Information on dealing with the coronavirus 2019-nCoV

UPDATE (July 9 | 14:00): Reading Rooms Recht 1 and 2: Books can be lend only for the day

With immediate effect students can lend books from reading rooms Recht 1 and 2 only for the day, as the literature of the Department of Law has to be available to all students in order to be able to prepare for the upcoming term and seminar papers.

UPDATE (July 6 | 9:00): Cafeteria / mensa reopens for eat-in service

From July 6, 2020, it will once again be possible to eat in the small room of the uni mensa. Both Mensa to go and using the delivery service will remain possible.

To eat in the small room of the uni mensa, you need to reserve a place and 30-minute period. You can make the reservation on the student union (Studentenwerk) website. Should you have forgotten to reserve, you can do this when you are there: use the QR codes hanging in the mensa foyer.

Please note that you need to wear a face mask on the way to your place and keep at least 1.5 meters away from other people. You can remove your face mask when you arrive at your place. Cash payments are not possible in the mensa.

Further information on the mensa reservation system

It is urgently recommended that you adhere to common hygiene measures that also protect you from an influenza infection:

• Avoid shaking hands.
• Maintain good hand hygiene and wash your hands with sufficient soap and water.
• Adhere to coughing and sneezing etiquette (cough and sneeze in your elbow, not in your hand.)
• Use tissues only once and then dispose of them safely.
• Keep 1-2 meters distance to other people and especially avoid close contact with persons with respiratory infections.

Further information about common hygiene tips can be found here:
https://www.uni-regensburg.de/ur-international/coronavirus

Information for women who are pregnant or breast feeding

The Federal Office for Family and Civil Tasks (Bundesamt für Familie und zivilgesellschaftliche Aufgaben (BAFzA)) has released a PDF document containing general information on the effects of SARS-CoV-2 in pregnancy and while breast feeding, and with information on the laws protecting mothers: download the PDF from the BAFyA website (German version)

Quarantine for those returning from travels

New quarantine regulations for people entering Bavaria (Einreisequarantäneverordnung - EQV) came into force on June 15, 2020. They mandate that anyone entering the Free State of Bavaria who has been in an at-risk area within the last 14 days is obliged to make their way to their abode or other suitable accommodation directly and without delay. They are then to isolate themselves there continuously for a period of 14 days. During this period, they are not allowed to receive visitors who do not belong to their own household.

Those affected by the quarantine are obliged to contact the relevant local authorities and inform them of the situation without delay. Should symptoms develop, which suggest a COVID-19 infection, the local authorities must be informed without delay.

* At-risk areas are states or regions outside Germany in which there is an elevated risk of infection with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 at the time of entry to Germany. The RKI publishes the classification of at-risk areas, and whether an area is at-risk is governed by the current publication at the time.

Note for employees of UR: senior staff are to be informed of the quarantine.

Regardless of the type of the pathogen, when you notice symptoms of an illness, you should avoid contact with other persons. People who are sick should stay at home until they are completely well and contact their doctor by telephone.

Employees do not help themselves or others by coming to work when they are sick.

Supervisors are called upon to intensively exercise their duty of care towards their employees who show symptoms of illness.

Support for people in difficult situations

All persons for whom the restrictions on going out connected with the corona crisis present a danger, or for whom great economic, social and/or health insecurity threatens, can find an overview of the help available (by telephone or electronically) in the following PDF: Help available in difficult situations (PDF, in German)

Further sources of information

• https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
• https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/novel-coronavirus-china
• https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/en/press/2020/coronavirus.html
• https://www.rki.de/EN/Home/homepage_node.html
• Coronavirus telephone hotline: 09131/6808-5101

All those who are suspected of having COVID-19 or who have had close contact in the previous 14 days with someone who has COVID-19 are required by state regulations to go into quarantine. This is to last long enough that it is sure that they will not infect anyone with the corona virus. The

information sheet from the Bavarian Ministry for Health and Social Care

(Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Gesundheit und Pflege) provides more information. For students and employees of Universität Regensburg, this means:

Contact persons
Persons who have had contact with a person suffering from COVID-19 within the last 14 days are called "contact cases". If you are in such a situation, do not come to the university, but stay at home in isolation. Contact the relevant public health department .

Persons with cold-like symptoms
Persons who have cold-like symptoms (e.g. coughing, sniffing, fever, difficulty breathing) please stay at home and do not come to the work place or even on campus. Should you experience cold-like symptoms yourself, please contact your doctor by phone. They will talk you through the further steps necessary (advice, testing, where necessary informing the public health department, where necessary isolation at home etc.).
Students should register with the relevant contact person at the university as unable to work. Leave the campus immediately and contact your doctor by phone, who will then arrange further steps. Students too are required to stay away from the campus until they have received a negative test result (which can generally be done within five days).

SARS-CoV-2 test for potentially infected employees
Should symptoms of a cold occur suddenly while you are at your work place, notify senior staff that you are unable to work and phone Occupational Medicine (0941 944-5808). The colleagues there will advise you, take your contact data and arrange a test at the university hospital. Then leave your work place and stay in isolation at home at least until you have a negative test result, generally taking one or two days.

