Corona FAQ FH Upper Austria Regular update on the current situation

As of May 1, 2023, the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria will no longer have any restriction on attendance.

If you as a lecturer, staff member or student are ill with the coronavirus, so that you are unable to work or cannot participate in teaching at the FH Upper Austria due to illness, please send your sick note to the personnel accounting department and the supervisor or the degree programme.

With a traffic restriction, no presence at the FH Upper Austria is possible.

We are looking forward to starting the new semester with you! So that we may all experience this together again, full of joy and energy, we would like to inform you about the topic of Covid-19 at the FH Upper Austria, in order to ensure safe coexistence. The different cases are shown below:

COVID-19 infected and unable to work

Employees

Please send your sick note to pv@fh-ooe.at and corona@fh-ooe.at

Students

Please send your sick note to the program administrator and corona@fh-ooe.at 

COVID-19 infected and able to work

Employees​​​​​​​

Please send your test result (EXCLUSIVELY from a public testing station - NO living-room tests! ) or your traffic restriction to pv@fh-ooe.at and corona@fh-ooe.at and stay in home office for 5 days.

Submission of a positive test result (from public testing station) or submission of a traffic restriction is considered grounds for a continuous 5-day home office period. Special permission is no longer required. The general conditions according to the FH Upper Austria Home-office Guidelines as amended apply.

You are prohibited from entering all facilities!

Students​​​​​​​

Please send your test result (EXCLUSIVELY from a public test station - NO living-room tests!) or your traffic restriction to the program administrator and corona@fh-ooe.at and do not attend any face-to-face event at the FH OÖ for 5 days.

Presentation of a positive test result (from public testing station) or presentation of a traffic restriction will be considered an excused absence from attending classes.

You are prohibited from entering all facilities!

In case of COVID-19 suspicion (positive living-room test), please stay at home until the situation is clarified by a test result (performed in a public testing station).

The FH Upper Austria does not assume any costs for COVID-19 testing.

No living room tests are recognized at the FH Upper Austria.​​​​​​​

External persons/suppliers/visitors

Positively tested persons (those with a traffic restriction too) are not allowed to enter the facilities of FH Upper Austria. 

We are thus starting another semester of attendance, looking forward to bustling students and busy faculties. I wish us all a successful start to the Winter semester 22/23! ​​​​​​​

Best regards
Mag.^a Bernadette Spiesberger
For the crisis team of the FH Upper Austria

Before summer, the classic holiday season, we are getting back to you with information on the updated guideline for secure university operation.

In preparation for the winter semester, the contents have been marginally adjusted in case there should be government measures again in the autumn.

>>> Guidelines <<<

For the time being, however, the summer break is upon us: We wish you a relaxing holiday!

Best regards
​​​​​​​Mag.^a Bernadette Spiesberger
For the crisis team of the FH Upper Austria

From 25 April 2022, further easing of the Corona regulations will be implemented at FH Upper Austria and security level I will be set to regular operation. The details are given below:

NEW: No more FFP2 mask obligation
In general, masks are no longer obligatory - of course, everyone is free to use a mask. Exceptions may be made for events that require special regulations. Please contact the congress team for further information. 

NEW: Teaching
Courses with compulsory attendance will be listed as such again: there is no entitlement to hybrid teaching. 

No more 3G status at the FH Upper Austria (already since 19.04.2022).
3G status registration is no longer required at the FH Upper Austria for staff, students, part-time teachers or external visitors

Internal meetings (unchanged)
Sessions are possible individually, depending on topics and contents, in presence or hybrid form. ​​​​​​​

Notifications of Corona infection (unchanged)
Please report quarantine status to corona@fh-ooe.at​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​

Dear students!
Dear employees!
Dear part-time lecturer!

The current Corona regulations at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria will change as of 19 April, 2022. The new regulations are as follows:

3G status
3G status registration is no longer required at the FH Upper Austria for staff, students, part-time teachers or external visitors.

FFP2 masks
FFP2 masks remain obligatory on the premises of all buildings and public areas of the FH Upper Austria. This regulation applies to all teaching, research and administrative staff, as well as for external visitors to and for all events at the FH Upper Austria! Masks may be removed once your seat or workstation has been reached. (Deviations from this regulation may be made by course instructors).

Teaching
Face-to-face teaching is the de facto standard. In exceptional cases and only after consultation with the head of the relevant study programme and the class representatives, may a hybrid solution be implemented for lectures.

Notification of Corona infection
Please report quarantine status to corona@fh-ooe.at.

Wishing you a Happy Easter and a sunny spring!

Best regards
Mag.^a Bernadette Spiesberger
For the crisis team of the FH Upper Austria

Dear students!
Dear employees!
Dear part-time lecturer!

For your information: the currently valid corona regulations at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria will remain unchanged until 18 April, 2022.
Please find below a summary:

At the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria 3G status (recovered / vaccinated / antigen or PRC tested) applies.
Please register your status via 3g.fh-ooe.at. For detailed information, please see Coronavirus Update - FH OOE (fh-ooe.at) / 3G status registration system restart.

FFP2 mask obligation
On all common areas of the FH OOE. The mask can be removed at the seat or workstation. A deviating regulation can be made by the course director/supervisor.

Teaching
As a matter of principle, lectures are held in person. In exceptional cases and after consultation with the course management and the year representatives, a hybrid solution can be implemented for lectures.

External visitors
Proof of 3-G status is required; FFP2 masks are mandatory;

Events
Implementation with 3-G proof of participants and FFP2 mask obligation (also at the seat).

Corona disease notifications
Please report quarantine to corona@fh-ooe.at

Stay healthy!
Best regards

Mag.^a Bernadette Spiesberger
For the crisis team of the FH Upper Austria

Dear students!
Dear employees!
Dear part-time lecturer!

For your information: the currently valid corona regulations at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria will remain unchanged until March 31, 2022.
Please find below a summary:

At the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria 3G status (recovered / vaccinated / antigen or PRC tested) applies.
Please register your status via 3g.fh-ooe.at. For detailed information, please see Coronavirus Update - FH OOE (fh-ooe.at) / 3G status registration system restart.

FFP2 mask obligation
In all shared spaces (including seating areas on common areas). The masks may be removed when your seat or workstation has been reached. Exception: in individual cases (e.g. laboratory exercises) a deviating regulation may be made by your instructor.

Teaching
In principle, full attendance is required for all classes and laboratories. In exceptional cases and after consultation with the course management and the class representatives, a hybrid solution may be implemented for lectures.

External visitors
Proof of 3-G status is required; FFP2 masks are mandatory;

Events
3-G proof of attendees is mandatory as is the FFP2 mask requirement;

Corona disease notifications
Please report quarantine to corona@fh-ooe.at

Detailed information can also be found at Coronavirus Update - FH OOE  / Coronavirus Update from 15.02.2022.

Wishing you a good start to and much success for the summer semester!
Best regards

Mag.^a Bernadette Spiesberger
For the crisis team of the FH Upper Austria

As already announced in December 2021, the 3G-status registration system of the FH Upper Austria 3g.fh-ooe.at will be reset at 8 a.m. on February 21, 2022.

Due to legal changes regarding the validity of Corona vaccinations, it is necessary to set the status of all data uploaded to the system up to this date as “invalid".

From Tuesday, February 22, 2022 to Sunday, February 27, 2022 (semester break Upper Austria), all students, employees and part-time teachers must re-upload their 3G status with QR Code the usual way via 3g.fh-ooe.at.

In this context, we would like to refer to the information platform The Green Passport. Validity of Corona vaccinations is explained there:

As of February 1, 2022, the validity period of vaccination certificates in Austria (Green Passport) will change: the first vaccination series (2 vaccinations or convalescence + 1 vaccination) will be valid for 180 days in the future. The booster vaccination certificate (3 vaccinations or convalescence + 2 vaccinations) is still valid for 270 days.

Where you can also find information on how to obtain your current certificate via QR code.

International students can apply for a social security number from the Austrian Health Insurance Fund to record their Corona vaccination status (insurance through the ÖGK is not a prerequisite for this), which subsequently enables the vaccination status to be recorded in the "Green Passport" by a general practitioner.

Persons without the requisite vaccinations or those who have not fully recovered are still required to upload a negative test result from a PCR or antigen test with the QR code of a public testing facility or pharmacy. So-called “living room” tests are not valid at the FH Upper Austria.

