Coronavirus Updates

Which security measures are currently in place at Campus WU?

• Wearing a mask over your mouth and nose is required in all WU buildings. At your seat, you only have to cover your mouth and nose if the minimum distance cannot be maintained, e.g. during face-to-face conversations

• Maintain a safe distance from other people, avoid groups and crowds.

 

To facilitate social distancing when entering and exiting larger buildings or service units, one-way traffic routes / separate entrances and exits are marked.

• In auditoriums and classrooms, the number of seats has been reduced, and seats have been marked and numbered in accordance with current hygiene measures. We need this to document your attendance for contact tracing purposes. Please do not re-arrange seats or remove labels under any circumstances.

  • White = class attendance seat

  • Green = examination seat (marked only in auditoriums with 120 seats or more)

• The number of seats in the library, project rooms, and independent study zones has also been reduced and marked accordingly.

  • Red = please leave this seat free

 

The maximum occupancy of each room is indicated on the door.

What general, personal hygiene measures should be used to protect yourself against COVID-19?

You often can’t avoid touching surfaces, books, or attendance lists, so general hygiene measures to protect yourself against COVID-19 are particularly important:

• Wash your hands frequently => you will find hand disinfectant dispensers in the entrance area of each building and all sanitary facilities are equipped with disinfectant soap.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

• Use good respiratory hygiene and always cough and sneeze into the crook of your elbow or a tissue, which should then be immediately disposed of.

• Disinfection stations in all buildings with classrooms => in addition to increased cleaning in all buildings, wipes and disinfectant sprays are available to clean your individual workstation.

 

What special guidelines apply to on-campus examinations?

• For written examinations, examination seats are marked in green (in auditoriums with at least 120 places) and you must bring your own pens (ballpoint pen in black/blue or the like, no pencils).

• For oral examinations, there must be a distance of at least 2m between you and the examiner. Please contact the examiner directly for information on the maximum number of listeners in compliance with the required minimum distance and maximum room occupancy.

 

I am uncertain and have questions about the coronavirus. Who can I contact?

If you have general questions about the coronavirus, please call 0800 555 621 (AGES/Österreichische Agentur für Ernährungssicherheit) – This hotline is available 24/7.

More information about Covid-19 in different languages can be found on the website of the City of Vienna.

I suspect that I have the coronavirus, what should I do? / I have no symptoms, but am waiting for the test or the test result ... what should I do?

In all these situations, please do NOT come to campus, attend classes or exams, or visit the libraries.

• If you are experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough, or difficulty breathing or are regarded as suspicious for other reasons, stay at home and call the 24/7 hotline 1450 or your general practitioner.
  If you are not at home, go straight home, wearing a mask over your nose and mouth, and call 1450 or your general practitioner.

• Follow the instructions of the telephone health service hotline, if you wait for the test or the result, and do not come to Campus WU until your case has been cleared up. Please report the suspected case to us at potential-covid@wu.ac.at.

  • If the test result is negative ... Welcome back to campus (unless there is an objection by the health authority)

  • If the test result is positive, please let us know using the COVID-19 notification form linked here and do not come to Campus WU for the duration of the period recommended by the health authority. Please inform your course instructors that you will not be able to attend any on-campus classes. 

 

For reasons of public interest in the area of public health, WU reports any cases of infection or suspected cases to the public health authorities and is obligated to provide information to the public health authorities upon request. (see Data Protection Statement)

I have been identified as a level I or level II contact person, can I attend classes and examinations on campus?

Regardless of the contact level, anyone who has been identified as having had contact with a case of COVID-19 and is in “home quarantine” or is “self-monitoring their health status” under instructions of the authorities is requested not to come to Campus WU for the duration of the period recommended by the public health department. After the recommended period and if you feel healthy, you are welcome to return to campus. 

Our goal: To be able to identify, notify, and isolate contacts at WU quickly in the event of an infection of a student or teacher with COVID-19 (in cooperation with the relevant health authorities)

Your contribution: voluntary reporting to WU if you are infected with COVID-19 (link to the reporting form)

Our Data Protection Statement is available here.

