The GSGG During The Pandemic
Since mid-March, as everywhere else, the office’s work has been significantly shaped by responding to the university’s closure after the outbreak of the corona pandemic. For example, we have switched courses to video conference formats and are currently doing the same for further events (more on this below), we are trying to reimburse costs incurred in connection with cancelled trips, and all relevant information by the Faculty of Humanities has been forwarded promptly and in two languages.
The change, caused by the pandemic, in the doctoral regulations (electronic submission, disputations via video conference) was also particularly urgent. An amendment to the GAUSS/GGNB doctoral regulations was published in the official announcements on March 31; based on that, the doctoral regulations of the Faculty of Humanities were revised and published in April. Involved were dean of Studies Prof. Dr. Albert Busch, Prof. Dr. Heinz-Günther Nesselrath as spokesman for our Executive Board, Frauke Petersen as PhD representative for the faculty, Yassin Abou El Fadil and Rahel Micklich as delegates of the doctoral students on our Executive Board, as well as the Examination Office and the GSGG office. The current doctoral regulations of the Faculty of Humanities can be found here – soon also in an English-language version. The staff of the Examination Office is available to you by e-mail for organizational questions. The Faculty of Theology has decided to offer corresponding examination procedures without changing the regulations; all doctoral students concerned were informed personally.
Since mid-March, there have been numerous correspondences, phone calls and video conference calls with numerous doctoral students about research and life under pandemic conditions. At the same time, of course, we currently have no overview of what it looks like for currently 497 doctoral students.
We would therefore be grateful if you would give us feedback on the following questions:
- Are there serious delays due to the lack of accessible libraries/archives etc.?
- Are you, as an employee at the university, adequately equipped for your home office?
- How do your scholarship providers/third-party funders act concerning any extension of the funding period?
- How well does scientific work with children at home succeed?
- Have you lost your job (outside of the university)?
- What would help you at the moment?