Press release

8th January 2021

Joint press release by the Senate Chancellery for Science and Research and the State Conference of the Rectors and Presidents of the Higher Education Institutions in Berlin (LKRP)
 

The Senate Chancellery for Science and Research and the Berlin universities and colleges have agreed to continue and strengthen the measures already agreed on 14th December for restricting contact and containing the pandemic from beyond 10th January until 31st January. As of January 11th, the following now applies to university and college operations within the framework of the Berlin phased plan: ´
•    No in-person events will be held at the universities and colleges between 11th and 31st January 2021.
•    Exceptions may only be permitted for already planned in-person examinations, including entrance examinations, and for absolutely essential practical formats that cannot be carried out in digital form. The number of participants is to be restricted to an absolute minimum. Participation is voluntary for students. They will not suffer any disadvantages if they do not participate.
•    Practical medical formats at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin that cannot be postponed may still take place.
•    Academic libraries are only allowed to offer online services and loan facilities from 11th to 31st January 2021.

In principle, state, private and denominational universities and colleges, and their institutions, are thus not allowed to open to the external public for the 2020/2021 winter semester and will carry out their teaching using online formats and not in person during this period. In order to help protect members of the universities and colleges and contain the pandemic, efforts are again being made, in particular, to further restrict contact and possible travel. Employees whose work does not absolutely have to be carried out in person on campus for organisational or technical reasons will continue to work from home as far as possible, in agreement with their supervisors.
As has already been the case since the start of the pandemic, the Berlin universities and colleges will continue to avoid or mitigate any possible disadvantages for students as much as possible; they will extend the time allowed for theses and term papers by 4 weeks, in accordance with their respective framework regulations, or will make comparable provisions.

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