Dear members of the UdK Berlin,

during this year's Rundgang, there have been several experiences of discrimination with members of the security service at Hardenbergstraße 33. Since last weekend, we as the university management have been collecting and evaluating the feedback.

We have talked to those involved both on site and afterwards, and have received feedback from students and lecturers. This process of collecting information is still ongoing. However, we would like to announce the following preliminary consequences for the next Rundgang in 2023:

1) The next Rundgang will be planned in a Rundgang 2023 working group including students, from the beginning of the winter semester 2022/2023, so that we can develop a shared concept, which will correspond to the needs in terms of content as well as regarding the respective regulations.

2) We will work with students to develop our communication strategy beyond ‘NoReply’ e-mails or through the heads of the departments, so it actually reaches everyone who is affected.

3) In cooperation with the students, whose participation we hope for, we will put together an awareness team for the next Rundgang. We will support this team by providing the necessary training to ensure that there are safe contact points throughout the Rundgang.

4) We will discuss a code of conduct with the security company, also developed together with students, so that the security company can operate in accordance with the safety standards of the UdK Berlin.

We very much regret the reported incidents and hope that, with the support of our dedicated student community, we can achieve an improvement for the next Rundgang in 2023. The formation of the Rundgang 2023 working group will be announced well in advance in order to encourage participation.

Norbert Palz on behalf of the university management
28 July 2022