After one and a half years of exclusively or mostly digital courses, the semester has started with face-to-face teaching. This means that the activity and liveliness that characterise life at a university are returning to Frohburgstrasse. Even if there are still corona-related restrictions in place, we are pleased that on site meetings and exchanges are possible again. For in the direct exchange between students and lecturers, in discussion and joint work, lies a strength of our education.
One or two things have changed since last autumn, the last time there was face-to-face teaching. For example, there is a new canteen operator, and the recreation area on the first floor has been given pergolas to form an additional lounge and dining area – both good places to meet.

In December, the University and the University of Teacher Education PH welcome the Winter Universiade to our building on Frohburgstrasse. The Winter Universiade was originally planned for the lecture-free period, but had to be postponed because of Corona. Even though it may be a bit disapointing for some that digital courses are again scheduled for December: for the university, the region and the whole of Switzerland, the event offers a welcome opportunity to present itself internationally. Volunteering as helpers and visiting the Scientific Congress provide enriching experiences and form a platform for exchange and encounters for students and staff alike.

I wish you all the best for a successful semester with many enriching encounters.

Lukas Portmann, Head of University Communications