some restrictions still in place.
According to the last amendment of the University's Corona regulation, the boards of examiners can decide on the extension or suspension of submission deadlines due to restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic; this may be done as a sweeping, general decision or on a case-by-case basis.
The Board of Examiners of the Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics has taken the decision to reinstate the writing periods for dissertations and theses as of 15 October 2020. The Examinations Office will inform all students affected by this decision individually of their new submission deadline (= original submission date + the number of days between library closure or dissertation/thesis registration and 15 October).
We will also inform you here if and when the other boards of examiners decide to lift the suspension on their writing periods.

New BAföG rules for winter semester 2020–21

Thanks to the 2019 amending law for the Federal Teaching Assistance Act (BAföG), students receiving BAföG grants will get more money as of winter semester 2020–21: among other things, the maximum BAföG funding and the allowable deductions on parental income will increase. The Student Services Association will be showcasing the main changes on its Instagram page. Even if the start of the lecture period has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, it is important to submit your BAföG application before the end of October in order to receive complete funding. Please check the Student Services Association website for further details.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 14 October.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New coronavirus-related developments:

• President's video message on the occasion of the start of the winter semester
• Current stage of course/room planning in the winter semester

Other news from the University:

• Register now for the TOEFL ITP^® test at the Language Centre

President's video message on the occasion of the start of the winter semester

University President Ulrich Bartosch addresses all members of the University of Passau in a video message to mark the beginning of the winter semester. The video clip is currently only available in German, but will be additionally provided with English subtitles in the next few days.

Current stage of course/room planning in the winter semester

The room plans for regular courses in WiSe 2020–21 have been available on Stud.IP since yesterday afternoon. A total of 547 face-to-face classes will be offered in the winter semester, amounting to a total of 695 regular course dates (information as of 24 September 2020). The University was able to allocate sufficiently large rooms for all face-to-face classes. As a next step, rooms will now be allocated for the seminars organised by the Centre for Careers and Competencies (ZKK) and, where applicable, language courses. Individual face-to-face classes taught in single or block sessions are last in line for room allocation.

Register now for the TOEFL ITP^® test at the Language Centre // information for students

The Language Centre will, once again, offer students the opportunity to take the TOEFL ITP^® test this semester. The Test Of English as a Foreign Language, TOEFL^®, sets standards in language proficiency testing for academic English throughout the world. The next test date is 15 October 2020. Online registrations are open until 2 October. For details on the test itself and the costs, visit the Language Centre website.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 7 October.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New coronavirus-related developments:

• CampusCard and semester bus pass
• Student Services Association // additional cashless payment options in the refectory

Other news from the University:

• Europe lecture on 13 November // starting time has changed
• Meeting of EU transport ministers and project exhibition on 29 to 31 October

CampusCard and semester bus pass // what will change on 15 October?

Due to the restrictions associated with the coronavirus, many of you were not able to validate your CampusCard during the 2020 summer semester. For this reason, an interim arrangement was reached together with the Student Services Association to the effect that CampusCard valid for winter semester 2019–20 could also be used as bus passes in summer semester 2020. This transitional arrangement will end on 14 October 2020.

From 15 October 2020, only CampusCards with the valid date for the winter semester 2020–21 printed on will be valid as bus passes. In addition, as before, you will have to have an official photographic ID with you when using the buses.

Students in their first semester will receive pre-validated CampusCards upon enrolment. As of the second semester, it is up to each student to validate their CampusCard at one of the four CampusCard validation terminals distributed throughout the campus. In this case, this must be done by 15 October 2020 if you wish to continue using the CampusCard as a bus pass. For details visit the CampusCard help page.

Student Services Association // additional cashless payment options in the refectory

Following a successful test run of new payment methods (by debit/credit card and smartphone) in the refectories and cafeterias in Regensburg, the new system is now also being rolled out in Passau. This means that you will no longer have to top up your MensaCard balance to pay for food in the refectory and cafeterias. However, you will still have to hold the CampusCard up to the reader to identify yourself as a student or employee.

Important: You will still need to use your MensaCard balance to pay at the self-service vending, ice cream or coffee machines.

According to the Student Services Association, the top-up stations and cash registers in the cafeterias and refectories will gradually be converted to handle cashless payment in September 2020. It is therefore possible that the new payment methods are not immediately available at all top-up machines and cash registers.
Details on cashless payments can be found on the Student Services Association website (German).

Europe lecture on 13 November // starting time has changed

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the University has had to cancel this year's Dies academicus. Despite the circumstances, we did not simply want to let the anniversary and the start of the semester slip by without a celebratory event. As we previously announced, there will be a Europe lecture on 13 November, delivered by Professor Hans Joas – but this will now start at 7 p.m. (instead of 6 p.m. as previously scheduled). After the lecture itself, we will be joined by some of our alumni from all over the world to discuss what Europe means for the University of Passau and where the road ahead will take us. This event will be streamed live. Please save the date in your calendar and let us via our online form if you wish to attend in person or virtually to allow us to better plan the event.

Meeting of EU transport ministers and project exhibition on 29 to 31 October

In an ongoing research project, academics from the University of Passau are looking at how digitalisation and artificial intelligence can be used to ameliorate mobility in non-urban areas. Initial findings from this project will be presented to the European transport ministers on 29 October, who will convene in Passau for an informal meeting. The entire event will be broadcast live into the Audimax building: in lecture theatres 9 and 10, a German and an English live stream will be available. Audience members can ask the attending ministers their questions directly using the chat function.
The accompanying exhibition can be viewed upon prior registration in the Innsteg Auditorium from 29 to 31 October. The registration page will be activated in mid-October.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 30 September.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New developments on the coronavirus situation:

• City of Passau issues general decree due to a sharp increase in coronavirus cases

City of Passau issues general decree due to a sharp increase in coronavirus cases

In the city area of Passau, a particularly strong increase in new coronavirus infections has been recorded in the past few days. This means that the City of Passau, as the competent administrative authority, is required to put in place a concept of measures to contain the infection rate. Head Mayor Jürgen Dupper issued these infection prevention measures by general decree on Thursday afternoon. You can read up on them in the official communication of the City of Passau (German). These measures will initially be in force for one week in the entire city area, which includes the University of Passau. This means that you have to adhere to the following additional rules when you are on campus:

• Always wear your face mask in all areas of the campus.
• Make sure you do not gather in groups of more than 5 people. (This second rule applies not only on the university campus but everywhere in Passau.)

We will keep you informed of further developments.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New developments on the coronavirus situation:

• Online teaching // new round of eScouts training starts in October
• Student Services Association // available rooms in halls of residence
• Student Services Association // the refectory is going on a summer break

Online teaching // new round of eScouts training starts in October

After the successful introduction and implementation of the eScouts training scheme by the DiTech transfer forum in summer semester 2020, it will be offered again as of October. The eScouts programme trains student assistants so that they can provide support for digitally taught classes. At the end of the programme you will be:

• well-versed in setting up and designing the learning platforms Stud.IP and ILIAS as well as in using Zoom
• experienced in using media technology (also: media production, e.g. recording lectures)
• trained in the provision of digital support for classes and other events
• part of an advisory and support structure—the eScouts Community—which provides rapid support and solutions to people with technical difficulties

This is a multi-stage further training measure which will take about 10 to 15 hours of your time. All participating student assistants will receive a training certificate. Up to two people per Chair can take part in the programme. If you are interested in the training measure as a student assistant or research assistant, please contact your Chair staff.

Student Services Association // available rooms in halls of residence for winter semester 2020

The Student Services Association (Studentenwerk) for Lower Bavaria and Upper Palatinate has announced that affordable accommodation is still available in the residential complexes in Regensburg and Passau for the upcoming winter semester. For details, visit the Student Services Association website (German). Please note that this page lists all rooms within the service area of the Student Services Association. To view the rooms available in Passau, scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page and click on Ich suche eine Unterkunft in Passau.

Student Services Association // the refectory is going on a summer break

A quick reminder: The refectory is closed from 14 September and will open again on 28 September. During the refectory closing period, the cafeteria in the refectory building will be open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 23 August.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New developments on the corona situation:

• Amended Corona regulation enters into force
• Information on and recommendations for travel to Bavaria

Information from the University:

• Siren test alert on 10 September

Amended Corona regulation enters into force

The amendment to the Corona regulation of the University of Passau adopted by the Senate on 22 July has now also been approved by both the Bavarian State Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs and the State Ministry of Justice. As a result, the amended regulation can now enter into force. According to this amendment, failed or missed university exams will not be counted in summer semester 2020. 
More specifically, this means that the exam registration or the exam attempt will not be counted if a student 

• misses an exam (due to illness or for any other reason),
• has to abort an exam or
• fails the exam.
• Any exam that a student has already registered for, failed or missed will automatically be tagged as a free exam attempt ('Freiversuch') before the start of the next registration period.

This regulation does not apply to state examinations (teacher education programmes and the undergraduate law programme) or to the university-set portion of the First Examination in Law and any dissertations/theses for which a student may be registered. However, the amendment does apply to the university's module assessments in the teacher education programmes and the preliminary examination in law, which means that, in such cases too, failed and missed exam attempts will not be counted in summer semester 2020.

Within the university, any maximum semester duration and assessment-related deadlines that fall within the 2020 summer semester are automatically extended until the end of winter semester 2020–21. This does not apply to the submission deadlines for written assignments, seminar papers, project work and dissertations/theses. For further information, turn to the updated FAQs (under the heading 'Questions on examinations').

Information on and recommendations for travel to Bavaria

For anyone travelling to Bavaria from abroad in the winter semester, the International Office and Student Services Division of the University of Passau has written up the most important recommendations in 'step-by-step guide' that is available both in German and English. The guide will be continually reviewed and updated as needed to reflect newest developments We will keep you informed about any updates on this page.

Siren test alert on 10 September

Tomorrow, Thursday, September 10, sirens across Germany will be tested at 11 a.m. The purpose of this test alert is to check whether the siren systems are in working order and to familiarise people in Germany with the various siren signals. The rising and falling wail of the sirens will last one minute. Its purpose is to notify people of serious threats to public safety and get them to switch on their radio sets and listen out for announcements. There is no need for you to take any action when you hear the alert. Tomorrow's alert is really only a rehearsal. Please also read the information provided by the City of Passau (in German).

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 16 September. 

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New developments on the coronavirus situation:

• Student Services Association (Studentenwerk) // Updated FAQ on BAföG
• Seeking team teachers among teacher education students and graduates from other degree programmes
• Please remain careful!

Student Services Association (Studentenwerk) // Updated FAQ on BAföG

The Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts continues to react to corona-related changes to the study programmes, also for the purposes of BAföG loans and grants. To help you keep an overview, the Student Services Association for Lower Bavaria and Upper Palatinate updated its BAföG FAQ this week with the heading 'Keine Nachteile beim BAFöG wegen der Corona-Krise' ('No disadvantages with BAFöG because of the Corona crisis'; the FAQ is only available in German).

Seeking team teachers among teacher education students and graduates from other degree programmes

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Bavarian schools need help to ensure regular classes in the 2020–21 school year. Effective immediately, the following are invited to apply as team teachers:

• graduates from teacher education programmes for any school type who have not been offered a teaching post in a state-run school in the 2020–21 school year
• graduates from other university degree programmes (including bachelor's, master's or other state examination programmes)
• students in higher semesters enrolled in a teacher education programme.

Contracts will be short-term but usually concluded for the entire 2020–21 school year. For details, please visit the website of the Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs (in German).

Please remain careful!

In recent days, it has become apparent that people are becoming negligent with the coronavirus rules – not just on the University premises but also in their private dealings with others. It is important to us that you stay healthy. Please take good care of yourself when away from the University campus and respect the rules of conduct that protect us all.

• We know this is difficult, but please avoid meeting others in person or going to parties or other events if you have flu-like symptoms.
• If you feel unwell, see a medical doctor or go to the new Covid-19 test centre (page in German) in Passau, get a coronavirus test and do not go out among people until you know the test result.
• The single most important rule in these coronavirus times is still: 'Keep your distance!'. This is the best way to protect yourself, the people around you and your loved ones.
• Please also remind others to continue observing the disease control regulations – after all, we want to see all of you in good health when you come back in the winter semester. Thank you!

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 9 September.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New developments on the corona situation:

• Federal Government's stopgap assistance extended until September
• Refectory's closing times and shorter cafeteria hours as of 31 August
• Seeking team teachers among teacher education students and graduates from other degree programmes

Information from the University:

• Asked and Answered: Dr Achim Dilling, Head of Administration, on development of the university grounds
• Free State of Bavaria acquires Ehret grounds for university extension
• Dies academicus cancelled // Europe lecture on 13 November
• New licence code for stock image provider Colourbox

Federal Government's stopgap assistance extended until September // Information for students

Students experiencing hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic may now also apply for September assistance from the federal government at the student services association of Niederbayern/Oberpfalz. Only applications using the form available at www.ueberbrueckungshilfe-studierende.de will be accepted. For every month of hardship brought on by the pandemic, a separate application must be submitted in the relevant month. The September application will thus become available as of 1 September 2020. Until then, there are only a few days left to submit an application for August. Please visit the Student Services Association's website for all the information on the stopgap assistance fund.

Refectory's closing times and shorter cafeteria hours as of 31 August

The Student Services Association has announced that the refectory will be closed from 14 to 25 September 2020. The cafeteria in the refectory building will remain open while the refectory is closed. Please note the shorter cafeteria hours as of 31 August: Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. through 2:00 p.m.

Seeking team teachers among teacher education students and graduates from other degree programmes

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Bavarian schools need help to ensure regular classes in the 2020-21 school year. 
Effective immediately, the following are invited to apply as team teachers:

• graduates from teacher education programmes for all types of schools who have not been offered a post as a teacher in a public school in the 2020-21 school year 
• graduates from another university degree programme (including bachelor's, master's, other state examinations)
• students in higher semesters enrolled in teacher education programmes.

Contracts will be short-term contracts but generally for the entire 2020-21 school year. For details, please go to the website of the Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs (in German).

Asked and Answered: Dr Achim Dilling, Head of Administration, on development of the university grounds

Whether offices, lecture theatres, desks for groups or seminar rooms, one issue that is permanently on the University of Passau's agenda is room capacities. The further development of the university grounds is currently gaining pace: Plans for the new university building on Spitzberg hill are becoming more concrete and new options to extend the university's facilities both on the campus and in the city centre have come into the picture. We asked Dr Achim Dilling, Head of Administration, for an update on how things are progressing. Read the full interview online. Are you unable to visit the exhibition showcasing the finalists of the architectural design competition for the new building on Spitzberg hill? We went to see the exhibition on your behalf and have put together a picture gallery for you with all the outstanding designs.

Free State of Bavaria acquires Ehret grounds for university extension

Science Minister Bernd Sibler announced yesterday that the Free State of Bavaria has acquired what is known as the Ehret grounds on Innstraße 45 for extension of the University of Passau's premises. Negotiations for acquisition of these grounds, which form an island between the ITZ building, the Administration Building, the Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics, the Faculty of Law and the Sports Centre, had been ongoing for many years. The Free State of Bavaria’s real estate management company Immobilien Freistaat Bayern (IMBY) signed the contract of sale yesterday. For details, please read the press release issued by the Ministry (in German).

Dies academicus cancelled // Europe lecture on 13 November

This year's Dies academicus had to be cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. However, despite the current situation, we will not let the anniversary and beginning of the semester pass unnoticed. The Europe lecture will be held by Professor Hans Joas on 13 November at 6 p.m. After the lecture, there will be a discussion with alumni from around the world joining in the event via live stream about what Europe means for the University of Passau and where the road is heading. On account of the hygiene measures in place, only a small number of guests will actually be physically attending the event in Audimax, and the reception usually held in the foyer on such occasions will not be taking place. However, the event will be broadcast live and exclusively for all university members and invited guests. Make sure you earmark the date now, and please let us know whether you are interested in attending the event in person or online using the online form (in German) so that we can plan accordingly.

New licence code for stock image provider Colourbox

The University of Passau has licensed the stock image provider Colourbox. This will give both students and staff access to over 26 million images, illustrations and videos. A new licence code will be required once a year, i.e. every 1 September. You will find the new license code and further details on how to use Colourbox in Stud.IP under 'Managing News'.
 

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 2 September. 

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New developments on the corona situation:

• Final decision taken on teaching dates in winter semester 2020-21
• Science Ministry updates FAQ: automatic extension of deadlines
• Teacher education programmes: subject-didactical practice teaching (Studienbegleitendes Fachdidaktisches Praktikum, SFP) in winter semester 2020-21

Final decision taken on winter semester teaching dates

In winter semester 2020-21, teaching at the University of Passau will begin on 2 November 2020 and end on 12 February 2021.
The University Executive has decided to exercise its option of cutting short the teaching period by two weeks (see subsection 3 sentence 2 of the Ordinance on the Teaching Period at Universities in Bavaria (UniVorlZV) as amended on 8 July 2020). Accordingly, teaching at the University of Passau will end on 12 February instead of 26 February 2021.

Science Ministry updates FAQ: automatic extension of deadlines

For the purposes of the regular dates and deadlines laid down in the examination regulations for the study programmes, the summer semester 2020 is not considered as a subject semester (Art. 99(1) BayHSchG). The Bavarian Science Ministry has updated its FAQ (German) on BAföG and examinations and whether the summer semester counts as a subject semester and what effects this has on the standard period of study.

What does that mean for you?

• Have you already reached the maximum period of study according to your examination regulations and received an official notice of initial fail ('erstmaliges Nichtbestehen')?
  You will soon receive an additional notice indicating the new deadlines/dates from the Examinations Office.
• Are you going to reach the maximum period of study at the end of summer semester 2020?
  At the end of summer semester 2020, no maximum-period-of-study check will be carried out. These checks will only resume after the end of winter semester 2020–21, and summer semester 2020 will not be counted towards the overall period of study in future checks. Nevertheless, any examinations in which you achieved a pass mark in summer semester 2020 will count towards your degree.
• Are you falling short of the number of ECTS credits you need to have accumulated by the end of summer semester 2020 (e.g. B.Sc. Business Administration and Economics, B.Sc. Information Systems; FIM degree programmes)?
  Here, too, the summer semester 2020 does not count as a subject semester.
• Are you regularly enrolled in a degree programme in summer semester 2020, but are a (long) way away from reaching the maximum period of study or another deadline?
  The summer semester 2020 will not count for you either and will not be included in the maximum-period-of-study checks.
• Are you on a sabbatical (leave of absence) in the summer semester and have not yet reached the maximum period of study?
  In that case, summer semester 2020 will not affect the course of your programme. The deadlines set out in the examination regulations will continue to apply to you.
• Are you studying a teacher education programme?
  The Bavarian Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs has announced that, with regard to the regulation on the registration period according to § 31(2) ff LPO I, the summer semester 2020 will not be counted as a semester.
• Are you studying the undergraduate law programme at the University of Passau?
  The automatic extension for assessment deadlines or the maximum period of study also apply to the preliminary examination in law and the university-set portion of the First Examination in Law.

As these are automatic you do not need to apply (or provide supporting documents) for an extension.
The above automatic extensions do not apply to writing periods for written assignments, seminar papers, project work and dissertations or theses.

Teacher education programmes: subject-didactical practice teaching (Studienbegleitendes Fachdidaktisches Praktikum, SFP) in winter semester 2020-21

In this winter semester, subject-didactical practice teaching will take place during the term for all school types and teaching subjects. In other words: Practice teaching will begin on 2 November 2020 in the first week of lectures and end on 12 February 2021. While the accompanying coursework will go ahead and start in the first week of lectures, schools will be off in this first week so that the first day for practice teaching at schools will not be until Wednesday, 11 November 2020.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 26 August.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New developments on the coronavirus situation:

• Students are prohibited from attending exams if they have clinical symptoms of illness or are suspected of having Coronavirus infection
• Classes at the Faculty of Business, Economics and Information Systems will mostly be held online in the winter semester 2020/2021
• How things stand with respect to Innwiese: Please continue to observe the rules

Information from the University:

• University signs 'Diversity Charter' and presents awards to best entries in the 'Celebrate Diversity' creative competition

Students are prohibited from attending exams if they show clinical symptoms of illness or are suspected of having Coronavirus infection

If you are unwell on the day of the examination and, in particular, show symptoms of a respiratory disease of any severity or unspecific general symptoms, you may not enter the university buildings. In this case, the supervisory staff responsible for the examinations will ensure that the ban on entering the premises is observed. If you have the above-mentioned symptoms due to allergies, we recommend that you carry a medical certificate. This certificate should also indicate that there is no evidence of infectious disease.

Even if you are aware that you have come into contact with a confirmed COVID-19 patient within the last 14 days before the day of the examination but you do not have any symptoms of illness, you are still not allowed to attend the examination. We urge you to contact the public health department ('Gesundheitsamt') immediately and discuss what further steps need to be taken. The public health department will order anyone to quarantine who is found to have been in close contact (=elevated risk of infection). Quarantine will not be lifted even if a test produces a negative result. In other words, you will not be allowed to sit an examination in person for the entire duration of the quarantine even if you test negative for coronavirus. The obligation to quarantine also applies if you have spent time in any of the international risk areas (cf. current list kept by the RKI) during the past 14 days. As a precautionary measure, we would like to point out that breaching the obligation to quarantine may – depending on the circumstances – be punishable by law and give rise to claims for damages.

