Details

04.04.2022 Current Corona Protection Measures

Wearing a mask is strongly recommended until further notice. Everyone is requested to protect themselves and others. This applies to attendance in lectures and courses as well as in traffic areas (entrance areas, corridors, staircases, lifts and sanitary facilities) and when distances (1.5 metres) are not kept. Wearing at least medical masks, preferably FFP2 masks, is highly recommended regardless of the immunisation status.

All previous rules regarding hygienic measures should also be continued. Please act responsibly and refrain from attending lectures and seminars if you have any symptoms of illness.

The 3G admission requirements for attendance courses and seminars will be cancelled for everyone. The random checks of the immunisation status will be suspended.

Observance of minimum distances is no longer required.

 

04.03.2022 Start of the Summer Semester 2022 in Attendance Mode

In accordance with the current provisions of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, pursuant to the current Corona Protection Ordinance, the summer semester at FH Aachen will start in attendance mode.
More specifically, the following applies:

• 3G obligation remains in place according to the Corona Protection Ordinance NRW. For monitoring purposes, random checks will still be carried out at the building entrances. Since changes to the various 3G proofs have been made in the meantime, the stickers on the FH Karte are no longer valid. Effective immediately, digital IDs will be checked in conjunction with photo IDs.
• Masks are mandatory in all public areas of FH Aachen. As a minimum, a medical mask must be worn, FFP-2 masks are recommended.
• Contact tracing is no longer permitted and minimum distances are no longer required.

In any case, please try to comply with the general hygiene regulations in all areas of life in accordance with the Corona Protection Ordinance; this also expressly applies to immunised persons:

• No contact with others in case of typical symptoms of a corona infection.
• If possible, keep a distance of 1.5 metres from strangers.
• Wash hands thoroughly and regularly, ventilate at regular intervals.
• If minimum distances are not observed, wear a mask.

 

31.01.2022 Medical Certificate Requirement in the Current Examination Phase

In the current examination phase, it is possible to withdraw from an examination without a medical certificate if symptoms of illness are present. Students who have not fallen ill but are in quarantine due to the regulations of the current Corona Test and Quarantine Ordinance NRW are deemed to be ill and unfit to sit examinations. If it is possible to take an examination while in home quarantine within the framework of an online examination, the foregoing shall only apply upon application by the student.

The respective examination office must be informed of the withdrawal from the examination prior to the examination. Non-attendance at an examination due to symptoms occurring at short notice or quarantine obligation must be reported to the respective examination office, does not require a medical certificate either and is assessed as an examination withdrawal due to illness. Only in the case of falling ill during the examination will a subsequent medical certificate be required.

For any questions, students may contact their respective examination office.

 

28.01.2022 Latest Quarantine Rules

Who is subject to the quarantine obligation?

• Persons who show symptoms of disease
• Persons who have a positive rapid test result and are therefore required to undergo a PCR test (quarantine until the PCR test result is available)
• Persons with a positive PCR test result
• Household members of persons who have tested positive

Please quarantine yourself if one of the above cases applies to you!
 

Exceptions for household members and other contact persons:

• Person has received a booster vaccination (3 vaccinations)
• Person has been vaccinated and has recovered
• Person has been vaccinated twice (applies between the 15th and the 90th day after the 2nd vaccination)
• Person has recovered (applies between the 28th and the 90th day after positive test)

 

25.01.2022 FH expands test offer at Bayernallee location

FH expands the corona test offer for members of the university. At the Bayernallee location, a citizen test centre has been opened, which is available from 7.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. from Monday to Friday as well as on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m..

The new link for reservations is: https://app.no-q.info/corona-testzentrum-ac-bayernallee-9/checkins#/6595

The test centre can best be reached via Robert-Schuman-Straße.

 

18.01.22 State Government Once Again Increases the Individualised Standard Period of Study for Students in NRW

At the beginning of the current winter semester, attendance courses were still the rule at universities in North Rhine-Westphalia - and even now there are still many courses that can be held in attendance. However, due to the current pandemic development, many universities have had to increasingly switch to online or hybrid formats during the ongoing semester.

To ensure that students do not suffer any disadvantages from this situation, the state government has decided to again increase the individualised standard period of study for students by one semester for the winter semester 2021/22. This regulation had already come into effect in the three previous semesters due to the pandemic. The corresponding regulation for the current winter semester will come into force in the coming days in the course of an amendment to the Corona Epidemic University Ordinance (Corona-Epidemie-Hochschulverordnung).

With the increase of the individualised standard period of study, the Ministry of Culture and Science is establishing the state requirements for the BAföG maximum period of entitlement to be extended by one semester as well.

 

16.12.21 FH expands test offer at Eupener Straße location

FH expands the corona test offer for members of the university. At the Eupener Straße location, a citizen test centre has been opened, which is available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Monday to Friday as well as on Saturdays (9 a.m. to 8 p.m.). In addition to rapid tests, there is now also PCR testing (for which a fee is required) available.

The new link for reservations is: https://app.no-q.info/corona-testzentrum-ac-fh-eupener-str/checkins/#/

The test centre is located on the car park Building B and can best be reached via Weißhausstraße.

 

01.12.2021 Regulation for Business Trips Remains Unchanged

Before approving business trips, both in Germany and abroad, it is generally required to check whether another form of communication, such as, for example, a video conference, can be used instead, or whether the date can be rescheduled. If a business trip is absolutely necessary, approval for business trips abroad must be obtained from university management; for business trips within Germany, approval from the head of the respective organisational unit is sufficient (dean, head of department, head of central institution, etc.). Advanced and further training is generally not to be regarded as compulsory official business.

Should a quarantine obligation arise, possibly even during the business trip, this must be reported immediately to Department I - Human Resources.

Travellers should obtain information on the current entry regulations and travel advice of the Federal Foreign Office as well as on quarantine regulations before starting their journey.

 

29.11.2021 Quarantine Regulations in the Städteregion Aachen

The local health office (Gesundheitsamt) of the Städteregion ("City Region") Aachen is currently severely overburdened with the increasing number of newly infected persons and can no longer keep up with the contact tracing of persons who have tested positive. The Aachener Zeitung reports that, as a result, people are being asked to go into quarantine on their own if they have a positive PCR test and to not wait for a phone call from the local health office.

The regulations of the Corona Test Quarantine Ordinance continue to apply. These regulations also apply with regard to study groups and lectures at FH Aachen. Positive tests of FH members must be reported by sending an email to coronavirus@fh-aachen.de.

According to the Corona Test Quarantine Ordinance, the following persons must go into quarantine at home:

• Persons with a positive PCR test
• Persons who have not been vaccinated, or who have not recovered, and who live in the same household as a person who has tested positive
• Persons who show symptoms of disease
• Persons who have a positive rapid test result.

The latter two groups of people must undergo a PCR test and remain in quarantine until the test result is available.

Contact persons and persons of the same household who have been verifiably vaccinated or have recovered do not have to be quarantined. However, if they show symptoms of disease within 10 days, they must go into quarantine and undergo a PCR test.

The quarantine of contact persons, who have not been vaccinated or have not recovered, and who have had close contact with an infected person, is determined by the responsible local health office. However, due to the current situation, people are asked to quarantine themselves if one of the following conditions applies:

• Close contact with an infected person for at least 10 minutes (e.g. during a conversation) without wearing a mask.
• Staying in a room that is not (well) ventilated with an infected person for a prolonged period of time.

 

18.11.2021 Corona Vaccinations

The University Medical Centre is in the process of preparing booster vaccinations for all members of FH Aachen at the Vaccination Centre in the University Hospital (Klinikum).

We expect that we will soon be able to provide further information on this. Until then and beyond that, we ask you to make use of the local offers:

You can find the current vaccination offers of the municipality in the Aachen region on the homepage of the Städteregion:
https://www.staedteregion-aachen.de/de/navigation/aemter/oeffentlichkeitsarbeit-s-13/aktuelles/impfangebote-1-1

In Jülich, the district of Düren will reopen its Vaccination Centre at Düsseldorfer Straße 6 starting on 22 November. The Vaccination Centre will be open from Monday to Friday from 12 noon to 6 p.m, and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is not necessary to make an appointment: https://www.kreis-dueren.de/presse/2021/haltestellen-impfbus-2021-07-30.php

For first and single vaccinations via the University Medical Centre, the established portals for booking appointments continue to be available!

Appointment bookings for the "normal" double appointments can be found in the booking portal at the following link:
https://ecampus.rwth-aachen.de/vo/rwthcoronaimpfung/SitePages/Homepage.aspx

The booking portal for single appointment bookings is open at the following link.
https://ecampus.rwth-aachen.de/units/hsa
 
Please make use of the opportunities to get vaccinated!
https://www.zusammengegencorona.de/impfen/

 

12.10.2021 Vaccination Bus at Campus Eupener Str.

The Vaccination Bus (Impfbus) of the StädteRegion Aachen will make a stop at the Eupener Str. (building B) in the coming days:

• Monday, 08.11.2021, 12 - 19:30 p.m.
• Monday, 22.11.2021, 12 - 19:30 p.m.

