Esteemed students,

I am sure that the media’s recent discussion of the usefulness of study programmes in the fields of humanities and social sciences will not have escaped your attention. Some individuals have, as in 2013, called again for a numerus clausus system to be adopted in order to avoid a situation whereby there are more humanities’ graduates than are needed in the job market. Educating more MINT-students (mathematics, information technology, natural sciences and technology) seems to be the order of the day.

Textbooks and reference books: ideal as e-books

The submission date is approaching -  quickly get hold of some last tips on how to compose a piece of scientific work, or get a concise specialist article direct to your computer screen. Accessing such documents electronically is especially useful in the case of much sought-after textbooks and reference books, particularly because the electronic versions can be accessed regardless of the time of day or of your location.

New: Short-term loans of feature film- and non-fictional-DVDs

The loan period for feature film- and non-fictional-DVDs from the ZHB Luzern library is now two weeks (14 days). If there are no hold requests for the DVD, the short loan period can be extended twice within your own user account.
(Kathrin Schindler, Head of User Services) 

Summer School Academia Engelberg

Topic: Future Economic Systems
The one-week course will take place in Ruswil, Switzerland, from 12-18 July 2015. 
The conference will analyse the state of the current situation and use this as a starting point to examine the requirements for new sustainable economic systems and to discuss their implementation. The Summer School brings together students from different countries to discuss the topic. During the Summer School, participants will be prepared to actively and creatively participate in the annual conference by providing economic arguments.
The course fee of 500 Swiss Francs per student covers costs for board, lodging, local travel and activities during the programme.
Application can be submitted online.
Deadline: May 29th, 2015
(Wolfgang Schatz, Akademic Director)
More information you can find here
www.academia-engelberg.ch

Next edition: 16th September 2015

The Semester info provides you with official announcements and information from University Management at the beginning and end of each semester.
The faculties will contact you directly with information about lectures and your course of study.

Semester Info in a new guise

You will have undoubtedly noticed that the Semester Info has a new look to it. Distribution of the information is now done in either German or English.
Deutsche Version

If necessary, you can change your language within UniPortal. The language you opt for will then apply to all of the bilingual communication that is sent out by the University of Lucerne.
(Wolfgang Schatz, Academic Director)

The Student Administration Office is moving

The Student Administration Office is moving to a new office on the fourth floor: 4.A07.
The move will take place in the first week of June. The counter will thus remain closed from the 1^st-5^th June 2015. You can contact the office during the move via email: studiendiensteremove-this.@remove-this.unilu.ch or by visiting the Infodesk (near the main entrance). Thank you for your understanding!
We will be operational again from Monday, 8^th June 2015 in room 4.A07. We look forward to welcoming you at our new location!
(Susanne Vogt-Lamberts, Head of Student Administration Office)

German course for non-natives

In the autumn semester of 2015 the University of Lucerne will once again offer a German course for students whose first language is not German. The course is particularly suitable for students from Italian- or French- speaking Switzerland, however other foreign students and exchange students are also very welcome to join.
The course starts at the beginning of semester, each Wednesday from 5:15pm to 7pm in the university building. There are limited spaces available and registration can be done online. Further information, course fee and registration 
(Wolfgang Schatz, Academic Director) 

New workspaces for students working on their master's thesis

25 quiet workspaces are available in the front half of the doctoral student’s room (1.A04) for students of the university and PH Luzern who are working on their master’s thesis. These workspaces are assigned free of charge for half a year via your user account and cannot be extended.
If you are interested in reserving a workspace, please go to the library’s information desk on the first floor. The workspaces will be distributed according to the date on which your application form is received.
(Wolfgang Schatz, Academic Director)

Uni/PH building

Main building
On public holidays (both general and local) the Uni/PH building will remain closed. On days prior to public holidays, the building will close at 7pm. Here you find a list of the public holidays in 2015.

Reduced opening times (calendar weeks 27-36)
From the 1^st July to the 31^st August 2015 the library will close at 6:30pm, and the building will close at 7pm. Normal opening times apply on Saturdays.  

The Uni/PH building’s library

Sunday opening times
On the following Sundays as well as on Whit Monday, regular Sunday opening times apply: 3^rd/10^th/17^th/24^th/25^th and 31^st of May as well as the 7^th/14^th and 21^st of June, 2015.

University of Lucerne and PH students can gain access with a valid CampusCard. All self-service operations will be on offer whilst other library services such as specialised information services, research assistance or technical device support will not be offered at these times. You won’t be able to access other areas of the building. Jackets and bags may be taken into the library, however food and open drinks may only be consumed in the recreation room.
(Wolfgang Schatz, Academic Director) 

Weeks which the ZHB library will be closed (calendar weeks 32-33) 
The library in the Uni/PH building will be closed from the 3^rd-16^th August 2015. Electronic media (magazines, e-books and research tools) are accessible via EZProxy and http://www.zhbluzern.ch/index.php?id=2897.

The postal dispatch service will still be active and copy orders can still be made.
Work spaces within the HSLU-Wirtschaft and Sempacherstrasse libraries are also available for students from the University of Lucerne. Book orders can also be made and collected at both these locations too.
(Kathrin Schindler, Head of User Services) 

The Mensa takes a summer break

The Mensa will close in the summer for three weeks: from Saturday 25^th July to Sunday 16^th August. The vending machines and the staff recreation rooms will be serviced during these weeks. 

Application deadlines for student exchange

1^st September 2015: for the Partnership Programme (exchange outside of Europe) for the spring semester of 2016.

15^th November 2015: for the CH-Unimobil-Programme (exchange within Switzerland).

If you would like more information regarding our exchange programmes, please consult the website of the International Relations Office (IRO) and register in good time with the mobility coordinator within your home faculty.
(Catrin Scheiber, Head of International Relations Office)

Updated manuals for doctoral and postdoctoral students

The German written manuals ‘Erfolgreich promovieren – Leitfaden für Doktorierende‘ and ‘Promotion – und dann?‘ are now available as updated 2^nd editions. University of Lucerne students and postdocs can collect both booklets from the Office of Equal Opportunity (Room 4.A28). They are also available online. More info
(Julia Grünenfelder, ‘Mentoring Deutschschweiz Coordinator and Office of Equal Opportunity)

Toilets for disabled people and the lift: waiting times

Breaks between lectures are very short – students with a disability rely therefore on the availability of the disabled toilets. Please keep these free.
When a lift is needed between lectures to change rooms, the waiting time for disabled students should not be too long. Please use the staircase when possible.
Thank you very much!
(Office of Equal Opportunity)

Campus-Blog on Zentral+

Since April 2015 the Campus-Blog can be found online on zentral+.
The blogs written by five students from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences give humorous impressions of the versatility of student life.
Furthermore, the ambitious blog writers also meet up with journalists and authors and visit the editorial offices of the ‘NZZ’ newspaper and Lucerne’s culture magazine ‘041’.
(Anna Ospelt, KSF Corporate Communications and Knowledge Transfer)

Lost and found list on white board

Are you missing an umbrella, a memory stick or a scarf?
Each month a list of lost and found items will be placed on the white board ‘Marktplatz’ (situated on the ground floor next to the student shop ‘Studiladen’). The lost and found items can be collected from the Infodesk. Opening times: Mon-Thu: 8am-6pm, Fri: 8am-5pm.
(Susanne Vogt-Lamberts, Head of Student Administration Office)