However, should the public health department decide that no additional requirements with respect to contact restrictions are needed, in-person examinations may be attended subject to compliance with all the hygiene rules. Be that as it may, we appeal to your sense of responsibility and ask you to get tested on a voluntary basis. Naturally, you also have the option of withdrawing from the examination at any time or not turning up at the examination venue without having to face any negative consequences.

Classes at the Faculty of Business, Economics and Information Systems will mostly be held online in the winter semester 2020/2021

The executive board of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Information Systems provides information on how the winter semester will be organised on its website – for both returning and new students.

How things stand with respect to Innwiese: Please continue to observe the rules

Innwiese lawn has been open for general use since 1 July and will remain open as long as the general rules for public spaces are observed. This worked extremely well in the first few weeks. We would like to thank all members of the university community for their exemplary conduct. Unfortunately, we have seen less compliance with the rules over recent days.
Please protect yourself and others, and adhere to the rules:

• groups of up to 10 people are admissible
• a minimum distance of 1.5 m must be observed
• parties and barbecues are prohibited, as are ball games and sports.

Please also invite other groups to observe the disease control regulations – so that everyone can continue to safely use all the green areas. Thank you!

University signs 'Diversity Charter' and presents awards to best entries in the 'Celebrate Diversity' creative competition

The atmosphere at the signing of the 'Diversity Charter' by President Professor Ulrich Bartosch and the presentation of awards by Vice President Professor Christina Hansen was friendly, vibrant and festive. By acceding to the Charter, the University has made a clear commitment to diversity and respect. First prize in the 'Celebrate Diversity' creative competition went to student Sandro Santalucia for her pencil drawing. Second prize went to graduate teaching assistant Carolina Goberna Caride for her painting, and Mira Reichenbach was awarded 3rd prize for her poem 'Uns' (Us). For further information please read the press release (in German). The outstanding submissions to the creative competition can also be viewed online.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 19 August.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New developments on the coronavirus situation:

• Short-term use of the University Library extended
• Partial opening of the Nikolakloster reading room on August 10
• Partial opening of the Sports Centre scheduled for August 10

Information from the University:

• New campus magazine issue now available

Short-term use of the University Library extended

In light of the excellent track record in hygiene rule compliance among the users of the University Library's partially open reading rooms, the possibility of making short-term use of the central library without prior appointment will be considerably extended. Short-term use of the library is permitted for the purpose of conducting research and borrowing, copying, or scanning media; no desks are assigned in this case. You will find further relevant details on the University Library website.
Please note that the previously available scanning and delivery services for graduate teaching assistants will be discontinued for holdings in the partially open reading rooms.

Partial opening of the Nikolakloster reading room on August 10

Starting on August 10, the Nikolakloster reading room will be open part-time from Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The 79 study desks available can be reserved via Stud.IP for 4 hours per day in three different time slots. In addition, ten short-term users will be admitted without prior appointment. Details will be provided and access to the booking system will be made available on the University Library website at the end of the week.

Partial opening of the Sports Centre scheduled for August 10

Now that practical sports classes have been successfully held subject to strict hygiene specifications, the Sports Centre is planning to partially open regular recreational sports on August 10. As a first step, the fitness centre will open for workouts again and rowing courses for advanced rowers will be offered. Further details on the terms of use and hygiene specifications will be published on the Sport Centre's website over the next few days.

New campus magazine issue now available

The new issue of the university magazine entitled 'Geschlossene Gesellschaft' (Private Function) is now available at the various display points on the campus. This magazine is also available in digital format for you to download as a PDF file (German) and for you to flick through on the website (German).

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 12 August.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

New developments on the coronavirus situation:

• Legal framework at the end of the winter semester // announcements from the State Government and Science Ministry
• Coronavirus update of the Faculty of Law

Legal framework at the end of the winter semester // announcements from the State Government and Science Ministry

Currently, the guidelines for the implementation of the second Bavarian disease control ordinance at Bavarian universities (German text), which became effective on 22 June, are still in force. Under these guidelines, all classes and events requiring physical attendance are prohibited. While there are some exceptions, these are subject to very strict rules and conditions.

With a view to the legal environment in the upcoming winter semester, the Bavarian State Government made the following announcement on 28 July [unofficial translation of an excerpt from the announcement]:
'Face-to-face teaching at Bavarian universities will be permitted to resume in winter semester 2020–21. The intention is to allow classroom-based teaching to take place in principle if the infection rate permits it. For any face-to-face teaching at Bavarian universities, it is essential that compliance with the general disease prevention rules as well as the framework concepts developed and updated by the university associations in coordination with the Ministry of Science and the Arts and the Ministry of Health and Care be ensured. In particular, the rules require that classes or other events must not have more than 200 participants and that all participants be registered to allow the authorities to trace any chains of infection. The State Ministry of Science and the Arts will, in coordination with the State Ministry of Health and Care, initiate the updating of the hygiene concepts elaborated by the university associations.'

On the basis of this information, we anticipate that the first step will be to adapt the guidelines for the implementation of the Bavarian disease control ordinance at Bavarian universities in coordination with Universität Bayern [NB: the Bavarian Universites' Conference]. Building on this, the hygiene concepts of the University of Passau can then be adapted for the coming winter semester.

The Ministry of Science today held a press conference (German video) in which it clarified the information issued by the State Government. Key provisions of the new regulation are:

• A special focus of the universities should be on first-semester students to allow them to build up a bond with their university.
• The universities must develop a data-protection-compliant concept for contact tracing. This means that the universities have to make certain that all attendees can be identified if there is an infection in a particular class.
• The hygiene and distance rules must continue to be observed in the winter semester.
• If it is ensured that participants in a class are sitting at least 1.5 metres apart from each other, they may remove their face masks during class.

Coronavirus update of the Faculty of Law

On 27 July, the Dean of Studies of the Faculty of Law issued new guidance on teaching in the winter semester as well as on examination and other matters. You can find this on the website of the Dean of Studies (German).

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 5 August.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Examination period: important information for avoiding unnecessary delays
• Regular updates: new structure and update cycle

Examination period: important information for avoiding unnecessary delays

The centrally-organised examinations have begun. Please check the Examinations Office website before you go to your exam to find out the exam venue and your desk number. In order to avoid queues and the formation of groups, the seating plans are not posted outside the exam halls.

You may only bring your personal writing utensils, food and approved aids into the exam room. Please leave all other personal belongings (particularly valuables) at home, as the cloakrooms and changing rooms are closed.
For details visit the in-person examinations pages.

Regular updates: new structure and update cycle

At the end of this semester's teaching period, we changing the coronavirus update schedule; updates have been sent out three times a week in recent weeks. At the same time we are taking on board a suggestion we received from you, which is to continue sending out a newsletter in German and English featuring essential information from the university – even after the coronavirus pandemic has subsided.

The update will therefore no longer be called '6 p.m. coronavirus update' but simply 'Update for students'. This will be sent out every Wednesday evening. We will, however, still send special updates if there are urgent announcements to make.

As before, the updates will feature the latest coronavirus-related developments on top, and we will continue to additionally put this information up on this coronavirus page. The second part will include important general news from the University. The following are considered important news:

• Study-related information, e.g. on examinations, re-registrations etc.
• Announcements from the University Executive
• Announcements from the governing bodies that affect all students
• Announcements from the student representatives
• Cross-faculty announcements that affect all students, such as changes in building opening hours, information from the central facilities and services, restrictions due to construction work and so on

Upon consultation with the student representatives, we have decided no longer to include information on individual events and courses unless they are relevant to students' degree programmes and not confined to a single faculty.

Tip: If you would like to be kept up to date on upcoming events at the University, you can subscribe to the Termine und Personen newsletter (German), which provides regular information on upcoming public events. Additionally, you will also find all upcoming events in the calendar of events.

Incidentally, did you know that registered student clubs and societies can advertise their events in the calendar of events? What's more, as a student club or society, you can also post in the University blog (German). The blog has a good number of visitors, and blog posts are also shown in Stud.IP under 'News from other websites'. Student clubs and societies can register for their own username by Contacting the Digital Media Section.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 29 July.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Amendment to the Corona regulation adopted: failed or missed university exams will not be counted in summer semester 2020
• University Library services extended as of 27 July
• University buildings to reopen on 27 July
• Now available in English: handbook for students on digitally supported examinations

Amendment to the Corona regulation adopted: failed or missed university exams will not be counted in summer semester 2020

On 22 July, the Senate adopted the proposal of the University Executive to extend the Corona regulation in order to mitigate disadvantages for students due to the special coronavirus situation following a debate. The Senate has approved the amendment to the regulation. Under the new rules, examinations set by the University (not state examinations, which are set centrally by the ministry) taken in summer semester 2020 will not count towards the respective student's final grade. Once approval has been received from the education and justice ministries, the amended regulation will be officially announced. It is our experience that this process can be somewhat lengthy. We will inform you in a future update as soon as approval has been granted. Please be aware that the new rules will only enter into force once this process has been completed.
Please also note that the Corona regulation of the University of Passau cannot be applied to state examinations, as the latter are within the purview of the competent ministries rather than that of the University.

When the amended rules are in force, this means that your exam registration or the exam attempt is not counted if:

• you miss an exam (e.g. because you are prevented from attending by illness or for any other reason)
• you have to abort an exam
• you fail an exam

This regulation does not apply to state examinations or any dissertations/theses for which you may be registered.

Within the university, any maximum semester duration and assessment-related deadlines that fall within the 2020 summer semester are automatically extended until the end of winter semester 2020–21. However, this does not apply to the submission deadlines for written assignments, seminar papers, project work and dissertations/theses.
For more information, turn to the updated FAQ section.

University buildings to reopen on 27 July

Against the background of the ongoing in-person examinations, the partial opening of facilities such as the library and the refectory and the opening of offices to those visiting the service sections in person with an appointment, the university buildings will also reopen on Monday, 27 July. Access is thus once again possible for students with an important reason for entering the buildings. The following are regarded as important reasons:

• taking part in an in-person exam
• taking part in an approved course on campus
• using those facilities and services that have reopened to the university public
• going to a previously arranged appointment
• contactless submission of documents in the provided mailboxes, e.g. in the Administration Building
• gaining access to lockers for the purpose of removing your personal items

The building opening hours are Monday to Friday 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Buildings are closed on weekends and public holidays. The central library and the Juridicum buildings may have longer building opening hours in line with the extended opening hours of the reading rooms located in those buildings. Please note that the computer rooms remain closed until further notice.

The entrance and exit of the student underground car park is open from 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Monday to Friday (6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on weekends). The underground car park is closed on Saturday, 15 August (Assumption Day). You do not need your CampusCard to drive into the car park.

When visiting the university buildings, please keep a distance of 1.5 m from other people at all times and wear a face mask. We also recommend voluntarily using the Corona-Warn-App of the German government.
You must not enter any buildings on campus if you have any symptoms of illness – even a vague, general sense of being unwell – and certainly not if you are experiencing symptoms of a respiratory illness. If you have had (or think you may have had) contact with someone with COVID-19, you are obliged to register with the public health department ('Gesundheitsamt'). Even if you are not experiencing any symptoms of illness but have a reasonable suspicion of being infected: please act responsibly and do not enter the buildings.

The main rules for visiting the university buildings are summarised in German and English in the informational placard, which will be displayed prominently at all building entrances.

University Library services extended as of 27 July

The University Library is extending its services: as of 27 July 2020, students can use the central library for short periods in the same way as is being offered by the Juridicum reading room. This means students and academic staff can go to the central library without prior registration to borrow or scan books, but without being assigned a desk. There is a limit to the number of short-term visitors allowed in the library at any given time, which is, therefore, monitored. From 3 August 2020, the central library will open again on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Desk reservations must be made electronically as before.

Now available in English: handbook for students on digitally supported examinations

The English version of the handbook for students, How online exams work, is now available to inform our English-speaking students of the upcoming digitally supported examinations and ensure a smooth examination process. The handbook is intended to provide clarity about what to expect in the exams, organisational and technical aspects and what types of examination will be offered.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 27 July.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Updated FAQ about the upcoming winter semester
• Cafeteria in the refectory building to open on 27 July
• Virtual campus life: 'United we create' project of the Student Services Association

Updated FAQ about the upcoming winter semester

We expanded the FAQ section to include a section on the current stage of planning for the winter semester. You will now find the following new questions and answers:

Will teaching be predominantly online or classroom-based this winter semester?

The University Executive would like to offer as many face-to-face courses as possible in the winter semester. We miss campus life and hope very much that we will be able to welcome you all again on campus in November. However, it is not yet possible to make predictions as to which formats individual courses will be allowed to take in the winter semester. We have to assume that pandemic-related restrictions on campus-based activities will still be in place, or if not be prepared in case such restrictions are re-imposed at short notice.

The situation today is that full face-to-face teaching is only permitted for smaller courses due to the state's hygiene regulations currently in force for universities. We are working with the faculties to set up an elaborate planning concept that will ensure that classes can proceed in as normal a fashion as possible.
We have asked all lecturers to consider the following points when planning their courses for winter semester 2020–21:

• It is likely that the larger-scale courses (i.e. lectures and seminars with a moderate or large number of students) will have to be held either purely online or using a 'hybrid' classroom setting, by which classes are split into several smaller groups. It is also very likely that we will see synchronous or asynchronous digital teaching units/formats accompanying the larger courses.
• Smaller courses (e.g. seminars with fewer participants, exercise courses, tutorials and practical courses) will probably be allowed to take place face to face.
• However, as there is a chance the Covid-19 situation will deteriorate in the autumn, lecturers should plan their courses with enough flexibility to allow them to switch between digital and face-to-face formats swiftly, without needing to interrupt their course schedule.
• Even if individual courses can be held fully or partly in a face-to-face format or alternating between online and face-to-face teaching, there will still be students whose circumstances prevent them from attending classroom-based courses. We also want to enable these students to participate in lectures and seminars without any detriment (e.g. through parallel online offerings or other computer-based support) and are working intensively to overcome this challenge as we plan the seminars.

Are there special offerings for new students?

Our experiences with this 'online semester' have shown that the limitations of digital distance learning are particularly noticeable among the group of first-semester students, as it is more difficult than usual for them to create a bond with the university and the study programme, mainly due to missing real-life contact with the university. We therefore recommend that all lecturers set up target-group-specific attendance phases or face-to-face courses or special support programmes for first-, second- and third-semester students.

In order to make it easier for first-semester students to find their bearings, our tried-and-tested induction days for first-year students (Orientation Week or 'O-Woche') will be offered in winter semester 2020–21. In addition, the student committees are working on a special 'onboarding' scheme to help new students surmount the initial challenges of starting out at university.

What will the examination period be like in the winter semester?

The examination period will start immediately after the end of teaching for the semester and will take about four to six weeks. As in summer semester 2020, we expect that many examinations will be held on campus, especially for the larger courses. We also hope to see an enhanced legal framework for online exams.

Why aren't all questions answered yet? What is the university waiting for?

Unfortunately, we are not yet in a position to give you answers to all your questions because we can neither fully anticipate the further course of the pandemic nor the measures that the state government will impose in the future.

The University Executive's planning is always based on the guidelines set by the competent ministries for the Bavarian higher education institutions. This applies in particular to the – as yet unclear – (legal) framework for studies and exams, which must be completely reworked in some points. So far, the ministry has not yet announced a decision on the winter semester. We will inform you through the usual channels as soon as we know more. Please keep checking the announcements on the websites, in the regular e-mail updates and in Stud.IP over the coming weeks.

The University Executive is aware that the general uncertainty about the coming semester creates great difficulties for all members of the university community. Please be assured that we will do our utmost to provide answers to the outstanding questions as soon as possible.

Cafeteria in the refectory building to open on 27 July

From Monday, 27 July, the Student Services Association plans to reopen the larger cafeteria in the refectory building. In turn, the Audimax cafeteria will be closed. The opening hours will be extended to 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Monday to Friday) during the examination phase. All food and drinks will be available to take away, but consumption on the premises will not be permitted. The Student Services Association (Studentenwerk) will make more information available on its website (in German) in the coming days.

Virtual campus life: 'United we create' project of the Student Services Association

The Student Services Association has further developed the 'Lockdown in Focus' photo project. The idea behind United we create is to bring together creative talents and inspire others to engage in new artistic projects. The Student Services Association offers an online platform where students can upload their creative contributions and exchange ideas. This will be used to create a large online mind map that includes thoughts, pictures, poems, songs, short films and videos about the coronavirus period. Please visit the Student Services Association's website for details.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 24 July.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• President's video message about winter semester 2020–21
• Lecture period start and end dates in the upcoming winter semester
• Service points: visiting in person is now permitted with prior appointment

President's video message about winter semester 2020–21

In a video message, President Ulrich Bartosch addresses all members of the University to inform them of the current stage of planning for the winter semester.

Lecture period start and end dates in the upcoming winter semester

The University's intention is to have all study programmes start on 2 November 2020. Teaching will end on 12 February 2021, provided that the departments and faculties can condense the curriculum sufficiently with the help of online courses. That date also marks the start of the examination period. Science Minister Bernd Sibler publicly affirmed on 10 July that his ministry will agree to this lecture timetable. At the University level, the Senate has to decide on the proposed lecture timetable to ensure a sound legal basis. Please understand that it takes time for these processes to go through.

Service points: visiting in person is now permitted with prior appointment

If necessary, you may now visit the service sections at the University in person, as long as you adhere to the distancing and hygiene rules. However, before you do you should contact us by digital means. If your enquiry cannot be answered in this way, you will be offered an appointment for a personal consultation. Spontaneous visits without a prior appointment are not permitted.

The central service points of the University of Passau can still be reached by telephone and/or e-mail during normal opening hours and will deal with your concerns as quickly as possible. Please be aware that many staff members may not be reachable at their office telephone number, as many of them are telecommuting during the coronavirus pandemic. We recommend sending an e-mail instead. Many service points can also be contacted via Skype or offer Zoom consultation hours.

An exception in terms of accessibility applies to the Examinations Office during the examination period: from 27 July to 11 September, the Examinations Office staff will not be in their offices at the usual times because they are busy accompanying the centrally organised exams. Please send requests by e-mail only. We ask for your understanding that it may take a little longer than usual to answer your enquiries during this time.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

Information from the Student Services Association on the stopgap assistance fund (also referred to as ‘interim financial aid’ or ‘bridging assistance’)

Since 16 June students in hardship brought on by the pandemic have been able to apply for payments from the stopgap assistance fund at www.ueberbrueckungshilfe-studierende.de. Unfortunately, the Student Services Association receives many applications that are either incomplete or filled in incorrectly. Since the staff there would like to make sure the money reaches as many people who need it as possible, they often ask back for missing documents rather than rejecting an application. The drawback is that this considerably slows down the further processing of applications and leads to delays in payment.

The Student Services Association gives the following tips for submitting applications for payments from the stopgap assistance fund:

• Upload all required documents in full, making sure they are clearly legible.
• Submit all account statements (including PayPal, credit card accounts and so on) leaving no gaps up to the day before the application is submitted. Do not send screenshots from banking apps or photographs taken of a screen. The account statement must show your name and IBAN, and the account balance must be clearly visible.
• In the self-disclosure part of the form, provide a conclusive and detailed account of how your hardship situation was brought about by the pandemic.
• Documents can only be submitted via the application tool, not by any other means (including e-mail). This also applies if you are uploading missing documents after having been requested to do so by staff.
• If you have to upload missing documents, do not upload them one by one; only start uploading once you are in possession of all required documents. For technical reasons, you have to upload all documents in a single session.
• If you submitted an application for the previous month, do not submit a new application in the current month until the previous application has been fully processed.
• Please double-check your application for all of the above points before submitting it.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 20 July.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

Centrally organised in-person examinations start on 27 July: information for students

Monday, 27 July 2020 is the starting date of the examinations organised centrally by the Examinations Office. The exam dates and other important information can be found on the semester-related information webpage of the Examinations Office. The Examinations Office has made every effort to ensure that you feel safe and can write the exams in a calm atmosphere. Please also do your part to protect everyone involved by preparing yourself well:

• Observe the infection prevention measures.
• Check early on – ideally while you're still at home – which examination room and seat number has been assigned to you. The seating plans are now online on the Examinations Office website.
• Please leave all unnecessary personal belongings at home and bring only your personal writing utensils, proof of identity and the approved or authorised aids into the examination room.
• Keep your distance at all times.
• Wear a face mask covering your mouth and nose.

We wish you the best of luck for your exams!

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 17 July.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Further information on BAföG, standard period of study, deadlines and other regulations during the coronavirus pandemic
• University elections: election results announced

Further information on BAföG, standard period of study, deadlines and other regulations during the coronavirus pandemic

The Bavarian Science Ministry has updated its FAQ (German) on BAföG and examinations and whether the summer semester counts as a subject semester and what effects this has on the standard period of study.

The 'Studium' section of the Science Ministry's website (German) now has a summary of the provisions of the expedited law. From there, you can also download the draft law as a pdf file (German).

University elections: election results announced

The results of the university election of 7 July have been announced on the Elections Office website.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 15 July.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Fast-tracked legislation // changes related to BAföG, standard period of study and deadlines
• Partial opening of the underground student car park
• Consuming food in the refectory on reservation possible as of 14 July

Fast-tracked legislation // changes related to BAföG, standard period of study and deadlines

On 8 July, the Bavarian state parliament enacted a fast-tracked law amending the Bavarian Higher Education Act. Among other things, this contains a provision automatically postponing deadlines and extending the standard period of study by one semester. 'In addition, the amendment is to ensure that the maximum duration of BAföG assistance is extended accordingly and without bureaucratic hurdles. In doing so we wish to prevent a situation in which our students suffer any detriment if they are unable to sit any or all of their exams in the current crisis situation', said Science Minister Bernd Sibler.