Vaccines can be chosen freely - except for second vaccinations.

12.10.2021 Vaccination Bus at Jülich Campus

The Vaccination Bus (Impfbus) of the district of Düren will make a stop at the Jülich campus in the coming days:

• Wednesday, 13.10.2021, 2 - 4 p.m.
• Wednesday, 20.10.2021, 8:45 a.m. - 10 a.m.
• Friday, 22.10.2021, 8:45 a.m. - 10 a.m

Vaccinations with the BioNTech and Johnson&Johnson vaccines will be offered there.

06.10.2021 FH Aachen Test Centres for all members of FH Aachen free of charge

The Occupational Safety Team of FH Aachen would like to inform you that for most citizens the citizen tests (Bürgertestungen) will no longer be free of charge as of Monday, 11 October 2021.
As before, the FH Aachen Test Centres will remain available to all members of FH Aachen; self-testing under supervision can be carried out there free of charge.

The FH Test Centres are located at these sites:
Aachen - Campus Eupener Straße, Building W, Room WU11 | https://app.no-q.info/fh-aachen-eupenerstrasse/checkins
Aachen – Hohenstaufenallee, Building PSG, back of the building at the roll-up door | https://app.no-q.info/fh-aachen-psg/checkins
Jülich – Gerling Pavilion | https://app.no-q.info/fh-aachen-juelich/checkins

The opening hours of all test centres are Monday to Friday from 7.45 to 11.30 a.m. Please use the links above to book an appointment at the different test centres. In the future, paper certificates will only be issued in exceptional cases.
FH Aachen asks all those who have not yet been vaccinated and for whom it is possible to be vaccinated to please do so. For FH members, the Vaccination Centre of the University Medical Centre at the University Hospital Aachen (Uniklinik Aachen) will continue to be available for this purpose.

The Vaccination Bus (Impfbus) of the district of Düren will make a stop at the Jülich campus in the coming week: On Monday, 11 October 2021, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., and on Wednesday, 13 October 2021, 2 - 4 p.m., vaccinations with the BioNTech and Johnson&Johnson vaccines will be offered there. Please make use of the vaccination offers! You can find more info on the following page: https://www.zusammengegencorona.de/impfen/

 

14.09.2021 Recognition of Foreign Vaccinations

The University Medical Centre will be expanding its range of services on the topic of Covid-19. People who have received a vaccination in a third country outside the EU are often faced with the challenge of proving the equivalence of their vaccination protection according to the criteria of the European Union. The University Medical Centre now offers to issue a corresponding certificate for vaccinations with an equivalent vaccine in order to support a smooth process during the 3G check at FH Aachen. This certificate is (exclusively) recognised as a vaccination certificate within FH Aachen. Currently, persons who have received vaccinations with the product Covishield are specifically addressed here. If the Paul Ehrlich Institute recognises other products, this list will be extended accordingly. For persons who have been vaccinated in third countries with one of the four products approved in the EU, a certificate is not required.

A certificate can be issued at the Vaccination Centre of the University Hospital RWTH Aachen on the following dates:

• 16 September 2021, 9 to 11 a.m.
• 23 September 2021, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

After 23 September 2021, vaccination consultations (Impfsprechstunde) will be held every Thursday from 12 noon to 2 pm. Prior registration is not necessary.

 

20.08.2021 Access Restriction to all indoor teaching courses and examination

Although, at present, teaching and examination activities are only taking place in exceptional cases, the crisis management team would like to inform you of the following binding rules. These rules apply from 20 August and will be in effect until 17 September, for the time being. However, we now assume that they will also be in force for the upcoming examination and lecture period.

Due to the new Corona Protection Ordinance and the increasing incidence in the City Region of Aachen, the District of Düren and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, there will be an access restriction to all indoor teaching courses and examinations as of 20 August. Only immunised (vaccinated and/or recovered, resp.) or tested persons will be permitted to participate in teaching and examination activities at FH Aachen. This so-called "3-G requirement" (Geimpft, Genesen, Getestet) applies to all persons attending, including supervisory and teaching staff.

Please note that the state has put the organisers' obligation of verification into more concrete terms in this matter: The existence of appropriate proof is not only to be checked randomly, but for all attendees.

Only the following certificates entitle the holder to get access to courses and examinations:

1) Proof of complete vaccination dating back at least 14 days.

2) Proof of having recovered from a corona infection (in German or English)
a) Recovered persons who, in the last six months (and at least 28 days ago), had contracted COVID-19 (positive test result by laboratory diagnostics) or
b) Recovered persons (COVID-19 disease occurred more than six months ago) who have received their first vaccination (14 days after vaccination).

3) Negative test result from a test centre (not older than 48 hours), the so-called citizen test

4) Proof of a supervised self-test carried out at an FH Aachen test centre in Aachen or Jülich.

Participants may present these certificates in paper or digital form. The standard for verification is to be similar to that for the usual identity check when participating in an examination. For this reason, an official photo ID or the FH Karte with a photo is required in addition to the 3-G certificate. If participants cannot provide any of the above-mentioned certificates, they are not allowed to take part in the course or examination. On the basis of the householder's rights, they shall be asked by the responsible persons or by the authorised representatives, respectively, to leave the premises of FH Aachen immediately.

Furthermore, it is intended to organise the procedures for checking the certificates in a more centralised manner. This should minimise the effort for all parties during the upcoming semester. The planning for this is currently underway.

With this in mind, we would like to remind you once again of the vaccination offer for all members of the university. The booking portal is still open via the following links.

Single appointment bookings: https://ecampus.rwth-aachen.de/units/hsa
Double appointment bookings: https://ecampus.rwth-aachen.de/vo/rwthcoronaimpfung/SitePages/Homepage.aspx

For booking via the RWTH Portal, students need their student ID number, while employees need their FH user number.
For further enquiries, contact persons are available at coronavirusfh-aachen.de .

 

23.07.2021 University Medical Center Expands Vaccination Offer to Include Single Appointment Booking

The University Medical Center is now expanding the vaccination offer for the prevention of Covid 19 infections by adding the option of booking single appointments. As before, only the mRNA vaccine Comirnaty from BioNTech / Pfizer is being offered.

The vaccination offer for single appointments is aimed, in particular, at the following groups of persons:'

• Persons who wish to receive cross-vaccination / a heterologous vaccination scheme: In this case, the precondition is that a first vaccination with the vaccine from the company AstraZeneca has already been administered.
• People who have recovered from Covid 19 after the waiting period of 6 months, as defined by the Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO).
• Persons who have recently moved to the Aachen region and have already received their first vaccination.

Please note the following important information:

• Please always bring the necessary documentation regarding a first vaccination or proof of recovery with you to the scheduled vaccination appointment. Only then can a proper medical consultation take place at the University Medical Center.
• When scheduling your appointment, please take into account the minimum vaccination intervals of 3 (BioNTech) or 4 (heterologous vaccination) weeks, as specified by the Standing Committee on Vaccination.
• If you are unable to keep your appointment, or if you have already kept an appointment for vaccination elsewhere, please inform the University Medical Center immediately by sending an email to coronaimpfunghsa.rwth-aachen.de We kindly ask you to, particularly, refrain from making multiple bookings.

The booking portal for single appointments is now open under the following link: https://ecampus.rwth-aachen.de/units/hsa

It is still possible to book the "normal" two appointments via the booking portal under the following link:

https://ecampus.rwth-aachen.de/vo/rwthcoronaimpfung/SitePages/Homepage.aspx

In order to book via the RWTH Portal, students need their student ID number, while employees need their FH user number.

After logging in, employees can find their user number in the "User Status" section of the FH Services pages at: https://services.fh-aachen.de/

Further information can also be found in the Corona FAQ at the following link:

https://www.fh-aachen.de/hochschule/zentralverwaltung/dezernat-i-personal/info-corona (Login required!)

For further enquiries, contact persons are available at coronavirusfh-aachen.de


 

23.07.2021 New regulations for attendance examinations

From 24 July 2021, the Städteregion Aachen will be upgraded to Incidence Level 1. As a result, new regulations will come into force. For attendance examinations, this means that you will have to provide a negative test, proof of recovery or proof of vaccination.

 

20.07.2021 Changes Regarding the Bayernallee Test Centre

Due to the examinations taking place on site in the assembly hall (Aula), our Corona Rapid Test Centre at Bayernallee cannot be opened at present. We are working on finding another suitable room at Bayernallee.
Until then, the Test Centre in Building W, Room W101, at Eupener Straße will be open on Wednesdays as well.