For the upcoming summer semester, as of February 28, 2022 and until further notice, the following applies: Security level I = restricted attendance

• 3G (Convalescent / Vaccinated / Antigen/PCR test results with QR code result from a test lane or pharmacy; ”living room tests" are invalid).
• FFP2 mask requirement (except when seated)
• Face-to-face classes

The dynamics of the situation may change; we will keep you informed of ongoing updates.​​​​​​​

TEACHING
For students, full and part-time lecturers the following applies:

• Classes (incl. laboratory exercises) will be face-to-face from the date stated.
• FFP2 masks are compulsory for students in all common areas and until your seat has been reached (at which point your FFP2 mask can be removed for the duration of the class). 
  ​​​​​​​In individual cases (e.g. laboratory exercises), different regulations may apply as deemed prudent by the course management.
  ​​​​​​​

LIBRARIES
Libraries are fully reopened for both internal and external visitors from the aforementioned date and under the stated conditions. External visitors have to show a 3G QR-code when entering the library, for instance when checking out books, studying and reading.
​​​​​​​

RESEARCH / ADMINISTRATION / IT
In house operation under the aforementioned conditions.​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

EVENTS
In-house events (internal and external) are only possible in coordination with the Department of Congress and Event Management of the Upper Austrian University of Applied Sciences due to the continuously changing guidelines (transitional regulations).
​​​​​​​

3G-STATUS REGISTRATION
In order to provide a safe environment, the 3G registration status of any students present will be checked by the course management before each course, as is also the case for lecturers and staff (Green Pass).
The data will be handled in accordance with DSGVO and deleted after the purpose has been fulfilled.

Reminder: As of February 21, 2022, 8:00 a.m., the 3G registration system of the FH Upper Austria (3g.fh-ooe.at) will be reset. Due to the legal changes regarding the validity of Corona vaccinations, it is necessary to set the status of all data uploaded to the system up to this date as "invalid". Detailed information will be provided in due time.
​​​​​​​

GENERAL

• FFP2 masks must be worn in all common areas of the university.
• Internal meetings/discussions are in principle possible again in person under the aforementioned guidelines.
• External visitors (e.g. meeting participants, suppliers, professionals, consultants, examiners, applicants, etc.) must register with the relevant contact person and is required to provide this person proof of valid 3G status and to wear an FFP2 mask in all buildings of our university, as specified above.
• Conditions regarding the dining situation remain unchanged: please refer to the resident food-service provider on campus for all applicable rules.
• The legally regulated special-care release for parents of children under quarantine remains unchanged. In this case, please apply for care-giver leave via Payroll at pv@fh-ooe.at.
  ​​​​​​​

Business trips and Transnational commuters

• Business trips should be applied for via PVS according to the valid business trip guidelines.
  The only exceptions are business trips to countries with travel warnings of level 4 or higher, in accordance with the website of the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Austria (BMEIA). All such trips are subject to approval by the university President.
• We refer transnational commuters to the applicable regulations of the country of entry according to the website of the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Austria (BMEIA).
  ​​​​​​​

We are pleased that the current situation is going in the right direction and hopefully we will soon be able to return to normal operations. Nevertheless, may we ask to be mindful of social contact, in order to protect yourself and others.

With best wishes for you and your loved ones! Stay healthy!

Dr. Gerald Reisinger
​​​​​​​President of the FH Upper Austria

The current corona regulations at the FH Upper Austria remain unchanged until further notice. Please read the following for further information:

2.5-G (Vaccinated-Recovered-Genetic PCR test) for entry to FH-wide facilities

Persons who have not been fully vaccinated or have not received a certificate of recovery from the local authorities after a recent covid infection must continue to present a valid PCR test result. In principle, self-tests are not valid at the FH Upper Austria.

In justified cases, and if it can be clearly proven that a PCR test was carried out in time, but the result is not yet available, exceptional permission may be granted via the campus Deans, provided that an antigen test from an official source (pharmacy or test lane) is presented in person.

Where possible, teaching and research will continue to be conducted in distanced mode. At the discretion of the head of each degree programme, in consultation with the class representatives and in consideration of didactic requirements, these may be carried out in house.

Where attendance is necessary, the group size is limited to up to 25 participants. In justified, exceptional cases, e.g. examinations, a higher number of participants is also permissible. The decision rests with the head of the degree programme in consultation with the Dean.

FFP2 masks are mandatory in all common areas at and in all rooms of the FH Upper Austria if at least one other person is present and the risk of infection cannot be minimised by other suitable protective measures. In house lecturers who maintain a distance of at least 2m from the students may wear a face shield instead of an FFP-2 mask. The FFP-2 mask requirement remains in place for all students in all FH facilities.

Internal meetings/discussions must be held online.

In exceptional cases, external visitors (e.g. meeting participants, suppliers, professionals, consultants, examiners, applicants, etc.) must register with the relevant contact person and be requested by this person to present a 2.5 G certificate and to wear an FFP2 mask in all FH  facilities.

Events are generally prohibited.

Reminder: As of February 21, 2022, 8:00 a.m., the 2.5-G certificate registration system of the FH Upper Austria (3g.fh-ooe.at) will be reset. Due to the legal changes regarding the validity of corona vaccinations, it is necessary to set all certificates uploaded before this date to "invalid" in the system. Detailed information on this will be provided in due course.

We wish you all the best and stay healthy!

Mag.a Bernadette Spiesberger
For the crisis team of the FH Upper Austria

Dear Applicants!

We kindly ask you to observe the current Corona regulations for the admission procedure 2022 at the University of applied sciences Upper Austria:

Please refer to the website for the current Corona regulations in force at the University of applied sciences Upper Austria. 

For the duration of your admission procedure or for the duration of your stay on the premises of the University of applied sciences Upper Austria, you will be treated equally to persons already studying at the University of applied sciences Upper Austria.

This means that you must meet the following requirements:

2.5G (vaccinated - recovered - PCR tested*) plus FFP2 mask requirement.
^{*PCR tests until further notice or otherwise regulated by the federal government}

Compliance with the regulations will be checked on site!

We look forward to welcoming you to the admission procedure and wish you every success!

Mag. Bernadette Spiesberger
For the crisis team of the University of applied sciences Upper Austria

Due to current developments and yesterday's press conference, we would like to inform you about the following clarifications to the existing corona regulation at the FH Upper Austria:

Teaching

In agreement with the dean's office and the student representation, presence is to be limited to didactic requirements.

General

Meetings are to be held online.

The following remain unchanged

• External guests/visitors are possible under the conditions stated in Corona Update Nov. 14th,2021.
• Business trips are possible under the approval processes stated in Corona Update Nov. 14th, 2021.

The above regulations are valid until Jan. 31, 2022. We will inform you of any changes in due time.

Please take advantage of the numerous testing opportunities to protect yourself and others.

Stay healthy!

Bernadette Spiesberger

Due to the current Omikron development, we are contacting you once again in the old year.

From today's point of view, as communicated in the information of 14.12.21, the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria will in any case maintain the currently valid Corona regulations until 31.01.2022. Nevertheless, current developments call for initial considerations to safeguard operations should a new lockdown be imposed after the holidays.

As a precautionary measure, we ask you to take your laptop home with you over the holidays in order to remain able to work in your home office in the event of a (partial) lockdown, if necessary.

The current extended HO agreement will also be extended until 31.01.2022. A new notification is not necessary. Only new or regularly expiring HO agreements must be applied for via PVS, as before.

From today's perspective, there will be a new assessment of the situation in week 1/2022 at the latest and we will keep you informed via the known information channels. We ask you to keep up to date via website, e-mail and the channels available to you.

Finally, we wish you and your loved one's happy holidays and all of us health and confidence for 2022.

Best regards

Bernadette Spiesberger
For the crisis team of the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria

As announced in the last newsletter of the FH Upper Austria crisis team, the transitional period for the recognition of antigen tests at the FH Upper Austria ended yesterday (28.11.21). We ask for your consideration and thank you for your understanding.

Mag.^a Bernadette Spiesberger
For the crisis team of the FH Upper Austria

At least in Upper Austria, the announced lockdown will apply from Monday as a further measure to combat the COVID 19 pandemic. Against this background, the Upper Austrian University of Applied Sciences is also required to take measures. From today's point of view, these are summarised as follows until the regulation is available:

• 2.5-G (Vaccinated-Recovered-PCR-Test*) at Presence
  * Transitional regulation: The validity of antigen tests is extended until Sun, 28.11.2021 due to the current situation (evaluation period of PCR test results).

• As of Monday, 22.11.2021, teaching and research will be conducted in distance mode where possible and in attendance mode where necessary. At the discretion of the programme directors in consultation with the year representatives and in consideration of didactic requirements. Where attendance is necessary, the group size is limited to up to 25 students. In justified exceptional cases (e.g. examinations), a higher number of participants is also allowed. The decision on this is made by the programme director in consultation with the dean.

• FFP2 masks are compulsory in all FH Upper Austria common areas and in all rooms of the FH Upper Austria if at least one other person is present and the risk of infection cannot be minimised by other suitable protective measures.

• Internal meetings/conferences are to be held online as a matter of principle.