In the summer semester 2020, teaching will continue to be offered digitally rather than in person on campus, but will be supplemented with practical lessons taking place under strict hygiene and distancing regulations.

It is planned to open reading rooms in the next weeks, in particular for those subjects and user-groups with the most urgent need.

The General Examination Regulations for Summer Semester 2020 allow for comprehensive deviation from the rules otherwise in place from examination and course regulations. It is recommended to hold examinations in a form not requiring physical presence.

The teaching period for the winter semester 2020-21 is scheduled to start on November 2, 2020. Currently the university is working on three possible scenarios:

1. Classroom teaching is started once more
2. Teaching will be done online, supplemented by a small amount of selected classroom teaching and practical lessons with strict hygiene and safety regulations. Classroom teaching is particularly intended for students in their first semester.
3. Teaching will be done exclusively online, without any classroom teaching, should the number of infections significantly increase by the end of the year.

The university leadership will consult with the faculties and the student representatives and discuss these scenarios shortly.

Reading Rooms Recht 1 and 2: Books can be lend only for the day

Since July 9, 2020, students can lend books from reading rooms Recht 1 and 2 only for the day, as the literature of the Department of Law has to be available to all students in order to be able to prepare for the upcoming term and seminar papers.

Reading rooms in the departmental libraries are open again for members of the university

Since Monday, July 6, 2020, all reading rooms in the departmental libraries will be open again for UR students and staff. Additionally, there will be extended opening hours for the reading rooms Recht and Wirtschaft and the reading rooms in the Philosophicum (PT).

The general reading room (Allgemeine Lesesaal) in the Central Library will remain closed until further notice as work is being done on the ventilation system.

Opening hours for the reading rooms:

Reading rooms PT 1, PT 2, Recht 1, Recht 2, Wirtschaft:
Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 20:00

Reading rooms: Biologie, Chemie:
Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 16:00

Reading rooms: Mathematik, Sport*:
Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 12:00
* The sport library is currently accessed via the emergency exit of the reading room (on the same floor as the sport parking lot)

Reading room Physik:
Monday to Friday, 12:00 - 16:00

The Medizin reading room (only accessible for students in medical programs and staff authorized to access the University Hospital):
Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 16:00

Use of work spaces in the reading rooms
Only a limited number of work spaces are available in each reading room. Please heed the regulations for using the work spaces in the individual reading rooms. Please also note that you need to make a reservation via LSF for a work space in the reading rooms Recht, Wirtschaft, PT1 and PT2.

Lending from the reading rooms
From July 6, 2020, there will no longer be an order form for lending from the reading rooms. UR students and staff can loan out a maximum of 5 books directly from the reading rooms named above for 14 days. The books loaned out from a reading room can be returned there.

Since July 9, 2020, students can lend books from reading rooms Recht 1 and 2 only for the day, as the literature of the Department of Law has to be available to all students in order to be able to prepare for the upcoming term and seminar papers.

Books from the general reading room and the special collection (Sonderbestand) with bookmarks starting 55 (indicating the Reclam collection in PT) can be ordered via the online catalog and are then collected from and returned to the contact-free counter in the Central Library.

Please heed the hygiene regulations
The reading rooms may only be accessed in accordance with the hygiene and safety rules (please see the notices displayed in the library):

• Use the separated entrance and exit
• There is a maximum number of people allowed in the reading rooms at one time
• Observe the distancing rules (1.5 meters)
• Wear protective face masks covering your mouth and nose in the reading rooms

Scanners are available in some reading rooms. We ask you to only scan individual chapters or pages (not whole books) and to keep your stay as short as possible. Please note that currently no USB sticks are available for loan.

Information on booking and using work spaces in the library’s reading rooms

Reading rooms PT1 and PT2
From June 29, 2020, work spaces will be made available to students in the reading rooms PT1 and PT2. As the number of places is limited by hygiene regulations, we ask you to book a space in the reading room each time in advance, using LSF under ("Platzbuchung in Lesesälen") . You can make the booking up to 8:00 on the day you wish to use the space. If you end up not needing the place, please think of your fellow students and cancel the booking in good time (also via LSF).

Until further notice, the work spaces are available from Monday to Friday, and can be booked in two slots:
Reading room PT 1: 10:00-13:00 and 13:45-17:30.
Reading room PT 2: 10:30-13:30 and 14:15-17:45.
The tables are cleaned before every slot.

Please keep your library card handy when you enter the reading room, wear a face mask and keep at least 1.5m away from other people.

Doctoral students and teacher training students who are not registered as students, and thus cannot make bookings via LSF, are asked to send an email in good time to pt.ub@ur.de. Please write "Leseplatz *your subject*" in the subject line of the email and your library number (e.g. Leseplatz Germanistik, 06900001234). Please wait for an answer from the library, because these places are also limited.

Reading rooms: Recht I and II, and Wirtschaft
From June 22, 2020, work spaces will be made available in the reading rooms Recht 1 and 2, and Wirtschaft for students of Universität Regensburg. As the number of places is limited by hygiene regulations, the University Library asks you to book a space in the reading room each time in advance, using LSF. If you would like to use a work space, you need to have booked by 8:00 on the day of use at the latest. Should you not need the place you have booked, please cancel the booking as soon as possible via LSF to enable fellow students to use the space.