19.07.2021 Vaccinations for Employees and Students

Since 8 June 2021, the University Medical Centre has been offering vaccinations for university members – for both employees and students.
Based on the amount of vaccine that has since been announced, all university members born by 31 December 2005 can currently book a vaccination appointment.
The offer of the University Medical Centre as part of the occupational health facilities will be one of several pillars of the Federal Government's vaccination campaign. Should you have the opportunity to take up a vaccination offer at a vaccination centre or with a registered doctor, the crisis management team would like to expressly continue to encourage you to do so.

You can find the booking portal at the following link:
https://ecampus.rwth-aachen.de/vo/rwthcoronaimpfung/SitePages/Homepage.aspx

For booking an appointment in the RWTH Portal, students need their student ID number while employees need their FH user number.  
After logging in, employees can find their user number in the "User Status" area of the FH Services pages at:
https://services.fh-aachen.de/

Please note the following information from the University Medical Centre:
- Currently, only the mRNA vaccine from BioNTech is being vaccinated.
- Because of the still existing shortage of vaccines, it is absolutely necessary to adhere to the vaccination schedule of 6 weeks. Deviating scheduling for personal reasons is therefore excluded.
- Persons who have already received a first vaccination at another facility (vaccination centre, GP practice, etc.) cannot book a second vaccination at the University Medical Centre.

Further information can also be found in the Corona FAQ at the following link:
https://www.fh-aachen.de/hochschule/zentralverwaltung/dezernat-i-personal/info-corona
(Login required!)
For further enquiries, contact persons are available at coronavirus@fh-aachen.de

31.05.2021 Vaccinations at the University Medical Centre

It is expected that the University Medical Centre will be able to establish an offer of vaccination against the coronavirus as from Tuesday, 8 June 2021. The type (vector and/or mRNA vaccine) as well as the extent of the vaccination offer (available vaccine doses per week) are currently unknown. Needless to say that the University Medical Centre is committed to obtaining as large an allocation per week as possible.
With the expected start of the vaccination offer, the federal ordinance on vaccination prioritisation that has been in force up to now will probably also be repealed. It is, however, foreseeable that still not all those willing to be vaccinated will be able to receive an offer of vaccination as early as the beginning of June. After intensive consultation with the University Medical Centre, the crisis management team and the Rectorate have decided to make the vaccination offer to age groups that are yet to be defined more precisely, starting with the oldest members of the university. The individual age groups will be determined as soon as the exact delivered quantities of the vaccine are known. As soon as the demand for vaccination in one age group decreases noticeably, the next age group will be contacted without delay.
The crisis management team and the Rectorate expressly ask for your understanding that there will be no prioritisation according to individual activities or other criteria. This decision was also made in light of the fact that the University Medical Centre has an equal mandate to provide medical care for four institutions (RWTH Aachen University, FH Aachen, Studierendenwerk as well as UK Aachen).
For the booking of a vaccination appointment, a booking portal will be provided. Detailed information on the booking procedure as well as on the activation of the portal will probably be made available at the beginning of June (calendar week 22).
The offer of the University Medical Centre as part of the occupational medical care facilities will be an additional pillar among several of the Federal Government's vaccination campaign. If you have the opportunity to be vaccinated at a vaccination centre or by a registered physician, the crisis management team would still like to strongly encourage you to do so.

 

 

07.05.2021 Changes to the Federal Coronavirus Vaccination Ordinance

The federal government has now assigned all university employees to Group 3 - increased vaccination priority - in the so-called Coronavirus Vaccination Ordinance (Coronavirus-Impfverordnung). You can find more details on this at: http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/coronaimpfv_2021-04/__4.html
FH Aachen employees will therefore also be considered with priority when it comes to vaccination offers - depending on the availability of the vaccine, of course.
However, please note that the prioritisation according to the Coronavirus Vaccination Ordinance involves many different prioritisation groups based on age, pre-existing conditions, or occupation. The state government decides on the order of which prioritisation group can be offered a vaccination, when and where (vaccination centre, general practitioner, in-house medical service, etc.). At present, such a decision has not yet been made for the group of "university employees".
Currently, vaccinations in the vaccination centre of the Städteregion Aachen and in the district of Düren are not yet possible. However, as some GPs are already offering vaccinations to prioritised persons in group 3, the Human Resources Department will issue a certificate confirming your employment at FH Aachen in the next few days and send it to your private address without request. It can then be used to present to your General Practitioner.
Together with RWTH Aachen, the university is preparing a vaccination offer provided by the University Medical Center. This will ensure that, as soon as the approval for the company doctors is available, there will be another vaccination opportunity for FH Aachen employees.
As soon as more information is available on this, we will get back to you.

 

21.04.2021 FH Aachen Offers Corona Rapid Test for Employees

FH Aachen will offer corona rapid tests for its employees (including student assistants) from tomorrow, 22 April. The following test sites will be available, from 8.15 to 11.45 a.m.:

• Mondays: Eupener Straße, Lecture Hall C102, entrance via the ramp from the inner courtyard
• Tuesdays: Campus Jülich, Gerling-Pavilion
• Wednesdays: Bayernallee 9, Assembly Hall (Aula)
• Thursdays: Campus Jülich, Gerling-Pavilion
• Fridays: Eupener Straße , Lecture Hall C102, entrance via the ramp from the inner courtyard

The establishment of a testing site at the Hohenstaufenallee location (test bench building) is currently being prepared.
FH Aachen has commissioned a service provider with the supervision of the tests. This service provider will oversee the self-test being carried out, provide assistance and issue a certificate. Analysing the self-tests takes 15 minutes. Afterwards, the certificate can be collected.
Further demand is determined during ongoing operations. If necessary, the testing options will be opened up to students, and the appointments may be extended. Digital support for the procedure is being considered in order to reduce waiting times on site in the future and to make the booking of appointments possible as well.
For questions and feedback, please contact us at fasi@fh-aachen.de

Anyone who would like to find out in advance how to carry out the self-test can find more information on the website of the current manufacturer. A video tutorial is also available. https://www.clinitest.siemens-healthineers.com/

 

16.04.2021 Home Office Regulation and Opening Hours at FH Aachen until 30 June 2021

On 13 April 2021, the federal cabinet passed the 2nd Amendment Ordinance to the SARS-CoV-2 Occupational Health and Safety Ordinance (Corona-ArbSchV). After publication in the Federal Gazette (Bundesanzeiger), it is expected to come into force in the 16th calendar week. The amendments essentially address the currently increasing number of infections with the more dangerous SARS-CoV-2 virus variants and the increased risk of infection in workplaces as well.
Based on this, the crisis management team decided in its meeting on 15 April to extend the existing regulations on home office and opening hours of the buildings at FH Aachen. until 30 June 2021 in accordance with the period of validity of the Corona-ArbSchV. The deans and heads of the facilities are to inform Department IV, Ivana Kohlstedt (kohlstedt@fh-aachen.de) and Regina Krans-Langkau (Krans-Langkau@fh-aachen.de), of any exceptions regarding the opening of buildings.

 

16.04.2021 FFP 2 Masks for Teachers and Students in Attendance Courses and Seminars

At its meeting on 26 March, the crisis management team decided that, in the future, FFP 2 masks will be issued to all teachers and students attending courses and seminars on-site. However, there is no general obligation to wear them at FH Aachen; medical masks will continue to be permitted. As a first step, the increased demand resulting from this was assessed. Since then, the ordered masks have been delivered, partly from the existing stocks. Subsequent deliveries in order to cover the requested quantities will be made, with immediate effect, to the faculties and central facilities on an ongoing basis.

 

16.04.2021 Corona Self-Test Offer

At the crisis management team meeting on 26 March, it was decided that the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) team in the Resource and Safety Management section would develop a concept for setting up a testing service at FH Aachen.
According to the amended SARS-CoV-2 Occupational Health and Safety Ordinance, testing is a suitable and important instrument for fighting the pandemic. The more frequently tests are carried out and the faster a test result becomes available, the earlier and more effectively the spread of the virus in the workplace can be reduced or prevented. Tests in companies are, therefore, a necessary supplement to occupational health and safety in providing comprehensive testing capacities for all citizens in the area of infection protection. This concept was presented at the crisis management team meeting on 15 April and passed by the crisis management team.
As a first step, the OHS team will offer testing to employees at different locations and on different days as from next week and develop it further according to demand. The concept is designed in such a way that employees will be guided through the self-tests by expert personnel. The evaluation and documentation will also be conducted by the external service provider, so that certificates of a negative test can be provided.
In a next step, the offer is to be extended to students who attend the authorised on-site attendance courses and seminars.
As the coordination with the commissioned external service provider is currently still ongoing and the respective premises must be equipped accordingly, further information can only be provided during the ongoing process, either on the homepage or via FH aktuell. This will be done as swiftly as possible.