• In exceptional cases, external visitors (e.g. meeting participants, suppliers, professionals, consultants, examiners, applicants, etc.) must register with the relevant contact person and be requested by this person to present a 2.5 G certificate and to wear an FFP2 mask in the buildings of our university.

• In principle, events are prohibited.

• Special care leave

Further regulations from the government are expected in the next few days. We will keep you informed and ask you to stay up to date on a regular basis via our FH OÖ information channels such as website, intranet and eMail.

Best wishes to you and your loved ones and stay healthy!

Dr. Gerald Reisinger
President of the FH Upper Austria

Foreign Affairs Austria.

Regarding the announced "Lockdown for unvaccinated" from Monday, November 15, 2021, we inform you about the situation at the FH Upper Austria as follows:

• FH Upper Austria’s regulations with validity from Monday, November 15, 2021 until revoked, probably until December 5, 2021
• Security level II - thinned out operation
• 2.5-G (Vaccinated-Recovered-PCR test*) for on-campus operations - mandatory status recording
• FFP2 mask obligation on all FH Upper Austria general areas and in all rooms of the FH Upper Austria if at least one other person is present and the risk of infection cannot be minimized by other suitable protective measures.

* Transitional regulation: The admissibility of antigen tests is extended until November 21, 2021 due to the current situation (evaluation period of PCR test results).

TEACHING
For students, faculty and adjunct faculty:

• Until the above-mentioned date in early December, teaching will preferably be held in distance mode at the discretion of the head of studies in consultation with the student representatives and in consideration of didactic requirements.
• Where attendance is necessary, the group size will be limited to a maxium of 25 students. In justified exceptional cases (e.g. exams), a higher number of participants is also permissible. The decision is made by the lecturer in consultation with the head of studies and the Dean’s office.
• FFP2 mask requirement for the entire duration of a face-to-face course (in addition to the above-mentioned requirements)
• Once again, special attention is drawn to compliance with safety and hygiene regulations.

LIBRARIES
Are closed to externals as of November 15, 2021.
For students and staff, the lending operation will continue - NO reading operation.


RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Under the premise of "thinning out", careful attendance planning by supervisors is required.

• FFP2 mask obligation for the total duration of presence in laboratories and the like, provided that at least one other person is present and the risk of infection cannot be minimized by other suitable protective measures (in addition to the above-mentioned requirements).

HOME-OFFICE as of November 15, 2021
For all those, from R&D, faculty and administrative staff, who are released from the Covid-19 HO title:
FH Upper Austria's current HO policy is suspended until revoked, presumably up to and including December 5, 2021. Instead, Covid-19 HO agreements from 2020 will become effective again during the period from November 15 until revoked, expected to be up to and including December 5, 2021. Appropriate notification of new Covid-19 HO agreements or those to be reactivated is to be made by supervisors to personalverwaltung@fh-ooe.at.

EVENTS
In general, on-site events are prohibited. If an event falls under the exceptional circumstances of the ordinance, it is to be submitted for approval via the supervisors and Dean’s offices and implemented in coordination with the Congress and Event Management Department of the FH Upper Austria.
Graduation ceremonies scheduled during the aforementioned period will be postponed!

G-STATUS RECORDING
In order to provide a secure university environment, the 2.5-G capture status of the students present will continue to be checked by the course management prior to each course for presences, as well as for lecturers and staff. https://3g.fh-ooe.at
The data will be handled in accordance with DSGVO and deleted after the purpose has been fulfilled.

GENERAL
- Internal meetings/discussions are to be held online.
- External visitors (e.g. meeting participants, suppliers, professionals, consultants, examiners, applicants, etc.) must register with the relevant contact person and must be requested by this person to present a 2.5 G certificate and to wear an FFP2 mask in the buildings of our university.
- The information on Mensa remains unchanged: please refer to the resident catering establishments at the schools for the applicable rules.
- Currently, there is once again a special care exemption regulated by law for parents whose children in need of care are under quarantine. In this case, please apply through Corona-Sonderbetreuung (sharepoint.com) take caregiver leave.

BUSINESS TRAVELS or INTERNATIONAL COMMUTERS
- Business trips have to be requested via PVS according to the valid business trip guideline.
The only exception are trips to countries with travel warnings - according to the website of the Austrian BMEIA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Austria: these are still subject to approval by the President.
- We refer border commuters to the applicable regulations of the country of entry according to the website of the Austrian BMEIA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Austria.

For a given reason, FFP2 masks are mandatory for all attendees at all faculties of the Upper Austrian University of Applied Sciences on 12.11.2021 and 13.11.2021. In some cases, courses could already be switched to online at short notice - further measures will be communicated by Monday at the latest.

Transitional regulation: Due to the current situation (evaluation time of PCR test results), the validity of antigen tests will be extended until 21.11.2021. 

In view of the once again very serious situation, I would once again urge you to keep your social contacts to an absolute minimum, even in private, and to follow the measures in force.

It has just been announced in a press release, that there will be a "lockdown for unvaccinated persons" in Upper Austria beginning on Monday, November 15, 2021.

Whether and what changes will result for us at our university, we can only assess after the corresponding new regulation is available.

In any case, we will keep you informed via the communication channels of our university!

Until then, the current regulations of our university apply UNCHANGED!

As the currently available PCR test infrastructure does not yet allow for complete G detection, a transition period from 3G to 2.5G will be granted at the FH Upper Austria until 14.11.2021.

Until 14.11. applies

• Recovered
• Vaccinated
• Negative antigen or PCR test (no „living room“ self-tests!)

As of 15.11 applies

• The 2,5G rule applies without exception in the form of the EU-compliant certificate.
• The 2,5G status (with QR code) must be recorded via https://3g.fh-ooe.at.  The so-called "living room" self-tests are not permitted for this purpose.
• For all those who do not record a positive 2,5G certificate for factual reasons, FFP2 masks are mandatory in all buildings and all rooms of our university without exception (you must bring them yourself). The factual justification (medical certificate only) why 2.5G proof cannot be uploaded must be deposited in advance with the dean's office / university management.

ATTENTION: Neutralizing antibody tests are no longer valid for a G-proof since 08.11.21. More information for a recovery proof can be found at Der Grüne Pass (gruenerpass.gv.at).

EVENTS

Separate regulations apply for events with 25 or more persons. For scheduled events, please contact the Convention and Event Management Department for coordination.

Graduation ceremony take place with the 2G rule.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Are you showing symptoms of Covid-19 disease, have a positive rapid test available, have received a quarantine notice from the agency, or have tested positive for Covid-19 by PCR test?

You show symptoms of Covid 19 disease and/or have a positive rapid test.
Contact the health hotline 1450. Stay at home until your general practitioner (Contact by phone!) or the health authorities have clarified the situation with you. Immediately inform the FH OÖ crisis management at corona@fh-ooe.at and state what the next steps are, according to the authorities.

You have been classified as a category I contact person by the health authority.
Immediately inform the FH OÖ crisis management at corona@fh-ooe.at and send us your quarantine notice as soon as you have received it from the authority. Follow the quarantine notice and stay at home.

You have been classified as a category II contact person by the health authority.
Reporting to the FH Upper Austria Crisis Management is not required as a Category II contact person. There is no restriction on your presence at the FH OÖ. 

You have been tested positive for Covid-19 by PCR test.
Immediately inform the FH Upper Austria Crisis Management at corona@fh-ooe.at, send us your segregation notice and inform us about your FH contacts, which you have to provide in the official contact tracing.

I ask for your understanding and support in the implementation and consistent adherence to these measures. In addition to the protection against Covid-19, the goal of all of us is to maintain face-to-face teaching in the current academic year!

Thank you for your assistance and all the best!

For the Crisis Management Team of the FH Upper Austria
Mag. ^a Bernadette Spiesberger

Dear employees!

As already observed last year, with the beginning of the cold season the number of Covid-19 infections is unfortunately rising rapidly again throughout Austria this year. Some schools have therefore already taken additional measures to be able to maintain classroom teaching throughout the semester despite the rising numbers. Now these local measures become necessary for the entire FH Upper Austria and are therefore summarized here. In line to the additional measures of the Land Upper Austria, the following requirements will therefore apply equally to employees, part time lecturers and students as of Monday, 08 November 2021:

• The 2,5G rule applies without exception in the form of the EU-compliant certificate.
• The 2,5G status (with QR code) must be recorded via https://3g.fh-ooe.at.  The so-called "living room" self-tests are not permitted for this purpose.
• For all those who do not record a positive 2,5G certificate for factual reasons, FFP2 masks are mandatory in all buildings and all rooms of our university without exception (you must bring them yourself). The factual justification why no 2.5G proof can be uploaded is to be deposited in advance in the dean's office / with the university management.