Until further notice, the work spaces are available from Monday to Friday from 10:00 until 17:30, and can be booked in two slots: 10:00-13:00 and 14:00-17:30. The tables are cleaned before every slot. Please keep your library card handy when you enter the reading room, wear a face mask and keep at least 1.5m away from other people.

Doctoral students who are not registered as students, and thus cannot make bookings via LSF, are asked to send an email in good time to recht.ub@ur.de or wirtschaft.ub@ur.de. Please give your user number and wait for an answer, as these places are also limited.

Please note that the group rooms cannot be used at present.

Medizin reading room:
From June 22, 2020, it will be possible for students of medicine and those employees of the University Hospital who have access authorization to use work spaces in the Medizin reading room. Booking is not necessary, but the number of places is limited due to hygiene regulations. The work spaces will be available Monday to Friday from 10:00 until 14:00.

University Library extends the opening hours of the checkout

Since Monday, June 15, 2020, the opening hours of the contact-free checkout and the textbook collection are extended. Both methods of lending will be open Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 18:00.

Interlibrary loans are available for all members of UR without restriction

From Monday, June 8, 2020, all members of Universität Regensburg, whether students or staff, can use the interlibrary loan service without restriction. This means that, in addition to copies of articles, books can also be ordered via interlibrary loan. Sending PDF copies of articles is, unfortunately, no longer possible as the consent given by VG WORT (the society for the exploitation of literary works) was only valid until May 31, 2020, and has not been renewed.

Users can collect the media ordered via interlibrary loans in the contact-free lending section of the Central Library. You will be informed by email as soon as your media from interlibrary loans is ready.

From May 28, 2020, on, all members of Universität Regensburg (not only students but also members of staff) can loan media from the University Library. The reading rooms Philosophicum 1 (PT 1), Philosophicum 2 (PT 2), Recht 1, Recht 2 and Wirtschaft are open for lending by UR students and members of staff. Members of the University Hospital and students of medicine can also loan books from the Medizin reading room. The use of the reading rooms for reading, studying, working etc. is not currently possible for health and safety reasons. The group-work rooms are closed. Please keep your stay in the reading rooms as short as possible.

Lending from storage
Media from storage (shelf marks starting with 00/) can be ordered via the Regensburg online catalog.  Members of staff and students can collect the books they have ordered in the contact-free lending section of the Central Library. The earlier rule on emergency lending no longer applies; all students have the right to loan from the reading room collections and the storage.

Lending from the reading rooms
The reading rooms Philosophicum 1 (PT 1), Philosophicum 2 (PT 2), Recht 1, Recht 2 and Wirtschaft are open for lending by UR students and members of staff. Members of the University Hospital and students of medicine can also loan books from the Medizin reading room.

Lending from the reading rooms which are still closed (and also from the Medizin reading room, which is closed for "non-medicine" people) is done using a lending form for students and employees of UR. Media ordered from closed reading rooms can be collected in the contact-free lending section of the Central Library.

The lending time for items from the reading room collections is 14 days. The use of the reading rooms for reading, studying, working etc. is not currently possible for health and safety reasons. The group-work rooms are closed.

Opening hours for the reading rooms PT 1, PT 2, Recht 1, Recht 2, Wirtschaft:
Monday to Friday 10:00 - 18:00
The reading rooms in the Philosophicum are reserved for state examinations between May 29 and June 12, 2020. For this reason, they will only be open for lending between 14:00 and 18:00 during this time. Exception: On Tuesday, June 9, 2020, there is no examination, so the reading rooms will be open from 10:00 on this day.  Overview of the opening hours of the reading rooms in the Philosophicum (PDF).

Opening hours of the Medizin reading room:
Monday to Friday 10:00 - 14:00 (only for members of the University Hospital)

Please note the following rules:

• Lending from the reading-room collections is currently limited to students and members of UR. Please have your library card ready.
• The reading rooms may only be accessed in accordance with the hygiene and safety rules (please see the notices displayed in the library):
  • use the separated entrance and exit
  • there is a maximum number of people allowed in the reading rooms at one time
  • there is a maximum of ten people in the waiting area
  • observe the distancing rules (1.5 meters)
  • wear protective face masks covering your mouth and nose in the reading rooms
• Please look up the shelf mark of the books you want in Regensburger Katalog in advance. There is NO way to look up books in the reading rooms themselves.
• Students can take out up to a maximum of five books from the reading rooms. The lending period is 14 days.
• Books lent from a reading room can be returned there.
• Scanners are available in the reading rooms. We ask you to only scan individual chapters or pages (not whole books) and to keep your stay as short as possible. The scanner room in the Philosophicum is not open.
• Special notes for the reading rooms in the Philosophicum:
  • the entrances for both reading rooms are in the lower floor of the PT 2 building (entrance on the examinations office floor).
  • please note that due to the one-way principle, it is NOT possible to return to PT 2 from PT 1.

Lending of textbooks

Students and employees of Universität Regensburg can loan textbooks contact-free by using the self-service machines in the central library.