 

16.04.2021 What regulations apply when entering the country from abroad?

For travellers entering North Rhine-Westphalia from a risk area by land, sea or air, a ten-day entry quarantine has been in force since 5 January 2021. However, this quarantine can be avoided if travellers undergo a corona test (entry test) 48 hours before, or immediately after, their entry and the result of the test is negative. In this case, a Corona rapid test is sufficient.
Still exempted from the quarantine or testing obligation are transit travellers, the small border traffic for stays of less than 24 hours, daily or weekly cross-border commuters (Grenzpendler:innen), border crossers (Grenzgänger:innen) as well as visits to relatives, the transport of goods and incoming diplomats and members of parliament for stays of less than 48 hours.
Further information can also be found at: www.land.nrw/de/pressemitteilung/nordrhein-westfalen-modifiziert-einreiseregelungen-einreisende-aus-risikogebieten

Special Regulations for Commuters:
The federal government has classified the Netherlands as a high incidence area with effect from 6 April 2021. As a result, there is a general obligation to carry a recent test certificate when entering the country. For commuters who have to cross the border regularly for work, study or training, a negative test is valid for 72 hours. This means that you have to be tested up to two times per work week. Both PCR tests and PoC rapid tests from an authorised medical provider as well as self-testing under the supervision of expert personnel are accepted as tests. The test certificate can be provided on paper or in digital form - for example by presenting a document on the mobile phone. As a general rule, you have to carry the test certificate with you at the time of entry. Cross-border commuters are permitted to take the test without any delay after entering the country, for example immediately after arriving at their place of work.
Belgium has issued a travel ban for non-essential travel, which also applies to travel to Germany by persons resident in Belgium. Permitted travel is conclusively listed in a "Declaration of Honour", which you have to fill in along with the PLF (Passenger Locator Form) for your journey (https://bruessel.diplo.de/be-de/-/2318032?openAccordionId=item-2320472-1-panel). The stated reason for travel ought to be verifiable with further documents. Residents of border regions may continue to cross the border for short trips of daily life for activities that are also allowed in Belgium (e.g. work, shopping), and only have to fill in the form once for this purpose.

 

 

23.3.2021 Home Office Regulation Extended until 30 April

The crisis management team has decided that, for the time being, the current home office regulation for FH Aachen employees will be extended until 30 April.

 

26.1.2021 Extended Mandatory Mask Wearing at University

Effective immediately, a medical mask or FFP2 mask must be worn wherever the minimum distance of 1.5 metres from other persons cannot be maintained. As a rule, mouth/nose protectors must be worn in circulation areas (entrance areas, corridors, staircases, lifts and WC areas). A medical mask or FFP2 mask is mandatory for all teaching, practical and examination activities taking place on-site.  A mask must also be worn when entering other people's offices, administrative offices and facilities (e.g. library/reading room). Textile masks (scarf, cloth, fabric) are only permissible if a distance of 1.5m is observed. Masks with valves are not permitted!

 

20.1.2021 Extension of the Lockdown: Implications for University Operations

It is not yet possible to determine whether the decisions made yesterday by the federal and state governments will also have an impact on university operations. At present, we have to wait for the final decisions to be made at state level in NRW before we can make any clear decisions at university level. We are expecting the state ordinance and the general decree of the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs to be issued soon.

 

15.1.2021 Updated Corona Epidemic University Ordinance

 

 

The Ordinance for the Management of the Challenges Posed to Higher Education by the Coronavirus-SARS-CoV-2 Epidemic (Corona Epidemic University Ordinance) of 15.04.2020, as last amended at 12.01.2021, provides the Rectorate with wide-ranging powers to amend the current examination regulations as well as other regulations by issuing its own FH-specific Corona University Regulations in important matters with temporarily applicable overriding rules. This is being done out of necessity in order to respond flexibly to the requirements of the COVID-19 crisis. The second amended version of the FH regulations was published on 14.01.2021. Key regulatory elements are outlined in the following. In accordance with the ordinance, the Rectorate shall consult with the faculties and examination boards on all regulations to be made. At FH Aachen, this is done within the framework of its own crisis management team on studies and teaching, which meets regularly and frequently, with the participation of the AStA (Allgemeinen Studierendenausschuss), under the direction of the responsible Vice Rector.

 

In the following, we shall go into more detail regarding the current FH regulations.

 

 

 

Free Attempt Regulation:

In past decisions, we have largely used the leeway afforded by the legal situation in favour of the students and have made free attempts possible. However, one of the infection protection measures is the reduction of attendance examinations to a necessary level. Free attempts are not useful for this objective per se, since, unfortunately, unprepared students often want to benefit from them, misjudging their chances of success. The free attempt, however, is meant to give students who are well-prepared for the examination, but who are feeling insecure, the security of knowing that taking the examination immediately after the regular semester is not detrimental with regard to the counting of attempts. However, this also means that a free attempt cannot be saved. Also, by definition, the free attempt was, and is, only allowed once per module.

 

 

There are only very few higher education institutions, especially among the universities, where Rectorates have not made any regulations at all on this matter. In that case, the Ordinance for the Management of the Challenges Posed to Higher Education by the Coronavirus-SARS-CoV-2 Epidemic (Corona Epidemic University Ordinance) of 15.04.2020 applies, which stipulates that every failed attempt shall remain uncounted. However, most higher education institutions, especially the universities of applied sciences, have adopted more restrictive regulations via the Rectorates, among other things, on account of lower room capacities and very high workloads.

 

FH Aachen permits one free attempt per module, but regardless of whether a first attempt was already made before the ordinance came into force. In the case of not passing due to an attempt at deception or due to default (non-attendance), the attempt will count (not recognised as a free attempt). In order to prevent students from taking the examination without preparation, achieving a low minimum score is, moreover, taken as a basis for the recognition as a free attempt.

 

 

Attendance Examinations:

In the view of the examiners and the examination boards, the major cross-disciplinary subjects in engineering sciences in particular, where tasks are set and have to be solved, can only be conducted in a legal manner as attendance examinations. Determining the form of the examination is also one of the examiners' tasks. They are responsible for providing reasons for, and making the final decision on, the form of examination and whether it can be reproduced digitally, if necessary, with the same effect. Students have no right to choose the form of examination. On the other hand, participation in examinations is voluntary. Due to the freedom of teaching, there can be no general regulation on digital examinations by the Rectorate.

 

 

Since attendance and online examinations take place in the same time period, and the ordinance situation can change at short notice, it is necessary from an examination organisational point of view to have a shorter announcement period (two weeks before the examination) regarding the final examination form, in order to facilitate the planning. The current state of planning is that the examinations - including the attendance examinations - will be held largely according to plan. However, we all have to accept that there is still no legal basis for the examinations in February and March, as the relevant regulations and decrees are only valid until 31 January 2021.

 

You can find all regulations in the current FH Aachen Corona University Regulations by clicking on this link.

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.1.2021 New Corona Protection Ordinance: Changes for Students

Like all of us, you are probably following the current situation closely and you may be wondering what it specifically means for you. Therefore, we would like to inform you about what is currently set with regard to university operations and what is still in the planning stage. You are, in particular, affected by the continuation of teaching and examination operations.

Regarding the situation:

Based on the federal-state agreements, an updated Corona Protection Ordinance was published yesterday evening in NRW. This will, in turn, be supplemented by a Corona Epidemic University Ordinance as well as a new version of the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs' general decree for university operations. We expect both of these shortly. 

Teaching operations:

It has already been decided that teaching operations will continue, by and large, without any attendance on-site until the end of the lecture period of the winter semester. There are only a few exceptions for certain practical formats that are used in preparation for examinations (e.g. some practical trainings). Details on this can be obtained from your faculty.

Examination operations:

The faculties' plans for the upcoming examination period are currently subject to legal requirements that have not yet been determined. However, it is certain that - depending on the faculty and degree programme - online examinations will be offered wherever they make sense and can be used while maintaining equal opportunities. The currently planned on-site examinations for the remaining examinations are still subject to prior approval. However, we are very confident that these can, in any case, take place before the start of the lecture period of the coming summer semester and, preferably, also as has been planned for the long-term. Of course, these will then be conducted with the usual safety concepts. Details on this have not yet been specified, though. In any case, your faculty will inform you as soon as this is the case.

08.01.2021 New Regulations for the University Sports Center (Hochschulsportzentrum) 

Information by the University Sports Center: Extension of the prohibition to enter premises until 31 January 2021, and digital sports programme 2021 

Due to the current development around the spread of coronavirus as well as the regulations of the responsible authorities, RWTH Aachen University is unfortunately, once again, forced to implement measures to contain the spread of the virus and to relieve the health care system. In doing so, our goal is to stop any further spread, if at all possible, and to slow the rate of the spread.

