The autumn semester 2020 has finally started! The motto is 'as personal as possible, as digital as necessary'. We are delighted that we can once again be a university in presence mode, after the predominantly digital spring semester. We all missed the direct personal exchange in lectures, out in the corridors or over a coffee.

Nevertheless, presence and proximity are still associated with risks, because the presence of people in a closed room for a long period of time represents a potential risk of infection. Therefore, we must continue to observe protective measures and also redefine 'presence'.

Until further notice, the following protective measures must be observed at all university sites:

1. Maintain a minimum distance of 1.5 meters (if possible);
2. Compliance with hygiene regulations (washing or disinfecting hands on arrival in the building and regularly after each session, lecture, reading newspapers and brochures etc.);
3. Wearing of oronasal face masks. The obligation to wear masks applies in all rooms of the university, including the lecture halls. Lecturers decide for themselves whether they wear a face mask during their own lectures. If they do not wear a mask, they must maintain a minimum distance from the students at all times. Persons who are exempted from wearing a face mask by means of a medical certificate do not need to wear one. However, they are advised not to stay in the university rooms and to attend courses in digital form.

Due to the social distancing regulations and the resulting reduced capacity of the lecture halls, not all students will be able to come to the university at the same time. We therefore had to redefine ‘presence’. For this reason, the fall semester 2020 will be conducted according to the model of hybrid teaching. By hybrid teaching, we mean double-track teaching, i.e. the combination of presence teaching and digital teaching: In the lecture hall, for example, the lecturer and some students are physically present, while other students are digitally connected via zoom. However, hybrid teaching can also mean that some courses are purely digital, while others - for example seminars - take place in presence mode (with a live stream for participants who belong to e.g. risk groups or are in quarantine). Each faculty has defined the hybrid model that suits them and has informed you accordingly.

Please note that the cafeteria, university sports, the student shop and the library have created their own protection concepts, approved by the university, which must be observed when entering their premises.

In the past months we have successfully learned to master unknown challenges with a pragmatic and accommodating approach and with mutual trust and understanding. Let us continue to walk the path back to normal university operations together and contribute to further improving the situation by adhering to the social distancing rules, hygiene procedures and the wearing of face masks.

With best wishes for a good start into the fall semester 2020.

Prof. Dr. Martina Caroni, Vice-Rector for Teaching and International Relations