What is Contact Tracing?

If someone is infected with COVID-19, whether they have symptoms or not, the health authorities use contact tracing to find the people the infected individual interacted with in the 48 hours before the onset of symptoms or, if there are no symptoms, 48 hours before the individual was tested. Contacts are designated as level I (high risk exposure) and level II (low risk exposure). (Document in German only) Regardless of the contact level, anyone who has been identified as having had contact with a case of COVID-19 is requested not to come to Campus WU for the duration of the period recommended by the public health authorities.

For this reason, in the current situation the general recommendation is to keep social contacts manageable so you can easily identify them if needed. The Stopp Corona App is also an effective means of containing the spread of the virus.

Why are attendance and seating records being kept for all courses and examinations?

If someone who has attended a course/examination becomes infected, this attendance data is used to facilitate contact tracing. WU is also obligated to provide this information to the health authorities (§ 5 [3] of the Austrian Epidemics Act [Epidemiegesetz 1950]).

If attendance and seating are not carefully documented, it cannot be determined who was actually in contact with the infected person and everyone who attended the course/examination would have to be quarantined for at least 10 days. This means that if seating and attendance data are not accurate, even people who may not have been in the classroom at all might have to bear the consequences. 

In courses without compulsory attendance, these attendance records are kept only for the purpose of contact tracing and have no influence on your grade. Further information about data protection is available here.

I would like to switch groups and come to campus on different dates. Why can’t I do this?

For efficient contact tracing, it is essential that the groups remain the same and that no one switches places after the course has started.  

Are classes being held on WU Campus?

• 2020/21 winter semester
  Courses will be taught on campus again, but in light of the current situation, however, the course schedule will apply with the procedure for the courses in case of limited activity on campus.

• The following safety regulations apply on campus and in the buildings.

 

Are study areas and independent study zones, project rooms and PC practice labs available "as normal"?

The study areas and independent study zones are freely accessible during the general building opening hours. To ensure compliance with the prescribed minimum safety distance, the number of available seats is reduced, however. Using them we’d like to remind you to be mindful and responsible in dealing with the current situation.

A limited number of project rooms (listed in ROOMS) are available to you. Booking project rooms as usual is possible at the start of the winter semester. Using them we’d also like to remind you to be mindful and responsible in dealing with the current situation.

The PC practice labs in the LC building are available again, the PC practice labs in the TC building will remain closed for the time being. You can find more detailed information on the IT Services website.

The Language Resource Center is also open. Details can be found directly on the website.

How are examinations currently held at WU?

• The next exam week in October 2020, will be held in a hybrid format: with a mix of online and on-campus exams (exam schedule). The hybrid format is based on the distancing and safety requirements that are currently in place. In particular, exams where we expect to see high demand from students will be held online.

• Our plans for the further exam weeks to be held during the 2020/21 winter semester will be announced in fall.

 

Please keep yourself informed in time about registration deadlines, technical requirements, preparation and completion of the online exam! Special notes on the examination week can be found on the website of Großprüfungswoche Online.

What types of online exams will WU be holding?

All information about online exams at WU can be found clearly summarized on the Online Exams website.

Are there test runs for written examinations in the online examination environment?

Basically, we offer you the opportunity to test changes and innovations within the online testing environment on MyLEARN - however, test runs cannot be offered on an ongoing basis. Details and dates can also be found on the online exams website.

Where can I find further information on grants or study law issues in the current situation?

Please use the collection of FAQs of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (currently only available in german language).

How does borrowing books at WU Library work?

Books from the Central Library (LC) must be reserved via the WU library catalog and can only be collected at the library front desk after receipt of the notification. Detailed information can be found on this website.
Books from the Library for Social Sciences (D4) can be borrowed directly and without advance reservation during opening hours.

Here you can find information about the currently valid safety measures.

Where can I find further information for users of WU's library?

Please visit the website of WU's library for further information on the lending period of borrowed books, returning of books, how to access electronic ressorces (as databases, ebooks, journals) from off campus, and advice for online research.