As a consequence of recent federal-state resolutions, all sport facilities will presumably have to remain closed until at least 31 January 2021. This affects all facilities of the University Sports Center without exception. At the same time, entering the premises is prohibited for the stated period of time!

The date for reopening the sport facilities and resuming sport operations on-site will depend on the future development and will be announced on the HSZ website at short notice. Despite any restrictions, you can still be on the move! The HSZ offers Digital Workouts, both on demand and live. With our "Early Bird", you can continue to start your day in a sporty way, you can have an active break at lunchtime, or participate in a wide variety of individual course offerings in the evening. There is no charge for any of these offers, which will be broadcast live via Zoom.  

Please also note that until this time, the Service Point can only be reached by phone, email or by prior appointment. 

The measures of the closure are based on the decrees of the Federal Ministry of Health, the directives of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia as well as the crisis management teams of the Städteregion Aachen and RWTH Aachen University. The Rectorate is well aware that the measures will lead to restrictions on university life. Nonetheless, it considers these steps to be necessary and asks for your understanding and support.

More detailed up-to-date information on the university management's course of action can be found on the university's website.

11.12.2020 Extension of the Home Office Regulation: Decision of the Crisis Management Team

At today's meeting on 11 December 2020, the crisis management team has decided to extend the home office regulation, currently set to expire on 31 December 2020, to 31 January 2021. Against the backdrop of the present situation, the crisis management team also recommends that the various sectors of the university make special use of the possibility of granting work from the home office in the time from 14 December 2020 to 10 January 2021. This should, in particular, be made possible for those employees who, due to the regulations applicable for the new week, have to combine professional activities and care tasks.

07.12.2020 Tightening of Regulations on Mandatory Mask-Wearing at the Workplace Pursuant to the Current Corona Protection Ordinance

In the current Corona Protection Ordinance, the state of NRW has yet again tightened the mandatory rules of conduct, including those at the workplace. Please be aware that, as a general principle, mask-wearing is therefore mandatory in the buildings of FH Aachen. The face mask may only be taken off by employees if you are seated at your workstation and the minimum distance to other persons in the room is observed at all times.

Furthermore, in accordance with the current operating instructions, masks must be worn in circulation areas (entrance areas, hallways, staircases, lifts, and WC areas), in all teaching, practical, and examination activities on-site, and upon entering other people' s offices, administrative offices, and facilities (e.g. library/reading room). Masks with valves are not permitted!

The crisis management team urgently requests that, in everyone's interest, this mandatory wearing of masks be strictly implemented.

07.12.2020 Amendment of the General Decree on the Implementation of Courses, Lectures and Practical Courses as well as Examinations at Universities in NRW

There has been a further tightening of regulations for courses, lectures and practical courses at universities, which also affects teaching operations at FH Aachen. As a general rule, universities are to switch over to digital teaching. Courses requiring attendance on-site are only permitted if the following modifications are fulfilled: These are courses, lectures and practical courses which must imperatively be conducted in attendance on-site, as they require special rooms, equipment or other special framework conditions, e.g. laboratories, work rooms, sound studios as well as, in the artistic field, correpetition, exercises, individual artistic instruction, and work in ateliers and studios. The faculties are asked to check whether the regulation is being implemented across the board in accordance with the decree.

The updated general decree (Allgemeinverfügung zur Durchführung von Lehr- und Praxisveranstaltungen sowie Prüfungen an den Hochschulen in NRW) of the NRW Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs can be viewed here.

12. 11. 2020 Surfaces and objects do not need to be disinfected

In view of the tense situation due to corona, the question was raised in the library whether the disinfection of surfaces and objects that are used frequently, such as door handles, printing stations, keyboards, self-service machines, work tables, study place tickets, printing stations, etc. would be reasonable and necessary. The university medical centre does not see any need for this. According to them, a normal daily cleaning is sufficient. This means that the aforementioned surfaces and objects in the libraries do not need to be disinfected in addition to normal daily cleaning. The Robert Koch-Institut (RKI) also comments on this: "Routine surface disinfection in household and public areas, including frequent contact surfaces, is not recommended, even in the current COVID pandemic. Here, appropriate cleaning is the method of choice." In this context, we would also like to point out that the consistent implementation of hand hygiene is the most effective measure against the transmission of pathogens to, or through, surfaces. https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Reinigung_Desinfektion.html

11.11.20 Updated Operating Instructions

Due to the amended general decree of the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of North Rhine-Westphalia, FH Aachen has updated the Coronavirus operating instructions. At today's meeting, the crisis management team decided to also implement the mandatory wearing of masks during all examinations conducted on-site. With immediate effect, mandatory mask-wearing will apply to all teaching, practical and examination activities conducted on-site. As a general rule, mouth/nose protection must be worn in all circulation areas (entrance areas, hallways, stairwells, lifts and WC areas). Furthermore, masks are mandatory during all teaching, practical and examination activities conducted on-site. Masks must also be worn when entering other people's offices, administrative offices and facilities (e.g. library/reading room). Masks with valves are not permitted. Mouth/nose protection can be a mask, a cloth or a scarf. Teachers are exempt from the obligation to wear a face covering during teaching, practice or examination activities, provided that the minimum distance is observed, in accordance with §3 paragraph 4 of the Corona Protection Ordinance. If students ask teachers questions during the course or examination, and the teacher decides to approach the student's desk for this purpose, so that the minimum distance cannot be observed, the teacher must put on a face mask as well. Operating Instructions

30. 10. 2020 Sporting Operations are discontinued

Due to the current developments regarding the spread of coronavirus as well as the orders of the competent authorities, the University Sports Centre of FH Aachen and RWTH Aachen University is forced to, once again, implement measures aimed at containing the spread of the virus and relieving the health system. The objective is to stop the further spread, if at all possible, and to slow down the rate of propagation. As a consequence, sporting operations, subscription services, the rental and provision of sports venues must be discontinued as from Monday, 2 November 2020. Without exception, this applies to all offers of the University Sports Centre, regardless of whether they take place in the university's own facilities, in municipal facilities, or facilities of external partners. This also includes closing down all sports halls, the cage soccer facility, the all-weather field, the natural grass field, the outdoor fitness facilities, the RWTH Gym, the sauna, independent of sporting use, including changing rooms and sanitary facilities. For the time being, the running track in the Königshügel stadium as well as the Finnbahn will remain open until further notice. In this context, please note that according to the Corona Protection Ordinance, no more than two people may train together. The date of the resumption of operations as well as the start of registration for the winter semester 2020/21 will depend on future developments and will be communicated on the website of the University Sports Centre at short notice. Please also note that, until then, the Servicepoint can only be reached by telephone, by email, or by prior arrangement.

20. 10. 2020 New Home Office Regulation: Resolution of the Rectorate and the Crisis Management Team

On 20 October, the Rectorate of FH Aachen and the crisis management team of the university passed the following resolution: After the first decrease in corona infections in Germany thanks to the measures implemented in the summer, the number of new infections is unfortunately on the rise again. The situation must therefore be re-evaluated for the members of FH Aachen as well. As you know, the Rectorate and the crisis management team have been dealing with this issue and making decisions constantly. At this time, we are also looking closely at the new developments. In contrast to the spring, however, we can now draw on experiences and insights that we did not have at the beginning of the summer semester. Thanks to our measures, we have managed to prevent an outbreak at FH Aachen so far, and we want to see to it that it stays that way. Due to the quite alarming development of corona numbers in Germany and especially in the city region of Aachen, the current home office regulation is extended until 31 December 2020. Attendance times are not to be increased any further. It is still our objective to maintain a balanced and responsible ratio of on-site attendance and home office. The following should be taken into account regarding further implementation: As a general rule, working in person on-site is desirable wherever we can safely comply with the respective rules; we have all learnt from experience that personal contact with each other is beneficial for office operations as well as for the working atmosphere; attendance is important to us. However, the first priority is still the observance of distance and hygiene rules. In order to achieve this, it may be necessary to staff the offices with a reduced number of people, e.g. by adjusting or shifting working hours, using unoccupied workplaces, or alternating occupancy of multi-person offices (switching between attendance and home office). The route to and from work should also be considered; the arrangement of working hours, for example, should be organised in such a manner that traffic jams can be avoided as much as possible.

Taking spatial conditions, official duties and the personal situation into account, people may work from their home office, in consultation with their superior. This involves finding solutions together that take both the interests of the office and the individual needs of the employees into consideration. As a general rule, however, availability via telephone and email must be guaranteed in the home office as well. The decision lies with the respective superiors. The current situation is a burden for all of us, if for different reasons. We therefore appeal to all executive staff and employees of FH Aachen to keep being considerate towards each other, to observe the "AHA+L rules" (distance, hygiene, community masks, ventilation) and use the possibilities of attendance on-site and home office responsibly.