Supplementary info on study operations:

• The check of the 2,5G status takes place at the beginning of the courses. For this purpose, the course instructors have an up-to-date list.
• If no "green" 2,5G certificate is registered for someone entering the university, these persons will be instructed to register it immediately.
• If a re-enrollment cannot be implemented, the students will be instructed to leave the campus.
• In general, there is no entitlement to online participation in courses and no obligation to hold courses in “hybrid form”.

General Information

Are you showing symptoms of Covid-19 disease, have a positive rapid test available, have received a quarantine notice from the agency, or have tested positive for Covid-19 by PCR test?

You show symptoms of Covid 19 disease and/or have a positive rapid test: Contact the health hotline 1450. Stay at home until your general practitioner (Contact by phone!) or the health authorities have clarified the situation with you. Immediately inform the FH OÖ crisis management at corona@fh-ooe.at and state what the next steps are, according to the authorities.

You have been classified as a category I contact person by the health authority: Immediately inform the FH OÖ crisis management at corona@fh-ooe.at and send us your quarantine notice as soon as you have received it from the authority. Follow the quarantine notice and stay at home.

You have been classified as a category II contact person by the health authority: Reporting to the FH Upper Austria Crisis Management is not required as a Category II contact person. There is no restriction on your presence at the FH OÖ. 

You have been tested positive for Covid-19 by PCR test: Immediately inform the FH Upper Austria Crisis Management at corona@fh-ooe.at, send us your segregation notice and inform us about your FH contacts, which you have to provide in the official contact tracing.

I ask for your understanding and support in the implementation and consistent adherence to these measures. In addition to the protection against Covid-19, the goal of all of us is to maintain face-to-face teaching in the current academic year!

Thank you for your assistance and all the best!

Bernadette Spiesberger
For the crisis management team of the FH Upper Austria 

In reaction to the information sent out last week on 3-G registration, we have received numerous queries regarding mandatory 3-G registration, uploading documentation, etc. In order to clarify the situation, we would like to summarise the current information on this topic for you below.

The registration of your 3-G status is voluntary and enables you to enter the facilities of the UASUA without having to wear an FFP2 mask, as long as you have a valid 3-G certificate. Exceptions to this are, for example, laboratory courses, for which an FFP2 mask may be required by the head of the course. You can register your status yourselves quickly and easily via  https://3g.fh-ooe.at using a certificate with a QR code. Instructions on how to do this may be found in Moodle.

If you do not have a certificate with a QR code (e.g. certificate of convalescence, antibody resistance certificate, etc.) or if there are technical problems with the upload, contact persons are available for each campus who can upload these manually:

• Campus Hagenberg
• Campus Linz
• Campus Steyr
• Campus Wels
• Center of Lifelong Learning
• Headquarters

We would like to point out that the measures of EITHER 3-G registration  (status in the system https://3g.fh-ooe.at) OR FFP2 mask obligation are a mandatory requirement which will be monitored at all campuses and which can have consequences in the event of non-compliance.

TESTING

Valid tests are

• Antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2 that were carried out at public test stations by specialist staff or self-tests in a public test street monitored by specialist staff. The validity of these tests is 24h.
• Molecular biological tests (PCR tests) for SARS-CoV-2 with a validity of 72h.

Both of these tests result in a test certificate with a QR code, with which your 3-G status can be registered via https://3g.fh-ooe.at.

Information on where testing is possible may be found at
"Österreich Testet" 
"Land Oberösterreich"
(in German only)

It is not possible to be tested at the Upper Austrian University of Applied Sciences.

Invalid tests are
so-called "living room tests" (self-tests taken without official supervision)

VACCINATIONS

• Second vaccinations of AstraZeneca, Pfizer or Moderna have a validity of 360 days as of Sept. 15, 2021.  If the QR code of your vaccination certificate was generated before 15.09.2021, it still has the previously valid time stamp of 270 days. In such cases, we kindly ask you to generate a new QR code, which can then be correctly recorded in our system with a validity of 360 days.
• Single-dose vaccinations of Johnson & Johnson continue to have a validity of 270 days and can be registered in the system using the QR code.

CERTIFICATE OF CONVALESCENCE

This certificate does not have a QR code and must be registered manually.  Valid proof consists of:

• Signed medical confirmation of SARS-COV-2 infection, including a positive molecular biological test for the disease (i.e. a positive PCR test result, which is valid for 180 days)
• Certification of antibody resistance by means of a signed laboratory result* (valid for 90 days)
• An official quarantine order due to SARS-COV-2 infection (valid for 180 days)

* According to the official statement issued by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection from March 1, 2021 on the detection of antibody resistance, the following is required for the recognition of antibody tests:

• Tests must be performed by a laboratory specialised in human medicine under compliance with the necessary quality assurance measures according to the Quality Assurance Ordinance of the Austrian Medical Association.
• Confirmation by the laboratory that there is sufficient proof of antibody resistance.
• Specification of an appropriate threshold value for antibody resistance by the laboratory carrying out the test.
• Laboratory findings signed by the company

These specifications are based on the current 2-Covid-19 measures ordinance of 15.09.2021. Future amendments to this ordinance will be implemented accordingly by the Upper Austrian University of Applied Sciences.

Let us continue to work together to ensure that in person and thus "normal" attendance at our university is possible for everyone!

Best wishes for the semester start and stay healthy!

For the Crisis Management Team of the FH Upper Austria
Mag. ^a Bernadette Spiesberger

Dear students!
Dear staff members!
Dear part-time teachers!

Shortly before the start of the new academic year, we are pleased to announce that the FH Upper Austria is returning to regular operations in all areas (full attendance).
All security levels have therefore been suspended until further notice.

Although the number of cases is unfortunately rising again, the instrument of the 3-G rule* gives us hope that we will be able to operate normally in the spirit of teaching and interpersonal exchange at each of our university campuses, thus living up to our motto of sapere aude (dare to be wise).

Subject to any changes that may become necessary on a daily basis, the following

general conditions are valid as of 13 Sept., 2021

Teaching

For students, lecturers and part-time lecturers, the 3-G rule applies generally to all in-person campus events (e.g. classes, laboratories, meetings).

3-G certificate registration is explained in detail in the section 3-G Registration. For all those who, for objective reasons, do not register a valid 3-G certificate, FFP2 masks are compulsory in the buildings and all rooms of our university without exception (you must bring these yourself). In order to provide a safe environment, the 3-G compliance of the students present will be checked by the course instructor before each course. Further information on this will be made available to teaching staff by the IT Dept. in a timely manner.

These measures enable us to dispense with contact tracing for the time being and go back to the usual lecture hall occupancy.

In exceptional cases for special types of courses, the dean may demand a separate test for allparticipants in consultation with the course instructor and the ÖH.

Online teaching remains a possiblity, whereby the decision on the format is the responsibility of the course instructor in consultation with the programme director and in accordance with didactic considerations.

Libraries

The libraries are in regular operation, which means they are fully open to the public. The reading areas are also open. Analogous to teaching, the above-mentioned 3-G rule applies here, and proof of 3-G compliance must be presented to the library staff.

R&D/Technicians/Administration

3-G Registration applies to all employees without exception. Registration of a valid 3-G certificate is explained in detail in the section 3-G Registration. For all those who do not register a valid 3-G certificate, FFP2 masks are compulsory in the buildings and all rooms of our university without exception (you must bring these yourself).

General Information

• Internal meetings/conferences may be held in person under the prerequisites ofproof of 3-G compliance or FFP2 mask.
• External visitors (e.g. meeting participants, suppliers, professionals, consultants, examiners, applicants, etc.) are to be requested to present a 3-G certificate or to wear an FFP2 mask in the buildings and all rooms of our university.
• Special regulations apply for events (see below)
• The rules of conduct in the cafeterias (MENSA) and campus bistros remains unchanged: please enquire at the individual establishments on campus for the applicable rules.

Events

The currently applicable Corona regulation of the Federal Ministry stipulates that there are no maximum limits or capacity restrictions for events. Nevertheless, notifications thereof, permits for and prevention measures are required for events with 100 persons or more are required by the district administrative authority. In principle, events are to be approved by the Dean's Office - at HQ by the Crisis Management - and prepared in coordination with our Congress Dept. in accordance with the applicable regulations.
External events on FH Upper Austria premises are only possible within the framework of the applicable Covid regulations and after approval by the Dean's Office.

3-G-Registration

In order to ensure the greatest possible safety for the staff and students of the Upper Austrian University of Applied Sciences, the validity of your 3-G certificate should be registered online at https://3g.fh-ooe.at (a detailed explanation of how follows below).

For full transparency, only the validity of your 3-G certificate is recorded, including its period of validity, but NOT whether you are vaccinated or recovered or tested. The data will be handled in accordance with the GDPR and deleted after its purpose has been fulfilled.