Opening hours for self-service lending of textbooks:
Monday to Friday, initially 10:00 to 16:00
Please note that the textbook collection in medicine is available between 10:00 and 14:00. Due to the access restrictions in force at the University Hospital, this self-service loaning is only for staff and students of the Faculty of Medicine with authorization to access the University Hospital.

Please note the following rules currently in force as regards contact-free lending of textbooks:

• Lending textbooks is currently restricted to members of Universität Regensburg, i.e. UR students and employees.
• Access to textbooks is regulated. This can lead to waiting times.
• Please find out the shelf-marks of the textbooks you want in advance in Regensburger Katalog. The shelf-marks of textbooks begin with 17/…, 1710/… or 9117/… (in the hospital). In this way, you can go directly to the shelf without deviations, keeping the length of time you spend in the library to a minimum. This will help to shorten the waiting time for all users. Note: Many textbooks are also offered electronically.
• Please note that these books can only be lent out using the self-service machines. They cannot be loaned out at the library desk.
• There is a blue box for returns.
• Please keep to the hygiene rules:
  • observe the distancing rules (1.5 meters)
  • use the separated entrance and exit
  • observe the access restrictions (please note the current notices displayed in the library)
  • wear the obligatory face masks

Further information can be found on the University Library's website.

UR is no longer open to the public with immediate effect. UR is changing the opening hours of its buildings as of March 21, 2020. Buildings are now only open on weekdays (Mon - Fri) between 6:00 and 19:00.

Currently, the university’s differing organizational units can still be contacted by telephone and email. This includes the Computer Center, the Language Center, the Registrar’s Office the student advice services, the International Office, examination offices, faculty management and offices of individual chairs. If you are unsure which email address to send your mail to, please use the general email address of the administration: registratur@ur.de

Registrar's Office

For questions on re-enrollment amongst other things, please find information and contact data on the webpage of the Registrar‘s Office.

Computer Center and CIP Pools

All CIP pools are closed with immediate effect. The information stand at the Computer Center is closed to the public. Questions from students regarding computer or IT support can still be submitted by email (support@rz.uni-regensburg.de) or telephone (0941 943-4444).

Service Point at the Language Center closed until further notice

For students: in urgent justified cases, certificates can be sent by post during this time. Please contact the Service Point by email at servicepoint.zsk@ur.de.

For students and staff: please note that lending out books or other media will not be possible until further notice.

University Archive closed

The University Archive is closed until further notice. In very urgent cases, please contact archiv@ur.de.

Family Service

Due to the current situation, the services offered by the Family Service are suspended until further notice.

Step-by-step opening of businesses on campus

From Monday, April 27, 2020, Unikat and Bücher Pustet are reopening on campus. The university pizzeria will be open from Monday to Friday between 11:00 and 20:00, offering coffee, pizza, pasta and salad for take away only. Further information can be found at: https://www.unikat-regensburg.de/

Bücher Pustet will be open from Monday to Friday between 10:00 and 15:00. Furthermore, the book store takes orders by telephone or email and sends books via DHL or, within the city of Regensburg, by messenger, with free delivery. Further information can be found at: https://www.pustet.de/shop/

The university hairdresser opens on Monday May 4, 2020. Initially, it will have its usual opening hours (Monday 10:00 to 18:00, Tuesdays to Thursdays 10:00 to 19:00 and Fridays 10:00-18:00), though these may change.

The Primo Cafebar in the Physics building remains closed.

Copy & Paper currently takes orders by email and delivers print outs by post. Further information can be found at: https://www.copyandpaper.de/aktuelles-corona/

The grocery shop "Hechtbauer" is still open. Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 16:00.

The cafeteria Milchbar (including the pizza service) in the main cafeteria (Mensa) building is open from Monday to Friday between 10:00 and 14:00.

From May 11, meals can be ordered by email in advance and then picked up from cafeteria (Mensa). Orders can be taken up to 10:00 on the day of the collection at the latest. You can find further information at: https://stwno.de/de/gastronomie/mensa-to-go/mensa-to-go-vor-ort-abholung

From July 6, 2020, it will once again be possible to eat in the small room of the uni mensa. To eat in the small room of the uni mensa, you need to reserve a place and 30-minute period. Further information on the mensa reservation system

Information on holding committee meetings in person

From May 4, 2020, committee meetings can once again take place in person, in particular should this be necessary to make decisions which require confidentiality or for other important reasons.  Meetings of appointment committees fall under this regulation.

Meetings taking place in person need to comply with the general federal and state rules for protection, hygiene and behavior, and those of the Free State of Bavaria. This includes, in particular, observing minimum distancing of 1.5 to 2 meters and limiting the number of persons in waiting areas. While maintaining confidentiality, external participants should take part in the meeting online.

Whenever practical, committee meetings can still take place via video conference using, for example, ZOOM or Jitsi.

Until further notice all events have been prohibited across Bavaria.

University Sports events are canceled. Exhibitions at the university are closed. Concert and theater performances are canceled.

