DThe first corona wave in Germany was completely unexpected for universities. In the spring of 2020, the teaching plan for the summer semester has been long, the research project has been approved, the archive access is ready, and the conference plan has been released. First-year students are already looking for shared accommodation and browse the course catalog. Then came the lockdown in mid-March, and with it the universities were no longer able to conduct research and teaching in the usual way. Everything that allows it must be switched “online”; everything else is temporarily interrupted or cancelled. No one doubts that in the daily college life, students and teachers meet in lecture halls, seminar rooms and laboratories, and will not return for three semesters.
It is not clear what will be brought next semester. Some people talk about opening up universities cautiously, at least partially enabling on-site teaching and research, while observing hygiene rules and depending on vaccination or testing. However, there is no bundled vaccination campaign for universities. Many students who have not even moved out of their parents’ homes are wondering whether they should now look for a room in the city where they are studying. Teachers are going to design all courses in the fall into three variants: online, offline and so-called mixed formats, online and offline. A lot of extra work-after three semesters, this is stressful for many people, with countless unpaid overtime.
