Dear students, lecturers, employees and members of the University of Kassel,

we were expecting that the winter semester would also take place under the continuing difficult conditions of the Corona pandemic and prepared ourselves extensively for it. Now, unfortunately, the situation is becoming increasingly problematic day by day: the pandemic has hit Germany hard and Kassel - like many other urban regions - is one of the badly affected areas. This has led to much uncertainty at the university. For this reason, we would like to make an urgent appeal to you once again to behave cautiously and considerately and to observe all the house rules on campus so that we can get through this crisis. 

Just a few weeks ago, we were in great hope that significantly more lectures could take place in attendance than in the summer semester. Now we must realistically assume that this winter semester will also be largely digital. Nevertheless, we want to continue to offer some classroom-based courses, especially for first-year students. The international students who arrive in Kassel for the first time also need our personal welcome.  And students who come to the university for exams must be able to do so with a feeling of security. For more experienced students, we will critically examine where attendance is unavoidable and where digital alternatives can be used. We would like to express our sincere thanks to those who have dedicated themselves with great commitment to the preparation of digital and hybrid lectures and examinations! 

We can assure you: Health protection is always the focus of the actions the university management takes.  We are not unprepared for the current pandemic development. With our good hygiene concepts, students, staff and lecturers can protect themselves when they are at the university and do not want to or cannot access the digital offers. We want to make their stay at the university as safe as possible and keep the risk of infection as low as possible.  

Therefore we have introduced the obligation to wear mouth-nose-coverings, a hygiene concept for teaching in the winter semester, distance rules for rooms and events, we have installed disinfectant dispensers and information boards, and prepared the collection of contact data. For this purpose, the IT service center has purchased a digital contact management system in which a QR code is scanned with a mobile phone and personal details must be given. The QR codes can be found at the entrances to the rooms. A detailed guide can be found in the university's Corona FAQ (point 1.5). 

All the measures introduced can only have protective effects if each and every person adheres to the so called „AHA+L“ rules (distance - hygiene - masks + ventilation). There has been a lot of uncertainty in the last few days - also because apperently not everywhere the „AHA+L“ rules were carefully followed. Therefore, we once again urgently appeal to everyone to adhere to these rules. We would like to say it even more clearly: The the house rules must be observed strictly by everyone on campus. 

Please check the Corona FAQ at www.uni-kassel.de/go/gesundheitsschutz regularly and keep yourself informed. 

We would also like to prepare you for the case that the pandemic situation makes it necessary for the University to shift its operations even further into digital at very short notice. We are prepared for this and the lecturers have adjusted their teaching so that the studies can be continued successfully even then. Regulations for remote work will keep the University's operations running smoothly.   

The university management and the crisis team monitor and evaluate the situation on a daily basis. Please act cautious, reduce physical contacts and make them as safe as possible. Wherever we can support you, we are happy to do so!

Your University Management

Prof. Dr. Reiner Finkeldey (President)

Dr. Oliver Fromm (Head of Administration)

Prof. Dr. Ute Clement (Vice president)

Prof. Dr. Arno Ehresmann (Vice president)

Prof. Dr. René Matzdorf (Vice president)