Interim aid for students in an emergency situation due to the pandemic

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is helping students who can show that they are in emergency situations due to the corona pandemic with a fund totaling 100 million euro. Students can apply online at www.ueberbrueckungshilfe-studierende.de. It is estimated that application from students in Regensburg will be processed by the Student Union for Niederbayern/Oberpfalz from the end of June.

Applications for interim aid can be made from June to August 2020 and should they be granted, each will be paid for one month. For the following month, where necessary, a new application must be submitted. The level of the interim aid is based on the level of the financial emergency and consists of at least 100 and at most 500 euro. Provided the need has been shown, the aid of up to 500 euro will be credited to the account of the applicant.

Further information and FAQs on the interim aid can be found on the website of the student services: www.stwno.de/ueberbrueckungshilfe

Due to the cancellation of normal child care in daycare centers and schools, many parents at UR have the challenge of trying to care for their children at home while they simultaneously have tasks to complete in their studies. The university's women's representative and the coordinating office of equal opportunities, equality and inclusion have created a document with suggestions and help for parents who are studying, researching and/or teaching:
PDF document "Kinderbetreuung und Studium bzw. Arbeit in Forschung und Lehre"

Information on examinations in the Audimax, H2, H3 and H4

Steps must be taken during examinations too because of the corona virus. These are in line with the state requirements and are enforced to protect everybody's health including, of course the personal protection of the candidates. For this reason, we ask you to heed the regulations for access and waiting areas for examinations in the Audimax, H2, H3 and H4.

The Audimax is divided into a balcony section (Galeriebereich) and the stalls (Parkettbereich). You can get to the balcony section via the central lecture theater building (Zentrale Hörsaalgebäude, the stairs opposite the book shop, Bücher Pustet).  The waiting area is outside. You can get to the stalls via the entrance on Albertus-Magnus-Straße. The waiting area here is also outside. Both waiting areas are covered.

The lecture theaters H2, H3 and H4 can also be accessed via the central lecture theater building. Please follow the signposts. The waiting area for H2 is inside the central lecture theater building directly in front of H2. The waiting areas for H3 and H4 span both inside areas and outside areas.

Please note the site plan for the central lecture theater building (PDF).

In order to improve the waiting situation in general, the examination rooms will be opened in good time. Initially, please try to go directly to your seat. Should this not be possible, please use the waiting areas described. Please note that the minimum distancing of 1.5 meters also needs to be maintained in the waiting areas. Please avoid waiting or lingering in places other than the signposted areas. Other areas are only to be used to allow movement across them. We wish you success in your examinations.  

Information for chemistry examination candidates

Steps must be taken during examinations too because of the corona virus. These are in line with the state requirements and are enforced to protect everybody's health including, of course the personal protection of the candidates. For this reason, we ask you to heed the regulations for access and waiting areas for the examinations in chemistry. You can get to the lecture theaters H43 and H44 via the entrance below the connecting bridge next to the cafeteria. From there, you enter separate waiting areas which have been set up in the foyer and which then lead to the lecture theaters. You can get to the lecture theaters H45 and H48 via the entrance to building section 13 from the underground street, and to H46 and H47 via the entrance to building section 12 from the underground street. The route to the waiting areas is signposted from there. The central foyer of the chemistry building may not be used as a general waiting area, but only as a place to pass through on the way to the lecture theaters. Please use the waiting areas shown where the minimum distances to be kept are marked. We wish you success in the coming examinations!

→ Overview

Regulations on the period of study

So that students are not disadvantaged as regards deadlines and regular dates, the Ministry of Science and Art has drafted an amendment to the Bavarian Higher Education Act (Bayerisches Hochschulgesetz). This contains, amongst other things, a regulation on the period of study, so that this summer semester does not count as a semester of study (Fachsemester). The Bavarian parliament is currently discussing the proposed amendment. We ask for your patience as regards further information on this topic.

General examination regulations

The measures taken to contain the corona pandemic have created challenges for holding examinations. The university leadership have, therefore, taken the initiative and passed the General Examination Regulations for Summer Semester 2020 on May 6, 2020. Insofar as this is possible and justifiable, examination should be taken without requiring physical presence.

The decision on the use of alternative equivalent examination forms is taken by the examination boards responsible in consultation with the examiners, and should be proposed in a timely manner. In particular, note that the oral examinations can be undertaken online by using video conferencing programs, and that this is preferable to examinations taken in person.

In cases where no alternative to examinations in person can be found, oral examinations are only possible from May 11, 2020; written examinations, only from May 18, 2020. Examinations must be announced to the students with reasonable notice.

Examinations from the winter semester 2019-20 which are being repeated are also covered by the General Examination Regulations for Summer Semester 2020. These enable the students to withdraw from the examination without giving grounds and also awards a "freier Prüfungsversuch", that is if they fail it is not counted. In this way, any examinations which are announced at short notice cannot cause undue hardship.

Comprehensive organizational measures on regulating people coming in and out, and observing the rules for preventing infections are necessary for written examinations, in accordance with the regulations implementing the Second Bavarian Directive on Measures for Protection Against Infection at Bavarian universities. These should already be taken into account in the plans and organized with colleagues from the individual teaching units. Further personnel from administration will provide additional support for coordinating and carrying out the examinations.