19. 10. 2020 Expanded Mandatory Wearing of Masks for On-Site Operations

Due to current developments, the Coronavirus Operating Instructions of FH Aachen have been modified. The rapidly increasing number of infections in the City and City Region of Aachen as well as in the districts of Düren and Heinsberg now require further measures in order to slow down the spread of coronavirus at FH Aachen as well. For this reason, the crisis management team decided at its meeting on Friday to expand the already existing mandatory wearing of masks. From now on, masks will also be mandatory during all teaching and examination activities conducted on-site, with the exception of written examinations (Klausuren). During an exam, masks may be removed when sitting down. Furthermore, masks are mandatory when entering other people's offices, administrative offices and facilities. After consultation and coordination with the respective users, masks may be removed. Due to the occurrence of infection, a positive change is currently unlikely. If the occurrence of infection keeps getting worse, further restrictions on operations on-site will, in fact, become necessary. The crisis management team will discuss this in a timely manner and provide information. At all meetings held on site, the mouth/nose protection may be removed if the safety distance of 1.50 metres is observed and sufficient ventilation is possible. If one participant expressly insists on wearing such protection, all participants should keep their mouth/nose protectors on, or the person concerned should be allowed to participate in the meeting via Webex. Additionally, we urge you to observe the generally known hygiene rules.

28. 09. 2020 Documents Available for Download

At the request of the Staff Councils as well as many employees, Department IV provides the following documents as further information and for further use. (Please note that the documents are only available in German.) Handlungsempfehlung_zur_Durchführung_von_Praktia_Praxisveranstaltungen_Covid-19  (Recommended Course of Action for Conducting Practical Trainings Practical Courses Covid-19) Checkliste_Seminare  Veranstaltungen_Corona_FH Aachen

(Checklist Seminars Courses Events Corona FH Aachen) Mustergefährdungsbeurteilung_CORONA_2020_FH_Präsenzveranstaltungen

(Risk Assessment Specimen CORONA 2020 FH Attendance Courses) Please note that the documents are not necessarily relevant for every employee, but only where the respective practical trainings and attendance courses are being held. The "Recommended Course of Action for Conducting Practical Trainings Practical Courses Covid-19"  comprises essential information, instructions and recommendations as to what needs to be observed with regard to Corona Covid-19 when conducting such courses. By popular demand, the department has also prepared a simplified form of supplementary risk assessment on the occasion of Corona 2020, Covid-19. This form is to be filled in for on-site courses at FH Aachen, such as practical trainings, seminars, other meetings pursuant to the Corona Protection Ordinance and the Ministry's General Decree. In addition, there is a checklist with key points for conducting seminars and courses.

31 July 2020 | Libraries Bayernallee and Boxgraben Reopen for Members of FH Aachen 

From Monday, 3 August 2020 the libraries at Bayernallee and Boxgraben will reopen for members of  FH Aachen. The following opening hours apply until further notice: Bayernallee Mon-Fri 9 am - 2 pm

Boxgraben Mon-Fri 9 am - 1 pm (17 August - 4 September: Tue + Thu 9 am - 1 pm) Click here for more information.

17 July 2020 | Library Eupener Straße Opens in Pilot Operation

As of Monday, 20 July 2020, the library will open again for members of FH Aachen. Until further notice, the following opening hours apply: Mon-Thu  9 am to 4 pm

Fri            9 am to 2 pm

Within the framework of the pilot operation, special regulations apply when visiting the library. These are explained in more detail on the library pages. From 20 July 2020, the contactless return of books will be possible. A return box for books will be set up in the foyer opposite the porter's lodge in Building E. Please use the box for library books only and not for keys or interlibrary loan books! Moreover, books must be returned in due time, as they will not be booked back until the next day! All other FH Aachen libraries will remain in emergency operation. This means that making appointments for library use via bibliothek(at)fh-aachen.de is still required in all other libraries.

02 July 2020 Operating Instructions and Hygiene Regulations

In this document, you will find the operating instructions and hygiene regulations of FH Aachen.

19 June 2020 | Home Office Regulation as of 1 July 2020

The FH Aachen crisis management team has decided to gradually make it possible for employees to return to the workplace, upon consultation with their respective superiors, and in compliance with the distance and hygiene regulations. In order to ensure the required tracing of chains of infection, attendance times at FH Aachen must be recorded. Any contacts you have during attendance meetings must also be documented. If you conduct attendance meetings with external persons, please make sure that you have the data to allow tracing, if required. Within the university, you can enter your attendance times at FH Aachen, for example, in the FH Outlook calendar. Appointments for meetings with colleagues as well as a short note about the participants can also be recorded here. This way, possible chains of infection can be traced without extra effort. The respective superiors may also implement other suitable measures to ensure tracing. The data must be stored for four weeks. In order to be able to plan the attendance time of individual employees and to have the necessary protective measures in place, it is absolutely mandatory to consult with the superior beforehand. In this context, it should be taken into account that, in accordance with current regulations, only one person is allowed to work in each office. The regulations made in the individual areas must take the interests of the individual employees into account. Particularly those who are dependent on the possibility of working from home for reasons of care should be able to remain in this status. 05 June 2020 | Home Office Regulations to Apply until 30 June 2020 At its meeting, the FH Aachen crisis management team decided to largely maintain the current home office regulations. For the time being, these regulations will apply until 30 June 2020. As before, the provision that as much work as possible should be done from home will remain in force. However, there is no ban on working at one's workplace at FH Aachen, upon consultation with the superior and in compliance with the distance and hygiene regulations. If at all possible, the offices should only be occupied by one employee. In the next few weeks, the staff will be needed on site, especially for conducting attendance examinations and practical trainings. The amended opening hours in the FH Aachen buildings will continue to apply - for the time being, until 12 June 2020 - from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 02 June 2020 | Information on Exam Registration and Examinations in General The registration phase for the written examinations of the June/July examination period has begun, or has already been completed for some faculties. The university has established regulations for the examinations, which stipulate, among other things, that, under certain conditions, the examinations offered in June/July or September/October are deemed not to have been taken at all if candidates do not pass them.

 

Examinations that are sat after the lecture period of the summer semester 2020, or at the beginning of the winter semester 2020/21, and which are not passed, are considered not to have been taken (free attempt), unless there is a case of default or an attempt to deceive, or it is an attempt at improvement. The provisions of the Framework Examination Regulations as well as the respective Examination Regulations on the withdrawal from examinations remain in force.

 

Further details 22 May 2020 Compensation for the Consequences of the Coronavirus-SARS-CoV-2 Epidemic for Studies and Teaching

The FH has published a regulation to compensate for the consequences of the coronavirus-SARS-CoV-2 epidemic for studies and teaching at the FH Aachen. These regulations stipulate, for example, how the university proceeds with examinations and admission requirements in the course of the corona crisis. 14 May 2020 ZHQ Navigator Is Now Online FH Aachen's Centre for University Didactics and Quality Development (Zentrum für Hochschuldidaktik und Qualitätsentwicklung, ZHQ) has created a website entitled "Corona-Semester 2020". The main focus of this site is to provide teaching staff and students with advice, instructions and webinars on the urgent topical questions and challenges of the ongoing online semester. The site is intended to serve as a navigation tool for ZHQ's offers, and contains more in-depth articles or practical reports (soon to be expanded). The dates/announcements are updated on a weekly basis. They include the latest offers available to the teaching staff and students. The new page is linked to the pages of the e-Learning service. In ILIAS, this category is the main place for materials and groups - the links on the #CORONA page partly refer to the ILIAS pages that are publicly accessible (Wikis). At this time, one important address is "elearningfh-aachen.de" - under this email address, enquiries on the usage of ILIAS or webex/Zoom as well as general questions on the digitalisation in studies and teaching can be sent to the Ticket System. Alternatively, a ticket can be generated directly in the Help Centre (area of eLearning). 13 May 2020 Overview of the Legal Regulations First of all, the so-called "Act on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases in Humans", or "Infection Protection Act - Infektionsschutzgesetz - IfSG" for short) is important as a federal law. It regulates the fundamental principles of prevention and control of communicable diseases nationwide. Above all, however, the individual federal states are given the opportunity, through legal ordinances, to issue corresponding orders and bans to combat communicable diseases. A daily updated site is available as well. It provides information about new developments, regulations, measures, ordinances as well as tips from the state government. On this page, you will find all legal ordinances and decrees relating to the Corona pandemic in the respective valid version. The Ministry of Health NRW also provides a page with a chronological list of the decrees on the Corona Pandemic. The decrees and ordinances are updated at frequent intervals and adapted to the developments. 27 April 2020 Letter from the Vice Rector for Studies and Teaching to the Students

