idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
English translation of the HRK press release from 7 May 2020:
The German Rectors' Conference (HRK) welcomes the re-opening of society based on the most recent resolutions reached by the federal and state governments regarding the coronavirus pandemic. However, it strongly warns against a rushed and untenable resumption of classroom teaching at universities in Germany.
In Berlin today, HRK President Prof Dr Peter-André Alt said: “In principle, it is very encouraging that our society is re-gaining more scope for action. Having said that, there are many reasons why it makes little sense to plan for extensive classroom teaching at universities again in a week’s time.
For one thing, most universities do not have the space required to comply with the all-important hygiene regulations. Added to this is the fact that classroom and online teaching cannot be swapped at will or at short notice. Digital teaching follows its own rules and regularities that also affect the arrangement and presentation of the subject matter. Universities have developed concepts and infrastructure for this with admirable speed and quality that will now come to fruition in terms of both the planned learning outcome and building up digital competence among all those involved. Abruptly starting normal lectures again would ruin this. It is therefore advisable to only initiate classroom teaching for placements and tutorials that cannot be replaced by digital versions.”
Yesterday, the federal and state governments decided to permit further re-opening and to delegate the majority of decisions regarding content to the federal states. In some federal states, a very broad and rapid resumption of classroom teaching at universities is being discussed or even planned.
HRK President Alt made the following comments in this regard: “In view of the social and individual planning, an incremental approach is strongly advised. Students in particular have largely adapted to digital contact and made the necessary arrangements, with some of them temporarily relocating. Raising false hopes among this large and important group in society would send out a problematic message during this transition period.”
Criteria of this press release:
Journalists
interdisciplinary
transregional, national
Science policy
English
You can combine search terms with and, or and/or not, e.g. Philo not logy.
You can use brackets to separate combinations from each other, e.g. (Philo not logy) or (Psycho and logy).
Coherent groups of words will be located as complete phrases if you put them into quotation marks, e.g. “Federal Republic of Germany”.
You can also use the advanced search without entering search terms. It will then follow the criteria you have selected (e.g. country or subject area).
If you have not selected any criteria in a given category, the entire category will be searched (e.g. all subject areas or all countries).
