Working Together against the Spread of the Coronavirus
Berlin’s higher education institutions want to help contain the coronavirus with a coordinated plan of action
News from Mar 13, 2020
In light of recent developments related to the coronavirus, academic institutions in Berlin want to do what they can to contain the spread of the disease. Conferences, conventions, and other events from now until July 20, 2020 are canceled. Classes scheduled during the semester recess that require classroom attendance are also canceled. Courses and events for the upcoming summer semester will only be able to take place under certain limitations. Online options are being strongly encouraged. The start of the summer semester has also been postponed until April 20, 2020.
A task force led by Steffen Krach, Permanent Secretary for Higher Education and Research of the Federal State of Berlin, will meet regularly to decide on the next steps. Its members include representatives from universities and non-university institutes in Berlin.
On March 11, 2020, Berlin’s Governing Mayor and Senator for Higher Education and Research, Michael Müller, announced several measures, effective immediately, to try to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The measures came out of a meeting between the mayor, Berlin’s state higher education institutions, and medical experts from Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin.