University Plans Courses on Campus  [20.07.21]

Is it worth getting a room in Stuttgart in the fall? This question is on the minds of many students and prospective students at the moment. The message from the University of Hohenheim is: Yes! In the winter semester, there will again be a greater number of face-to-face courses. The Senate confirmed this goal in a declaration of intent on Wednesday. However, there are still many question marks surrounding the concrete planning. How well the return to campus life succeeds will depend, among other things, on how many students and employees get vaccinated by fall.

 

The pandemic has shown what university life is really all about: Not just cramming material, but learning with all senses, discussing together, networking, supporting each other and becoming active, absorbing inspiration, personality development....

Conversely, surveys show: When students no longer feel they are a part of university life, learning becomes difficult and psychological problems increase. In June, Hohenheim students therefore wrote an open letter to politicians expressing how important it is for them to return to campus quickly.

 

Signal to (future) students

The Senate of the University of Hohenheim is now taking this wish into account. In a declaration of intent, the university has committed itself to the goal of offering more face-to-face teaching in the winter semester. The offer is to be so broad and attractive that it will once again provide enough incentive for students to come to campus.

This message is aimed not least at prospective students who currently have to decide on a university and are subsequently faced with the practical question of whether a room near the university is even worth it.

"The offer is to be designed so robustly that it does not have to be readjusted again and again in the event of different pandemic situations," stressed Vice President for Academic Affairs Prof. Dr. Korinna Huber. "For lectures, a certain amount of digital teaching is unavoidable, but we are planning seminars and workshops, internships and exams on campus."

 

Planning remains difficult

The decision was preceded by a lively discussion. Because many important questions are still open, concrete planning is extremely difficult.

In fact, the Senate's decision is therefore initially no more than a declaration of intent. Should it become necessary to switch to another online semester at short notice due to the pandemic, a flexible adjustment is possible, stated University President Prof. Dr. Stephan Dabbert. "We have to think about that in our planning, as well as hygiene requirements or access regulations."

If, for example, the distance requirement of 1.5 m were to remain in place, the university would probably lack the space to realize its plans. Also open is how specifications for checking 3Gs (vaccinated, tested, recovered) can be practically implemented on campus. Unlike at schools, student group at the university are not constant but continually change from course to course.

Vice President Prof. Dr. Huber is aware that the return to face-to-face and hybrid teaching is an enormous challenge for lecturers. She therefore intends to invite them to a Zoom meeting in the near future to discuss open questions and seek solutions to problems.

 

University management hopes for high vaccination rate

An essential prerequisite for campus life to really get off the ground as hoped is also in the hands of the university members themselves: Only if as many students and employees as possible are vaccinated by the fall can rapid tests be reduced to a manageable level, according to the university management.

Nevertheless, the quantity of vaccine available should no longer be a problem. The demand for vaccinations aimed especially at students and employees, was surprisingly limited. The university management hopes that many have now made an appointment elsewhere. However, since a survey is not permitted for data protection reasons, this remains speculation.

To the group of those who want to be vaccinated in principle, but have not yet made an appointment, the university is now appealing via Instagram, among other things, to take advantage of the vaccination offer in the coming weeks if possible.

 

Text: Leonhardmair / Translation: Neudorfer