For all those who do not wish to register this information, the FFP2 mask rules is compulsory on the premises and in all buildings of our university without exception.

Registration
At the FH OOE you have the possibility to upload your digital green
passport certificate for your account or to scan it by means of QR codes.

Please have your personal 3-G proof Certificate (EU Digital COVID
Certificate) - EU vaccination certificate, negative test result, cetificate
of recovery - ready for the process. Tests taken at home are not valid.

Uploading or scanning your digital green certificate
First open the following link https://3g.fh-ooe.at and enter your FH login
data (p12345@fhooe.at OR s1234567890@fhooe.at).

Method 1: Scanning the QR code
Allow access to the camera (Allow camera access). Hold the camera a
little distance above the QR code so that it can be recognized.

If your QR code is recognized, the display will show QR-Code detected.
If the code is not recognized, please try Scan again.
Press Send.

If your certificate is recognized as valid, then the following appears: valid certificate found (expires 2099-01-01 23:59)
If no valid certifcate found is displayed, youhave used an invalid certificate. Note: Partial vaccinations are considered invalid, and your first name, last name and date of birth must match your certificate.

Method 2: Uploading your certificate
You can also upload your digital green passport as an image (Choose image) or as a PDF (Choose PDF).

The status of your vaccination certificate can be checked at any time again at https://3g.fh-ooe.at.

Please note: Your data will be treated in accordance with the GDPR and deleted after the purpose has been fulfilled.

You can find detailed instructions in our eLearning area at „COVID-19 Contact Tracing“

In order to reduce the epidemiological risk, there is, among other things, the possibility of vaccination. In order to offer low-threshold, uncomplicated access to vaccination, publicly accessible vaccination buses will be available in front of the campuses at the beginning of the semester. Details will be communicated separately in due course. The vaccination street set up by the JKU is also open to all employees and students of the Upper Austrian University of Applied Sciences, and the planned vaccination buses in front of the Upper Austrian University of Applied Sciences faculties will also be available to JKU employees and students.

Let us continue to work together to ensure that attendance at our university is regulated and thus as "normal" as possible for everyone! Please be careful with your social contacts in order to protect yourself and others!
With best wishes for the start of the semester and stay healthy!


For the Crisis Management Team of the FH Upper Austria
Mag. ^a Bernadette Spiesberger

*so-called living room tests do not confer the status "tested" in the sense of the 3-G Registration

Dear students!
Dear staff members!
Dear part-time teachers!

At the beginning of this month, you received information on the preparations, considerations and plans regarding Covid19 at our university for the summer and the following winter semester.
 
This information has now been updated because of the new regulations from the Federal Government which will apply from 1.7. and 22.7.2021 respectively:

NEW: Until you reach your place of study, the FFP2 mask can be replaced by a mouth-nose protection (MNS), at the place of study the mask obligation is dropped. Provided there is a minimum distance of 1 m.

UNCHANGED EXCEPTION: FFP2 mask obligation CONTINUES to apply in laboratories and everywhere where the distance is less than 1m!

NEW: MNS mask obligation and 1m distance for students applies on common areas (inside buildings).

NEW: The mandatory requirement for students to wear an MNS on common areas (inside the buildings) and to ensure a distance of 1m until 1.9.21 is recommended to the staff.

Fortunately, this also means that the FH Upper Austria will return to security level I  as of 22 July. This applies until further notice.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a pleasant and relaxing summer, stay healthy with your loved ones and let us start together into an autumn full of plans, projects and tasks, hopefully away from the Covid19 issue.
 
Dr. Gerald Reisinger
President FH Upper Austria

Dear students!
Dear staff members!
Dear part-time teachers!

It's starting again!

The University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria is doing everything in its power to return to regular study operations as of September 1, 2021. This means a return to"before Covid" operations.
Today you will receive information on the planned 

• framework conditions from September 1, 2021 as well as on the
• transitional arrangements, valid from June 10 until August 31, 2021.

TEACHING

Framework conditions from September 1, 2021: A return to presence is planned, whereby the possibilities of online teaching will also be used in the future.
The form of attendance, hybrid or distance is the responsibility of the course leader in consultation with the head of the degree programme and is determined according to didactic aspects.
International students are exempted from compulsory attendance for Covid reasons in justified individual cases. This must be agreed with the head of the degree programme in advance.

Contact tracing (QR code registration) will be continued for all on-campus teaching activities.

As of September 1, it is planned that those who can present a valid Covid-19 vaccination will be exempted from various restrictions. Otherwise, those who do not have a valid vaccination status or who have not been vaccinated will have to show their green pass or wear an FFP2 mask when requested to do so. The University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria no longer offers Covid-19 rapid tests. Detailed information will be provided shortly after the start of the semester.

Transitional regulation in the area of TEACHING
from June 10 until August 31, 2021

NEW regulations: 

• The applicable safety distance will be reduced to 1m.
• As soon as the study place is reached, the FFP2 mask can be replaced by a mouth nose protection (MNS) mask, provided there is a minimum distance of 1m.
• Return to the "chess board" seating arrangement depending on circumstances.
• The possibility of "3G regulation" for on-campus events.
• FFP2 mask requirement and 1m distance for students will continue to apply in common areas

UNCHANGED regulations: 

• Oral individual or final examinations: In front of a committee, to answer questions or to give a presentation - with appropriate spatial conditions (distance, ventilate etc.), the mask/mouth nose protection (MNS) can be removed completely.

LIBRARIES

Framework condition from September 1, 2021: Full normal operations apply in the libraries.
The reading areas will also be reopened.

Until this date, the current regulations will continue to apply (libraries will remain closed to external users, as will reading services). The lending service will remain open.

RESEARCH / ADMINISTRATION

From July 1, 2021, the same regulations as before the pandemic will apply with regard to the workplace.

The Covid-19 Home Office agreement, which expires at the end of June, will be replaced by a new HO regulation. Separate information on this will be provided in the next few days.

In order to be able to derive a qualified risk analysis and possible measures from autumn, the Covid-19 vaccination status of the employees will be collected from September 1, 2021. 

GENERAL INFORMATION  

• From now on and until further notice, internal meetings/discussions are subject to an individual assessment by the person inviting whether they would be more useful, efficient or beneficial virtually or in person.
• Unrestricted access to the FH Upper Austria campuses can be resumed with immediate effect, where desired and appropriate.
• External visitors are requested to present their 3G badge upon request or to wear an FFP2 mask on the FH premises.
• The mandatory requirement for students to wear an FFP2 mask on general areas and to ensure a distance of 1m from June 10 until August 31, 2021 is extended as a recommendation to staff.
• Due to the increased presence from July 1, 2021, Facility Management will ensure the necessary hygiene and cleaning measures, including cleaning and maintenance of the filter systems.
• The information on Mensa operations remains unchanged: please refer to the local catering establishments at the schools for the according rules.

BUSINESS TRAVEL

As of July 1, 2021 and until further notice, the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria will also return to the usual normality when it comes to business trips. According to the current business travel guidelines , all planned business trips must be applied for via PVS.

The only exception is foreign travel to countries with travel warnings - according to the website of the Austrian Travel Warnings - BMEIA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Austria: these are subject to approval by the President with immediate effect and until further notice.

In this context, it should be mentioned that in the case of private travel to countries with travel warnings at the time of departure (see definition above according to the website of the Austrian Foreign Ministry), in the case of quarantine requirements, e.g. on return to the home country, this quarantine period will be counted as leave.

EVENTS

Due to the constantly changing requirements of current regulations, the event management team (Barbara Eigruber) at FH Upper Austria must be contacted in good time and accordingly.

This winter semester 2021/22 in attendance can and will only succeed if each and every one of us - students, staff as well as part-time lecturers - take all the necessary measures on our own responsibility to prevent another virus from spreading.

We are confident that from now on we can again look forward to "a future in presence". In any case, we are very much looking forward to it!

With best regards

Bernadette Spiesberger
For the crisis team of the FH Upper Austria

Dear students!
Dear employees!
Dear lecturers!

With the recent announcement of steps planned to relax corona restrictions on the part of the government, changes in the requirements at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria follow suit.
You can find all the details under the individual headings below.

The current requirements at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria in connection with Covid-19 in effect as of Monday, 17 May 2021 are as follows:

TEACHING

- Unchanged:
Until the end of the semester, teaching should remain in Distanced Mode at the discretion of the heads of each study programme in consultation with the programme spokespersons/year spokespersons and in consideration of didactic requirements.

- Unchanged:
Where presence is necessary (e.g. laboratory exercises), a group size of up to 16 students is possible. In justified, exceptional cases (e.g. written examinations), a higher number of participants is also permitted, provided that the safety regulations permit this (room size, protective measures). The decision on this is made by the course instructor in consultation with the heads of study and the dean.