2nd State Examination in Pharmacy to continue

The 2nd State Examination in Pharmacy (second section of the Pharmaceutical Examinations) was interrupted in March but will now be restarted. Oral examinations still need to be taken in four subjects (only one had been completed). These will be reorganized, and students will be sent invitations. The examinations will start on Monday, May 11, 2020, and finish on Friday, June 5, 2020. Three people are present for the examinations (candidate, examiner, minute taker). Hygiene regulations will be enforced. The students and examiners have already been informed in writing.

Information on university examinations

Oral examinations are currently planned to start on May 11, 2020, at the earliest; and written examinations on May 18, 2020, at the earliest. Please keep an eye on our updates to be informed of the latest developments.

Deadlines for written work

Due to the closure of the University Library on March 14, the periods allowed for written work were suspended. This included all module papers, coursework, seminar papers, project write-ups and theses (bachelor's, master's, magister, diplom theses and the accreditation dissertation for teaching). From now on, maintaining the blanket suspension of such deadlines can no longer be justified by difficulty in accessing literature.

In some subjects and for some examinations, the literature available online is sufficient, in other cases it is not. Thus, from now on, the examination boards can decide if and when the periods allowed for work undertaken under their purview start to run down again. Any suspension remains in place until such a decision has been made and communicated. Other arrangements already made with a supervisor remain valid.
 
Literature lending for students

In consultation with the university leadership, the University Library is currently lending literature which is not available online via the student emergency lending service in the following urgent cases:

• for theses (bachelor's, master's, magister, diplom theses, the accreditation dissertation for teaching, and the dissertation in law) with concrete submission deadlines which can no longer be postponed;
• doctoral theses with concrete submission deadlines which can no longer be postponed;
• for state examinations with with concrete submission deadlines, e.g. State Exam "Lehramt".

This means that, for the time being, no literature for module papers, seminar papers, coursework or presentations will be lent out.

Information on State Examinations

Information on rescheduling the First State Examination in Teaching for Public Schools

The written examinations as part of the First State Examination will be held as far as possible in the order in which they would have been held before their suspension. There will be at least two weeks’ notice. Further information can be found on the homepage of the examination office. The original examination schedule will, where possible, remain unchanged other than being put back. The originally determined examination periods for oral and practical examinations within the First State Examination will be extended correspondingly. Oral and practical examinations will be rescheduled starting with the resumption of the First State Examination.

State examinations in Medicine and Dentistry

The examinations "Physikum" (M1, Medicine), the Intermediate Science Examination and Intermediate Examination in Dentistry (NVP, ZVP), and the Dentistry Examination (ZP) will take place at UR in accordance with the relevant invitation letters.

The examinations offices note that hygiene regulations and regulations on social distancing which are currently in force must be strictly observed, both within and outside the university. The examinations offices ask to be informed immediately of any withdrawal, in the way prescribed for this (see the information in the invitation letter).

Examinations for the Second State Examination in Law

The oral examinations for the Second State Examination in Law 2019/2, which were scheduled to start on April 17, 2020, have been rescheduled to start on May 4, 2020. The oral examinations are expected to finish in July. The results of the written examination should be sent to the participants of the 2019/2 date as planned on April 7, 2020. Further information from the State Law Examination Office can be found on the webpage of the Bavarian Ministry of Justice (Bayerisches Staatsministerium der Justiz)

The examinations scheduled for the second section of the Pharmaceutical Examinations are canceled. Written information on this theme will be sent to the invited candidates by email by the State Examination Board (Landesprüfungsamt).

Information on the student public transportation pass "Semesterticket"

Because of the current situation, many students have not been able to validate their student ID card for the summer semester 2020. For this reason, you may also use your winter semester 2019-2020 student ID card on the public transportation system in the summer semester 2020. UR students who do not yet possess a student ID card may use the certificate of enrollment (Immatrikulationsbescheinigung) in paper form for the summer semester 2020 as a semesterticket for the public transport system.

Please note: in both cases, photo ID is also required.

International students who are currently in an exchange program can contact the International Office with any questions or concerns via email  (international.exchange-student@ur.de).

International degree seeking students can contact: international.degree-student@ur.de.

International visiting researchers can contact the Welcome Center: info.welcome-center@ur.de

The website of the International Office provides you with further information: https://www.uni-regensburg.de/ur-international/coronavirus/

Universität Regensburg recommends students and academics who are currently abroad to register here: 
https://elefand.diplo.de/elefandextern/home/login!form.action 

Please follow all the advice you will find here
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/ReiseUndSicherheit/covid-19/2296762

We at UR are working on pragmatic solutions to issues involving people's studies. Please follow our updates.

Quarantine for those returning from travels

New quarantine regulations for people entering Bavaria (Einreisequarantäneverordnung - EQV) came into force on June 15, 2020. They mandate that anyone entering the Free State of Bavaria who has been in an at-risk area within the last 14 days is obliged to make their way to their abode or other suitable accommodation directly and without delay. They are then to isolate themselves there continuously for a period of 14 days. During this period, they are not allowed to receive visitors who do not belong to their own household.

