HNU re­cord for winter semester 2020/21: over 4,000 stu­dents for the first time

In the past semesters, an average of around 3,800 to 3,900 people were enrolled at Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences; by the 2020/21 winter semester this figure will rise to 4,150 students. This means that the HNU is breaking the "magic barrier" of 4,000 students. "We are very pleased about the high number of enrolled students and especially about the lively interest in our new study programmes Game Production and Management, Physician Assistant and Business Psychology," says Prof. Dr. Uta. M. Feser, President of the University of Applied Sciences Neu-Ulm. "After the spontaneous switch from classroom to online teaching triggered by the pandemic in the summer semester, HNU is now well prepared for the coming Flexi semester."

Combining digital formats and classroom teaching according to needs

The winter semester 2020/21, which began on October 5th for the HNU study programmes and on October 12th for the cooperative study programmes with the Ulm University of Technology, is offered as an HNU Flexi-Semester under the motto "definitely flexible". The professors convey their teaching content using a combination of classroom formats and digital offerings. Depending on the current incidence of infections, HNU generally focuses on the highest possible proportion of online teaching. The first and second semesters as well as the laboratory and practical courses are prioritised in face-to-face lectures. As far as the existing conditions allow, teachers and students come to HNU mainly in seminars and exercises in small groups. For digital teaching at HNU, the learning platform Moodle is used in all courses. Video conferencing tools are used for online lectures and group communication. Students and lecturers have access to the corresponding licences. The most important information on the subject of e-learning - especially for first-year students - is summarised at www.hnu.de/elearning.

Mentoring programme "100 helping hands": Getting to know each other in small groups

Instead of the orientation phase (O-Phase) otherwise organised by the students' representatives, the mentoring programme "100 helping hands" became an important pillar of the start of studies. In small groups and led by students from higher semesters, first-year students get to know each other, the HNU and the region. The first semester welcome, which Vice-President Prof. Dr. Julia Kormann traditionally held in the refectory before the pandemic, was also offered digitally for the second time and can be accessed via the following link: youtu.be/hdHbJ2CpU6s

Hygiene rules and contact data recording via QRONITON

Strict hygiene rules apply at the HNU: For example, wearing a mouth-nose cover is compulsory in the building, regular ventilation is prescribed and students must register for their lectures and seminars using the browser-based IT solution QRONITON. All currently applicable hygiene rules and the instructions for using QRONITON are compiled at www.hnu.de/hygiene.