»Joint Thuringian statement on the 2020 summer semester« by Thuringian universities, Studierendenwerk Thüringen and the TMWWDG

Faced with the associated challenges, the universities of Thuringia, Studierendenwerk Thüringen (Thuringia Student Services) and the Thuringian Ministry of Economy, Science and Digital Society (TMWWDG) are working together decisively and creatively to find solutions for the approximately 50,000 students and 10,000 employees of the state’s universities.

The 2020 summer semester will differ somewhat from what was planned and would occur during a typical semester. However, the universities and the Ministry have agreed that teaching and research activities will still take place during the summer semester – the semester will not be »lost«. Not all those affected could afford to lose the summer semester and universities will once again provide students with a wide range of classes during the 2020 summer semester. Digital teaching formats will be widely implemented wherever the particular degree programme allows. A high level of flexibility means that we should be able to compensate for disadvantages, enable alternative teaching methods and examination formats, and delay or suspend deadlines. The Ministry of Science will be offering universities its full support.

We know that this exceptional situation calls for significant flexibility, goodwill and extraordinary effort on the part of students, teachers and members of staff working in university administration and institutions (libraries, computer centres, language centres and so on). However, we are convinced that the universities of Thuringia will be able to weather these challenging times by working together with creativity and solidarity.

Mindful of our responsibility to university students and staff for their private lives and of our social responsibility to continuing the university task of teaching and research as well as possible even in this period of crisis. Together we have all agreed on the following framework and principles for the 2020 summer semester.

Framework and principles for the 2020 summer semester

• The summer semester of 2020 will be a full university semester. The semester begins on 01/04/2020 and ends on 30/09/2020.
• Lectures at the University of Erfurt, the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, the University of Music Franz Liszt Weimar and Erfurt University of Applied Sciences will begin on 4 May 2020, initially in digital form. TU Ilmenau, Jena University of Applied Sciences, Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences, Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences and Gera-Eisenach Dual University of Applied Sciences are already offering digital courses.
• The universities can and will set their own semesters to fit their particular circumstances and challenges, taking the necessary holiday periods into account.
• Classroom-based courses will only start up again once permitted by official regulations based on the further development of the coronavirus pandemic.
• The same applies to libraries, university institutions and student union facilities.
• The aim is to compensate for any disadvantages that students may suffer as a result of the changes due to the pandemic wherever this is legally possible. We will review the necessary legislative changes.
• Universities, supported by the Ministry, will improve conditions for students by demonstrating flexibility, using existing scope for creativity, and applying generous credit and recognition regulations to study and examination matters.
• Particular strains resulting from the pandemic situation (e.g. due to childcare) and limited possibilities to attend the (digital) classes offered or sit examinations should not be detrimental and will be taken generously into account by universities.
• In particular, graduates and students who are planning to change universities for the upcoming winter semester should be allowed to undertake studies or examinations that they have not yet completed even after the semester is officially over.
• The particular features of art and design degree programmes with their practical, personalised forms of education will be taken into account.
• Particular conditions also apply to the University of Music Franz Liszt Weimar and its individual instrumental teaching, and to the Gera-Eisenach Dual University of Applied Sciences with its periods of training spent with practical partners.

University admissions, applications and responses for the 2020/2021 winter semester

• Due to the current situation, the University Admissions Foundation (SfH) has decided to delay the beginning of the application phase for the dialogue-oriented service procedure (DoSV) to the 2020/2021 winter semester. Depending on the methods and time constraints for sitting school-leaving examinations, the new application and submission deadlines will be announced in late April / early May 2020.
• Associated deadline changes for application and admissions procedures and changes to aptitude tests must be taken into account.
• The universities will endeavour to set semester times to fit their particular circumstances and challenges once again for the 2020/2021 winter semester.

Support from the Ministry of Science

Working together, the universities will make every effort to provide as broad and comprehensive a range of digital teaching, learning and examination services as possible. Digital teaching should also enable participation for the many foreign students who are not currently able to travel to their university campus in Thuringia as a result of travel restrictions.

»HochschullehreDigital-Extra« special fund

The TMWWDG has established the »HochschullehreDigital-Extra« special fund and to provide universities with targeted support for their digital courses, and is offering universities an addition 2.2 million euros of funding. These funds will be granted to universities to support the following in particular:

• Development and expansion of digital teaching formats
• Necessary investment relating to setting up digital teaching formats
• Allocation of additional teaching positions or remuneration for the special requirements (including extra time) resulting from digital teaching formats
• Employment opportunities for student assistants to support digital teaching formats
• Establishment of in-house university teaching platforms to support teaching activities
• Coordination and development of an inter-university e-learning portal for all Thuringian university teaching staff

Other measures

The Ministry will work with other states and the universities to ensure that regulations passed on a federal level (e.g. Federal Education and Trainings Assistance Act for University Students, scholarships, child benefit etc.) will be clarified without any disadvantage to students wherever possible.

Thuringia, 9 April 2020