Zoom (video conferencing system)

Zoom is used to hold online meetings, webinars, courses and virtual meetings - with both internal and external participants. The platform supports synchronous communication via video, audio and chat.

Zoom can be used by anyone with a UniAccount - especially students, teaching staff and university employees.

The IT Service Center operates Zoom in a data protection-compliant, licensed version via the German Zoom provider "Zoom X powered by Telekom".

Zoom is a web-based video conferencing solution with extensive functions for virtual communication and collaboration. The campus license allows university-wide use with extended functions such as breakout rooms, screen sharing and recording options.

BigBlueButton (BBB) is offered as a supplementary video conferencing platform for use alongside Zoom.

• Video conferences: Stable image and sound transmission for groups of any size.

• Webinars: Events with a large number of participants and moderated interaction (only on request and where there is a justified need).

• Screen sharing: Presentations, applications or the entire screen can be shared.

• Breakout rooms: Participants can be divided into smaller group rooms.

• Chat function: Text-based communication during the meeting.

• Recording: Sessions can be recorded for follow-up (locally).

• Integration in Moodle: Courses can be organized directly in Moodle.

• Teachers can hold online seminars with presentations, discussions and group work.

• Research groups use Zoom for international project meetings with colleagues worldwide.

• Stable internet connection

• PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone with microphone and camera

• Zoom client

Access is via the university-wide Zoom login at uni-kassel.zoom-x.de.

Registration takes place with the UniAccount via the central authentication system (single sign-on) and participants can take part in meetings directly without registering. Organizers require registration in order to plan and hold meetings. In order to be able to register, a prior license activation via identity management is required. You can find the instructions for this under Zoom license for event organizers.

Zoom can be used via the Zoom client for Windows and macOS, the apps for iOS and Android or directly as a plugin in MS Outlook. The corresponding applications can be found in the respective stores or in the links below.

You can find detailed installation instructions on our Downloading the Zoom apps page.

No training courses are currently offered.

The following tips will help you to participate in Zoom meetings at the University of Kassel as anonymously as possible:

• All users can specify themselves in the Zoom app/client whether participation in a meeting is anonymous or whether their own name is displayed.
• To set your display name for Zoom to anonymous, go to the identity management (user app) and log in with your university account data.
  • There, click on the start page element Request access.
  • Then click on Manage access to Zoom under Services.
  • Remove the tick behind Personalize display name.
  • Finally, click on Send to save the settings.
• At the start of the meeting, the camera function on your own device is deactivated, which is indicated by the message "Video function deactivated". To protect your anonymity, you should not manually activate the camera function on your own device.
• To participate in Zoom meetings completely anonymously, users can establish a VPN connection. Detailed instructions on how to use the VPN client of the University of Kassel can be found under Instructions for using VPN.

Use takes place within the framework of a campus license. The license covers all forms of university use. Private or commercial use is excluded.

Please note the guidelines "Use of video conferencing systems at the University of Kassel from the summer semester 2023", taking into account the EU-US Data Privacy Framework and the relevant information from the Hessian Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information.