- Unchanged:
Libraries will remain closed to external persons, as will reading services. The lending service remains open.

- Unchanged:
QR code registration is mandatory! The university can only run a secure operation if contact tracing is guaranteed.

- NEW:
The following applies to any activities on campus outside of laboratories:
As soon as you reach your place of study (e.g. desk, workstation, etc.), you may exchange your FFP2 mask with an mouth nose protection mask, provided a minimum distance of 1.5m is maintained.

Exceptions to this are individual oral examinations:
Commissional examinations, in which it is necessary to answer questions or to give a presentation - with appropriate spatial conditions (distance, ventilation, etc.), you can remove your mask completely.

Regulations regarding final examinations will be announced separately at a later date.

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

NEW:
Research and development offices and laboratories switch to shift operation again with increased attendance.

ADMINISTRATION / IT

NEW:
Analogous to R&D, regular office hours are to open again in shift operation.

Unchanged:
Take into account the professional as well as private and social circumstances of all employees.

NEW:
The current Corona Home Office agreements will all expire at the end of June 2021 - subject to a contrary development of the pandemic.

ATTENTION: In this context, detailed information on the further regulation of home office at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria will follow at a later date.

GENERAL INFORMATION

- NEW:
The required minimum distance is reduced to 1.5 m. Where masks are compulsory, an FFP2 mask must continue to be worn (exception: in the case of face-to-face teaching after the student has reached his or her place of study - see above)

- NEW:
MENSA: for the rules of the game, please consult the local catering establishments on campus.

- Unchanged:
Access to locations: (where possible) only with ID card

- Unchanged:
Team meetings of staff members should only be held where operational necessity requires and only in compliance with the applicable safety and hygiene regulations.

- Unchanged:
QR code registration requirements apply wherever technically possible.

- Unchanged:
If QR code registration is not possible, the seating plan along with the contact data must be submitted to the crisis management team.

Due to the increased presence on campus, Facility Management will ensure the necessary hygiene and cleaning measures are undertaken.

SPECIAL CARE TIME 

Unchanged:
The requirements and application for special care time can be found on the intranet.

EVENTS - NEW

- As a matter of principle, permission requests for events that require internal attendance as defined by the valid Corona Ordinance are to be submitted to the Dean's Office / HQ to the Crisis Management for approval (does NOT apply to teaching events or team meetings - subject to compliance with safety and hygiene regulations). The event management of the FH Upper Austria should also be contacted  subsequently for the preparation of a safety concept.

- External events are only possible within the framework of the applicable Covid regulations including submission of permission requests for the planned event and approval by the Dean's Office.

- The planned faculty sponsorships in Linz in July 2021 will take place under the applicable regulations.

OFFICIAL TRAVEL - NEW

Business trips abroad that involve participation in major events, meetings, etc. are to be submitted to the President for approval.

Travel within Austria necessary to maintain operations is subject to approval by the respective dean / HQ by the president.
The regulations set out here are expected to apply until the end of SS 2021.
We will inform you about further procedures and changes in the usual way.

OUTLOOK

Winter semester 2021 is currently planned to be in full attendance mode!
The necessary formal requirements for all study programmes will be created in the coming days by the Academic Council.
Arrangements with regard to living arrangements are to be made individually by the students.

We wish you all the best and thank you for your tireless efforts!

Bernadette Spiesberger
For the crisis team of the FH Upper Austria

Dear students!
Dear employees!
Dear lecturers!

We would like to remind you of the current requirements at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria in connection with Covid-19.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you once again for your patience, your perseverance, your motivation, your commitment and your dedication to holding this semester as successfully and professionally as ever under the given conditions!
The current announcements give us hope, we will be watching closely and will keep you informed in the usual way! We all hope for a winter semester in attendance!

The still valid regulations summarised:

TEACHING

Until the end of the semester, teaching will preferably remain in distance mode at the discretion of the programme directors in consultation with the programme spokespersons/year spokespersons and in consideration of didactic requirements.

Where presence is necessary (e.g. laboratory exercises), a group size of up to 16 students is possible. In justified exceptional cases (e.g. written examinations), a higher number of participants is also permissible, provided that the safety regulations permit this (room size, protective measures). The decision on this is made by the course director in consultation with the programme director and the dean.

The following applies exclusively for presence examinations since 10.02.21: As soon as the study place is reached, the FFP2 mask can be replaced by a mouth-nose protection (MNS; except in the laboratories), provided there is a minimum distance of 2m. For all other areas where masks are compulsory at the FH Upper Austria, the regulations apply as before.

Exceptions to this are individual oral examinations: in front of a commission, to answer questions or to give a presentation - under appropriate spatial conditions (distance, ventilation, etc.) - the mask/MNS can be removed completely.

The regulations regarding final examinations will be announced separately at a later date.

Libraries will remain closed for external students, as will reading services. The lending service will remain open.

We would like to draw special attention to the QR code registration requirement. We will only be able to run a secure university operation if the possibility of contact tracing is guaranteed. Therefore, QR code registration is still mandatory!

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Research and development will continue to be carried out in the tried and tested "Corona Mode". Under the premise of "thinning out", the division of presences must be carried out carefully.

ADMINISTRATION / IT

Analogous to R&D and under the keyword "thinning out", home office will continue to be made possible here as well. It is important to take into account the professional as well as private and social circumstances of the employees. In addition to physical health, mental health should also be placed at the centre of considerations.

The current home office agreements have all been extended until further notice.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Access to locations remains unchanged: (where possible) only with ID card

Team meetings of staff members in attendance: here, too, the requirement of operational necessity applies. In any case, the applicable safety and hygiene regulations must be observed.

The QR code registration requirements apply wherever technically possible.

The seating plan transmissions to the crisis management are still required!

SPECIAL CARE TIME 

The requirements and application for special care time can be found on the intranet.

EVENTS

In principle, internal attendance events (does NOT apply to teaching events or team meetings) must be submitted to the crisis management for approval. Subsequently, the event management of the FH Upper Austria is to be contacted (preparation of a security concept).

External events are only possible in exceptional cases, after approval by the health authority including submission of the event concept and approval by the crisis management.

OFFICIAL TRAVEL

Business trips abroad as well as business trips within Austria that involve participation in larger events, meetings, etc. are prohibited in principle and until revoked. Travel within Upper Austria and to neighbouring districts that is absolutely necessary to maintain operations is subject to the approval of the respective dean and travel beyond this must be submitted to the president for approval.

The regulations shown here are expected to apply for the entire SS21.
We will inform you of any changes in the usual way.

We would also like to briefly inform and clarify the topic of tests and vaccinations:

At the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria there is neither a test obligation nor "free testing"!
The numerous public testing opportunities in the cities of Wels, Linz and Steyr offer a wide range of voluntary testing. In Hagenberg, the intra-organisational testing opportunities were continued due to low public offers in this regard.

When the public speaks of "pedagogical staff" in relation to Covid vaccinations, this has always meant only primary and secondary school staff: teachers.
Staff in the tertiary sector are subject to the generally applicable, age-based classification in the vaccination sequence. Therefore, any desired registrations for vaccinations are to be made independently at the corresponding public offices.

We wish you all the best for the months ahead and stay with us! We are already looking forward to a hopefully "normal" autumn.

Bernadette Spiesberger
For the crisis management team of the FH Upper Austria

Dear students!
Dear employees!
Dear lecturers!

As announced, all previous measures remain in place until Easter.
Here we summarize regulations for the time AFTER Easter, subject to further developments and related updates from the federal government.

Thank you to everyone who is helping to ensure that teaching and research operations at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria continue to run in an exemplary and professional manner even after a year of pandemic!

The last weeks have shown that it is necessary to refresh our applicable safety and hygiene measures at the FH Upper Austria. Therefore, you will find a summary of the applicable regulations below:

TEACHING

• Until the end of the semester, teaching will preferably remain in distance mode at the discretion of the heads of study in consultation with the program spokespersons/year spokespersons and in consideration of didactic requirements.
• Where presence is necessary (e.g. laboratory exercises), a group size of up to 16 students is possible. In justified exceptional cases (e.g. written examinations), a higher number of participants is also permissible, provided that the safety regulations permit this (room size, protective measures). The decision is made by the head of the course in consultation with the head of study and the dean.

Exclusively for presence examinations the following applies starting from February 10, 2021: As soon as the study place is reached, the FFP2 mask (except in laboratories), can be replaced by a mouth nose protection mask, provided that there is a minimum distance of 2m. For all other areas in which masks are compulsory at FH Upper Austria, the regulations apply as before.

Exceptions to this are individual oral examinations: in front of a commission, to answer questions or to give a presentation - under appropriate spatial conditions (distance, ventilate, etc.) - the mask/mouth nose protection can be removed completely.

