Minister and presidium on status and perspectives for the university

Dear Students, Dear Faculty, Dear University Staff, Dear Student Applicants,

Eight weeks ago, at the start of what has been an extraordinary summer semester for all of us, we presented to you the guidelines we would use to address the challenges posed to higher education institutions and their members and dependents by the spread of the Corona virus. In doing so, we were aware that we were only at the beginning of an event whose further course is difficult to predict, whose multi-layered consequences not only deeply affect our lives and raise questions to which we must find answers together, but also require considerable commitment on the part of all those involved in dealing with this crisis situation.  Thanks to this commitment, particularly in medical care, government agencies and social initiatives, but also the discipline of the vast majority of citizens, we have now reached a level that allows us to look forward with cautious optimism and a gradual and cautious easing of previous restrictions. At the same time, we have worked hard to create reliable framework conditions and to find satisfactory answers to the most pressing questions. Today, we would like to inform you about where we stand and how we intend to proceed from the current perspective:

1. we have broken new ground, and we must continue to do so.

We continue to focus on flexibility in the design of teaching, study and examination. Teaching and research must still take place in forms that meet epidemiological requirements. In the summer semester, this means above all: continuing to use mainly digital and new formats. We are trying to achieve our common goal of ensuring that, as far as possible, everyone who wants to complete the semester can do so by resuming attendance at least in those areas where teaching and research simply reach their limits without the use of the universities' spatial and material resources. This applies in particular to laboratory operations, music studies, artistic studio work, as well as sports practice and comparable offerings. These are, subject to strict adherence to the hygiene concepts developed by the universities, possible again in principle with immediate effect. The universities provide information about the details relevant to you - what runs where, when and how - on their websites. In addition, the priority given to online teaching must be maintained for the time being so as not to jeopardize what we have achieved together prematurely. Only in this way can we hope to return in a timely manner to the full-fledged campus life and the associated interpersonal exchange that we all so urgently desire and from which higher education ultimately thrives. The Hessian universities, which have massively expanded online teaching in recent weeks, are being supported by the state with the Digital Pact for Universities, which was concluded in April and has a total volume of 112 million euros and a term of 5 years.  For 2020, we have identified the special needs for the challenges posed by Corona and agreed to use the initial funds of 8 million euros from the Digital Pact specifically, for example, for additional streaming capacity, equipment for video-based courses and, to a limited extent, for an emergency fund for student work materials.  

2. we have started together, but still need a lot of flexibility

On April 20, teaching began at universities in the state of Hesse, initially with digital offerings. Our thanks go to all those who have worked hard and creatively to develop new digital offerings and additional solutions and fine-tuned their technical implementation, and to those who have persevered despite some technical pitfalls. Because of the restricted attendance and the significantly reduced group sizes due to hygiene requirements, we have to flexibly move back the end of the lecture period within the summer semester so that everyone has the same opportunity to successfully complete the summer semester. This may continue into October. Therefore, we have agreed that the lectures of the winter semester will start on 2.11.2020. In order to make use of the month of October, universities have the option of assigning course work completed in October to the 2020 summer semester. Students who are able to complete their studies at the end of the summer semester or who wish to change universities and therefore do not re-register for the winter semester beginning on Oct. 1 may, upon request, receive a semester certificate extended by October from the university. The individual universities ensure that there is a family-friendly recreation period of at least three weeks during the Hessian summer vacations. In principle, no courses should take place during this time. Examinations may be held.

3. no one should be left behind - this is and remains our top priority

Students who, due to the consequences of the Covid 19 pandemic, are unable to complete any or all of their scheduled courses should, in principle, not be disadvantaged. The examination deadlines, which are linked to the subject semesters or defined time periods, have been extended accordingly by the universities and the examination offices responsible for state examinations, and the crediting of deviating course or examination formats has been ensured in principle. The question of holding, canceling or postponing state examinations/state exams is not the technical responsibility of the Hessian Ministry of Science, but rather of the respective responsible ministries. Overall, it is important for us to ensure a continuous process of improvement in exchange with the universities and the other specialist ministries so that no disadvantages arise in principle due to the special situation of the 2020 summer semester.  The science ministers of the federal states have lobbied the federal government intensively to ensure that regulations are found, particularly with regard to BAföG, but also with regard to child benefits and health insurance, that are capable of securing the livelihood of students in times of the Covid 19 pandemic. 

 As things stand now, this is the situation: We pointed out to the federal government at an early stage the problems under BAföG law that could arise for BAföG recipients as a result of the postponement of the start of lectures. The BMBF has issued a decree stating that BAföG recipients will continue to receive their educational funding, both with regard to continued funding and initial funding. This means that BAföG recipients will not be disadvantaged in this respect.