Initial information is available from today's announcement by the Bavarian Ministry of Science and the Arts (German). We will keep you updated about the further developments.

Earlier today, Minister Sibler also spoke with the chairpersons of the Landes-Asten-Konferenz (conference of the student representatives' councils of the federal state) about the content of the newly created Art. 99 of the Bavarian Higher Education Act. You can watch this discussion on Youtube (at 22 minutes 40 seconds).

Partial opening of the underground student car park

The need for parking space has increased because of the partial reopening of the library. From Monday, 13 July, the upper level of the underground student car park will therefore be open from Monday to Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Entry is possible without a CampusCard or key. Please remember that the usual distancing rules also apply in the underground car park and make sure you follow the signs and instructions on campus. Use the car park entrance/exit or the staircase of the central library (Innstrasse 29) to access the campus. The staircases leading to the WIWI (Innstrasse 27) and refectory (Innstrasse 29) buildings are only intended as emergency escape routes and should not be used in normal circumstances.

Consuming food in the refectory on reservation possible as of 14 July

From 14 July onwards, refectory visitors will be able to consume their food on the premises. The Mensa-to-go service and the food delivery service will continue to be offered in parallel. An advance reservation for a 30-minute time slot and a place is required if you wish to eat your meals at the refectory. Please visit the Student Services Association's website (German) for details.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 13 July.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Digitally supported examinations: information for students
• State examination for the teacher education programmes: special regulation of the Bavarian education ministry regarding the free exam attempt
• Bettina Noltenius joins the University Executive as the new Commissioner for Teaching

Digitally supported examinations: information for students

The Transfer Forum for Didactical Technology has issued an information paper for students on the upcoming digitally supported examinations (currently only available in German). It is intended to provide clarity about what to expect in the exams, organisational and technical aspects and what types of examination will be offered. You will also find helpful tips and information on particular features such as the required declarations of authorship and/or consent. An English version of this information paper will be made available shortly – we will keep you informed in our triweekly updates and on this coronavirus page.

State examination for the teacher education programmes: special regulation of the Bavarian education ministry regarding the free exam attempt

The Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs also provides for a special regulation on the free attempt for those taking the First State Examination for the teacher education programmes scheduled for the autumn 2020 examination period. You can find information on this on the ministry's website (German). In addition, the deadline for withdrawals for the autumn exam period was pushed back to 4 August 2020. For the examination timetable and the withdrawal form visit the Examinations Office website.

Bettina Noltenius joins the University Executive as the new Commissioner for Teaching

The University Executive has appointed Professor Bettina Noltenius as the Commissioner for Teaching. Her term of office begins on 1 August. The new position was created as a result of Professor Dennis Solomon's resignation as Vice President effective 30 July. For details see the news item on the University's homepage (German).

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 10 July.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Centrally organised examinations for all faculties: examination schedule with venues and exam times is online
• University Library: partial opening of the Juridicum and more places in the central library from 13 July
• Virtual campus life: exhibition on the 'Celebrate Diversity' creative competition

Centrally organised examinations for all faculties: examination schedule with venues and exam times is online

The exam schedule for the centrally organised examinations with times and venues is now available for download from the Examinations Office website. Approved exam aids and seating plans can also be found on the same page from 10 July 2020.

Partial opening of the Juridicum reading room and more study desks in the central library from 13 July

The University Library is making an advance announcement that the law library (Juridicum) reading room will reopen on 13 July with an initial capacity of 62 places. These can be booked ahead of time via a reservation system for several hours at a time. In addition, 15 reading desks will be made available for short-term use.

On the same day, the number of study desks in the central library will be increased to a total of 80. Further information will soon be available from the University Library website.

Virtual campus life: exhibition on the 'Celebrate Diversity' creative competition

All entries submitted to the creative competition Celebrate Diversity are now available for viewing in a virtual exhibition. Click through the exhibition, find inspiration and vote for your favourite contribution on Stud.IP by 20 July 2020.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 8 July.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Winter semester 2020–21
• Virtual campus life: Southeast Asia Summer Festival

Winter semester 2020–21: President's letter to all members of the University

The ongoing pandemic keeps us all pondering how things will develop at the University in the coming winter semester. The University President has written a letter on this topic addressed to all University members.

Virtual campus life: Southeast Asia Summer Festival

Virtual Southeast Asia Summer Festival from 6 to 8 July

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 6 July.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Teacher education programmes: practice teaching can take place
• Innwiese lawn reopens to the public
• University Library: reminder notices sent by post

Teacher education programmes: practice teaching can take place in compliance with hygiene and distancing rules

Face-to-face teaching is still suspended at Bavarian universities, with very few exceptions. However, students enrolled in the teacher education programmes should note that this does not apply to practice teaching, as matters pertaining to schools fall within the remit of the State Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs. In principle, practice teaching can take place again as schools resume their classroom teaching in line with the usual rules regarding hygiene and distance. For each school, the decision on whether to allow practice teaching is made by the respective school principal in consultation with the teachers supervising practice teaching for university students. If you have questions on this, please contact the relevant practice teaching office.

Innwiese lawn reopens to the public

The Innwiese lawn between the Nikolakloster building and the Inn River has been reopened to the public. A construction fence had been erected around the lawn at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic following repeated violations against the Bavarian disease control ordinance. This had been done in in close consultation with the police and local authorities.
The amended provisions of the 6th Bavarian disease control ordinance now make it possible to open up the Innwiese once again, but certain rules have to be observed, as they do everywhere else in public:

• going out with members of your own household, your life partner or immediate relatives is allowed, as is meeting people from one other household; groups of up to ten people are admissible.
• a minimum distance of 1.5 metres must be observed.
• parties and barbecues remain prohibited, regardless of the number of people, as do ball games and sports.

The University will monitor and subsequently evaluate use of the Innwiese lawn to decide whether any further measures are necessary.

University Library: reminder notices sent by post

The University Library informs us that, for technical and legal reasons, reminder notices are currently sent by post, and that there has been an increase in undeliverable letters in recent weeks. To avoid incurring (any further) overdue fines, please:

• Check your user account regularly for overdue items.
• If you have moved, instruct the post office to redirect your mail to your current address (this is called a Nachsendeauftrag in German) and don't wait too long before you change your address details in the Campus Portal.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 3 July.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail (subject line: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Teaching evaluations for the summer semester

Teaching evaluations for the summer semester // we want your feedback!

Teaching evaluations are currently being carried out at all faculties. Since this semester was highly unusual, the University developed a special evaluation format that includes aspects of online teaching in addition to the usual questions. While we always set great store by what you, our students, have to say, the alternative teaching formats developed and employed this semester make it perhaps more important than ever that you participate in the survey: your thoughts will be of significant help to us as we work to safeguard the quality of teaching in the future. Vice President Christina Hansen therefore expressly invites everyone to complete their teaching evaluation surveys.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 1 July.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• University sets up Coronavirus Assistance Fund for students and doctoral researchers
• Stopgap assistance for students from the federal government
• Student Services Association (Studentenwerk) opens KulturSalon
• Vice President Dennis Solomon resigns from office

University sets up Coronavirus Assistance Fund for students and doctoral researchers

The University of Passau has established a financial assistance programme for students and doctoral candidates who are in immediate hardship brought on by the coronavirus pandemic through no fault of their own. Those affected can apply for support as of July and will then either be referred swiftly to suitable external help services or receive payments from the University Foundation. In this way, the University wishes to enable students and doctoral researchers in financial difficulties to begin or carry on with their studies.

The fund is intended for:

• those who are enrolled as regular students in summer semester 2020
• doctoral students who are engaged in a doctoral research project in summer semester 2020

The amount paid out to students depends on each applicant's situation and requirements:

• subsistence support: one-off payment of up to 900 euros per person
• support for the cost of childcare and/or caring for care-dependent relatives, if this has to be organised privately: one-off payment up to 600 euros per person
• support funds for technical infrastructure and/or work materials: one-off payment of up to 300 euros per person

For details on the Coronavirus Assistance Fund of the University and the application form visit the coronavirus aid for students page.

Stopgap assistance for students from the federal government: you can still apply for the month of June!

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is making available 100 million euros to help students in financial distress. Students can still fill in and submit an online application at www.ueberbrueckungshilfe-studierende.de until 30 June to receive assistance for the month of June. As of 1 July, applications may be submitted only for assistance for July. Not all funds for June have been applied for yet!

Please note:For your application to be processed quickly, the information given must be plausible and the documents clearly legible. Therefore, please note the technical instructions for the online application as well as the Questions and Answers on the BMBF's coronavirus assistance.

From 1 July: partial opening of the Studentenwerk rehearsal rooms for cultural activities (reservation required)

From 1 July, the KulturSalon (located at Franz-Stockbauer-Weg 3) will be available to musicians and theatre groups under certain conditions:

KulturSalon ground floor: no more than 5 people may be present at the same time
KulturSalon upper floor: no more than 3 people may be present at the same time
Reduced fee for musicians: €12.50

To be able to use the rooms you must first make a reservation by telephone (info point of the Student Services Association). The hotline staff will tell you where and when to fetch the keys. Reservation of the rooms is possible from 29 June. For details, visit the Student Services Association website (German).

Contact: Mon–Fri 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., phone +49 851 509 1922 or +49 851 509 1920.

Vice President Dennis Solomon resigns from office

Professor Dennis Solomon has resigned as Vice President (International) for health reasons.

'We are deeply sorry to see Professor Solomon leave the senior management team, as we greatly appreciated his work and professional as well as personal support', said University President Ulrich Bartosch in a first statement. 'We accept his resignation with great regret, understanding and concern and wish him a speedy recovery. We are very grateful to him for his trusting and harmonious cooperation during this difficult coronavirus phase.' Efforts are now being made to find a replacement as soon as possible.

As Vice President, Dennis Solomon was responsible for the University's international strategy since 1 April 2020. The vice presidents, president and the head of administration together form the University Executive. They are elected by the University Council upon nomination by the president. The vice-presidential term of office is three years. The Bavarian higher education act (Bayerisches Hochschulgesetz) provides for a supplementary election to fill the remaining term of office should a vice president resign early.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 29 June.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Partial opening of the central library reading room // submission deadlines
• Amendment to the Corona regulation: University Executive will propose that failed exams not be counted in SoSe 2020

Partial opening of the central library reading room // submission deadlines

The partial re-opening of the central library reading room on 29 June (announced in the 19 June update) will not affect the bachelor’s dissertation/master’s thesis submission deadlines, which are currently suspended. Until the library is in a position to ensure a reliable supply of literature without any major hindrances, the rule is still that your new submission date is the original submission date plus the number of days the library has been closed. You will find an example of this calculation in our FAQs (15 May 2020).

Please note: You cannot calculate your new submission date until the date on which access to the literature is deemed to be guaranteed without any major hindrances has been determined. We will inform you of this in good time in our regular updates. The Examinations Office will also inform you separately of the new submission deadlines.

Please also note: For written seminar papers and other written assignments, the decision on granting deadline extensions is taken individually by the respective supervisor, as it may be possible to complete assignments on time using available resources even during the library closure (e.g. using online literature). This also applies to the seminar papers in the specialisation areas of the Faculty of Law. For details see the dean of studies's webpage (German).

Amendment to the Corona regulation: University Executive will propose that failed exams not be counted in summer semester 2020

The University Executive will propose to the Senate that the Corona regulation of the University of Passau be modified to mitigate the disadvantages suffered by students as a result of the special coronavirus situation. Under the new rules, failed university examinations taken in summer semester 2020 would not count towards the final grade.

The Senate, as the competent body for such matters, will adopt a resolution on the amendment at its next meeting planned for 22 July 2020. If approved, the new regulation will come into force immediately after the resolution and announcement of the amendment. This regulation will apply to the bachelor's and master's programmes of the University of Passau.

Please note: The approval of the competent ministries must be obtained before these rules can be applied to university-set examinations forming part of a state examination procedure (e.g. legal specialisation exams). It is our experience that this process can be somewhat lengthy. We will inform you in a future update as soon as approval has been granted.

Please also note that the Corona regulation of the University of Passau cannot be applied to state examinations, as the latter are within the purview of the competent ministries rather than that of the University.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 26 June.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Rooms in the halls of residence available for rent by international students for this summer semester
• Student elections // request your postal ballot paper now

Rooms in the halls of residence available for rent by international students for this summer semester

The International Office still has rooms available in the halls of residence, which can be rented by international students for a limited time during the summer semester, e.g. during the exam period. If you are interested in renting a room, contact Ms Alexandra Winterkorn (accommodation@uni-passau.de) of the International Office.

Student elections // request your postal ballot paper now

Please remember to request your ballot papers by tomorrow, 23 June, via Stud.IP, if you want them to be sent to your address. Further details can be found on the Elections Office webpage.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 24 June.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Lecture period in winter semester 2020–21
• University Library // partial re-opening of the central library reading room on 29 June
• Announcement of the Studieren-mit-Kind-Preis (studying as a parent award)

Lecture period in winter semester 2020–21

The intention of the Bavarian universities is that the lecture period in the winter semester for all study programmes should begin on 2 November 2020 and end on 26 February 2021, with a flexibility period of 14 days. This means that each university can move the end of the lecture period to an earlier date, potentially bringing it forward to 12 February, as long as the proper teaching of the semester curriculum is ensured.

Please note: This scheme still pending the approval of the state ministry. We will keep you informed of further developments on this page.

University Library // partial re-opening of the central library reading room on 29 June

From 29 June 2020, the central library's reading room will be re-opened as a study room Mondays to Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., initially with a seating capacity of 52. Library users can reserve the numbered reading desks for up to four hours per day using a special booking system.

In addition to working at their reserved desk, users can access the open-shelf books as well as the scanning and copying facilities. However, desks and rooms for group work will not be available. The desks are disinfected between time slots. The contactless borrowing scheme will remain in operation after the partial re-opening. Passau Regional Library (Staatliche Bibliothek Passau) will also reopen on 29 June.

Further information and the access link to the booking system will be made available in the course of the coming week on the University Library website.

Announcement of the Studieren-mit-Kind-Preis (studying as a parent award)

Every semester, the University awards the 'Studieren-mit-Kind-Preis' to a graduate who completed his or her studies with above-average grades while raising children at home. The award comes with a prize money of 500 euros. In this way the University of Passau honours the exceptional commitment demonstrated by students with children who have succeeded in balancing their studies with their child-rearing commitments. Applications are accepted by e-mail (frauenbuero@uni-passau.de) or by post (address: Women's Office, Room JUR 010, Innstr. 39, 94032 Passau) until 6 July 2020.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 22 June.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• State of emergency lifted
• Exam dates for centrally organised examinations held on the premises announced (all faculties)
• Virtual campus life: upcoming events and corrected date for the 'VDW Aktionstag'

State of emergency lifted

A state of emergency was declared for all of Bavaria on 16 March due to the coronavirus pandemic and has been in force since then. This has now been lifted. Further relaxations of the rules will now come into effect on 17 and 22 June. For details visit the FAQ page of the Ministry of the Interior (German) or, for updates in English the English-language information page of Bayerischer Rundfunk, the Bavarian state broadcaster.

Exam dates for centrally organised examinations held on the premises announced (all faculties)

The Examinations Office announced the dates for centrally organised examinations (German) for which candidates have to be physically present in the exam venue. The venues and times will be announced after the end of the cancellation period (30 June 2020).

Virtual campus life: upcoming events and corrected date for the 'VDW Aktionstag'

• Virtual fair of the 5–Euro Business Competition (German) | all stands of the student teams are now online
• 30 years AlumniClub Passau (German) (this event is also open to current students) with a live interview with University President Ulrich Bartosch | 8 p.m. on 20 June
• Virtual kuwi.summer @home 2020 (German) | starts at 10 a.m. on 20 and 21 June

Date correction:

The VDW Aktionstag will take place on Monday, 22 June

• Keynote speech by sustainability researcher Professor Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker | 12:30 p.m.
• 'Ok-Boomer? Café' on intergenerational equity | 4 p.m.
• Keynote speech by climate researcher Professor Hartmut Graßl | 6 p.m.

Please register online (German) for the access details.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 19 June.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Changes to contact restrictions
• Corona hardship grant from the Student Services Associations
• Rooms still available in the halls of residence
• Careers coaching from the Women's Office
• Virtual campus life: current dates // thematic focus on sustainability

Changes to contact restrictions

On 27 May we informed you that the contact restrictions had been extended until 29 June. However, individual restrictions will be relaxed as of today, 15 June. For details, read the civil protection FAQs of the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior (German) or, for updates in English the English-language information page of Bayerischer Rundfunk, the Bavarian state broadcaster. Little will change for the Universities: the Bavarian State Government has indicated that lectures are to be taught online wherever possible.

Corona hardship grant from the Student Services Associations

As of 12 o'clock noon on Tuesday, 16 June, students who are in urgent in need of aid as a result of the coronavirus pandemic can apply for a non-repayable grant from their respective Student Services Association. Deutsches Studentenwerk (DSW), the umbrella organisation of the German Student Services Associations, is setting up a website for the hardship grant for students: www.ueberbrueckungshilfe-studierende.de.

All students enrolled at German public universities or recognised higher education institutions are eligible to apply for the grant, irrespective of nationality or citizenship. The number of semesters studied or applicants' age will not be considered for the purposes of the grant. The decisive factor is the proven, acute pandemic-related hardship. Further information and FAQs on the hardship aid is provided on the website of Student Services Association for Lower Bavaria/Upper Palatinate.

Rooms still available in the halls of residence

The Student Services Association currently has rooms available for rent in Passau and other Bavarian towns. Please see the STWNO website (German) for further details. Exceptionally, and only until 31 October 2020, rooms in the university residences will also be made available to non-students (secondary-school pupils and those doing an apprenticeship).

Careers coaching for female master's students, doctoral and postdoctoral researchers and academic staff

This semester, the Women's Office of the University of Passau is once again offering individual careers coaching for academic staff, doctoral and postdoctoral researchers and master's students with the help of external instructors. The coaching sessions are free of charge for participants. Please read the leaflet (German) for further information about the instructors, course dates and registration. If you have any questions, contact the Women's Office by e-mail.

Virtual campus life: current dates // thematic focus on sustainability

Please note that all events advertised below will be held in German, unless indicated otherwise:

Fair-trade fashion from East Africa: The Journey of a T-shirt at 8 p.m. on 16 June
Webinar: Studying M.Sc. Business Administration at 4 p.m. on 17 June

Further upcoming events:

The topic of sustainability will play a central role next week, with Professors Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker and Hartmut Graßl – two of the world's leading scholars in the fields of sustainability and climate science – giving guest lectures at the University of Passau.

Specifically, each will deliver a public keynote speech followed by a discussion round during the VDW-Aktionstag Aufklärung 2.0 on Monday, 22 June. Those interested (no matter what age) can meet in the online 'OK-Boomer? Café' to join the debate on intergenerational equity. Attendance is free of charge.

Professor Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker will also speak on Tuesday, 23 June starting 5 p.m. and explore the topic of potential synergies between the environment and the economy. This lecture is presented in cooperation between Neuburger Gesprächskreis Wissenschaft und Praxis an der Universität Passau e. V. and the Best Business Award Forum for the Danube-Vltava tri-border region. Attendance is free of charge exclusively for staff and students of the University and members of the above associations. If you are interested in attending this webinar, please register by sending an e-mail to info@bestbusinessaward.com before 22 June. You will then receive the access link for the webinar and login details by e-mail.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 17 June.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Start of the lecture period in winter semester 2020–21
• Extended application deadlines for master's programmes // webinar on the M.Sc. Business Administration programme
• Coronavirus aid – information for parents and families from the Family Services Section
• Virtual campus life: Virtual 5–Euro Business Fair

Start of the lecture period in winter semester 2020–21

We are currently receiving many enquiries as to when lectures will begin in the winter semester. At present, the Bavarian science ministry (our supervisory authority) continues to indicate the 12 October starting date for lectures in the winter semester throughout Bavaria on its website (German).
Although the decision was taken at the federal level to postpone the first-semester starting date for admission-restricted undergraduate programmes coordinated centrally by Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung (until 2 November), this does not affect students at the University of Passau, as we do not offer any programmes that fall within this category. We should stress at this point that no final decision has been made yet as to the starting date for lectures in the coming winter semester. Nor is it clear at present if there will be a uniform regulation throughout Bavaria or whether the universities will have some leeway to decide. We will inform you in a future update as soon as further information is available.

Extended application deadlines for master's programmes // webinar on the M.Sc. Business Administration programme

The application portal is already open – for most master's degree programmes the application deadlines have been extended until 15 July due to the coronavirus pandemic, although there are some exceptions. Please note: The deadline for the English-taught M.A. Development Studies programme was also extended and now ends on 30 June. All current deadlines for the master's programmes can be found on the application page.
In this context we should also point out that there will be an info webinar (in German) for the M.Sc. Business Administration at 4 p.m. on 17 June. After a presentation on the programme's syllabus, structure and admission requirements, participants can ask questions live.
Are you planning to start a master's programme in winter semester 2020–21 but are still lacking coursework/results from your current bachelor's programme due to the coronavirus situation? §4 of the 'Corona regulation (German)' allows you to submit proof of fulfilment of the admission requirements until 30 March 2021 in justified cases.