Those affected by the quarantine are obliged to contact the relevant local authorities and inform them of the situation without delay. Should symptoms develop, which suggest a COVID-19 infection, the local authorities must be informed without delay.

* At-risk areas are states or regions outside Germany in which there is an elevated risk of infection with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 at the time of entry to Germany. The RKI publishes the classification of at-risk areas, and whether an area is at-risk is governed by the current publication at the time.

Note for employees of UR: senior staff are to be informed of the quarantine.

Business trips

Business trips within Germany are generally possible once more. Where possible, use video or telephone conferences instead.

General examination regulations

The measures taken to contain the corona pandemic have created challenges for holding examinations. The university leadership have, therefore, taken the initiative and passed the General Examination Regulations for Summer Semester 2020 on May 6, 2020. Further information on giving notice of and organizing examinations is to follow shortly.

Webinars addressed to lecturers that have little experience with the conception of eLearning-offers

The ZHW is offering short webinars in small groups (max. 6 participants) with the title “E is for Easy - E is for E-learning” on a daily basis. These webinars are addressed to lecturers that have little experience with the conception of eLearning-offers. The focus - as an addition to the first aid kit - is the transformation of his or her own lecture concepts on online teaching and its realization with simple technical resources.
At the end of the webinar you will be able to

• implement basic principles of appropriate online teaching in the summer semester
• realize common elements of lectures (i.e. lectures, discussions, presentations, exercises…) with little technical effort.

Registration is possible from Wednesday April 15, 2020, 8 a.m. by joining the relevant GRIPS course. See the course titles for the exact times the courses take place. More times will follow shortly. The webinar will also be offered in English once a week. After the webinar, trained E-tutors will help you with the practical realization of concepts, where necessary.

On demand, we will offer the webinar specifically for cohesive lecturing teams, if necessary also in English. Please send your enquiry to supportteam@ur.de

Computer Center launches new media center

A huge milestone has been passed as we start the new semester: Since April 15, the Computer Center's new media center is online. The platform has a striking configuration, whose responsive design ensures optimal presentation on differing end devices. In addition, the media center's capabilities have been improved: Additional server capacity allows several hundred streams to be broadcast at the same time in full HD quality. Those wishing to publish their own videos can upload and maintain their content themselves. The connection to the Moodle platform GRIPS and the content management systems Typo 3 and Imperia work as before. There is now, however, also the possibility to use Zoom media directly.
The new media center can be reached at the URL https://mediathek2.uni-regensburg.de, initially in parallel with the earlier version.

We are happy to receive feedback and questions via the email address servicedesk@rz.uni-regensburg.de.

Further information (amongst other things, on how the media center works) can be found at: https://www.ur.de/rechenzentrum/unterstuetzung-lehrangebote/mediathek/

Support team for digitalizing teaching

A support team, coordinated by the vice presidents Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Korber and Prof. Dr. Susanne Leist, is there to help all teaching staff at Universität Regensburg to digitalize their teaching. The aim is to offer teaching staff support that fits their needs as closely as possible, whether they have no experience or a lot of experience in designing digital learning environments. This included advice on and assistance with all the work processes that are connected with this, starting with the conception of online teaching, including choosing suitable materials and media, and going through to using the technology available to implement it.

An overview of all the measures and assistance can be found at https://go.ur.de/digihelp

For further information and for questions, please contact the support team directly (supportteam@ur.de). Your points of contact are Florian Greiner (Computer Center) and Dr. Regine Bachmaier (ZHW).

Campus license for Zoom to support digital teaching

The Computer Center has procured a Zoom campus license for UR. Zoom can be used to cover differing scenarios in video-supported teaching. This ranges from individual office hours up to webinars with 1000 participants at a time. Further information can be found at: https://www.uni-regensburg.de/rechenzentrum/aktuelles/it-corona/

The continuing corona-crisis and the way it is dramatically affecting our personal lives and our work lives will lead to the summer semester 2020 proceeding rather differently. The university leadership has, therefore, set up a considerable sum of money for digital teaching at UR as part of its planning for the summer semester 2020. A letter from the president with further information has been sent to all teaching staff in the faculties.

Registering practicals which require special laboratories or work rooms at the university

Details of any practical lesson which requires special laboratories or work rooms must be sent to the email address praxisveranstaltung-corona@ur.de, with a hygiene and infection-protection concept enclosed. The details to be given include the number of participants, the supervisor(s), how long it will last on the day, and the time period set aside for it.

The concept to be attached will be sent to the task force set up by the university leadership. Should the person registering the practical not hear from the task force within one work-day of submitting the registration, then the practical can take place as planned. Universität Regensburg will send all hygiene and infection-protection concepts to the Regensburg public health department in accordance with the Ministry of Education and Research's requirements.

Please note that lectures, seminars, exercise classes or other teaching which accompanies the practicals cannot be carried out in the classroom. Only those practical teaching activities which require laboratories or work rooms at the university can take place in person.

The website of the Safety Division contains aids and best-practice suggestions, which should make it easier to create hygiene and infection-protection concepts.
As a member of the teaching staff, please note the President's letter from May 6, 2020, which was distributed via the dean's offices in the individual faculties.