Can public areas (reading areas) and project rooms in the library be used?

The Central Library(including the Language Resource Center), the Library for Law, and the Library for Social Sciences are open for studying again, but the number of people that can be admitted to the libraries will be limited. Please note that it will be necessary to reserve a seat in advance. For detailed information, please see the WU University Library website.

If you don't want to study on site but want to take the books with you, please continue to use the lending service, which will be available fot the time being.

Are the service units on Campus WU open?

Yes, please note the conditions and opening hours listed on the websites of the individual units: 

• Library

• SSC

• IT Services Support Center

• WU ZBP Career Center

• International Office

 

What hygiene and safety measures must still be observed in WU Campus buildings?

Here you can find information about the currently valid safety measures.

What services are available at the SSC?

The different units are represented at different times in the Study Service Center and only certain services are available. You can find all information directly on the Study Service Center website. 

• Study Regulations & Credit Transfer: official notifications, need-based scholarship grants

• Admissions: admission/re-registration, student IDs, leave of absence

• Pick-up of your graduation documents is only possible by appointment. You will find all relevant information and instructions on this website for Master's graduates. 

• Appointments in the doctoral office are also only possible by prior appointment. 

 

How can I get my transcript, enrollment confirmation, etc.?

Many important administrative procedures are accessible from home by using the Online Services for Students. In addition to re-registering for the semester, you can also download digital documents (transcript, enrollment information sheet, enrollment confirmation, etc.).

How can I pay the ÖH dues/tuition fees online?

You can also re-register for the winter semester 2020/21 via online bank transfer, click here for more information.

Many important administrative procedures are accessible from home by using the Online Services for Students. In addition to re-registering for the semester, you can also download digital documents (enrollment information sheet, enrollment confirmation, transcript, etc.).

When do the next graduation ceremonies take place?

• Bachelor’s graduation ceremonies in November 2020 (dates and details)

• Master's graduation ceremonies in October 2020 (dates and details)

 

How do I register for my Bachelor's / Master's graduation ceremony?

Registration for your graduation ceremony is only possible in the course of / after picking up your graduation documents and in person - by appointment - at the Study Service Center. Your registration for the graduation ceremony is binding!

Appointments for Bachelor's and Master's graduates.

I have registered for Graduating in Absentia up to and including June 26, 2020, how do I get my certificate and rolled diploma?

Please also book an appointment for the collection of your certificate (Bachelor's and Master's graduates).

Due to COVID-19 my graduation ceremony (Bachelor or Master) was cancelled. What options do I have if I no longer wish to participate in a graduation ceremony?

Graduates are offered the following alternatives:

• Refund of any fees you may already have paid: If you would like a refund, please send an email with the relevant data (name, address, BIC, IBAN, bank’s name) to pruefungsorganisation@wu.ac.at. We will process your refund immediately.

• Graduating in Absentia (which means collecting your certificate and rolled diploma without attending a graduation ceremony): The difference of 65 € (Bachelor) or 50 € (Master) will be refunded and you can pick up the certificate at the SSC from October 20, 2020 (= next possible collection date for orders placed by September 25, 2020). Please order via email with the relevant data (name, address, BIC, IBAN, bank’s name) to pruefungsorganisation@wu.ac.at.

 

Specific information for incoming and outgoing exchange students can be found on the International Office website.

For questions regarding programs of the WU Executive Academy, please get in touch with the respective Program Managers. Click here for the contact details.

Links & hotlines

(in alphabetical order)

Federal Ministries

• Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research

• Federal Ministry of the Interior

• Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health Care and Consumer Protection

 

Health (Please only call if there is an emergency, not if you have general questions)

Domestic violence (services are anonymous and free of charge)

General support and mental health

Website for voluntary alternative civilian service (for voluntary, former "Zivildiener")

Website for information on the Austrian militia or extending your military service

Federal Student Aid

This information applies only to Austrian citizens and is available only in German. Please see the German version of this page.