We hope this will allow for a more comfortable exam situation.
Regulations regarding final exams will be announced separately at a later date.

• Libraries will continue to be closed to externals, as will reading operations. The lending service will remain open.
• We would like to draw special attention to the QR code registration requirement. We will only be able to run secure university operations if the requirement of contact tracing is fulfilled. Therefore, QR code registration is still mandatory!

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Research and development will continue to be carried out in the proven "Corona Mode". Under the premise of "thinning out", it is necessary to carefully classify the attendances.

ADMINISTRATION / IT

Analogous to R&D and under the premise of "thinning out", home office will continue to be made possible here as well. In doing so, the professional as well as private and social circumstances of the employees must be taken into consideration. In addition to physical health, the focus should also be on mental health.

The existing home office agreements will all be extended until further notice. A new notification is not required.

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Access locations remains unchanged: (where possible) with ID card only
• Team meetings of employees in attendance: here, too, the requirement of operational necessity applies. In any case, the applicable safety and hygiene regulations must be observed.
• QR code registration requirements apply wherever technically possible.
• Seating plan transmissions to crisis management are still required!

SPECIAL CARE TIME

The requirements and application for special care time can be found on the intranet.

EVENTS

• In principle, internal attendance events (does NOT apply to teaching events or team meetings) must be submitted to Crisis Management for approval. Subsequently, the event management of the FH Upper Austria is to be contacted (security concept preparation).
• External events are only possible in exceptional cases, after approval by the health authority including submission of the event concept and approval by the crisis management.

OFFICIAL TRAVEL

Business trips abroad as well as business trips within Austria that involve participation in larger events, meetings, etc. are prohibited in principle and until revoked. Travel within Upper Austria and to neighboring districts that is absolutely necessary to maintain operations is subject to approval by the respective dean - and travel beyond that must be submitted to the president for approval.

The regulations explained here are expected to be in effect for all of summer semester 2021.

We will inform you of any changes in the usual way.

On the subject of vaccinations, we would like to give you some interim update: we are currently working on cooperation with the statutory cities and local businesses. We will inform you about this in detail at the appropriate time.

All the best!
Bernadette Spiesberger
For the crisis management team of FH Upper Austria

Dear students!
Dear employees!
Dear lecturers!

In the last few days, you have probably been following the information regarding the updated Corona measures on the part of the Austrian federal government.

For students, the conditions for examinations held at the School are being optimised: Exclusively for in-class examinations from Feb. 10^th, 2021 on  the following applies: as soon as the examination place is reached, the FFP2 mask (except in the laboratories), can be replaced by a regular mouth nose protection mask, provided that a minimum distance of 2 m to others can be kept. For all other areas where masks are compulsory at the FH Upper Austria, the regulations apply as before. We hope this will allow a more comfortable examination situation.

In addition, all current safety and hygiene measures of the FH Upper Austria will apply most likely until Easter.

As usual, we will inform you in a timely manner if adaptations of the current safety regulations at the FH Upper Austria become necessary.

All the best to you!

Bernadette Spiesberger
For the crisis team of FH Upper Austria

Dear students!
Dear employees!
Dear lecturers!

On behalf of the FH Upper Austria crisis management team, we would like to inform you about the extended measures that will apply from Monday, January 25, 2021 - various information from our announcement last week remain unchanged:

TEACHING

• The current mask obligation at the schools will be extended in that a special FFP2 mask (instead of a mouth nose protection) must be worn. It is the students’ obligation to obtain according FFP2 masks.
• If necessary, "self-tests" are available for required face-to-face classes, which can be requested by the lecturer via the dean's office. These serve as a guide only and do not replace the applicable safety and hygiene requirements in any way.
• The minimum safety distance is extended to 2 m.

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Research and development will continue to be carried out in the proven "corona mode". The minimum safety distance of 2 m must be maintained. If this is not possible, a split of the presences must be made by means of a "shift plan". If the minimum distance of 2 m is not maintained, an FFP2 mask must be worn.

ADMINISTRATION / IT

Analogous to R&D, a minimum distance of 2 m applies. If this distance cannot be maintained in the offices, a "shift plan" must be submitted. Home office options remain unchanged. Wherever the minimum distance of 2 m is not maintained, an FFP2 mask must be worn.

FFP2 masks for staff are available in administration.

The change of the semester break (primary and secondary school holidays) will lead to holiday cancellations or postponements for some of you. Please report these to pv@fh-ooe.at.
 

Should further measures become necessary, you will receive timely information from the FH Upper Austria crisis management team.
A good week to all of us!

Bernadette Spiesberger
For the crisis team of FH Upper Austria

Dear students!
Dear employees!
Dear lecturers!

On behalf of the FH Upper Austria crisis team, I would like to wish you a Happy New Year 2021. Even in this new year there are still some challenges ahead. However, our joint efforts to handle the pandemic in the previous year make me very positive that we will master everything that comes our way.

With reference to the current lockdown and a planned extension on the part of the Austrian federal government, I am addressing you today with the following key message: at FH Upper Austria, everything remains as it is. The unchanged guidelines from last year remain valid:

TEACHING

• At the discretion of the heads of studies in consultation with the student representatives and in consideration of didactic requirements, teaching will preferably remain in distance mode until the end of the semester.
• Where presence is required (e.g. laboratory exercises), the group size is limited to a maximum of15 students. In justified exceptional cases (e.g. examinations), a higher number of participants is also permitted, provided that the safety regulations allow this (room size). The decision on this is made by the heads of study in consultation with the dean.
• The semester break can be used to make up course content and examinations.
• Once again, we would like to point out that safety and hygiene regulations must be observed.

Libraries remain closed for external visitors, as does the reading area.

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Research and development will continue to be carried out in the proven "corona mode". Under the premise of "thinning out", it is necessary to carefully split the presence of colleagues per office.

ADMINISTRATION

Consistent with R&D and under the keyword „ thinning out", home office will continue to be offered. In doing so, it is important to take into account the professional as well as private and social circumstances of the employees. In addition to physical health, the focus should also be on mental health.
The current home office agreements, which were extended until December 8, remain in effect. A new notification is not required.

TESTING

Testing for students and employees will continue in the usual way at the FH Upper Austria campuses. Please feel free to make use of this offer if you are uncertain or show first Covid-like symptoms. However, we ask you to make reliable use of the booked appointments: every registration that is not followed by the appearance of the person for testing denies other interested persons the testing opportunity – please take responsibility for yourself and others!
Alternative options for rapid testing are being considered.

SPECIAL LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR EMPLOYEES

Requirements for special care leave can be found in the intranet: https://fhooe.sharepoint.com/sites/Coronavirus-Updates/SitePages/Corona-Sonderbetreuung.aspx

EVENTS

Generally, on-site events are currently prohibited. If an event falls under the exception clause of the regulation, it must be submitted for approval via the supervisor or dean's office.

CORONA VACCINATION

Currently, possibilities of a Corona vaccination at the FH Upper Austria are being clarified. We will provide more information once available.

As per usual, we will provide you with timely and up-to-date information. Once again, we kindly ask you to read your e-mails on a regular basis and to consult the relevant intranet page.

In the crisis team, we have agreed to continue our current measures of cooperation in teaching, research, administration and technology until the end of March. We will then re-evaluate the situation and pass on appropriate decisions to you in April.

My best wishes for your health accompany you on this journey!
Thank you for your efforts to make working and studying together at the FH Upper Austria as pleasant as possible despite the pandemic!

Bernadette Spiesberger
for the crisis team of FH Upper Austria
 

Dear students!
Dear employees!
Dear lecturers!

In view of the government's announcement of a new lockdown until January 18,  2021, we are addressing you once again today and hopefully for the last time this year.

To make it short - there are no fundamental changes!

Teaching and research at the FH Upper Austria will continue as before until January 18: Examinations and laboratory exercises or courses that must be held in absolute presence can continue to be held in presence. For this purpose, FFP2 protective masks are currently being purchased for those staff members who work on site and with several people. Information about the distribution points at the schools will be provided on site. At this point, reference should also be made to the FH Upper Austria fabric mask, which offers a similarly high level of protection, provided that it is washed regularly and the appropriate filter insert is used.

The home office agreements for all employees at the FH Upper Austria have been extended until end of semester; we already informed you about this in the last newsletter. Furthermore, home office is to be preferred to presence wherever this seems operationally possible and reasonable.

How we at the FH Upper Austria continue after the third lockdown will be largely determined by the decisions of the government and the ministry. Go into the upcoming holidays with the certainty and security that we will provide you with sufficient new information as it becomes available to us or appears necessary.

Use the upcoming holidays to relax and recharge your batteries. The new year will probably demand a lot from us and, apart from Covid-19, there are just as many exciting topics waiting for us that require our cooperation.