 

Dear students, Like all of us at the university, you’ve surely been following the developments of the past few weeks very closely. This was announced in the agreements between the Chancellor and the Minister Presidents: "In university teaching, the conducting of examinations as well as practical courses which require special laboratory or work rooms at the universities can be resumed, subject to special hygiene and protective measures. Libraries and archives can be opened under certain conditions regarding hygiene, controlled admission and the avoidance of queues." This agreement, however, is regulated in a legally binding manner in laws, ordinances and implementing regulations of the federal states. The university is working intensively on implementing the now prevailing regulations for teaching and examination operations. At present, examination operations are being planned, which will take some time due to the differences between the degree programmes and study locations. For you, this means:

 

• The registration periods for examinations of your degree programme are only offered as originally planned in exceptional cases. In most cases, registration will only be possible at the beginning of June. Please contact the examination offices that are responsible for you and/or visit the websites of the respective faculty. For degree programmes that are offered by several faculties, these faculties have been asked to coordinate the periods of time.
• The examination time periods previously announced by the faculties will be maintained with regard to the start of the examination period. At present, we still have to reserve the right to extend the examination phases. We will try our best to avoid this.
• The form of the respective module exam (oral/written/paper, or similar) may differ from the one specified in the module description. However, the form will be determined at least 4 weeks before the examination date.
• Examinations are conducted subject to special health protection measures. Details can be obtained in due time, prior to the examinations, from the central office or from the responsible examination offices. Until then, please refrain from making enquiries, as we are not yet in a position to provide you with binding information.
• Nevertheless, we would like to point out beforehand that you must wear mouth and nose protectors during exams. On account of the obligation to wear it in certain areas of public life in NRW, which has come into effect today, 27 April, we will assume that you have such protectors and will bring it with you to the examination.

 

 

By this means, we will keep you informed about relevant regulations on an ongoing basis. We would also like to draw your attention to the information on our homepage. Currently, we are in the process of discussing an adjustment of the regulations with regard to the prescribed period of study. Details will be provided separately as to whether practical trainings will take place and whether libraries will be partially reopened.

 

Aachen, 27 April 2020 Prof. Dr.-Ing. Josef Rosenkranz, Vice Rector 17 April 2020 Library information

 

Due to the current circumstances, the FH Aachen libraries will remain closed until 3 May 2020, for the time being. For additional library services and current information, please click here.

 

17 April 2020 Current Resolutions

 

In agreement with the heads of government of the federal states, the German Chancellor decided on 15 April to extend the contact ban until 3 May and to only introduce a minor easing of the restrictions. In principle, this means that all regulations made so far will remain in force at the university. It was announced that special work rooms such as laboratories and libraries can be reopened for examination and teaching purposes, subject to special hygiene and protective measures. For this purpose, a more precise definition of the necessary framework requirements is expected next week. The Vice Rector for Studies and Teaching is working on this, in cooperation with the faculties and the library. In addition, further implementing regulations by the state are expected next week. 14 April 2020 News from Studies and Teaching

 

Most of the teaching provided by the faculties is now offered online. Most students are satisfied with this service. The courses offered will be evaluated. 

 

• Exclusively online: The summer semester is to begin (UNIs), or, in the case of HAW, be continued, as a pure "online semester".  For the time being, attendance courses will not be held at all. 

• Technology: The online courses are very well received. At times, the technology was still a problem, but the difficulties have been identified and solutions have been worked out. In the meantime, the performance of the ILIAS platform has been considerably improved.

• Practical Training in laboratories as well as work in workshops cannot be replaced yet. Videos from in-house laboratories, or interactive test evaluation in dialogue, might be a possibility. The laboratory practical training cannot be implemented in an equivalent manner. Access and implementation via remote access is being prepared. In addition, it is being examined whether special arrangements for attending workshops and laboratories in important exceptional cases (e.g. final papers) can be made possible.

• Examinations: The challenges of online exams are well known, and legally compliant solutions are to be developed for these as well. 

 

 

 

 

 

9 April 2020 Students Registering a Change of Residence The City of Aachen provides information on current possibilities for registering a change of residence.

 

Please find the detailed message here. 7 April 2020 Online Courses to Continue as of 20 April, for the Time Being As of 20 April 2020, all courses will, for the time being, continue to take place online. This is a joint agreement between the Ministry of Culture and Science and the State Rectors' Conferences (Landesrektorenkonferenzen, LRK) of the Universities, Universities of Applied Sciences (Hochschulen für angewandte Wissenschaften, HAW) as well as the Universities of Art and Music of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Please click here for detailed information. 30 March 2020 Job Fair meet@fh-aachen.de Postponed Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus, the Job Fair meet@fh-aachen.de has to be postponed. The 14th/15th October 2020 has been confirmed as an alternative date.

As usual, the first day of the fair will take place in the fair tents on Campus Eupener Straße and will target all business sectors.

The second day of the fair in the main building Bayernallee 11 is aimed specifically at the fields of architecture and civil engineering.

30 March 2020 New Access Procedure for beck-online With immediate effect, FH Aachen students can access Beck online outside FH Aachen as well. This means that there are now new access procedures for all employees.

You have to personally register at beck-online with your FH email address. In order to get access, you need to be on the FH Aachen campus or activate VPN anyconnect.fh-aachen.de/BIB. The newly created accounts are expected to be valid until the end of May.

30 March 2020 Malfunctions in Ilias Due to an extremely increased number of users in the system, ILIAS is currently experiencing very long response times.

 

27 March 2020 Changed Rental Conditions of the Studierendenwerk The Studierendenwerk has temporarily changed its rental conditions due to the Corona crisis. You can find all changed rental conditions here or on the homepage of the Studierendenwerk.

 

26 March 2020 Entitlement to BAföG Remains Unchanged in Case of Engagement Against Corona Pandemic! BAföG beneficiaries are allowed to earn additional money, as for example in social institutions, in the health care system or in the agricultural sector, without losing their entitlement to BAföG. Detailed information on the new regulations is available here. 25 March 2020 Information on Working from Home (Home Office) with Children The German Social Accident Insurance (Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung ) provides tips for working from home when you have children.

24 March 2020 Information for International Students The Department of International Affairs at FH Aachen has prepared information for international students regarding the student residence permit.

 

Information for International Students 23 March 2020 Temporary Closure of FH Buildings Department IV - Facility Management would like to inform you that the corona crisis has resulted in the temporary closure of the following FH buildings (for the time being, probably until 19 April 2020):

 

 

 

• Eupener Str., Buildings D,F,G,H,W,C,B
• HSG Jülich, Auditorium (see below), Mensa Jülich, Gerling-Pavillon

 

 

The Auditorium in Jülich is not affected by the complete closure. It is currently operating in emergency mode in accordance with the statements on the library's homepage.

 

For the remaining buildings, reduced opening hours will apply from Monday, 23 March 2020.

 

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8.00 am to 5.00 pm

 

Mr. Kaußen (T. 51700) or Mr. Quast (T. 51722) will be available to answer any questions regarding the current building operation. 23 March 2020 Repatriation from Abroad For students and staff who are still abroad and wish to be repatriated: The Federal Foreign Office has set up a database for repatriation. Registration under: www.rueckholprogramm.de

 

Check your FH email accounts regularly! 20 March 2020 Libraries to remain closed for the time being

 

For up-to-date information on the library's services, please visit the library's website. 18 March 2020 Online-Courses start on 30 March!

In a meeting on March 18, the Rectorate made decisions on how to deal with the corona pandemic regarding studies and teaching. These decisions apply, in particular, to courses, lectures and examinations. The regulations are based on consultations with the faculties, university administration and the Students' Union Executive Committee (AStA).

Go to the detailed report on the Rectorate's resolutions.  18 March 2020 Libraries will remain closed For the time being, due to the current situation, the FH Aachen libraries will remain closed until 19 April 2020. For the protection of all, services requiring personal contact are to be reduced to the necessary minimum. Digital services (Catalogue PLUS, e-books, databases, etc.) as well as electronic or phone information will be available. Nationwide interlibrary loans for books and journal articles have been discontinued. More information about the library services 18 March 2020 Information for FH Aachen Employees In accordance with a resolution of the Rectorate, all FH Aachen employees who are able to work in the home office, based on the concepts developed for their unit, are to do so, with immediate effect. The instructions of Department I regarding Home Office must be observed. Here you will find a link to the Labour and Service Regulations at FH Aachen (login required). Generally, the availability by phone and email remains assured. Please get informed about possible restrictions on the pages of the individual departments, central facilities and faculties. Instructions for LogIn via mobile devices:

 

• Call up the FH Aachen homepage.
• Click on the Burger menu in the upper left corner (three thick bars below each other).
• In the right corner, you will now see a lock symbol.
• Click on it and log in with your FH Identifier

 

15 March 2020 Information from the Rectorate - Examinations, Lectures and Courses

 

• As from 16 March 2020, all examinations have been cancelled.
• Furthermore, "small courses" and practical trainings have also been cancelled.
• University management and the faculties are constantly exchanging information, in order to avoid any disadvantages for students.