Coronavirus aid – information for parents and families from the Family Services Section

What do I as a parent need to know about the gradual further opening of day care facilities? Which measures of the federal government's coronavirus economic stimulus package are particularly relevant for families? Am I entitled to coronavirus aid? The current newsletter from the Family Services Section (in German) answers many of these questions and provides further information for parents and families.

Virtual campus life: Virtual 5–Euro Business Fair

One of the highlights of the 5-Euro Business Competition is the business fair, where teams of students can present and promote their products. This year's fair will be held online, in the week from 15 to 20 June. For details, visit the Business start-up support website (German).


The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 15 June. No update will be published on 12 June, which is a lecture-free day.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• AI Network: Science Minister visited the University
• Coronavirus aid for students
• Virtual campus life: new student-societies videos and upcoming dates

AI Network: Science Minister visited the University

Three new professorships will be established at the University of Passau to conduct research on artificial intelligence. The Science Minister, Bernd Sibler, visited last Friday to find out more about the University's plans in this area. Please read the press release (German text) for details.

Coronavirus aid for students

Many students are strongly affected by the coronavirus crisis in many ways, including financially. The International Office and Student Services Division has therefore compiled an overview of special scholarship opportunities and coronavirus assistance (webpage currently only available in German).

Virtual campus life: new student-societies videos and upcoming dates

New videos have been added to the AStA's Digitaler Hochschulgruppeninfonachmittag playlist, taking the number of student societies presenting themselves to 44.

Upcoming events – please note that these are generally in German unless stated otherwise:

• 9 June (6 p.m.): Career Talk mit EY
• 10 June (6 p.m.): Berufe im Profil: Strategie- und Unternehmensentwicklung beim Flughafen München
• 20 and 21 June: AlumniClub Annual Meeting and Kuwi.Sommer virtuell

Did you know you can announce your events in the University calendar? You can easily create new event dates yourself. The dates are then displayed on numerous webpages. In addition, all public events are listed in the 'Termine und Personen' newsletter, which is regularly sent to the press and a large circle of subscribers both inside and outside the university.


The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 10 May.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Centrally organised examinations: Overview now available
• Faculty of Law: New Dean of Studies website
• Preliminary appraisal: How things stand with online teaching via Zoom
• Online lectures on scholarships

Centrally organised examinations: Overview now available

The central Examinations Office has published the list of centrally organised examinations for all faculties. The examination dates will be announced on 17 June 2020. For further information please refer to 'Examination Dates Summer semester' on the Examinations Office page.

Faculty of Law: New Dean of Studies website

The Dean of Studies website has been updated and redesigned. You will now find updates on how the coronavirus is impacting the Faculty of Law’s study and examination schedule on the Coronavirus subpage.

Preliminary appraisal of online teaching via Zoom

After more than a month of lectures in a digital environment, we can look back on 18,679 sessions using ZOOM Meetings and 179 sessions using ZOOM Webinars, with a peak of up to 1,062 participants.

By participating in the quick ZOOM poll, the majority (approx. 80%) of the 1,067 respondents indicated that they were very satisfied or satisfied with the ZOOM solution which had been implemented on short notice. The mean value (MV) achieved on a five-point scale ranging from '1 = very satisfied' to '5 = dissatisfied' was 1.95.

The information provided under 'Suggestions' and 'Criticism' contributed valuable insights which have been shared in the FAQs and on the data protection information page.

Further suggestions and requests for information will be addressed in the ZIM Help portal on the page 'Online-Lehre mit ZOOM' (Online teaching with ZOOM).

Online lectures on scholarships

The recorded lectures are now available online for all those who were unable to attend the University's virtual scholarship information event: After providing a brief outline of the scholarship opportunities available, scholarship recipients presented their donor organisations and answered questions relating to scholarships.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 5 June.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Examinations requiring candidates to be present in person: Website for students and examiners online
• Update on examinations of Faculty of Business, Economics and Information Systems
• Update on examinations of the Faculty of Law
• Returning reading materials during closure of University Library reading rooms
• Virtual campus life: upcoming events

Examinations requiring candidates to be present in person: Website for students and examiners online

The University of Passau aims to administer examinations requiring candidates to be present in person as safely as possible. For this purpose, the Examinations Office have devised a suitable hygiene concept in consultation with the Building and Estates Section and in agreement with the Occupational Health Physician as well as the Public Health Department (Gesundheitsamt). Further details for students and examiners are available on the new webpages providing information on how to conduct examinations requiring candidates to be present in person in compliance with the hygiene concept (in German). 

Update on examinations of the School of Business, Economics and Information Systems, Faculty of Business, Economics and Information Systems

The School of Business, Economics and Information Systems, Faculty of Business, Economics and Information Systems has made available information updates relating to its examinations (in German).

Update on the study and examination schedule of the Faculty of Law

The Dean of Studies of the Faculty of Law is posting regular updates, also with regard to the electronic submission of a 'Leistungsnachweis' You will find the updates for June 2 on the Dean of Studies website (in German).

Returning reading materials during closure of University Library reading rooms

If access to a locker is required to return books borrowed from the library, please send an email to the person in the Building and Estates Section responsible for the relevant building with the subject line 'Rückgabe von Literatur' (Returning reading materials). On presentation of a signed copy of the ID and a signed power of attorney, a third party may access the lockers on your behalf as well. Please find the contact details and all further information on the University Library website (in German).

Virtual campus life: upcoming events

• Virtual information event on traineeships (Referendariat) (teacher education programmes), Wednesday, 3 June, 7:00 p.m.
• Time to dream about and perhaps even plan your stay abroad, Thursday, 4 June, 7:00 p.m.

Calendar preview:

• Webinars for anyone interested in pursuing studies at the university: You have friends, family or acquaintances who are interested in studying at the University of Passau? As on-site events and school visits are currently suspended, the University of Passau will be holding around 20 webinars on the various study programmes and on general topics, including application and registration. 
• VDW Action Day Enlightenment 2.0 on 22 June: The University has invited Professor Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker and Professor Helmut Graßl as guest speakers to the digital action day organised by the Association of German Scientists (VDW) at the University of Passau.
   

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 5 June.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Registrations for the spring 2021 state examination for teacher education programmes starting soon
• Semester bus pass: provisional arrangement extended
• Reminder: application deadline for Deutschlandstipendium scholarship looms
• Virtual Campus Life: Online Student Society Afternoon
   

Registrations for the First State Examination for Teacher Education Programmes (spring 2021 exams) are about to start

Registrations will be open from 1 June to 1 August 2020. Please visit the Examinations Office website under the heading 'Staatsexamen' for details:

To start your registration, first complete online form 'Part A' on the ministry's website. Please note: Your registration is only valid if it you subsequently send it, within the above registration preiod, to the following address by registered mail ('Einschreiben'):

Außenstelle des Prüfungsamtes für die Lehrämter an
öffentlichen Schulen an der Universität Passau
Schulart:__________________________
Innstraße 41
94032 Passau

As the Administration Building is closed due to the ongoing coronavirus situation, you cannot send the registration documents by e-mail or submit them in person.

These documents must be enclosed together with 'Part A':

• When registering for the EWS exam: original or certified copy of your birth certificate and marriage certificate, if applicable (simple copies are not accepted; any copies received will not be returned)
• If you are applying for the subject examination ('Fächerexamen'): Application for an extension of the ZulA submission deadline with signature and stamp of your examiner if the ZulA is not submitted by 1 October 2020
• Other admission requirements that already exist at the time of registration for the state examination

Semester bus pass: provisional arrangement extended

Students cannot currently validate their CampusCards due to the building closures. The provisional rule for the use of city buses has, therefore, been extended until 30 September 2020. You can still use the your current valid, printed-out enrolment certificate (for summer semester 2020) as proof of validity of your CampusCard as a semester bus pass. Please additionally remember to carry an official photographic ID when using the buses.

Reminder: application deadline for Deutschlandstipendium scholarships on 1 June

As of October 2020, the University of Passau will award approximately 55 Deutschlandstipendium scholarships, each with a stipend of 3,600 euros (300 euros per month for 12 months). Applications are still accepted until 1 June 2020 inclusive. For details visit the Deutschlandstipendium scholarship website.

Virtual Campus Life: Online Student Society Afternoon organised by the AStA

With more than 100 student societies at the University of Passau, students have a wide variety of opportunities participate in extracurricular activities. From music, politics and languages to creative writing – there is something for everyone. Usually the student societies present themselves in an information event held on the refectory forecourt at the beginning of every semester. As this is not possible this time, the AStA has set up an online alternative: check out the playlist in the video portal and get inspired.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 3 June.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Government extends contact restrictions
• University Library: returns and late fees
• Faculty of Law update
• Creative competition on diversity

Government extends contact restrictions

The contact restrictions have been extended until 29 June. For details, read the civil protection FAQs (German) of the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior. The Bavarian state broadcaster, Bayerischer Rundfunk, is also maintaining an English-language webpage with up-to-date information on the coronavirus situation.

University Library: returns and late fees

Passau University Library will be re-starting the usual overdue items procedure to ensure the availability of urgently needed literature. It is the last university library in Bavaria to do so. As of 3 June 2020, late fees will be charged for all media not returned on time. Please remember that you can also send borrowed media back by post.
The address is:
Universitätsbibliothek Passau
Ausleihschalter
Innstr. 29
94032 Passau
Please ensure that the books are properly packaged to protect them from damage whilst in transit. If you receive a reminder notice and have a question, you can call +49 851 509 extension 1656 or 1620 (during daytime hours). Alternatively, you can use the overdues contact form (German), which is available around the clock.

Faculty of Law update

The Dean of Studies of the Faculty of Law is posting regular updates on the faculty's study and examination schedule. Please read the 26 May update on the webpage of the Dean of Studies (in German).

Creative competition in diversity: take part, vote and win!

On the occasion of the Diversity Day 2020 the Diversity and Equal Opportunities Section, together with Vice President Christina Hansen, are launching the ***Celebrate Diversity*** creative competition. All members of the University (i.e. students and staff) who wish to participate in the competition have time to submit their contributions until 30 June; voting via Stud.IP starts on 1 July 2020. Awards will be given for the three most interesting and creative contributions. Click here for further details on the conditions for entry in the competition.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 29 May.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Update from the Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics
• Refectory announces start of delivery service
• Virtual campus life: upcoming events

Update from the Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics

The Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics is providing information on examinations, registration deadlines and postponed examination dates from the second round of exams in winter semester 2019–20 on its website.

Refectory announces start of delivery service

The Student Services Association (Studentenwerk) has announced the start of its refectory delivery service. The refectory food will now come to you, whether you're studying or working from home. Place your orders online before 10 a.m. for delivery between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The delivery area covers the postcode areas 94032 and 94034. Please note that the food is delivered cold and must be heated up at home – with the exception of pizzas, which are delivered hot. The minimum order value is 5.00 euros. Please visit the Student Services Association's website (German) for details.

Virtual Campus Life

We are pleased to inform you of the following upcoming online events throughout the University:

• Diversity Day on Tuesday, 26 May (all-day event)
• Scholarship information evening on Wednesday, 27 May, 18:00
• Berufe im Profil: Head of Social Media & New Audience at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, 27 May.
• Virtual mixer event to get to know fellow students, open to students of all faculties at 8 p.m. on Wednesday 27 May

Please also announce your events in the University's calendar of events. You can easily create new appointments yourself. The dates are then displayed on numerous webpages. In addition, all public events are listed in the'Termine und Personen' newsletter, which is regularly sent to the press and a large circle of subscribers both inside and outside the university.

We are reducing the number of coronavirus updates: from now on you will receive the latest information every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, 27 May.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail (subject line: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Summer semester 2020 will count as a regular programme semester – with some exceptions
• AStA online survey
• Interlibrary book loans from other German libraries
• Passau University Perspectives
• Virtual campus life: online social events for new students

Summer semester 2020 will count as a regular programme semester – with some exceptions

In a letter dated 15 May 2020, the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts stated that it intends to introduce a regulation that would automatically extend deadlines set in terms of regular semesters ('Fachsemester'), or tied to the standard period of study, for summer semester 2020.

Nevertheless, the letter also states that summer semester 2020 will be considered a 'normal' regular semester for all students regarding all matters other than the announced deadline extensions. This also means that exams taken in the summer semester 2020 will count as usual.

AStA online survey for students

The Student Representatives' Council (AStA) prepared a student survey to find out more about your experiences with online teaching and how you feel about your studies in this 'corona semester'. The Vice President for Study and Teaching supports this survey and asks you to participate on behalf of the AStA. You can access the survey via the above link.

Interlibrary book loans from other German libraries

The University Library announces that interlibrary loans from other German libraries can now be ordered again via the InfoGuide or Primo search portal. However, international interlibrary loans are not possible for the time being. Interlibrary loans are automatically sent to staff members by internal mail. Ordered interlibrary loan copies are currently sent to your e-mail address as a free electronic document. This service is being offered temporarily to deal with the pandemic situation. Further details on interlibrary loans can be found on the University Library website.

'Passauer Universitätsperspektiven': citizens' university starts on 25 May

The University of Passau is taking up an initiative by Professors Bettina Noltenius and Vice President Robert Obermaier to see this time of crisis as an opportunity to grow together as a university and to make this visible to the outside world. The idea is to establish a lively debate within the university context under the discourse is to be established under the title 'Passauer Universitätsperspektiven' (Passau University Perspectives, the text linked to is in German). The 'virtuelle Bürgeruniversität' (virtual citizens' university) will be launched as a first stage. This will involve Passau researchers answering questions about the coronavirus crisis sent to us by the general public in irregular intervals. Professor Robert Obermaier will start with the topic: How will the economy come out of the crisis, and will it be intact? What questions are foremost on your mind in this context? Naturally, students can also submit their questions at frag-die-wissenschaft@uni-passau.de. We will then publish an article with answers to the submitted questions.

Virtual campus life: online social events for new students

The Fachschaft Philo student committee is planning a virtual getting-to-know event, to be held on Stud.IP and Zoom starting 8 p.m. on 27 May. This event is intended to help new students make friends. Using the 'Break-Out Rooms' function, groups are randomly assembled to allow as many people as possible to get to know each other within a manageable framework. Participants are mixed up in each round to maximise the number of new people any one participant can meet. The concept will be explained in detail at the beginning of the event. For further details, contact Fachschaft Philo directly or via their social media channels.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 25 May. Exceptionally, there will be no 6 p.m. update this Friday, 22 May.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Extended deadline for selected master's and restricted undergraduate programmes
• Entry to Bavaria: quarantine requirement only when travelling from areas outside the EU
• Lecture-free days in the summer semester
• Faculty of Law update

Application deadline for master's and restricted undergraduate programmes

The Science Ministry has announced that the application deadline for admission-restricted degree programmes will be extended until 20 August for all Bavarian universities. This is to give secondary-school leavers more time to submit their school-leaving certificates, as the usual abitur dates have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Please visit the ministry's website (German) for details.

For the University of Passau this means:

For undergraduate degree programmes with admission restrictions (German text), the University will open the application portal on 1 June; the closing deadline is 20 August.
Undergraduate programmes without admission restrictions are not affected by this new regulation. Please check the application page for the application and registration dates.

Master's programmes: The application portal is already open, and the application deadline has been extended until 15 July with some exceptions – notably M.A. Development Studies, which has a 14 June deadline. All current deadlines for the master's programmes can be found on the application page.

Are you planning to start a master's programme in winter semester 2020–21 but are still lacking coursework/results from your current bachelor's programme due to the coronavirus situation? §4 of the 'Corona regulation (German)' allows you to submit proof of fulfilment of the admission requirements until 30 March 2021, for justified cases.

Entry to Bavaria: quarantine requirement only when travelling from areas outside the EU

The entry quarantine regulation issued in response to the pandemic has been relaxed: those coming to Bavaria from the Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland or the United Kingdom will no longer have to spend 14 days in quarantine upon arrival. However, the quarantine requirement still applies to those entering from a non-EU country, even if they transited via one of the above-mentioned countries. For details please refer to the regulation amending the entry quarantine regulation (German text).

Lecture-free days in the summer semester

Throughout Bavaria, 2 June 2020 (Whitsun Tuesday) is lecture-free. In addition, the University of Passau can also set one day off per semester. This summer semester it is 12 June (Friday following Corpus Christi). Please see the Student Registration Office's academic calendar for an overview.

Faculty of Law update

The Dean of Studies of the Faculty of Law is posting regular updates on the faculty's study and examination schedule. Please read the 18 May update on the webpage of the Dean of Studies (in German).

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 20 May.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Important information on maternity leave for students
• Connection of video portal Vimeo to Stud.IP: data protection and new function

Information on maternity leave for students

Are you pregnant or breastfeeding? Then please contact us – the Diversity and Equal Opportunities Section – by e-mail if you have not done so already. Please also register if you are pregnant and considering sitting examinations in the summer semester 2020. You fill find further important (preliminary) information on maternity leave on our website. The Family Service newsletter (German) is also full of topics of interest to students with children.

Connection of video portal Vimeo to Stud.IP: data protection and new function

Last week, the ZIM activated the Vimeo connection in Stud.IP. However, for data-protection reasons, the Vimeo settings were set to maximum security. These settings permit video access only by private links; furthermore, videos cannot be downloaded or found in search. For the embedding of the videos in Stud.IP, all sharing options have been deactivated, but the ZIM activated the playback speed toggle due to popular demand for this function from students.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 19 May.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Dissertation/thesis submission deadline
• AI competition: three new professorships for the University of Passau
• Virtual campus life – student societies
• Cultural promotion of the Student Services Association (Studentenwerk)

Dissertation/thesis submission deadline: how to calculate yours

If your original submission deadline was after the library closure, you will undoubtedly be wondering how to calculate the new submission deadline for your bachelor's dissertation or master's thesis. Unfortunately, this calculation cannot be made right now because it still contains an unknown: the date on which the library will reopen. Since no-one knows when the library will reopen, or at least when the lending service will have been fully restored to normal, there is simply no way to determine the new submission deadline yet.

However, we can show you two examples of how to correctly calculate the new submission date once the library does reopen.

Example 1: You registered your dissertation/thesis before 14 March:
Simply add the entire closure period = the calendar days between the library closure (14 March 2020) and re-opening (?? Month 2020) to the original deadline. If the library were to reopen on 30 May 2020 – this is a fictitious date simply for the sake of the example – the calculation would look like this:

Original submission deadline: 31 March 2020
+ 77 days of closure (14 March to 30 May 2020)
= New submission deadline: 16 June 2020

Example 2: You registered your dissertation or thesis after 14 March:
This also affects your submission deadline, but in a slightly different way. In this case you should add the number of calendar days between the date of registration of your dissertation/thesis and the library reopening date (once it is known).

If the calculated submission date falls on a weekend or a public holiday in Bavaria, you should submit your work on the following working day.

Again: You can only make this calculation once the library is fully open; the reopening date used in the calculation above is entirely ficitious. We will keep you informed in good time in our daily updates.

AI competition: three new professorships for the University of Passau

From autumn 2020, fifty additional professorships with artificial intelligence as their research interest will be established at Bavarian universities in a phased process. The University of Passau participated in the AI competition as part of four consortiums with neighbouring Lower Bavarian universities and other universities throughout Bavaria. This was successful. As Science Minister Bernd Sibler announced today, the University has been granted three professorships from three consortiums.

Virtual campus life – student societies

The various student societies at the University of Passau are an important part of campus life and, like all other areas of the University, have been strongly affected by the restrictions imposed in the wake of the pandemic. Nevertheless, some groups have found creative ways to continue their work in this 'corona semester'. So if you would like to get involved in cultural, professional, sporting, political, religious or social activities to accompany your studies, please contact the relevant clubs and societies directly – keep campus life going even in times of quarantine.

Cultural promotion of the Student Services Association (Studentenwerk)

The Student Services Association's Cultural Promotions Office supports cultural student societies in the dissemination of digital cultural projects. Whether it's a living-room concert, digital reading, virtual writers’ meeting or online theatre rehearsal: send your event information to the cultural promotions office. You will find further information about cultural promotion in times of coronavirus in the FAQs of the Student Services Association.

As always, you can also enter your digital events in the university calendar and on the campus blog – we are looking forward to your contributions!

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 18 May.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Standard period of study: ministry is working on a new regulation
• Border opening at Voglau: documents required for border crossing
• Diversity Day 2020: ‘Colourful Building Fence’ activity

Standard period of study: ministry is working on a new regulation

The Bavarian Science Ministry has informed us that a regulation is currently in preparation to allow automatic extensions of deadlines based on the number of elapsed semesters in relation to the standard period of study. This is to ensure that students do not suffer a disadvantage for missing deadlines stipulated in the examination regulations as a result of the unusual circumstances in summer semester 2020. We have not received any details other than the above and will inform you as soon as the ministry has made a definitive announcement.

Border opening at Voglau: documents required for border crossing

As announced previously, students can cross the border at Voglau daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You do not need a special commuter pass to cross the border. However, please make sure that you have the following documents with you:

• your CampusCard in combination and a current certificate of enrolment
• official photographic ID (European ID card or your passport)
• Your registration confirmation (‘Meldebestätigung’) – you will need this when you return to Austria. If you do not have a registration confirmation issued by your municipality in Austria, you can request it from them by e-mail. For many students in the border area near Passau (e.g. in the Hamberg hall of residence) this is the municipality of Schardenberg.