 Work is still underway to determine what form the compensation for disadvantages resulting from delays in studies due to the pandemic will take. All parties involved agree that pandemic-related delays in studies should lead to a corresponding extension of BAföG entitlement. Our preferred approach is a flat-rate federal regulation without high administrative costs. Hesse has therefore called on the Federal Government via the Bundesrat to enable a procedure that ensures across-the-board that students with pandemic-related delays in their studies do not suffer any disadvantages when receiving BAföG benefits. The HMWK is currently holding talks with the federal government on this issue. At the same time, we are working on viable alternatives in the event that the federal government does not implement the blanket regulation. It is important to us that the necessary security and transparency are created in good time, before applications for extensions have to be submitted, in accordance with the legal requirements of the federal government. 

Many students finance their studies with jobs that they have, however, lost in the course of the Corona pandemic.

In order to be able to provide financial assistance to BAföG-eligible students as quickly as possible in the current crisis, the BAföG provides instruments for short-term payment needs, such as advance payments for new applications (Section 51 (2) BAföG) and for subsequent applications (Section 50 (4) BAföG) or the possibility of update applications in the case of lower income of parents or spouse (Section 24 (3) BAföG).

We would also like to point out the emergency aid and bridging options announced by the BMBF for students in pandemic-related emergencies. These assistance services for student financing are an important step, even if they unfortunately fall short of what we thought was desirable and possible.

Students can now apply for an initially interest-free loan from the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW). Foreign students will be able to apply from June 1, 2020. The loan is for up to 650 euros per month. The loan can be applied for unbureaucratically online (more information: www.kfw.de/studienkredit-coronahilfe). The loan's interest rate of 0% is valid until March 31, 2021. Furthermore, 100 million euros will be made available to the German Student Union by the BMBF for the emergency aid funds of the local student unions/student services. This money is intended to help those students in demonstrably particularly acute need who require very immediate assistance and have no other means of support. The details of this grant are still being worked out.  

The issue of student financing is clearly a federal responsibility. Nevertheless, the state government and the parliamentary groups supporting it are examining the extent to which further support from the state is possible for those in emergency situations. 

4. everyone continues to make a concerted effort

Many and high-quality offers have been and are being made possible despite the restrictions, offers to which the teaching staff, but also the administrative-technical staff, have made their contribution, and to which many students have committed themselves. We thank you all for this. In the libraries, it is also possible to gradually allow limited face-to-face use, provided that hygienic conditions are maintained. University examinations in presence form can be carried out again after appropriate preparation with special hygiene and protection measures. It must be ensured that all applicable infection control regulations are implemented. In particular, a distance of at least 1.5 m must be maintained between those taking part in the examination. The universities are currently drawing up customized hygiene concepts. It is the responsibility of the respective university to decide whether all infection control requirements can be met when conducting a university examination in face-to-face form and whether the examination can therefore be conducted.

Presence examinations that cannot yet be carried out according to this standard must be made up for. The universities are also endeavoring to find and offer other examination formats as a substitute for the examinations in the summer semester 2020. In order to avoid disadvantages for young scientists and artists, an adjustment of the Act on Temporary Scientific Contracts has been initiated at the federal level. We are keeping an eye on the situation of scientists working in temporary civil service positions and their qualification interests. 

5 We are planning the next stage and setting the course for the winter semester.

The postponements at universities in the summer semester and in the Abitur examinations in several federal states will also have an impact on the upcoming 2020/2021 winter semester. We have reached agreement among the states on largely uniform solutions for both existing students and new freshmen.  After the final decision has been made by the Foundation for University Admission (SfH) (expected on June 2), the DoSV application portal for the Central Allocation Procedure (in the study programs Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy) will be opened on July 1 and closed on August 20 (end of the application period). The same applies to the study programs coordinated via the Dialog-Oriented Service Procedure (DoSV) with local admission restrictions. The end of the application deadline for the Abitur cohorts before 2020 (old Abitur graduates) in the Central Allocation Procedure (previously 31.05.) will be postponed accordingly. The exact date will be announced after the SfH has made its decision.  For all applications for the first semester in undergraduate degree programs with local admission restrictions that are not coordinated via the DoSV, the end of the application deadline will also be set for August 20. With this regulation, all of this year's high school graduates can participate in the admission process with their grades as well as with the results of the aptitude tests for medical degree programs, which are expected to take place at the end of July and beginning of August. More detailed information can be found in the information offers of the SfH and the universities. In order to ensure that all admission procedures can be completed in good time before the start of the courses, lectures for the winter semester will begin uniformly on Nov. 2. This does not preclude individual offerings for higher semesters from starting earlier, particularly in the interest of extending room usage under the required hygiene standards. In this respect, too, the universities will provide comprehensive information in good time. At present, we all cannot yet foresee the pandemic-related conditions to which study, teaching and research will be subject in the winter semester and beyond. For the time being, we can only hope that our health care system will continue to be able to cope with the challenges as well as it has done so far, and we can and must make our contribution to this in the interest of the particularly vulnerable population groups, even beyond all obstacles and difficulties. We can and will grow from these challenges, together.  

Please all stay healthy - and full of energy confident!