Because of the effects of the corona pandemic, the DFG has extended the deadlines for a number of their current calls for proposals. Deadlines will be extended further where necessary.

Interested researchers can find up-to-date information at www.dfg.de/foerderung/info_wissenschaft and in the individual entries for the calls for proposals.

Home office remains the recommended option for the summer semester

As the federal and state governments increasingly loosen the restrictions caused by the pandemic, many employees are wondering how and if home office will continue at UR.

The aim of the extension of home office was to significantly reduce the risk of infection on campus, and simultaneously so that should there be an infection, whole work-groups will not have to be sent into quarantine, risking the operations of the university. Both these aims still apply, as the virus is still circulating in the world and there is neither medicine nor vaccine. As long as this is the situation, home office will remain the preferred option. Indeed, the SARS-CoV-2 standards on health and safety from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs also stipulate that office work should be done in home office where possible. This will certainly be the case for the whole summer semester.

Should the course of the pandemic allow, initially a return from home office on a voluntary basis could be envisaged, in which work can be organized to avoid rooms having several persons in them or so that there is sufficient protective distancing. The continuation of such a return would remain dependent on the general development of the pandemic. This means, for example, that should there be a second wave of the infection, home office would be significantly extended once more.

Flexible hours of physical presence

University employees (including scientific staff, non-scientific staff, and trainees) can carry out their duties more flexibly until further notice, for example with more flexible physical presence, using offices alternately and with the further facilitation of home office. Users of the time-recording system ZI Web can record the start and end of their working hours via the web interface themselves, also when in home office. It is not necessary to register via the personnel departments. It is possible to take your work computer home to use for your work when in home office (except employees working in the central administration, who need to inform their direct supervisors of their needs).

Technical possibilities

The Computer Center has information on the technical possibilities of using home office (e.g. setting up a VPN) at https://www.uni-regensburg.de/rechenzentrum/aktuelles/it-corona/

Members of the university can use "UR Chat", Universität Regensburg's collaboration platform, for everyday teamwork in home office, short messages and exchanging files. You log in with your computer center account.

• Info: www.ur.de/rechenzentrum/it-services/messenger/ur-chat/
• To the platform: https://chat.ur.de

Purchase of hardware

The Computer Center notes that the purchase of larger IT equipment such as notebooks, PCs, tablets and monitors for work still has to take place through the IT purchasing department of the Computer Center. You can access the Computer Center Webshop at https://webshop.uni-regensburg.de/

Rules for members of staff who are pregnant following the lifting of the restrictions on going outside

All employees who were pregnant and could not work exclusively in home office were not allowed to work for the duration of the restrictions on going outside. As these restrictions were lifted on May 5, 2020, this prohibition is now, as a general rule, lifted. This means that as a basic principle employees who are pregnant can work once more on the university campus - subject to the normal regulations in place and the measures determined for health and safety at work (resulting from the risk assessment including efficacy checks).

In individual cases, it may still be necessary to prohibit working on campus should the risk assessment show that health and safety measures cannot guaranteed safety for such work on campus; and should working exclusively from home office not be possible.

It is necessary here to create a risk assessment for the work of the person who is pregnant or extend the current risk assessment to include the corona virus.

Supervisors who are affected are asked to send on the results of their risk assessments. When you need assistance here, please contact the Safety administration division.

Child care while working in research and teaching

Due to the cancellation of normal child care in daycare centers and schools, many parents at UR have the challenge of trying to care for their children at home while they simultaneously have tasks to complete in their studies or in research and teaching. The university's women's representative and the coordinating office of equal opportunities, equality and inclusion have created a document with suggestions and help for parents who are studying, researching and/or teaching:

PDF document "Kinderbetreuung und Studium bzw. Arbeit in Forschung und Lehre"

Home office/Release from duties for child care

On the basis of the decisions made by the Bavarian government on April 16, 2020, the regulations governing employees whose children need to be cared for continue to apply without change. This means, in particular, that leave is not limited to 10 days so long as schools and daycare are closed either completely or for whole year-groups.

Insofar as it is compatible with the smooth running of the services and is necessary for the care of children, public servants and other public employees are granted home office and, should this not be possible, released from their duties (under full pay) for the time the schools and other child care facilities are closed.

There is no fixed age limit of the child. Nevertheless, the release from duties only applies if it is shown that child care is needed. This is particularly the case for children over the age of 14. An employee can only be released from duties when no child care can be ensured despite exhausting all other possibilities. It is, however, not necessary to ask persons over 60 years of age to take on child care.

Employees are asked to inform their supervisors, should they need to care for their children. Upon returning to work, the release should be marked on the holiday card with an official declaration of the need for and extent of the need for child care.
No release for child care can be granted during the school holidays. It is necessary to use vacation, flexible working time or special leave.

Supporting dependents in need of care

Home office, remote work and subsidiary leave are also granted when this is for providing support for a dependent in need of care, should this be necessary and the support cannot be arranged in any other way. The need for support must be demonstrated. This is particularly the case when the dependent cannot be cared for at home. Employees are asked to inform their supervisors. Upon returning to work, the release should be marked on the holiday card with an official declaration of the need for and extent of the need for care.