Please note: For the time being, you are only permitted to enter the campus for the purpose of returning or borrowing books (with an appointment) or if you have an appointment to pick up food from the refectory. The university buildings and underground car park remain closed until further notice. CampusCard validation is not yet possible. Please come to the campus only for the above permitted reasons.

Diversity Day 2020: ‘Colourful Building Fence’ activity

On 26 May 2020, Germany will celebrate its Diversity Day. The Diversity and Equal Opportunities Section and Vice President Christina Hansen are planning various activities for that day to highlight the topic of diversity at the University of Passau. One of these is the ‘colourful building fence’ (in German: ‘Bunter Bauzaun’), which will see the building fence around the Innwiese meadow decorated with colourful posters and banners on the theme of diversity to turn it into a symbol of the spirit of diversity and solidarity at the University of Passau.

If you want to participate, please send in your scanned contribution or make an appointment by e-mail to drop it off at room JUR 003 by 22 May 2020. We will print e-mailed entries on A3 format paper and affix them to the fence. If you prefer to work on your own and need material, you can also order placards in different sizes and colours from us as of 18 May and pick them up from room JUR 003 during an arranged appointment.

We look forward to your contribution!

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 15 May.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• No face-to-face teaching in the summer semester // Exams // Library
• Scholarships: virtual information event on 27 May
• Available rooms in the student halls of residence
• 'Mensa to go' service will be moved outside of the refectory // student jobs available

No face-to-face teaching in summer semester 2020 // Exams // Library

As the coronavirus situation continues to evolve very dynamically, it is currently impossible to say when the University will be able to return to classroom-based teaching. The guidelines for the implementation of the second Bavarian disease control ordinance at Bavarian universities, which came into force on April 30th, prohibit all courses and events requiring physical attendance. While they do allow for some exceptions, such as examinations, these are subject to very strict rules and conditions. At present, no one can say with any certainty how long this regulation will continue to be in effect.

In order to allow students and lecturers to plan ahead as much as possible, the University Executive has decided that teaching will be conducted online throughout the whole summer semester, i.e. there will be no classroom teaching this semester.

While examinations requiring candidates to be present in person are generally permitted, they are to be kept to an absolute minimum. At present, it is not clear which exams will be carried out on campus and when they will take place. The University Executive is in close contact with the deans of studies of the faculties as well as the Examinations Office and other administrative units. Aspects that will be considered include:

• compliance with hygiene regulations, room capacities and staff resources
• participation of international students in examinations in line with examination regulations
• avoidance of examination formats requiring physical attendance if at all possible
• whenever possible, conducting examinations online while observing legal requirements

We will keep you informed on this page of any new developments regarding examinations.

The University Library will continue to provide a contactless lending service. The reading rooms remain closed.

Scholarships of the University of Passau: virtual scholarship information event on 27 May

Scholarship announcement from the International Office and Student Services Division:

• From October 2020, the University of Passau will award approximately 55 Deutschlandstipendium scholarships with a stipend of 3,600 euros (300 euros per month for 12 months). Applications are accepted from 14 May to 1 June 2020. For details visit the Deutschlandstipendium scholarship website.
• This year, the Rotary Club of Passau is again offering a full scholarship for international students at the University of Passau for the academic year 2020–21 with a stipend of 7,500 euros (625 euros per month for 12 months). Scholarship announcement The application deadline is 5 June 2020 (application form)

This year's scholarship information event will take place virtually on 27 May.
Starting at 6 p.m., current scholarship recipients will deliver online presentations on funding opportunities at the University and various donor organisations and report on their personal experiences. Afterwards you can ask live questions about scholarships. Attendance is via Zoom link, no prior registration is required. If you have any questions about the event, please get in touch with the Student Communication Section.

Available rooms in the student halls of residence

There are still rooms available in the halls of residence managed by the Student Services Association (Studentenwerk) for this summer semester. Rents (including utilities) start at just over 200 euros per month and vary by flat type and size. Please visit the Student Services Association website (in German) for a list of available rooms. The list is constantly updated. Please click on 'Ich suche eine Unterkunft in Passau' when viewing the page, as it lists available rooms in all university towns served by the Student Services Association. Contact persons are also listed on that page.

Mensa to go: food to be served outside the refectory building // student job advertisement

The Student Services Association has announced that food will be served from tents outside the refectory building (in front of the delivery entrance) for the new 'Mensa to go' takeaway service while the state examination are taking place starting on 18 May. The refectory building will be open only to exam candidates during the examination period. If you need to top up your CampusCard for refectory payments, please use the top-up machine in the Audimax foyer. The Audimax cafeteria will be open during the closure of the refectory building.

The Student Services Association (Studentenwerk) is planning a delivery service to complement the takeaways as part of the 'Mensa to go' brand. For this service, the Studentenwerk needs students who are willing and able to make deliveries as bicycle couriers within the cities of Regensburg, Passau and Deggendorf. For further information, read the job advertisement (German).

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 14 May.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Border to open for students at Voglau on 13 May
• Examinations as of 18 May – refectory building closure
• Interest-free KfW loan for students in financial difficulties
• Student job ad of the Student Services Association (Studentenwerk)

Border to open for students at Voglau on 13 May

The German Federal Police today confirmed that from 13 May onwards, University of Passau students will be able to cross the border at Voglau daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You do not need a special commuter pass to cross the border. However, please always have your CampusCard, a current enrolment certificate and an official photographic ID with you in case you are asked for ID. This will also enable you to use the buses in Passau.

Please note: For the time being, you are only permitted to enter the campus to return or borrow books (with an appointment) or if you have an appointment to pick up food from the refectory. The university buildings and underground car park remain closed until further notice. CampusCard validation is not yet possible. Please come to the campus only for the above permitted reasons.

Examinations as of 18 May – refectory building closure

The cafeteria building will be used as an exam hall in the period from 18 May until approximately mid/end of June and will therefore be closed. The 'Mensa to go' takeaway service will continue to be offered, but will probably be relocated so as not to disrupt the exams. We are in contact with the Student Services Association and will inform you in due course. If you need to top up your CampusCard for refectory payments, please use the top-up machine in the Audimax foyer from from 18 May onwards.

Interest-free KfW loan for students in financial difficulties

Students in need have been able to apply for an interest-free loan from the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) since 8 May 2020. The interest rate for the KfW student loan (information in German) will be set to zero for all applicants from 31 May 2020 to 31 March 2021. The interest-free loan can be paid out in instalments of up to 650 euros per month. The loan application is done online. This loan is also available to international students and interest-free in the start-up phase, from July 2020 to March 2021.

To apply for the KfW emergency loan, you can arrange an appointment with the Student Services Association's Welfare Office, under strict compliance with the hygiene rules.

Student Services Association: jobs for students in Passau, Regensburg and Deggendorf

The Student Services Association (Studentenwerk) is planning a delivery service to complement the takeaways as part of the 'Mensa to go' brand. For this service, the Studentenwerk needs students who are willing and able to make deliveries as bicycle couriers within the cities of Regensburg, Passau and Deggendorf. For further information, read the job advertisement (German).

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 13 May.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Update on examinations of the Faculty of Law
• Training courses offered by the Graduate Centre

Update on examinations of the Faculty of Law

The Dean of Studies of the Faculty of Law is posting regular updates on the faculty's study and examination schedule. Please read the 8 May update on the webpage of the Dean of Studies (in German).

Training courses offered by the Graduate Centre

The qualification programme of the Graduate Centre supports prospective doctoral students as well as doctoral and postdoctoral researchers in the successful completion of their research projects and their personal development, and promotes their professional success within or outside the academic sphere. This summer semester, all planned courses will be offered online.

In June we will start with:

• Grant Proposal Writing – How to Design and Communicate your Research Project Convincingly (Stud.IP 71044)
• Academic Presenting at Seminars and Conferences: Delivering Effective and Powerful Talks in English (Stud.IP 71043)

For all future course dates, visit the Graduate Centre website. Please note that it is possible that a small number of course dates may still change. If this happens, the Graduate Centre will announce the change directly in Stud.IP.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 12 May.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• ‘Corona regulation’ adopted
• Update on examinations of the Faculty of Law
• Student Services Association: Takeaway service starts on 11 May

University adopts 'Corona regulation'

The governing committees of the University of Passau have adopted the so-called ‘Corona regulation’ (German), which specifies the rules of derogation from the study and examination regulations as well as the doctoral and post-doctoral regulations in response to the limitations imposed on the conduct of teaching and examinations by the measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.

The intention is to enable students enrolled in any of the University’s study programmes to continue their studies in as unhindered a fashion as possible, and to ensure that early career researchers can progress through the qualification stage of their career despite the pandemic.

Key provisions of the new regulation are:

• Examiners may use teaching and examination formats that diverge from the formats prescribed in the regulations for the relevant programmes. However, it must always be ascertained that these new formats correspond as closely as possible to the competence objectives of the previous formats. This should enable you, as a student, to seamlessly continue or complete your studies. The new rule applies to doctoral and postdoctoral procedures by analogy.
• The new regulation also makes it possible to move individual modules around, provided they are suited to this purpose.
• The University also allows the introduction of alternative forms of examination, with the proviso that the principles of equal opportunities and a fair examination procedure must be observed and ensured.
• New students commencing a master’s degree programme in summer semester 2020 who are unable provide all necessary documents for matriculation due to the coronavirus pandemic now have until the end of winter semester 2020–21 (March 2021) to provide the missing documents. If this affects you, you should present proof that the delay is due to the coronavirus. Your enrolment will then be conditional until you provide the missing documents. The decision on enrolment lies with the board of examiners.
• Attendance obligations provided for in the module catalogue will be waived for summer semester 2020. This applies equally to modules with and without examination credits.

Download link to the Corona regulation (German)

Update on examinations of the Faculty of Law

The Dean of Studies of the Faculty of Law is posting updates on the faculty's study and examination schedule (including dates for resit exams of winter semester 2019–20): webpage of the Dean of Studies (in German).

Student Services Association: Takeaway service starts on 11 May

On 11 May 2020, the Student Services Association will introduce a takeaway service ('Mensa to go'). The refectory will be open Mondays to Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can pre-order your meal by e-mail and pick it up at the refectory at an agreed time. For more details on ordering and collection, hygiene regulations and the menu, please visit the Student Services Association's website. Please note that you will not be able to eat your meal on the premises.

You miss your favourite dishes from the refectory? The Student Services Association has put the recipes for various popular meals online – including meat, fish, vegetarian and vegan dishes – for you to cook at home.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 11 May.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Access to lockers
• From 11 May: emergency childcare service for single parent students
• Virtual campus life: cultural promotions of the Student Services Association (Studentenwerk)

Access to lockers

We have received a number of enquiries about the lockers, as some students have deposited media borrowed from the library there. We ask for your understanding that disease control – and thus your safety on campus – is currently our main concern and this is why we cannot open our buildings for you yet. Therefore, access to the lockers is not possible until further notice. In any event, you will not be charged any late fees on borrowed media until the end of May, so that you do not need to worry about incurring any fines. We will inform you in good time of any changes to this, probably from June onwards.

From 11 May: emergency childcare service for single parent students

The State Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has announced on its website (German) that emergency childcare should be extended. The decision was taken in consideration of the developmental needs of the children as well as the unusual stress for parents in the current situation. As of 11 May 2020, emergency care is extended to children of single parent students. The family service newsletter (German) has more on this and other topics, including the easing of the ban on visiting hospitals and retirement and nursing homes, as well as tips for working from home – especially with children.

Virtual Campus Life

The Student Services Association's cultural promotions office supports cultural student societies in the dissemination of digital cultural projects. Whether it's a living-room concert, digital reading, virtual writers’ meeting or online theatre rehearsal: send your event information to the cultural promotions office.

As always, you can also enter your digital events in the university calendar and on the campus blog – we are looking forward to your contributions!

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 8 May.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Contact restrictions
• Quick ZIM survey about Zoom
• Teacher education programmes: spring 2020 exam candidates will get a free exam attempt ('Freiversuch')
• Faculty of Law update

Contact restrictions

The Bavarian government has lifted the lockdown measures effective as of today. However, extensive contact restrictions and the distance rule remain in place until at least 5 June. This means that you no longer need to have an approved reason for leaving the house; nevertheless, physical contact with people outside your household should be reduced to an absolute minimum. Wherever possible, you have to maintain a minimum distance of 1.5 metres from other people. The gathering of groups in public spaces is still not permitted. The FAQ of the Ministry of the Interior (German) is currently being updated with the new details.

For the University, the regulations do not change anything for now: the buildings are still closed, and service points can only be reached by e-mail or telephone. The only exception is the University Library’s new contactless lending and return service; please read the information from the University Library on this service.

Quick ZIM survey about Zoom

In our update of 23 April, we informed you that a Zoom survey was being prepared: now, the ZIM is pleased to announce that the Zoom user survey is ready for your answers. We hope many of you will complete this survey, which should only take a few minutes of your time. Your responses will help the ZIM to optimise the Zoom service processes. Thank you for your support!

Teacher education programmes: spring 2020 exam candidates will get a free exam attempt ('Freiversuch')

The Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs, Michael Piazolo, today announced that candidates for the spring 2020 teacher education state examination will be given a free exam attempt ('Freiversuch'). This means students have an additional resit opportunity. For further information please read the ministry's press release (German).

Faculty of Law update

As of 23 April, the Dean of Studies of the Faculty of Law has posted updates on the faculty's study and examination schedule. Please read the 5 May update on the webpage of the Dean of Studies (in German).

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 7 May.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Committee work during the Covid-19 pandemic
• University elections during the Covid-19 pandemic
• Cafeteria in the refectory building offers skeleton service

Committee work during the Covid-19 pandemic

The continuing lockdown and disease control measures have also had an effect on the functioning of the various committees of the University. In order to ensure a successful session and to make committee work as frictionless as possible even under the special conditions, the University of Passau has amended its statutes (German text). In certain cases this makes it possible, for instance, to conduct meetings as video conferences, as long as specific conditions are observed. We will provide details on our FAQ page soon. Student committees can contact Martina Koczubik, the Head of the Committees Section, for information.

University elections during the Covid-19 pandemic

In a letter dated 30 April, the state ministry gave information on the upcoming university elections.
Affirming that the democratic principles of university organisation must be upheld even during a health crisis, the ministry stated that terms of office cannot be extended until the end of the crisis without a proper legal basis, so that it is necessary to carry out elections when needed. The ministry takes the view that elections taking place during the pandemic can only be carried out on a postal-voting basis to protect university members from contagion. The legal basis for this condition is provided in § 12 of the Bavarian university election regulations (Bayerische Hochschulwahlordnung): This provision can be interpreted in such a way that it allows university elections to be conducted exclusively by postal voting. However, the postal ballot procedure must be announced in advance and the necessary documents sent to all those entitled to vote. Requesting that the University begin the relevant preparations for a postal ballot as soon as possible, the letter expressly states that conducting the elections using an online voting procedure of any kind is neither legal nor technically feasible at this time.
We will keep you posted on any new developments concerning the university elections on this page.

Cafeteria in the refectory building offers skeleton service

As of today, the cafeteria in the cafeteria building is offering a limited take-away service for campus staff. The opening hours are Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 6 May.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• University Library: contactless lending for students and doctoral researchers
• Emergency aid for students
• Update on Examinations of the Faculty of Law
• Student Services Association (Studentenwerk): updated coronavirus FAQs

University Library: contactless lending for students and doctoral researchers

This week the University Library will gradually roll out a literature-ordering and contactless-distribution service at the Central Library and Juridicum locations. Books from the closed stacks, textbooks and reference material will also be available for loan. In the Juridicum, students and doctoral candidates will be able to collect legal literature ordered from the Juridicum and Nikolakloster reading rooms. Media ordered from all other reading rooms and from the closed stacks will be handed out in the Central Library.

The reintroduction of lending and return of media will take place in different phases:

From Tuesday, 5 May, all borrowed books can be returned to the Central Library. Although the return deadline for all books borrowed prior to the library closure has been pushed back to 29 May, we ask that students return all borrowed media that are no longer needed for the benefit of their fellow students. Please note: If you are not currently in Passau, you should not travel expressly for the purpose of returning your books; however, if possible, please send the books back to the library by post.

Also from 5 May onwards, literature that has been held ready for collection by you since the library was closed – media reserved from any of the reading rooms or the closed stacks or media ordered via interlibrary loan – can also be collected from the Central Library. You will have to book an appointment for fetching the media beforehand. Appointments are available on working days from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please use the appointment allocation tool of the German Research Network. Further information can be found directly on the University Library website.

From Wednesday, 6 May, it will be once again possible to order new literature. Literature from the closed stacks is ordered as usual via the University Library's search portals (InfoGuide or Primo). Students and doctoral researchers can also order textbooks and reference material using an online form. You will have to book an appointment to collect the reserved media.

From Thursday, 7 May, previously ordered literature can be picked up during the booked appointment in the Central Library or the Juridicum reading room. The loan period for reference books runs for 14 days starting with the day of readiness for collection. At both locations, media can be collected from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on working days. Please arrive on time to the booked appointment and wear a face mask. We cannot grant you access to the ordered media outside the booked appointments.

FAQ update: deadlines for dissertations and theses – book returns

'The library offers a scanning service for students and a contactless loan service for students. What does this mean for the submission deadlines for dissertations or theses?' or 'I still have books that I borrowed from the University Library but I am in my hometown. Do I have to travel to Passau to return them?' You will find answers to these and other questions in our updated FAQs.

Emergency aid for students

The federal government has introduced bridging finance for students who find themselves in financial trouble due to the pandemic. Affected students can apply for an interest-free KfW loan of up to €650 per month from the beginning of May. In addition, €100 million will be made available to the student services associations for local emergency aid funds. For further information please refer to the website of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Update on Examinations of the Faculty of Law

The Dean of Studies of the Faculty of Law is posting updates on the faculty's study and examination schedule (including dates for resit exams of winter semester 2019–20): webpage of the Dean of Studies (in German).

Student Services Association (Studentenwerk): updated coronavirus FAQs

Do I have to present a 'Leistungsnachweis' for BAföG after the 4th semester despite the coronavirus pandemic? Are there plans to provide some alternative catering while the refectory is closed? What happens if I cannot pay my rent? Where can I currently find job opportunities? Will there be a 'Kulturversammlung' (cultural assembly) in Passau in summer semester 2020?
Answers to these and many other questions can be found on the Student Services Association's website, with revised and updated coronavirus information (the pages linked to may only be available in German):
Student finance and BAföG: www.stwno.de/faq-finanzierung
University catering facilities: www.stwno.de/faq-gastronomie
Student housing: www.stwno.de/faq-wohnen
Welfare Office and managing your money while studying: www.stwno.de/faq-beratung
Cultural Services: www.stwno.de/faq-kultur

Daily updates are posted on www.stwno.de/corona and on the Student Services Association's social media channels.

Even if you cannot come in to the offices for the moment, you can still reach your contact persons by telephone and e-mail if you have questions or concerns:

Student Finance Office: https://www.stwno.de/de/finanzierung/kontakt
University catering facilities: https://www.stwno.de/de/gastronomie/kontakt
Student housing: https://www.stwno.de/de/wohnen/kontakt-5
Welfare Office: https://www.stwno.de/de/beratung/sozialberatung
Cultural Services: https://www.stwno.de/de/kultur/kontakt

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 5 May.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Guidelines for the implementation of the second Bavarian disease control ordinance at Bavarian universities – effects
• FAQ update: deadlines for dissertations and theses – book returns
• Virtual campus life: ‘Lockdown in Focus’

Guidelines for the implementation of the second Bavarian disease control ordinance at Bavarian universities – effects

The Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts yesterday approved the guidelines for the implementation of the second Bavarian disease control ordinance at Bavarian universities. The guidelines became effective today.
Among other things, the guidelines stipulate that, until further notice, there will be no face-to-face teaching this summer semester. However, some exceptions were made, e.g. for examinations. However, for exams, the rule is that preference should be given to examination formats that do not require candidates to be physically present, insofar as they are feasible, justifiable and permitted by law.

Examinations requiring candidates to come to a physical exam venue can only take place if comprehensive disease protection measures are in place. Based on the new guidelines, the University is drawing up hygiene and safety concepts with specifications for various examination formats, e.g. for individual oral exams, centrally organised group exams and decentralised exams.

Priority is now being given to the concept for the conduct of the state examinations, which will resume on 18 May.
We will keep you informed on this page of any new developments regarding examinations.

FAQ update: deadlines for dissertations and theses – book returns

'The library is offering a scanning service for students and plans to introduce a contactless lending service for students as well. What does this mean for the submission deadlines for dissertations or theses?' or 'I still have books that I borrowed from the University Library but I am still in my hometown. Do I have to travel to Passau to return them?'
You will find answers to these and other questions in our updated FAQs.

