DIES Canceled, Information Events and Education Labs Offered in Digital Form
The Rectorate decided that the DIES special day off on the occasion of RWTH FH SportsDay and Talk Lehre will be canceled this year, as both events cannot be held in the familiar format due to the Conronavirus pandemic. Therefore classes can be held as usual on June 17. Since all excursions have to be canceled during Pentecost week, it is also possible to conduct classes during excursion week if necessary to thereby achieve the learning goals. Aloys Krieg, RWTH’s Vice-Rector for Teaching, has pointed out once again out that all courses should be made available via virtual classroom throughout the semester.
The Rectorate has also decided that all information and taster events for prospective students as well as the education labs or Schüleruni for school students will only be offered in digital form exclusively until the end of summer vacation. Those responsible for bridge courses scheduled to take place before the start of the winter semester will be meeting in due course to discuss how a concept could look like.
Quality Tests of FFP2 Masks and Filter Materials
In collaboration with external partners, researchers from RWTH Aachen University have developed a three-step test process for FFP2 masks and filter materials. Over the last few weeks, a large number of masks have been assessed at the Aachen Chemical Engineering departments AVT.
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, hospitals have been in need of significantly more FFP2 masks. Currently they are purchasing such masks from new suppliers. With our initiative, we want to contribute to making sure that medical staff are equipped with high-quality masks. Therefore, within a few days, we have developed a test procedure which supports hospitals in their quality control activities,” explains Dr. John Linkhorst, senior engineer at the RWTH Chair of Chemical Process Engineering. “Initially, our campaign was limited to a collaboration with Uniklinik RWTH Aachen. Now we are also supporting hospitals throughout Germany, as well as other institutions, such as fire brigades and emergency medical services.”
RWTH Shop Reopens on Monday, April 18
The RWTH Shop in the main building will reopen on Monday after temporary closure, under adherence to the precautionary measures recommended by the federal and state governments. To ensure a minimum distance of 1.5 meters between customers and to avoid queues, only two customers are allowed in the shop at any one time. A waiting area with appropriate floor markings has been established in the foyer.
In addition, separate entry and exit routes have been defined. According to the regulation of the State of NRW, customers must also wear mouth and nose coverings when entering the store. In addition, the cash desk area has been separated with plexiglass.
The RWTH Shop will be open Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 12:30pm and from 1pm to 4:30pm. For further information is available on the shop’s FAQ page at shop www.shop.rwth-aachen.de. Here you can also find information about the new anniversary sneakers and the other products offered on the occasion of the University’s 150-year anniversary in 2020.
University Library Remains Closed, Interlibrary Loan Services to Resume May 18
All University Library locations, including the Central Textbook Collection and the Medical Library, remain closed at least until May 24. The period of closure has been extended by one week. In urgent cases, RWTH members can borrow media from the Central Library, Library 2, and the Medical Library by prior appointment (+49 241 80 94456, Check-Out Desk or Medical Library) if there is no digital version of the media available.
Please note that inter-library loan services will resume May 18, 2020.
The above given date also applies to the University Library’s study spaces and reading rooms.
Uniklink RWTH Aachen Open for Blood Donations Again
The blood donation service of Uniklinik RWTH Aachen urgently needs blood donations. As of May 12, blood can be donated again at the university hospital. Donation hours are as usual:
Monday: 12:30 to 7:30pm
Tuesday: 11:30am to 7pm
Wednesday: 12:30 to 7:30pm
Thursday: 12:30 to 7:30pm
Friday: 7:30am to 12:30pm
Due to the physical distance requirements, the large seminar room on the ground floor will be used rather than the regular blood donation corridor on the third floor. Signs will direct you accordingly. Please remember to wear the required mouth and nose covering.
We would like to point out that until further notice, blood donation appointments cannot take place at other locations, because the required minimum distance of 1.5 meters between persons cannot be maintained in any other facility. The blood donation service cannot currently foresee when the situation will change.
Further Information About the University Sports Center’s Interim Program
The University Sports Center has announced more details regarding the limited outdoor program it will soon be offering. Only activities that take place outdoors, are non-contact, and do not use shared sports equipment will be offered. According to the HSZ, each sports offer forms a 60-minute self-contained unit. Courses in the conventional sense that build skills over several units are not possible due to the possibility of weather-related cancellations. Here’s a weekly overview of offers from May 18, 2020.
https://hochschulsport.rwth-aachen.de/cms/HSZ/Sport/~hgsio/Uebergangsprogramm-Outdoor/
IT Center: In-Person Submission of DFN Applications to Resume May 14
From Thursday, May 14, applications for DFN user and server certificates can once again be submitted in person at the IT Center, Seffenter Weg 23, upper entrance. In light of the coronavirus pandemic, the service was temporarily suspended for health and safety reasons. However, strict rules and regulations apply. In order to coordinate access to the office, please arrange an appointment via the IT Center’s online appointment planning tool. Time slots are always available Tuesdays to Thursdays from 9am to 3 pm.
Further information: IT Center – Application for DFN Certificates
University Sports Center Starts First Outdoor Classes May 18
The University Sports Center has announced that it will start a limited sports program from May 18. All classes in the program, which are subject to registration, will be held outside for the time being. Participants will have to register via single class bookings, which will be activated 24 hours before the start of the class. The first offers will be available to book from Sunday, May 17. This limited program will initially run until May 29.
A second period with an adapted program is planned from June 2 to July 17. This further development depends on the decrees on the current political decisions that will be taken in the context of the Corona pandemic. The current measures are based on the recommendations of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Robert Koch Institute, the regulations of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, and the Crisis Management Team of the Städteregion Aachen.
The Rectorate of RWTH is aware that the measures will continue to lead to restrictions in university life. The gradual start of limited sports activities is a step toward a normalized social life at the University. However, this endeavor can only be successful if all participants comply with the rules associated with the offers.
https://hochschulsport.rwth-aachen.de/cms/~icgi/HSZ/.
NRW Ministry of Culture and Science: It Is Right to Continue With the Online Semester
NRW Minister of Culture and Science Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen has spoken out in favor of continuing the online semester at the state’s universities, thus expressly supporting the universities’ decision. “The universities in North Rhine-Westphalia have really done an excellent job in making a wide range of online courses available to students under the difficult conditions of COVID-19. It is impressive how quickly and flexibly the universities have accepted and mastered the challenges of the complete switch to the online semester. Since the new formats have been well received by students and lecturers alike, I welcome the decision to end the summer semester as an online semester,” says Pfeiffer-Poensgen in a statement from the Ministry of Culture and Science. In order to support the universities in meeting the challenges of solely online teaching, the Ministry of Culture and Science is not only providing universities with immediate financial aid for digitization in teaching and studies amounting to 20 million euros, but also with the necessary legal regulations for university operations under the conditions resulting from corona, the Ministry continues.