 

 

Long version: On March 12, the Rectorate of FH Aachen had announced that the examinations due to be held at the university from March 13, 2020 onwards would be carried out in the interest of the examiners. This was in accordance with the decree of the MKW as well as the recommended rules of conduct of the RKI and the public health office.

 

There has now been a change insofar as there is a decree of the Ministry of Health of North Rhine-Westphalia which demands considerable restrictions with regard to gatherings of people, which must also be observed by us. According to this decree, examinations may no longer be carried out with immediate effect. Unfortunately, we do not see any discretionary scope in this context. The Rectorate has therefore made a binding decision for the entire university today, to cancel all examinations as from March 16 until further notice. In order to keep the disadvantages for the students as limited as possible, we are going to contact the faculties immediately. We will, of course, keep you up to date.

 

As a matter of logic, this will also affect the "small" courses with a known number of participants. It had been assumed that these courses could still be held as from March 23. These will also be cancelled.

The Rectorate deeply regrets the development, the decision was not an easy one. It was made today, in direct consultation with the Minister, Ms. Pfeiffer-Poensgen. 13 March 2020 Information from the Ministry of Culture and Science on the Start of Lectures

 

• Start of lectures at universities postponed to April 20.
• In accordance with the applicable legal requirements and the recommendations of the Robert Koch Institute, universities may hold digital events and smaller events requiring on-site attendance at their own discretion, even before lectures begin.
• At the beginning of April at the latest, the Ministry and the universities will jointly reassess the situation and discuss any follow-up measures.
• All information from the Ministry of Culture and Science NRW can be found here.

 

 

 

13 March 2020 Information from the University Library

 

 

 

• The special opening hours of the study rooms on Campus Jülich and Campus Eupener Straße on 14 and 15 March 2020 (Sat/Sun) are cancelled without replacement.
• As from Monday, 16 March 2020, libraries are open regularly. All study stations ("Lernplätze") will remain locked until further notice.
• The University Library would like to reduce the risk of infection for employees, students and visitors and will restrict services with personal contact. For borrowing/returning/payment transactions, you are advised to, preferably, use the machines provided. Digital services (Catalogue PLUS, e-books, databases, etc.) are fully available. Please feel free to make enquiries for personal consultations and trainings, either by email, telephone or chat.
   

 

11 March 2020 Resolutions of the Rectorate - Courses,  Lectures, Teaching Operations, and Examinations

 

 

 

 

• Generally, all teaching events and examinations will take place until further notice. Possible cancellations due to the coronavirus may only be made with the prior consent of the Rector. The Vice Rector for Studies and Teaching, Prof. Dr. Josef Rosenkranz, is in contact with the representatives of the faculties to discuss regulations concerning examinations and courses.   
• All events not related to teaching (e.g. fairs, conferences, etc.) which exceed the number of participants of 30 persons are to be cancelled. In the case of events not related to teaching with fewer than 30 participants, prior approval must be obtained from the Rectorate.

 

 

 

Current information for students (12 March 2020)

 

10 March 2020: Resolution of the Crisis Management Team - Information for Employees

 

The measures taken so far are basically still valid and are within the scope of the measures taken by other universities. The following alignments were determined:

 

 

 

• With immediate effect, business trips to risk areas will no longer be approved.
• Students returning from risk areas must stay at home for 14 days before they are allowed to return to university (if free of symptoms).
• Employees who are classified as Category 1 contact persons are under obligation to seek contact with their respective superiors before taking up employment at the FH. Category 1 contact person refers to a face-to-face contact of at least 15 minutes in closed rooms with a person infected with the coronavirus. If necessary, home office can be considered in these cases.

 

In addition, the following new measure is taken on the recommendation of the university doctor:

 

• No more catering services in the form of buffets, finger food or the like may be offered at events.

 

On the website of the Human Resources Department, under "Information A-Z", questions pertaining to labour and service law in connection with the coronavirus are addressed for employees (after the appropriate login). 04 March 2020: Formation of a Crisis Management Team and Pandemic Preparedness Plan FH Aachen has set up a crisis management team that is constantly monitoring current events relating to the spread of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and will inform members of the university in case special measures are necessary. FH Aachen thereby complies with the procedure defined in the Pandemic Preparedness Plan. This plan stipulates that in Phase I (from the occurrence of a few cases of infection in people in Germany to the infection of a population share of 10%), the in-house pandemic plan will be activated, which provides detailed instructions for action. The crisis management team is headed by the Chancellor of FH Aachen, Volker Stempel. Hans-Michael Kortz has been appointed Pandemic Coordinator. The members of the crisis management team also include the head of RWTH Aachen University Medical Center, Dr. Doris Keller. The following issues and regulations were discussed at the first meeting of the crisis management team: General Information For general information on the coronavirus, please refer to the information provided by the Robert Koch Institute, in particular the issued risk assessment and recommended infection protection measures. A list of the Robert Koch Institute with questions and answers about the coronavirus can be found here. For citizens of the City of Aachen and StädteRegion Aachen, a Corona-Info-Hotline has been set up for general information about the topic (not for personal medical advice!) at 0241/510051 (daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.). On weekdays, the public authority telephone number 115 is also activated. The NRW Health Ministry has also set up a hotline for the coronavirus at 0211/8554774. The telephone number of the Kreis Düren public health office (Gesundheitsamt): 02421/221053920 For concrete questions regarding their employment relationship, FH Aachen employees may also consult the respective contact persons in the Human Resources Department. Hygiene Measures The recommended prevention measures are essentially based on the measures generally recommended against influenza:

 

• Wash your hands regularly with sufficient soap and water.
• After consulting with the university doctor, an additional application of disinfectants is not considered advisable at present. The same applies to wearing a face mask.
• If possible, refrain from shaking hands.
• Observe the cough/sneezing etiquette (crook of the arm instead of the hand).
• Use handkerchiefs only once and dispose of them safely.
• Keep a distance of 1 to 2 metres from the person you are talking to.

 

 

The university will constantly review whether an expansion of the hygiene measures is advisable. In addition, it will remain in constant contact with RWTH Aachen University, the adjacent institutions Katholische Hochschule NRW and Käthe-Kollwitz-Schule (Berufskolleg der StädteRegion Aachen) as well as the Studierendenwerk Aachen. Conduct on Arrival from a Risk Area As far as possible, university members, guests and cooperation partners arriving from risk areas are asked to refrain from direct contact with other persons for the duration of the incubation period and to contact the local health office (Gesundheitsamt). Affected persons should consult with their superiors or their contact persons at FH Aachen and, for instance, use the possibilities of temporary home office or other communication media. FH Aachen employees should also make contact with the responsible contact person of the Human Resources Department to discuss all possibilities in individual cases. Quarantine and Positive for SARS-CoV-2 Employees who are quarantined are asked to report to Department I. Please state the approximate duration and submit the appropriate certificate. If a suspected illness is confirmed, a medical certificate will be issued by the local health office. Please submit this certificate to Department I as well. Students who tested positive for the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) are asked to report to coronavirusfh-aachen.de. Please state your student ID number as well as your faculty. Business Travel and Excursions It is strongly recommended that, at present, university members refrain from travelling to the risk areas mentioned by the Robert Koch Institute and instead communicate via other media. If a business trip to a risk area is nevertheless absolutely necessary, the travel expenses office must be informed before approval. Swab Centre The City of Aachen and the StädteRegion Aachen have established a so-called “Abstrichzentrum” (Swab Centre) in Eschweiler. The Centre is intended to relieve doctors' offices and hospitals of the burden of testing and to consolidate information at the responsible public health office. All people who want to be tested must first call the new telephone hotline 0241/5198-7500. This means that you cannot simply visit the Swab Centre, and even with a doctor's referral, you must call the hotline beforehand. The hotline will clarify whether two conditions are basically fulfilled. First of all, the caller must be a contact person of the "1st category" to a positively tested person (i.e. have had 15 minutes of face-to-face contact in a closed room). Secondly, the caller must show corresponding symptoms of illness. If both conditions are met, you will receive an invitation to the Swab Centre by email. The swabs are sent to a laboratory in Cologne three times a day by express delivery and are evaluated there. The results should be available within 24 hours. The following websites provide up-to-date information in English: European Commission World Health Organization: Advice for public

World Health Organization: Q&A

World Health Organization: Travel advice

Here you will find posters with information for travellers from/to China and for travellers from/to Italy.