Virtual campus life: ‘Lockdown in Focus’

'Lockdown in Focus' is the title of an interactive photo project of the cultural promotion office of the Student Services Association (Studentenwerk) taking place simultaneously in Regensburg, Passau, Landshut, Deggendorf, Pfarrkirchen and Straubing.
This photo project focuses on the lockdown and social distancing during this coronavirus crisis. All of a sudden, studying is completely digital. There's no-one on campus. You're attending lectures by Zoom meeting, not in the lecture theatre. What are all these changes doing to us? This is a joint art project to document this era and create a testimony from the students' perspective. The best submissions will be shown at an exhibition, which is to be held in autumn and winter at all Bavarian higher education institutions served by the Student Services Association for Lower Bavaria and Upper Palatinate.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 4 May.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Lockdown extended
• Teacher Education state examinations

Lockdown extended

The Bavarian State Government has announced that the lockdown will be extended until 10 May 2020 inclusive. What else has been changed, what will remain the same? You will find reliable answers in the civil protection FAQs of the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior. Information on the compulsory wearing of masks is now available in various languages (currently in English, French, Spanish, Turkish, Russian, Arabic, Farsi and Croatian). On the page linked to above, scroll down to the last item of the first FAQ section and click on 'Gibt es die Informationen zu der sog. Maskenpflicht auch übersetzt in andere Sprachen?'

Teacher Education state examinations

The State Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs announced today that the suspended spring 2020 state examinations for teacher education programmes will resume on 18 May 2020. For details, visit the ministry's website (German) and the the Examinations Office webpages. The safety of invigilators, examiners, exam candidates and the university staff is important to us. The exams will therefore be conducted under strict disease control measures.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 30 April.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

Online teaching: Zoom can now be integrated into Stud.IP

As of today, it is possible to integrate Zoom meetings in Stud.IP. Please watch the video tutorial (German) for a description of the Stud.IP extension. Furthermore, you will find step-by-step instructions for lecturers and for students on the Zoom and Stud.IP help pages (both are currently only available in German). This new functionality, a result of the work of ZIM and the Transfer Forum for Didactical Technology, will also be made available to the Stud.IP Open Source community in Germany.
If you want to keep abreast of updates and advice on online teaching, you could register for the DiTech team's newsletter, which is sent out once every week. Previous newsletters can be viewed from the DiTech webpages.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 29 April.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• ZKK course offering
• Student clubs and societies

ZKK course offering in summer semester 2020

As always, the Centre for Careers and Competencies (ZKK) will be offering a wide range of courses for students this summer semester; however, for the time being, this will be offered entirely online. In the course prospectus, the online-taught courses are marked with a 'W' (for webinar) next to their Stud.IP code. You can still register for courses until Wednesday, 29 April at 11:59 p.m. Places are then allocated by lot at midnight on Thursday, 30 April. After that, registration for remaining places and waiting lists is possible throughout the semester. The ZKK will post updates on its webpages.

Student clubs and societies

The various student societies at the University of Passau are an important part of campus life and, like all other areas of the University, have been strongly affected by the restrictions imposed in the wake of the pandemic. Nevertheless, some groups have found creative ways to continue their work in this 'corona semester'. So if you would like to get involved in cultural, professional, sporting, political, religious or social activities to accompany your studies, please contact the relevant clubs and societies directly – keep campus life going even in times of quarantine.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 28 April.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Update on Examinations of the Faculty of Law
• New webpage: welfare advice online

Update on Examinations of the Faculty of Law

As of 23 April, the Dean of Studies of the Faculty of Law is posting updates on the faculty's study and examination schedule (including exam dates): webpage of the Dean of Studies (in German).

New webpage: welfare advice online

The Corona crisis affects us all and presents many of us with new challenges. For families, parents-to-be or people with disabilities these challenges can prove particularly significant. The University of Passau is aware of this and wishes to support all those who are affected particularly strongly by the coronavirus pandemic.
To this end, the welfare advice online webpage was set up under the auspices of the Vice President for Study and Teaching, Professor Christina Hansen, and the Diversity Management Adviser, Ms Theresa Schmidt. The page offers an overview of social counselling services at the University of Passau, which are now also available in digital form for the summer semester 2020. Please do not hesitate to take advantage of the offers – the respective contact persons will be happy to advise you by e-mail, telephone or video communication.

Please note that the English version of the welfare advice online page will go up in the first half of next week.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 27 April.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• CampusCard: validation and bus travel
• ZIM reports on the first days of lectures
• Update on Zoom and data protection

CampusCard: validation and bus travel

As the buildings at the University of Passau remain closed, it is unfortunately still not possible for students in their second or higher semester to validate their CampusCard for summer semester 2020. As a student, you can use your CampusCard as a semester bus pass if it has last semester's valid-to-date (31.03.2020) printed on it; however, you also have to carry a printout of your enrolment certificate for summer semester 2020 with you, as well as an official photographic ID (e.g. your passport or EU identity card). This special provision, previously agreed between the University and the bus operator, has been extended until 31 May 2020.

If you are a first-semester student, you should have received your pre-validated CampusCard (showing a valid-to date of '30.09.2020') in the post. Your CampusCard is, therefore, already valid as a semester bus pass.

ZIM reports on the first days of lectures

After the first three days of lectures in an entirely digital environment, we can look back on about 1,900 Zoom meetings and 40 webinars with an average duration of 50 minutes. The average Zoom meeting had 100 participants, with the largest Zoom meeting counting 920 participants. Zoom webinars had an average of 185 participants, and the peak figure here was 900. Students and lecturers gave mostly positive feedback on usability, organisational processes and the usefulness of the formats. Thomas Simon, the ZIM's managing director, said that the product had proved straightforward to set up and use, resulting in a solid user experience, and expressed his delight that such a robust solution could be found for online teaching.

Update on Zoom and data protection

We receive numerous enquiries every day regarding the security of Zoom accounts, especially on 'Zoombombing' and phishing. The University assigns great importance to the security aspects of any software through which it offers its services. The University Executive is therefore in regular contact with lecturers and students to ensure that issues raised concerning data security and data privacy are scrutinized very carefully. The ZIM uses all available means to make the use of Zoom as safe as possible for you. This includes:

• Using the University's own single sign-on (SSO) scheme so as not to transmit any passwords to Zoom servers. This means that it is not possible to 'phish' your University credentials from Zoom. In this connection, we would like to remind you to use a unique password for your ZIM account and not to re-use it for any other online services and platforms. If you have to, you can change your password at any time using the 24h password service. The Zoom website also offers tips on securing your Zoom meetings in English (PDF download).
• To protect your meeting from intruders ('Zoombombing'), please assign individual meeting IDs and use passwords for your meeting. Tips for this can be found in the FAQs on the Zoom help pages.
• If you have any further questions on how to use Zoom or concerning data protection at Zoom, please contact the online teaching team by e-mail.

The Bavarian universities and the Bavarian administrative department for IT law are in constant contact with Zoom staff and check up on the improvements being made to the Zoom platform. For up-to-date information, visit the website of Bavarian administrative department for IT law. (This page is written in German, but some of the information linked to is in English.)

We want your opinion: The ZIM is currently preparing a survey questionnaire in which students and lecturers can give feedback on Zoom's functionality and identify what additional functions would be useful or what else could be done to improve on the software. We will inform you on this page once the evaluation begins.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 24 April.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Video message from the Science Minister
• Library: current state of affairs
• Phishing attacks: problems with e-mail delivery have been resolved
• Special rules regarding scholarships; FAQs

Video message from the Science Minister

Yesterday evening on Instagram (@wissenschaft.kunst.bayern), Bavaria's Minister of Science, Bernd Sibler, posted a video message to all students. This can be viewed on the ministry's website (please scroll down to find it).

However: even if the video may appear to say otherwise, students CANNOT physically go to Passau University Library to borrow books at this point.

Library: current state of affairs

The scanning service offered by the University Library is very popular with our academics and students. In addition to this service, the University Executive has instructed the University Library to work out a hygiene concept as a step towards opening up library borrowing services to students. The new borrowing process will be contactless – similarly to the current borrowing process for academic staff – so as to meet the requirements of the ‘guidelines for implementation of the second Bavarian infection control regulation at Bavarian state universities’. We will keep you informed of all further developments.

Phishing attacks: problems with e-mail delivery have been resolved

The number of phishing attacks has increased in recent times. Occasionally, this has led to members of the University accidentally disclosing their university network credentials. Once compromised, their accounts were subsequently used to send out vast amounts of e-mail spam. This, in turn, has prompted some e-mail providers to block the University of Passau's outgoing e-mail server. For instance, e-mails sent via Outlook to hotmail, msn, live or outlook addresses with different country domains (.de, .at and .com) were not delivered. We are glad to say that this problem has now been resolved.

Always be wary when you receive an e-mail asking you to enter or update your data and never click on any links provided in such e-mails. If you have doubts about the authenticity or the content of a message, please contact ZIM Support, who will be happy to help you.

Furthermore, please use your official university e-mail account if you wish to contact the University's service points. This ensures that you will receive the reply from University staff.

Special rules regarding scholarships; FAQs

Do you have a scholarship from a so-called Begabtenförderungswerk (a special scholarship organisation for the promotion of gifted students) and are now unable to complete your studies within the standard period of study due to the novel coronavirus? Some Begabtenförderungswerke have put in place special arrangements for scholarship holders whose studies have been delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Please contact your scholarship provider first. If you require a confirmation letter for continued funding, you should contact the Examinations Office.
For answers to these and other frequently asked questions from students, visit our FAQ page, which is continually revised and supplemented.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 23 April.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Bavaria-wide lockdown – wearing of face masks becomes compulsory
• Scan requests to the library – online form

Bavaria-wide lockdown – wearing of face masks becomes compulsory

What does the lockdown in Bavaria mean for my personal everyday life, my family and the people around me? What exactly has changed since April 20th? As a student, may I drive to my official secondary residence ('Zweitwohnsitz') in Passau? Will the police be carrying out spot-checks? The Bavarian Ministry of the Interior has prepared FAQ of their own, which provide further clarification. Please note that these FAQ are only provided in German.

If you are travelling within Bavaria or to Bavaria, please note that as of 27 April it will be compulsory to wear a face mask covering the mouth and nose on public transport and in shops. The mask requirement applies to everyone aged seven and above. You do not need to use a proper surgical face mask; a self-sewn mask, scarf or neckerchief is sufficient.

Scan requests to the library – online form

In order to ensure the best possible service for students and doctoral candidates when processing scan jobs, the University Library has prepared an online form. In future, please only use this form to send your scan requests to the University Library. In addition, please note that the copyright regulations on the scanning service page are adhered to (the full page and form will be made available in English soon; for now, if you can read German, please visit the German version):

• The scanning service can only scan printed works that are in the University Library's holdings.
• For journals and similar specialised periodicals, only individual articles will be scanned.
• For books (e.g. textbooks, monographs, anthologies), a maximum of 10 percent of the relevant work will be scanned.

Scan jobs from students about to sit their final exams and from doctoral candidates are prioritised. The scans will be saved in PDF format and sent to your university e-mail address.

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 22 April.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Video message from the President – online teaching starts
• Standard period of study and BAföG – communication from the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts
• Refectory and cafeterias remain closed
• Library closure – deadlines for written assignments, dissertations and theses

Video message from the President – online teaching starts

The University President, Professor Ulrich Bartosch, welcomed all returning and new students at the beginning of the lecture period – this time by video in consideration of the circumstances.

The digital courses offered by the University were already in high demand on the first day of the lecture period: altogether, some 400 live meetings with a total of about 3,600 participants and ten interactive webinars with up to 900 participants each took place today, 20 April 2020. At peak times, up to 80 sessions were streamed simultaneously. Approximately five gigabytes' worth of video material was produced.

Nearly 11,000 people accessed Stud.IP in the last 24 hours, which has coped well with the almost 3.8 million page impressions after some initial hiccups. At peak times, Stud.IP recorded about three times as many users as on a 'normal' semester day. The ILIAS platform also coped well with the slightly more than one million page impressions generated by more than 2,600 people in the last 24 hours.

'This means that we passed the acid test today', said Thomas Simon, Head of the Centre for Information Technology and Media Services (ZIM), who added that the ZIM would continue to tweak and optimise the systems used for online teaching.

Standard period of study and BAföG – communication from the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts

The Bavarian Science Minister, Bernd Sibler, announced in a press release on Sunday that his ministry is currently working on a draft law that will allow for automatic postponement of exam dates and extension of exam-related deadlines. This is to ensure that students are not disadvantaged by missing statutory exam dates and deadlines or by exceeding the nominal standard period of study through as a result of the measures taken to combat the pandemic. The Bavarian universities will be kept informed of the further process and we will pass this information on to our students as soon as we have new information.

The minister also confirmed that he would continue to advocate 'flexible regulations for students with regard to BAföG, child benefit and health insurance, and that students will not suffer any disadvantages with regard to these issues or in connection with the standard period of study.' We will also keep you informed about further developments in this area.

Refectory and cafeterias remain closed

The catering facilities of the Student Services Association (Studentenwerk) will remain closed until further notice, while the campus is closed. We will inform you in good time before business resumes.

Library closure – deadlines for written assignments, dissertations and theses

On Friday, 17 April, we informed you that the extended library closure will further extend the deadlines for your final and seminar papers. Unfortunately, as this information was misleading, we need to clarify the rules: The deadlines for submission of bachelor’s dissertations and master’s theses, for which you have registered via the Examinations Office, are automatically extended. You may continue to add the number of days the library is closed to your original submission date. You can find a calculation example in our FAQs.

For written seminar papers and other written assignments, the decision on whether further deadline extensions is taken individually by the respective supervisor, as it may be possible to complete assignments on time using available resources even during the library closure (e.g. using online literature).

The Faculty of Law has published information on faculty-wide deadlines on the webpage of the Dean of Studies (please note that this information is only available on the German page).

The next update will be posted at 6 p.m. on 21 April.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today’s important announcements:

• Library closure / coursework deadlines / scanning service for students
• Important advice about travelling to Bavaria

Library closure / coursework deadlines / scanning service for students

Passau’s university library will remain closed for the time being. This was decided by the University executive and the library leadership team after a thorough review. Taking into account the exceptional situation, the restrictions on people’s movements, and the suspension of all on-site teaching, commuting to the campus and spending time there are not risk free, nor equitably possible for all members of the university community. The University will keep a close eye on, and regularly review, the situation and for that purpose stay in close contact with the health department of the city of Passau. We will provide you with a timely update as soon as safely opening the library becomes possible again.

Along with the extension of the library closure period, the deadlines for written assignments, seminar papers, dissertation and theses are also extended. As before, you can add the number of library closure days to your deadlines. For an example of how to work out how your deadline is affected, please visit the corona FAQ page.

In light of the circumstances, the university library is launching a new copyright compliant scanning service for the start of the new semester on April 20, on top of the significant expansion of the electronic media offering. This service will temporarily bridge the gap until the library’s borrowing facilities and reading rooms are accessible to students again. Please contact ubinfo@uni-passau.de with your requests. The University library will be happy to receive further suggestions for electronic media that should be purchased through the same email address.

Important advice about travelling to Bavaria

The quarantine requirements for people travelling to Bavaria have been extended along with the restrictions on movements for people inside Bavaria. Both were extended until 3 May. Accordingly, people who travel to Bavaria from a foreign country, whether by land, sea or air, are obligated to “move to their own home or another appropriate accommodation immediately upon arrival, and to stay there in isolation for a period of 14 days after arrival”. This also applies to people who arrived in a different part of Germany before travelling onwards to Bavaria. Those affected are also obligated to contact the relevant health department in their local area as soon as they have arrived, regardless of whether they are suffering from any symptoms of illness. The Robert Koch Institute has published guidelines for the correct way to implement a home-based quarantine (in German).

The next update will be posted on 20 April at 6 p.m.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject line: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• A visit from the Bavarian Minister for Science and the Arts
• How the summer semester will count towards the standard course length
• The government's announcement and its effects on the University

A visit from the Bavarian Minister for Science and the Arts

The Bavarian Minister for Science and the Arts, Bernd Sibler, visited the University of Passau on 15 April 2020, during which found out about the offering and capabilities of online teaching and learning for the summer semester 2020. He observed demonstrations of virtual teaching provisions and had discussions with student representatives and staff from the Centre for Information Technology and Media Services, among others, regarding questions around IT security and data protection around the digital offering. For more information, please read the Ministry of Science's press release. 

How the summer semester will count towards the standard course length

During his visit in Passau yesterday, the Bavarian Minister for Science and the Arts, Bernd Sibler, also talked about the current thinking in the debate around how the current summer semester should count towards the standard course length ('Regelstudienzeit'). According to him, the discussions at federal and state levels are nearing their conclusion. Things are "heading in a good direction", according to Bernd Sibler. We will provide information as soon as the Ministry makes a conclusive announcement. 

The government's announcement and its effects on the University

The Bavarian government has announced today that the restrictions on people's mobility (the lockdown) have been extended until the end of the day on 3 May 2020. As had already been announced, the resumption of teaching at Bavarian universities and higher education institutions is scheduled for 20 April. However, the summer semester will take place through digital channels to begin with. The University of Passau intends to deliver all teaching exclusively online until the end of May at least. The buildings of the University of Passau remain closed for the time being and are only accessible to staff. Client access to services on site also remains closed for the time being. In the meantime, you can reach services by telephone and email. We will provide an update in due time, if and when the situation changes.

The Bavarian state government also announced today that on-site examinations will principally be permitted this semester. As soon as more details are available about when and under what conditions examinations are permitted, we will inform you using the same channels we currently use for corona updated. The same applies for information about the re-opening of the library: the university library will stay closed on 20 April and on subsequent days. According to today's announcement, public libraries and libraries at universities and higher education institutions may be permitted to re-open on 27 April at the earliest. When the libraries are allowed to re-open, there will be new rules about hygiene, access control, and the avoidance of queue formation. We will post an update as soon as more information is available. 

The next update will be posted on 17 April at 6 p.m.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject line: 'Coronavirus').

Today’s important announcements:

• Discussions between the federal and state-level governments: How will things continue after 20 April?
• Phishing attacks: problems with email deliveries to certain email providers
• Corona crisis: what can I do to help?

Discussions between the federal and state-level governments: How will things continue after 20 April?

Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, has been in discussions with the state level governments today, to determine how the restrictions and lockdowns should continue. At this time, the media are reporting that the restrictions are expected to be extended until 3 May at least. The University of Passau is planning to conduct all teaching and learning online at least until the end of May. For you as a student, that means you need not be present in Passau or on campus during that time. If you are currently still staying at a distant home address, please don’t travel to Passau at this time if there is no other pressing need for you to be here. That way, you can contribute to minimising the counterproductive mobility of the population.

Phishing attacks: problems with email deliveries to certain email providers

Due to an increase in phishing attacks, it occasionally happens that students or staff are tricked into revealing their login information. The compromised login details are then exploited, leading to thousands of spam emails being sent from the affected university accounts. In turn, this can lead to some email providers blacklisting the email server of the University of Passau as a known source of spam. At the current time, we know that University emails sent via Outlook to Hotmail, MSN, Live or Outlook email addresses in certain countries and domains (.de, .at and .com) are not reaching their recipients. Unfortunately, the university has no means of influencing how long any given email provider’s blacklisting lasts.

Please be especially careful when you receive an email that encourages you to enter or change any personal data. Please do not click on links in such emails. If you are unsure about the authenticity of a message, please contact the ZIM Support, who will be happy to advise you.

As students, we ask that you use your student email account for sending emails to University contacts. That way, the University can respond to you. Please check your student email account regularly, as it’s possible that any redirection to your personal email account might not work at this time.

Corona crisis: what can I do to help?

Helping hands are currently needed in many areas of public and private life. Together with Bavarian charities and Bavarian community umbrella organisations, the Bavarian Ministry for Social Affairs has launched the initiative ‘Unser Soziales Bayern: Wir helfen zusammen!’ (Our social Bavaria: together, we help!). Aside from opportunities to get involved, you can also find relevant information and handbooks for older people, families, teaching staff and people with disabilities.

You can find additional suggestions for how to help in our corona FAQs.

The next update will be posted on 16 April at 6 p.m.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject line: 'Coronavirus').

Today’s important announcements:

• Update from the Student Services Association
• First State Examination for teacher education programmes: special regulations
• Sports Centre offers online sports classes
• A visit from the Bavarian Minister for Science and the Arts

Update from the Student Services Association

As the government’s response to the coronavirus includes legislative changes, for example relating to tenants‘ protections against evictions and the handling of the student financing programme (BAföG), the Student Services Association Bavaria & Upper Palatinate has published updated FAQs about housing, social advice (working while you study) and BAföG. The FAQs will be updated regularly. English versions are available.

First State Examination for teacher education programmes: special regulations

Due to the special circumstances resulting from the coronavirus crisis, the Bavarian State Ministry for Education and Culture has published special regulations for the registration for the First State Examination in spring and autumn 2020 (in German). The relevant departments (e.g. Work Placement Office, Examinations Office, Sports Centre) are preparing the adjusted processes and paperwork for the registration procedure, so that you will be able to take advantage of the special regulations.

Sports Centre offers online sports classes

From 20/04/2020 until 30/04/2020, the Sports Centre will be offering online classes to staff and students through Zoom. The following classes are available to students:

• Course 2114 Circuit Training, Monday from 18.00 until 19.00
• Course 2615 Pilates, Monday from 13.00 until 14.00
• Course 2614 Pilates, Thursday from 09.00 until 10.00
• Course 2115 Yoga, Monday from 08.00 until 09.00
• Course 2116 Yoga, Tuesday from 18.00 until 19.00

These classes are free to attend and registration for the regular recreational sports provisions is not a requirement. You can sign up online through the online booking system to take up these opportunities.

A visit from the Bavarian Minister for Science and the Arts

The Bavarian Minister for Science and the Arts, Bernd Sibler, will be visiting the University of Passau tomorrow, 15 April 2020, to find out about the offering and capabilities of online teaching and learning for the summer semester 2020. He will observe demonstrations of virtual teaching and learning provisions by the University President Prof. Dr. Ulrich Bartosch and other members of the University Executive, and discuss, among other things, matters of IT security and data protection around the digital offering.

The next update will be posted on 15 April at 6 p.m. Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• President's Easter greetings
• Video message from the Science Minister
• Online teaching: handouts for students

President's Easter greetings

Easter greetings to all members of the University from the President of the University, Professor Ulrich Bartosch, are available from the University’s homepage.

Video message from the Science Minister

Due to the coronavirus crisis, the summer semester at Bavarian universities will not count towards the standard period of study or for the purposes of BAföG student loans/grants. This was recently announced by Bavarian Science Minister, Bernd Sibler. Tonight, the Minister will make a more detailed announcement in a video message, which will be made available online at www.stmwk.bayern.de/index.html.

The University will receive an official notification once the relevant legislative procedure has been completed. We will keep you informed in a future coronavirus update.

Online teaching: first handout for students

The coronavirus situation has shown us that the time has come to explore new ways of teaching and learning, away from the lecture theatre. This is where the digital world offers opportunities for knowledge exchange and learning on the World Wide Web. The Transfer Forum for Didactical Technology (DiTech) has prepared a handout for students, which is full of tips and ideas on how to make sure studying at home meets with the desired success. The guide is now available online in German and English.

Would you like to get regular updates on online teaching? Sign up for the newsletter at https://online-lehre.uni-passau.de/!

The next update will be at 6 p.m. on 14 April.Until then, happy Easter and best wishes!

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Standard period of study and BAföG: video message from the Science Minister
• Bicycles left on campus

Standard period of study and BAföG: video message from the Science Minister

Due to the coronavirus crisis, the summer semester at Bavarian universities will not count towards the standard period of study or for the purposes of BAföG student loans/grants. This was recently announced by Bavarian Science Minister, Bernd Sibler.

The University will receive an official notification once the relevant legislative procedure has been completed. We will then pass this information on to you on this page in a future coronavirus update. Furthermore, Minister Sibler will make a public statement by video message tomorrow, Thursday, 9 April. This was announced by his Ministry. We will keep you posted.

Bicycles left on campus

Usually at the beginning of lectures each semester, the Buildings and Estates Section removes all 'deserted' bicycles that have been left on the campus grounds or in the car parks for a long period of time. The same was done this semester, and these bicycles have been marked with a tag informing the owner that their bicycle will be removed on 20 April 2020 if they are not collected before that date.

However, this has changed: Due to the changes this semester, these bicycles will be left where they are until 6 July 2020, at which date they will be collected and moved to the Technical Services facilities, where they will be stored for another six months. Please protect yourself and others and do not come to the campus because you are worried about your bike!

The next update will be at 6 p.m. on 9 April.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• How will summer semester 2020 be different?
• Summer semester 2020 will not count towards the standard period of study or for BAföG purposes

How will summer semester 2020 be different?

Why was the lecture period extended? Will the entire semester be in distance-learning format? Do I physically have to come to the campus? What about exams starting 20 April? When will the library reopen? New answers to these and other questions were added today in the FAQ section.

Summer semester 2020 will not count towards the standard period of study or for BAföG purposes

Due to the coronavirus crisis, the summer semester at Bavarian universities will not count towards the standard period of study or for the purposes of BAföG student loans/grants. Bavarian Science Minister, Bernd Sibler, announced this during an event at the University of Würzburg. The University will receive an official notification once the relevant legislative procedure has been completed. We will then pass this information on to you on this page in a future coronavirus update.

The next update will be at 6 p.m. on 8 April.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Online teaching with Zoom: what about data privacy?
• Important information on exams in the FAQs

Zoom and data protection

Zoom is an external web conferencing service that additionally provides chat functionality, screen sharing and file transfers. Lecturers can stream their classes live and record them to make them available as a link in Stud.IP. Students can use Zoom for working in smaller groups. In contrast to other popular communication tools such as Skype, Zoom's strength lies in large lectures and seminars, making Zoom the first choice for synchronous communication. For more information on Zoom in teaching, please read the DiTech handout (German).

Over the past few days, we have received many questions on the data-protection compliant use of Zoom at the University of Passau.

We are aware of the reported problems and criticisms regarding Zoom and take them seriously. We will use Zoom very carefully in the special circumstances of this crisis situation. In consultations with the Bavarian administrative department for IT law (German) we have come to the conclusion that the previously raised weaknesses regarding data protection at Zoom have now been resolved. Of course we remain very sensitive on this point. We are in close contact with the University's data protection officer and the student officers for data protection and digitalisation, as we discuss and monitor the further developments.

The CIOs of the Bavarian universities have made the recommendation to purchase Zoom licences for a one-year period initially. Universities should use this period to identify alternative web conferencing services and determine possibilities for joint framework agreements, either at the Bavarian level or Germany-wide through the German National Research and Education Network (DFN). The operation of Zoom will be monitored very carefully in the coming months.

For details, visit the German-language FAQs on teaching with Zoom and data privacy at Zoom.

Examinations: what you need to know now

How does the current situation affect examinations at the University of Passau? Students will be particularly concerned with this topic. Please read the 'Questions regarding examinations' section on our FAQ page for the main changes and developments regarding examinations. This section is updated as developments arise, so it is worthwhile to check back regularly.

The next update will be at 6 p.m. on 7 April.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Summer semester 2020: announcement from the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts
• Online courses: new information webpages
• Important information on exams in the FAQs

Summer semester 2020: announcement from the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts

Earlier today, the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts informed the Bavarian universities about important decisions concerning the summer semester. These are:

1. For universities, the lecture period in the summer semester 2020 will begin on 20 April and end on 7 August, two weeks later than originally planned.
2. The universities should attempt to offer as many of the courses originally scheduled for the summer semester as possible. Therefore, it is imperative in the current crisis situation that universities develop suitable online courses as quickly as possible and make them available to students. All students are strongly recommended to take advantage of these to prepare for upcoming exams and avoid delays in their study programme progression.

We will inform you of the further developments with regard to the above points, and what they mean for staff, lectures and students, in future updates.

New webpages on online courses

The DiTech Transfer Forum's new webpages at www.uni-passau.de/online-lehre are a central information resource on online teaching for staff and students of the University. Initially, the pages are focused on helping lecturers set up and teach online courses in the coming semester.

However, in a next step, the pages will be complemented by information and advice for students, including important advice services. These pages will provide timely information on didactic handouts, tutorials, the available technical tools as well as webinars and further support activities. They are intended to provide a well-rounded orientation and link to existing information sources at the University (e.g. on copyright laws, the Digital Library etc.) where appropriate.

You can also subscribe to the online teaching newsletter on the DiTech pages to keep up to date with the latest developments.

Examinations: what you need to know now

How does the current situation affect examinations at the University of Passau? Students will be particularly concerned with this topic. Please read the 'Questions regarding examinations' section on our FAQ page for the main changes and developments regarding examinations. This section is updated as developments arise, so it is worthwhile to check back regularly.

The next update will be at 6 p.m. on 6 April.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail! (subject: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Working digitally (in groups): What is currently planned?
• Border crossings by students registered as resident in Austria

Working digitally (in groups): What is planned for students?

In the summer semester, our lecturers and students will have access to the video and web conferencing platform Zoom, which they can use to conduct online meetings, webinars, file sharing, instant messaging and group messaging in small, virtual groups. The ZIM has already purchased sufficient licenses for this purpose.

At the same time, Stud.IP and ILIAS have been updated. On the student side, this allows for integration of e.g. discussion forums, virtual bulletin boards (Blubber), wikis, Etherpads (which are similar to Google Docs), group blogs etc. into the respective courses. This should further facilitate collaboration and discussion in the virtual learning spaces.

Border crossings by students registered as resident in Austria

At present the border to Austria is closed and can only be crossed under specific conditions and for valid reasons. In addition, anyone returning to Austria has to go into quarantine. We are aware that this also affects students living in Austria and many of you are wondering how they should make their way to the University under these circumstances.

As long as the buildings and facilities of the University are closed and there are no face-to-face courses, we ask you to stay away from the campus and not to expose yourself and others to unnecessary risk. There is no need to worry about missing courses, as the campus is in lockdown, just like the rest of Bavaria and Austria. We will inform you in good time before the University facilities reopen and tell you about any conditions for crossing the border. Ideally, the lockdown will be lifted and the border reopened at the same time.

In the meantime, if you need to travel to Germany or back to Austria for private reasons, please read up on the current border regulations (German text) in advance.

The next update will be at 6 p.m. on 3 April.

Do you have any further questions? Please write to us (subject line: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• The University has a new president
• Student initiatives against the Corona crisis
• Warning about SPAM and phishing e-mails

The University has a new president

Professor Ulrich Bartosch took office as President of the University of Passau today, succeeding Professor Carola Jungwirth. His term of office is six years. You can read more about this in the official announcement of the University of Passau.

Student initiatives against the Corona crisis

The coronavirus crisis is having a devastating effect on retailers, restaurateurs and cultural businesses. Two student initiatives have come up with simple but effective ideas to allow everyone to support our local businesses:

•    The editorial staff of blank, the student magazine, offers vouchers from small cultural and food businesses in Passau for sale. These can be purchased right now from the website http://passau-help.de/ and redeemed after the crisis has ended.

•    The initiative 'Aktion Supportyourlocals' of student society Enactus supports local shops and catering businesses by putting up short portraits of the businesses on Facebook and Instagram for greater visibility and providing information on how to order online from these businesses.

For other ways to volunteer and help others, see 'General questions' on our FAQ page.
 

Warning about SPAM and phishing e-mails

The University is experiencing an increase in SPAM and phishing attacks. We are currently receiving fake e-mails apparently sent from 'Helpdesk' and others, which ask users to download a file. Please do not click on the link or download the file and delete these e-mails completely from your mailbox, i.e. please also empty the trash/deleted items folder in your e-mail client. If you are unsure about the authenticity or the content of a message, do not hesitate to contact the ZIM Support Team, who will be happy to help you. Always be wary when you receive an e-mail asking you to enter or update your data and never click on any links provided in such e-mails.
 

The next update will be at 6 p.m. on 2 April.

Do you have any further questions? Please write to us (subject line: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Farewell message from the President
• Lockdown in Bavaria extended until 19 April
• Keep your distance!
• Extended FAQ

Farewell message from the University President

University President, Professor Carola Jungwirth, bids farewell to all members of the University of Passau in a video statement today. The video will be available on the University's home page on 31 March.

Bavaria-wide lockdown

This morning, the Bavarian State Cabinet formally resolved to extend the lockdown in Bavaria until 19 April 2020 inclusive. The restrictions had initially been set until 3 April.

Please note that the lockdown in Bavaria means that you cannot leave your home unless it is for a valid reason – and even then you may only do so alone or with the people with whom you share a household. Any other group formation is not allowed. The Bavarian Ministry of the Interior have prepared FAQs of their own, which provide further clarification. Please note that these FAQs are only provided in German.

The prohibition from entering universities has also been extended: those who stayed in a place identified as a risk area by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) either at the time of their stay or within 14 days after their stay are prohibited from entering any higher education premises in Bavaria for 14 days after leaving the risk area. The Bavarian State Ministry of Health and Care has issued this ban in order to interrupt chains of infection as effectively as possible.

Keep your distance: important pointers

The restriction of social contacts is intended to interrupt chains of infection and thereby slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus in Germany. On average, an infected person infects two or three others. The virus is mainly transmitted by small droplets through direct contact between people (e.g. in conversation). Standing at least 1.5 metres apart from others – as recommended by the Robert Koch Institute in agreement with health authorities and research institutions worldwide – therefore reduces the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2. This simulation by BR Data illustrates the effect of consistent social distancing on the spread of the virus.

Therefore, please make sure that you always keep at least 1.5 metres distance to the people around you – even in situations where it feels strange to do so. The University attaches great importance to the observance of the distance rule and has this checked on campus with the support of the security service. In this way, we can all contribute to curbing the number of illnesses and relieving the burden on the health system.

Warning about SPAM and phishing e-mails

The University is experiencing an increase in SPAM and phishing attacks. We are currently receiving fake e-mails apparently sent from 'Helpdesk' and others, which ask users to download a file. Please do not click on the link or download the file and delete these e-mails completely from your mailbox, i.e. please also empty the trash/deleted items folder in your e-mail client. If you are unsure about the authenticity or the content of a message, do not hesitate to contact the ZIM Support Team, who will be happy to help you. Always be wary when you receive an e-mail asking you to enter or update your data and never click on any links provided in such e-mails.

The next update will follow at 6 p.m. on 1 April.

Do you have any further questions? Please write to us (subject line: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Farewell message from the President
• Lockdown in Bavaria extended until 19 April
• Keep your distance!
• Extended FAQ

Farewell message from the President

Since the academic ceremony marking the handover of office on 31 March cannot take place as planned, University President, Professor Carola Jungwirth, will bid farewell to all members of the University of Passau in a video statement. The video will be available on 31 March from 4 p.m. at www.uni-passau.de.

Bavaria-wide lockdown extended

The Bavarian State Government today announced an extension of the lockdown restrictions in Bavaria until 19 April 2020 inclusive. Initially, the restrictions were set until 3 April. Please note that the lockdown in Bavaria means that you cannot leave your home unless it is for a valid reason – and even then you may only do so alone or with the people with whom you share a household. Any other group formation is not allowed. The FAQs of the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior  provide qualification. Please note that these are only available in German.

The prohibition from entering universities has also been extended: those who stayed in a place identified as a risk area by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) either at the time of their stay or within 14 days after their stay are prohibited from entering any higher education premises in Bavaria for 14 days after leaving the risk area. The Bavarian State Ministry of Health and Care has issued this ban in order to interrupt chains of infection as effectively as possible.

Keep your distance: important pointers

The restriction of social contacts is intended to slow down chains of infection and the spread of the novel coronavirus in Germany. On average, an infected person infects two or three others. The virus is mainly transmitted by small droplets through direct contact between people (e.g. in conversation). Standing at least 1.5 metres apart from others – as recommended by the Robert Koch Institute in agreement with health authorities and research institutions worldwide – therefore reduces the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2. This simulation by BR Data illustrates the effect of consistent social distancing on the spread of the virus.

Therefore, please make sure that you always keep at least 1.5 metres distance to the people around you – even in situations where it feels strange to do so. The University attaches great importance to the observance of the distance rule and has this checked on campus with the support of the security service. In this way, we can all contribute to curbing the number of illnesses and relieving the burden on the health system.

Coronavirus: Extended FAQs

What is allowed, what is prohibited while the lockdown is in effect? Am I allowed to move into another flat, for example? What is the university planning for the summer semester? Whom should I talk to if I want to volunteer? The Communication and Marketing Division is continually expanding the FAQs at www.uni-passau.de/en/coronavirus/covid19-faq with frequently asked questions and tips on the current situation.

The next update will be at 6 p.m. on 31 March.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail  (subject line: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Extended FAQs

What is allowed, what is prohibited while the lockdown is in effect? Am I allowed to move into another flat on 1 April, for example? What is the university planning for the summer semester? Whom should I talk to if I want to volunteer?

The Communication and Marketing Division is continually expanding the FAQs at www.uni-passau.de/en/coronavirus/covid19-faq with frequently asked questions and tips on the current situation.

At present, it is not clear when the University will be able to resume teaching the full range of courses. Therefore, preparations are under way to transfer some or all of the taught courses to virtual formats in the coming semester. Please check this page and the FAQs on the digitalisation of teaching // Didactics and Technology' regularly for updates.

Perhaps you have heard a rumour that the semester might be cancelled altogether? That rumour is false. The State Ministry of Science and the Arts has made it very clear that the summer semester 2020 will definitely take place. This corresponds to the position adopted by the Bavarian University Conference, the German Rectors' Conference (HRK) and the German Association of University Professors and Lecturers (DHV), all of whom firmly ruled out a 'non-semester' (the pages linked to are in German). We can, therefore, assume that teaching will start on 20 April.

The next update will be at 6 p.m. on 30 March.

Do you have any further questions? Please write to us (subject: "Coronavirus").

Today's important announcements:

• Teaching in the summer semester – update
• Information for international students
• Novel coronavirus: information in different languages
• Networking opportunities for helpers

As things stand today, it is not yet clear when the University will be able to resume teaching the full range of courses. Therefore, preparations are under way to transfer some or all of the taught courses to virtual formats in the coming semester. It is not yet possible to say which courses will be available online, and when – or even whether the whole semester can be covered entirely online. Please check this page and the FAQ on the digitalisation of teaching // Didactics and Technology' regularly for updates.

Perhaps you have heard a rumour that the semester might be cancelled altogether? Yesterday evening, the State Ministry of Science and the Arts issued a clear statement: the summer semester 2020 will definitely take place! This corresponds to the position adopted by the Bavarian University Conference, the German Rectors' Conference (HRK) and the German Association of University Professors and Lecturers (DHV), all of whom firmly ruled out a 'non-semester' (the pages linked to are in German).

We can, therefore, assume that teaching will start on 20 April; however, it is likely that, at least initially, teaching will be delivered over the internet rather than in lecture theatres and seminar rooms. Students would not need to be physically present in Passau to attend the online courses.

What are the current recommendations for international students – both exchange students and degree-seeking students? We are in contact with the affected students and advise them personally on the situation. At the same time, we are in close contact with the competent authorities as well as the Student Services Association (Studentenwerk) to allow us to find an appropriate solution for each individual case. We will summarise the current status in our FAQs under the heading 'Further questions from students'.

Up to now, much of the information on the novel coronavirus, particularly from government agencies, has not been available in languages other than German. The German Federal Government has addressed this shortcoming and is now providing coronavirus information in various languageson the website of the federal integration commissioner.

Helping hands are currently needed in many areas of public and private life. Numerous reputable platforms now offer networking opportunities for neighbourhood assistance. In Passau, Initiative Passau hilft provides coordination and planning for everyone who wants to volunteer. You are not currently in Passau? Bayerischer Rundfunk offers an overview of the initiatives throughout Bavaria.

The next update will be at 6 p.m. on 27 March.

Do you have any further questions? Please write to us (subject: "Coronavirus").

Today's important announcements:

• Teaching in the summer semester
• Networking opportunities for helpers

What happens when the lecture period starts on 20 April? This is the question on everyone's mind at the University, and understandably so. As things stand today, it is not yet clear whether teaching at the University will be able to resume as scheduled on 20 April or when – and to what extent – classroom teaching will be possible. Therefore, it may be necessary to transfer some or all of the taught courses to virtual formats in the coming semester. The University of Passau has set up the Study and Teaching Task Force, which will coordinate and organise support measures for lecturers.

What this means for you as a student, what online teaching formats may be used and further information on teaching in the summer semester is explained in greater detail in the FAQ section under the heading 'Questions on the digitalisation of teaching'. We are continually updating this information for you to reflect the latest developments.

Helping hands are currently needed in many areas of public and private life. Numerous reputable platforms now offer networking opportunities for neighbourhood assistance. In Passau, Initiative Passau hilft provides coordination and planning for everyone who wants to volunteer. You are not currently in Passau? Bayerischer Rundfunk offers an overview of the initiatives throughout Bavaria.

The next update will be at 6 p.m. on 25 March.

Do you have any further questions? Send us an e-mail (subject line: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• BAföG will continue to be paid
• Information on the lockdown
• Networking opportunities for helpers

Students who receive BAföG will continue to receive their payments regardless of the pandemic-related measures taken by their universities, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) announced. This means that if you submit your BAföG applications before the deadline, you will continue to receive your BAföG payments even if the start of lectures is postponed, the university is affected by closures or there is no face-to-face teaching. First-semester students receive their BAföG as if the lectures had started at the originally planned start of the semester. For details visit the FAQ of the BMBF (in German) or the website of the Student Services Association for Lower Bavaria and Upper Palatinate (scroll down on that page for the English version).

What does the lockdown in Bavaria mean for my personal everyday life, my family and the people around me? What do I have to consider, for example, if I live in a shared flat, plan to move house or want to help my neighbours? The Bavarian Ministry of the Interior has prepared FAQ of their own, which provide further clarification. Please note that these FAQ are only provided in German.

Helping hands are currently needed in many areas of public and private life. Numerous reputable platforms now offer networking opportunities for neighbourhood assistance. In Passau, Initiative Passau hilft provides coordination and planning for everyone who wants to volunteer. You are not currently in Passau? Bayerischer Rundfunk offers an overview of the initiatives throughout Bavaria.

The next update will be at 6 p.m. on 25 March.

More questions? Send us an e-mail (subject line: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• CampusCard: bus travel
• Extension of the FAQ section at www.uni-passau.de/en/coronavirus
• Information related to the lockdown from the Bavarian state agencies tasked with disaster protection
• Networking opportunities for helpers

We would like to remind you that you cannot validate your electronic student ID (CampusCard) until further notice. Please do not come to the campus for this purpose.

Nevertheless, you can use the city buses free of charge even without validation. The University has agreed on this with the Passau transport operator. Please use your CampusCard with the 'old' validation from the winter semester and bring a printed matriculation certificate for the summer semester when taking the buses. This agreement is in force until 30 April 2020.

Please also note that police may be checking people's ID more often due to the lockdown. In the meantime, the state government has provided an English translation of the ordinance. We therefore recommend that you always carry your identity card or passport with you for the next 14 days.

The University's Communication and Marketing Division has moved and expanded on the frequently asked questions by adding answers to questions regarding studying and teaching, and in particular, examinations. Please note that the English version is still being prepared, but will be put online over the next two days.

What does the lockdown in Bavaria mean for my personal everyday life, my family and the people around me? What do I have to consider, for example, if I live in a shared flat, plan to move house or want to help my neighbours? The Bavarian Ministry of the Interior has prepared FAQ of their own, which provide further clarification. Please note that these FAQ are only provided in German.

Helping hands are currently needed in many areas of public and private life. Numerous reputable platforms now offer networking opportunities for neighbourhood assistance. In Passau, Initiative Passau hilft provides coordination and planning for everyone who wants to volunteer. You are not currently in Passau? Bayerischer Rundfunk offers an overview of the initiatives throughout Bavaria.

The next update will be at 6 p.m. on 24 March.

More questions? Send us an e-mail (subject line: 'Coronavirus').

Today's important announcements:

• Bavaria-wide lockdown
• Validating your CampusCard (student ID card)

The State Government of Bavaria announced today that it will impose a state-wide lockdown (document in German) as of midnight tonight. As of tomorrow, 21 March, you may not leave your flat/apartment/house unless it is for a reason specified in the official announcement. For the benefit of students who cannot read the German announcements, the salient points are:

• Everyone should keep physical and social contact with other people outside the members of their own household to an absolute minimum and maintain a minimum distance of 1.5 metres.
• All restaurants and catering establishments are closed; however, delivery services and takeaways are open.
• You must not visit hospitals or other institutions such as hospices, nursing homes, retirement homes etc.
• You must not leave your home unless you have a good reason to do so. Good reasons are:
  • for work.
  • to seek medical assistance, i.e. going to see a doctor. This also covers visits to psychiatrists/psychologists or veterinarians.
  • to purchase items needed for daily life, i.e. groceries. This also covers visits to pet supply stores, opticians, banks, post offices etc.
  • visiting your life partner or an elderly, infirm or ill person you are caring for (but not if they are in a care institution).
  • to accompany minors and those in need of support.
  • to accompany someone who is dying or to attend a funeral taking place within a small circle of close family members.
  • to take exercise in the open air; however, you must be alone or at most accompanied by others from your household (i.e. family members); you must not form groups with other people while outside.
  • activities related to caring for animals.

Please also note that police may be checking people's ID more often due to the lockdown. We therefore recommend that you always carry your identity card or passport with you for the next 14 days. If you are asked by police why you are outside you must provide a valid reason.

As a precautionary measure, we should point out that you cannot validate your electronic student ID (CampusCard) until further notice. Please do not come to the campus for this purpose.

The University will ensure that you will not be put at a disadvantage by the fact that you cannot validate your CampusCard at this time. In particular, we will clarify whether and how you can use your card to take the city buses as soon as possible.

Please also note that police may be checking people's ID more often due to the lockdown. We therefore recommend that you always carry your identity card or passport with you for the next 14 days.

The next update will be at 6 p.m. on 23 March.

More questions? Send us an e-mail (subject line: 'Coronavirus').

In order to slow the spread of the coronavirus as much as possible, the University has taken the decision to close its buildings from 24 March to 19 April. The underground student car park will also be closed from midnight, 24 March. Please remove your vehicle from the student car park before that date. 

Please note that the lockdown imposed throughout Bavaria today means that, as of tomorrow, 21 March 2020, you will be only be allowed to leave your home alone or at most with members of your household (i.e. family). You may not meet others outside or otherwise form groups. If you need to come in to pick up your vehicle, this means you can only come in alone or with family members. Please make sure you bring along ID, as it is possible that you may be checked by police.

The next update will follow at 6 p.m. tomorrow, 20 March 2020.

More questions? Please write to us (subject: "Coronavirus").  
 

Today's important announcements:

• The University will close its buildings as of 24 March 2020
• On 23 March the Student Services Association (Studentenwerk) will discontinue all campus catering services
• Persons who have recently been to a risk area are prohibited from entering the campus
• Planning for online-based teaching in the summer semester
• Please refrain from holding meetings and parties on the Innwiese meadow!

In order to slow the spread of the coronavirus as much as possible, the University has taken the decision to close its buildings from 24 March to 19 April. Staff members requiring access to their offices can enter the buildings through the side entrances using their office keys. Students will not be able to enter the buildings. Please collect your belongings from the lockers if you need them.

The Student Student Services Association will also suspend their catering services on campus until further notice. From Monday onwards, all cafeterias will be closed in addition to the refectory.

In order to interrupt the chain of infection, the Bavarian State Ministry of Health and Care has issued a ban on entering university premises for specific groups: Those who stayed in an place identified as a risk area by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) at the time or up to 14 days after their stay are prohibited from entering any higher education premises in Bavaria for 14 days after leaving the risk area. Initially, this ban will be in effect until 19 April 2020.

How will teaching continue in the summer semester? Answers to this question are currently being developed by a task force headed by Vice President Designate for Teaching and Studies, Professor Christina Hansen. At the moment, we are establishing the general technical framework. Once this is done, the task force will develop concepts for virtual teaching in the summer semester with the support of the Didactic Laboratories Team.

On sunny days like today, it can be very tempting to relax on our beautiful Innwiese meadow – we know! But we also know that communal activities such as sunbathing, playing sports and partying present ideal conditions for spreading the coronavirus to others. For this reason, the Innwiese and all other green areas on campus are restricted areas until the state government relaxes its measures. We can still do our part to prevent an official lockdown in Bavaria – for the sake of literally everyone, let's save our private group events for when the pandemic is over!

The next update will follow at 6 p.m. tomorrow, 20 March 2020.

More questions? Send us an e-mail (subject line: 'Coronavirus').

University examinations:

• Having examined the study and examination regulations, the Legal Section informed us that the time periods allocated for written assignments, papers, dissertations and theses will be suspended for the duration of the libraries' closure. Please grant appropriate time extensions to students requesting them.

• Oral/written exams: The University has been instructed to limit the number of examinations taking place to an absolute minimum and to postpone all university examinations, such as module examinations, whenever this is possible without causing unreasonable inconvenience. This applies to both oral and written examinations.
  
  Please note that oral exams must not be conducted via Skype, Facetime or other digital means, as there is no legal basis for this.

• If students are unable to meet statutory examination deadlines or requirements (e.g. maximum period of studies, acquisition of minimum ECTS credits) due to the current circumstances, the Board of Examiners shall grant an appropriate extension upon request.

First State Examination of the Teacher Education Programmes (Lehramt):

• Spring 2020: The First State Examination is suspended with immediate effect and until further notice. Information on plans to resume the First State Examination will be announced first by the Education Ministry at: www.km.bayern.de/ministerium/termine/1-staatspruefung-anmeldung-pruefungen.html

• State examinations as of autumn 2020: The University of Passau is liaising with the Ministry of Education and yourselves in order to find amenable solutions for the acquisition of outstanding assessments for admission to the state examination.
• Written papers for admission to the state examination ('Zulassungsarbeit'): 1 April 2020 is a deadline for submission of the Zulassungsarbeit for many students. Students are entitled to request an extension of the deadline from their supervisor. The deadline by which the correction has to be completed (in time for admission) must be agreed with the person setting the topic of the paper.

First State Examination of the Teacher Education Programmes (Lehramt) scheduled for spring 2020:

The First State Examination is suspended with immediate effect and until further notice. Information on plans to resume the First State Examination will be announced first by the Education Ministry at: www.km.bayern.de/ministerium/termine/1-staatspruefung-anmeldung-pruefungen.html
We will inform all affected exam candidates by e-mail.

Are you facing the 7 April registration deadline for the Vorbereitungsdienst for primary and Mittelschule teacher training and are unable to get an appointment at the health department? Please send all available registration documents to the Examinations Office by post before the deadline. You will be given a grace period for submitting missing documents until 1 July 2020.

First State Examinations of the Teacher Education Programmes scheduled for autumn 2020 and subsequent state examinations:

The University of Passau is liaising with the Ministry of Education and the examiners in order to find amenable solutions for the acquisition of outstanding assessments for admission to the state examination. We will relay any new information as soon as possible.

You have to hand in your Zulassungsarbeit by 1 April 2020? Please request a deadline extension from your supervisor. The deadline by which the correction has to be completed (in time for admission) must be agreed with the person setting the topic of the paper. The printed copy with the signed original declaration and the marking sheet must be submitted to the Examinations Office as soon as the situation allows, but no later than two working days before the first personal individual examination.

University examinations:

• Is the deadline for your bachelor's dissertation or master's thesis impending?

Due to the closure of the libraries the writing periods are suspended. The submission deadline is automatically extended by the number of days the University Library is closed. In concrete terms, this means that the calendar days between the library closing date (14 March) and its reopening will be added to the original deadline. Example:

Original submission deadline: 31 March 2020
+ 37 closing days (14 March to 19 April inclusive)
= New submission deadline: 7 May 2020

If you have already finished your work, you do not have to wait for the libraries to reopen. In that case, simply send us your dissertation/thesis by post.

Similarly, if you are completing a written assignment or writing a seminar paper, you should contact the relevant examiner. The extended writing period also applies here.

Please note that the time extension will push the submission date for your paper, dissertation or thesis into the summer semester. Please register immediately for the summer semester 2020 if you have not already done so. In order to submit your work you must be re-registered, even if you are not planning to attend any courses during the summer semester.

• Have you registered or are you intending to register for a second examination date (winter semester 2019–20)? Currently, it is planned that the examinations should be moved to summer semester 2020. Please register for these exams in HISQIS by 20 March. Please read the information from the FIM on the current situation regarding examinations.

• If you are unable to meet statutory examination deadlines or other requirements (e.g. exceeding the maximum period of studies, not acquiring the minimum ECTS credits in time) due to the present circumstances, the Board of Examiners will grant an appropriate extension upon request.

Please note: If your examination dates rescheduled for the summer semester, you must be re-registered for the summer semester 2020. Please re-register immediately if you have not already done so. In order to submit your work you must be re-registered, even if you are not planning to attend any courses during the summer semester.

As a further measure intended to limit the further spread of the novel coronavirus, the University decided today to close the service sections to the public, including university members. While visits to service sections will not be possible, they will be reachable by telephone and e-mail during the usual office hours and will continue to deal with your enquiries and applications as quickly as possible.

Online registrations for the summer semester will be processed without any restrictions. Please use the respective webpages for online registration. To submit documents, please send them by post or drop them in the mailboxes provided at the respective service points. Alternatively, you may use the night mailbox at the Administration Building's main entrance, opposite the Sports Centre, which is accessible even when the building is closed.

The University Library will be closed from 14 March until 19 April 2020 inclusive.

• Online services are still available. E-books, e-journals and databases are accessible for university members via external access.
• Late fees on unreturned borrowed items will not be charged during the closure. If late fees have already been charged, they will be cancelled retrospectively.
• Do not come in to return borrowed media for the duration of the closure. Please refrain from sending borrowed books back by post.
• You will not be able to order media from our holdings or via interlibrary loan until further notice. If you ordered media previously, you will not be able to pick them up from the library.
• Please contact the library team if you have personal items stored in carrels or lockers.

University Library staff can be reached at the e-mail address ubinfo@uni-passau.de. We are aware that this measure directly affects many of you in your studies and work. However, in light of the current exceptional situation, we ask for your understanding.

We will keep you posted on current decisions and new developments on this page.

Keep well!

As a further measure intended to limit the further spread of the novel coronavirus, the University decided today to close the Sports Centre with immediate effect, initially until 19 April. We ask for your understanding that our current top priority is to protect our university community, our relatives and the general population and to help reduce the strain on the healthcare system. By implementing this and previously implemented measures, we intend to help slow the further spread of the virus to allow our healthcare system to gain valuable time.

We are aware that this measure directly affects many of you and raises questions. Please check this page for up-to-date information on the situation and current developments. If you have any questions not answered there, please write to communication@uni-passau.de (please write 'Coronavirus' in the subject line).

Today we received an instruction from the state ministry to close the reading rooms of the University Library at short notice from 14 March up to and including 19 April. We ask for your understanding that we must comply with this instruction.

We are aware that this measure directly affects many of you in your studies and work and raises many questions. We are working hard on finding solutions to ensure that we minimise the inconveniences caused by the current difficulties.

The next update on this topic, e.g. on borrowing modalities, will be posted on Monday, 16 March.

Please read the Human Resources Division's information sheet (German document) for guidance on the circumstances for which staff members are given leave in connection with the the novel coronavirus and what rules apply for telecommuting. If you receive the special 10-day dispensation for school closures, please make sure you send an application for 'Dienstbefreiung Tag', entering 'Betreuung Kind Corona' as the reason for leave.

All staff members of the University can access the central Digital Workspace (Citrix environment). When using a campus computer connected to the wired LAN network, you can use the 'Citrix Receiver' software to sign in. When using the WiFi network or working from home, you should visit https://citrix-ext.uni-passau.de to log into Citrix. The sign-in process uses two-factor authentication. This means you have to have a Smartphone with the FreeOTP app (iOS or Android). The initial configuration of FreeOTP can only be done while connected to the University computer network by LAN cable. If you require help setting this up, contact ZIM Support (+49 851 509 1888, room IM 120). A description of this process can be found at www.zim.uni-passau.de.

Against the background of current developments, the Bavarian State Government and the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts have instructed all state universities to discontinue classroom-based teaching with immediate effect.

Research and administrative units will continue to operate, as will the libraries. Until further notice, this instruction applies for the period up to and including 19 April 2020.

Following detailed discussions with the coronavirus working group, the University of Passau took the decision to cancel or postpone all forms of on-campus, face-to-face teaching (including academic and skills training seminars, tutorials, lectures etc.) at the University from now until 19 April 2020. With regard to all other scheduled events, we will be in direct contact with the relevant organisers.

Protecting our students, staff and their families as well as the wider population and relieving the burden on the health system is our highest priority at this time. By taking this measure, we intend to help everyone gain valuable time and contribute to slowing the further spread of the virus.

Together with the working group, we are working on creating the necessary conditions to ensure that our staff members can continue to go about their jobs and our students continue their studies as usual in summer semester 2020. At the same time, this will allow us to start the next semester with focus and clarity rather than mired with worry and uncertainty.

We are keenly aware that this measure will pose a challenge for us all over the coming weeks and that many of you will have questions. We will, therefore, continue to publish important updates and information on this page.

If you have any questions on the situation concerning the novel coronavirus and the University's measures, please send us an e-mail with 'Coronavirus' in the subject line. The e-mail address is communication@uni-passau.de.

The University of Passau takes its duty of care towards all its members very seriously and endeavours to fulfil this duty to the best of its ability.

We are currently on semester break and lectures are not scheduled to begin until 20 April. Naturally, many of you will still be using the campus and the central facilities, e.g. the university library and the sports centre, which continue to operate when the University is not in session. Also, a number of examinations are still being held.

What does the current spread of the coronavirus mean for you as a student?

If you have recently travelled to a risk area or have had contact with someone at risk of contracting the virus

Please stay away from the campus for 14 days, the length of the incubation period, if:

• you and/or people in your household/immediate domestic environment have travelled to a risk area (information from the RKI, WHO) or attended an event linked to incidences of infection with coronavirus since 19 February.
• you have had personal contact with someone who has since been diagnosed with the coronavirus

This applies even if you have not developed any symptoms of illness. By strictly adhering to this request you are helping to break the chain of infection. If you start to experience symptoms, please call your doctor immediately on the phone to discuss the next steps. During the phone call, it is important that you tell the medical staff on the phone of any factors putting you at an increased risk, e.g. the two items above or recent travel to a high-risk region – please also indicate where you were).

What does this mean for scheduled examinations?

Most end-of-semester examinations have already taken place. There are no further large-scale examinations scheduled, and the remaining examinations will count 61 candidates or fewer. These are most state examinations for the teacher education programmes. When determining whether to allow the exams to take place, the University of Passau follows the Robert Koch Institute's risk-assessment principles and action recommendations for large-scale events. According to these, the upcoming examinations are neither categorised as 'large-scale events', nor do they concern people currently defined as having a particularly elevated risk of complications. Therefore, based on the information available today, we expect that all examinations will take place as scheduled.

If you are unable to sit a university examination (as opposed to a state examination) due to contact with someone with a suspected or confirmed coronavirus infection or your stay in risk areas, you are excused from the exam if you provide a medical certificate (doctor's note from your GP or the local health department). You should notify the Examinations Office by e-mail before or as soon as possible after the examination.

The following applies to the state examination for teacher education programmes: any inability to attend an examination for health reasons must be reported immediately and you must provide an official medical certificate from a medical specialist. As a rule, this certificate must be issued on the same day as the examination (§ 17(3) LPO I). Furthermore, § 17(6) LPO I states that you must furnish proof in the form of a medical certificate issued by a medical official (Amtsarzt) if you are unable to complete an examination you have already started and did not know of the illness until the time you fell ill.

Make use of digital communication methods

In addition to taking the usual hygiene measures (washing hands, coughing and sneezing into the crook of your elbow), you can also easily help to minimise the risk of infection and its spread by communicating through digital means. You don't always have to come in personally to discuss a concern – many issues can be dealt with easily by telephone, e-mail or online; some service offices even offer video consultation hours. If you have to hand in documents, you can deposit them in the relevant mailbox (e.g. at the Administration Building, Innstrasse 41. A night-time mailbox is located outside the main entrance, and during business days you may use the mailbox inside the building on the ground floor).

We will continue to post important updates and recommendations on this page. If you have any questions on the situation, please send us an e-mail with 'Coronavirus' in the subject line. The e-mail address is communication@uni-passau.de.

An FAQ is now available on the webpage www.uni-passau.de/en/coronavirus, which is continuously being expanded and updated. Do you have a question that is not yet answered in the FAQ? Please send an e-mail with the subject 'Coronavirus' to communication@uni-passau.de

The University of Passau takes its duty of care towards all its members very seriously and endeavours to fulfil this duty to the best of its ability. It is therefore imperative that you contact us immediately if:

• You and/or people in your immediate home environment have been travelling in risk areas and/or attended an event after which illnesses have been diagnosed in the period since 19 February
• You have met face-to-face with someone who has since been diagnosed with the coronavirus
• You have to look after your children at home due to the closure of schools or childcare facilities

By telling us you are helping us and the people around you to reduce the risk of infection and to slow down or interrupt the further spread of the disease. Please send your report with a detailed description of the facts, preferably by e-mail to kanzler@uni-passau.de. We will then consider whether to give you paid leave. In addition, we can discuss whether working from home (telecommuting) is a viable option in your specific case and what further steps may be necessary. Please do not come to the campus until this has been decided and communicated to you.

The information below was translated and adapted from the Robert Koch Institute website on 9 March 2020.

According to the findings thus far, the following groups of people have an elevated risk of developing a severe form of COVID-19:

• People aged 50 to 60 years or older. The risk of a serious illness starts to increase steadily in that age group. The elderly in particular can become more seriously ill after an infection due to their less responsive immune system (immune senescence). They are also liable to wait longer before seeking medical advice, since non-specific symptoms such as fever – which are the immune system's response to many illnesses – can be weaker or completely absent in old age.
• Various underlying diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, diseases of the respiratory system, liver and kidneys, as well as cancers, also appear to increase the risk of serious disease progression regardless of age.
• The risk of developing serious illness increases further if more than one factor – older age and underlying disease – is present; having multiple underlying illnesses (multimorbidity) also increases the risk further.
• Patients with a suppressed immune system (e.g. due to a disease associated with an immune deficiency or because they are taking medication that suppresses the immune system, such as cortisone) are at higher risk.
• There is insufficient data to determine whether combinations of risk factors with other (living) conditions represent a particularly high risk for a serious progression of COVID-19.

The following population groups are not at increased risk of severe disease progression:

• According to the findings from China to date, pregnant women do not appear to have an increased risk compared to non-pregnant women with the same health status.
• No increased risk of severe disease progression has been reported in children.

If you are at increased risk of a severe progression of COVID-19:

It is particularly important to lower the risk of infection as much as you can by following the general advice on washing your hands, not touching your eyes, mouth and nose, and keeping your distance from people who may have a respiratory illness. It is also important stay informed about the typical symptoms of the illness, as people who are aware of the symptoms will be more likely to seek medical help at an early stage of the disease. When calling your medical provider about your symptoms, tell him or her if there have been cases of COVID-19 in your immediate environment (i.e. at your workplace or at home), as this will help them to decide on targeted diagnostic measures.

If infections with the virus have become more frequent in your area it is recommended that you:

• stay home as much as possible and air your rooms regularly
• cancel or postpone unnecessary travel
• if possible, go outside only to purchase supplies, always keeping a distance of 1 to 2 metres from other people
• reduce personal contact to an absolute minimum or use means of communication that do not involve direct personal contact (telephone, internet etc.)
• determine what to do if someone in your household becomes ill (sleeping and staying in separate rooms; eating meals separately; separating siblings)
• cancel meetings/activities (club meetings, sports groups, bigger private parties)
• avoid close greeting rituals (hugging, kissing on the cheek, shaking hands etc.)