All the best to you, stay healthy and Merry Christmas!

Bernadette Spiesberger
For the FH Upper Austria crisis team

Dear students!
Dear employees!
Dear lecturers!

Demanding weeks lie behind us. The government's restrictions have affected each and every one of us in our private and professional lives. It is with great hope that we are all wishing for the eagerly awaited relaxation, especially in view of the upcoming Christmas season. Many questions reach us regarding the further procedure next week. Not least because of today's press conference, the following applies to the period from December 9^th, 2020:

TEACHING

• Until the end of the semester, teaching will preferably remain in distance mode at the discretion of the heads of study programme in consultation with the class representatives and in consideration of didactic requirements.
• Where presence is necessary (e.g. examinations, laboratory work, etc.) the group size will be extended to up to 16 students. In justified exceptional cases (e.g. examinations), a higher number of participants is also permitted, as long as the safety regulations allow this (room size). The according decision is made by the lecturer in consultation with the Dean.
• The semester breaks can be used to catch up on teaching content and examinations.
• Once again, special attention is drawn to compliance with the safety and hygiene regulations.
• As far as the returning of international students who plan to visit their families in their home countries around Christmas is concerned, there are currently no comprehensive regulations on the part of the Ministry. In any case, I would ask you to bear in mind that a 10-day quarantine after return could affect the progress of your studies and participation in attendance examinations.
• With regard to the considerations for planning the summer semester, the Ministry has assured a recommendation for January on the basis of the information available at that time.
• Libraries remain closed for external users, as does the reading area.

RESEARCH

Research and development will continue to be carried out in the tried and tested "corona way". Under the premise of "thinning out", it is important to carefully split up the presence of colleagues per office.

ADMINISTRATION

- Consistent with R&D and under the keyword „ thinning out", home office will continue to be offered. Here, the professional, private and social circumstances of the employees must be taken into account. In addition to physical health, the focus should also be on maintaining mental health.
The currently valid home office agreements, which were extended until December 8, will all be extended until the end of the semester. A new registration is not necessary.

TESTINGS

Testing will continue for students and employees in the usual manner at the FH Upper Austria locations. Please feel free to take advantage of this offer if you are unsure or if you show similar symptoms to Covid. However, we would ask you to make reliable use of the booked dates: every registration that is not followed by an appearance of the person for testing denies other interested parties the opportunity to test - please take responsibility for yourself and others!

Finally, the now obligatory reference to the fact that this information has been compiled on the basis of the information currently available. We will inform you immediately if the general conditions should change.
For the upcoming holidays around Christmas and New Year I ask you to consume your holidays and time credits. This year has demanded a lot of energy from all of us. It is important for all of us to take a break and recharge our batteries.

Even if it is difficult for all of us - especially on this festive occasion - to comply with the current measures, I would encourage you to continue to be careful: avoid any risk of infection and keep your physical distance. This Christmas, we are all called upon to exercise enormous discipline. Let us go down this path in the certainty that we are all in the same boat and let us draw strength from this thought.

Thank you for your perseverance, thank you for your commitment and stay healthy!

Bernadette Spiesberger
For the crisis team of the FH OÖ

Dear employees!                     
Dear lecturers!             
Dear students!             

We are all now once again facing the situation that the drastic precautions announced by the government are also having an impact on FH Upper Austria. In general universities are again explicitly excluded from the current regulation!

Following the recommendations of the Ministry of Education and in agreement with the regional government, the FH Upper Austria will enter safety level II from Tuesday, 17 Nov. 2020, 0:00 am.
The aim is to reduce mobility in Upper Austria. Therefore, the urgent request is made to carry out the lectures - where didactically reasonable and possible – in online mode. Exams and exercises can be carried out in-person in small groups. In R&D and administration, operations are to be maintained, here too there is the possibility of requesting a home office in agreement with the supervisor.
For more details please see below.

Due to the public holiday situation on 8 December and the associated bridge day, the following regulations at FH Upper Austria are valid until midnight on Tuesday, December 8,2020.

Much of the following information is already known, but I would like to remind you accordingly.
Let's walk this challenging path together again. It is not new to us and all of us have already mastered this situation magnificently. I am convinced that we will succeed once again!

STUDY OPERATIONS 

LECTURES 

There are no in-person courses during the above-mentioned period. The lecture units concerned are held in distance learning. This means that all lecturers are required to enable students to acquire teaching material by providing digital formats. Presence of lecturers and students in the lecture hall or seminar room is thus not necessary.  

However, in order to avoid numerous time shifts, courses, examinations etc. which require in-person presence (e.g. laboratory exercises) can be held in small groups (size 8 persons) in coordination between the persons involved and in compliance with all safety and hygiene regulations. 
Please note: mandatory wearing of masks for students and the recommendation for all staff to wear a mask for their own protection and for the protection of others. 

The eLearning teams provide support in the usual way in the implementation of the virtual courses. Please make use of the know-how of your contact person at the faculties. The IT team will also support you in the technical implementation. 
Please use the following e-mail addresses if necessary: 
elearning@fh-hagenberg.at / elearning@fh-linz.at / elearning@fh-steyr.at / elearning@fh-wels.at / servicedesk@fh-ooe.at or phone 050804-15000 

The Academic Council has retained the guidelines adopted in March of this year regarding  

• Handling of virtual exams 
• Processing of courses requiring in-person attendance  
• Compensation solutions for internships

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS 

Students who commute to the FH Upper Austria from a neighbouring country must carry their student ID card and student certificate with them. The latter can be requested from the course administrators.

IN-PERSON EXAMS 

Here, too, the following applies: In order to avoid delays and upon didactic considerations, presence examinations can be held in small groups (up to 8 persons) in coordination between the persons involved and in compliance with all safety and hygiene regulations. 
Please note: mandatory wearing of masks for students and the recommendation for all staff to wear a mask for their own protection and for the protection of others. 

PUBLICITY OF EXAMS 

If, in individual cases, oral examinations are scheduled by the head of the programme/course, public access to the examination is to be restricted in such a way that only the examiners and the person to be examined are present, plus a maximum of one other person (including visitor registration). For the implementation of the examination, premises shall be selected which allow the applicable safety and hygiene regulations to be observed.

OFFICE HOURS 

These are, if at all possible, to be carried out via MS teams or by telephone or e-mail. 

LIBRARIES 

Lending and returning books is still possible. The reading zones and open access areas in the libraries are closed and the length of stay in the libraries must be reduced to a minimum. We would again ask you to make use of the large online offer of books and journals.  

RESEARCH 

Research operations must be maintained and project delays must be avoided. Regardless of this, a minimisation of the number of participants is to be strived for. Wherever a presence is required by the nature of the projects, it applies that activities can be carried out in presence observing all safety and hygiene regulations. 

GENERALLY APPLICABLE 

On-site Covid-19 testing will continue as before. 

Due to safety level II, the schools of the FH Upper Austria will remain open. In this respect, information on opening hours, access conditions etc. will be communicated locally. The telephone availability of the FH Upper Austria as well as the possibility of incoming and outgoing mail and parcel acceptance will remain unchanged. 

The registration of external presence at the FH Upper Austria is to be continued in the usual manner. 
The curfew must be observed: no visitors at the information day, no visits to laboratories by schools, etc.  

BUSINESS TRIPS 

Business trips abroad as well as business trips within Austria, which involve participation in larger events, meetings, etc., are generally prohibited until revoked. Travels that are absolutely necessary to maintain operations are subject to the President's approval. 

CARE REGULATIONS 

The family care exemption is implemented in accordance with the legal requirements. Details will follow as soon as the final legal text is available. 

HOME OFFICE  

In contrast to any contrary information available, it is pointed out that the existing HO agreements (from spring 2020) will be reactivated up to and including Tuesday, December 8. 2020. In this context, reference is made to the existing process that HO requests are to be approved by the according supervisor. 

An HO agreement must be concluded for all those employees who have returned to or have joined FH Upper Austria since May 2020. If this has not been done so far, your supervisor is required to contact the Human Resources department: krisenmanagement@fh-ooe.at.

Time record keeping in the HO  
Only employees who are obliged to keep time records are still obliged to do so in their home office. The details of implementation will be communicated locally. 

CORONA-RELATED REPORTING TO THE CRISIS MANAGEMENT 

Suspicious cases, quarantine notifications or infections or the like must continue to be reported immediately to corona@fh-ooe.at - also in the home office or distance operation. 

If you have any questions - apart from the official federal hotline telephone numbers - the crisis management of the FH Upper Austria, in particular Bernadette Spiesberger, will be happy to answer them on 0664/80484-11450. 

COMMUNICATIONS 

External communication, especially with the media, is handled exclusively by our central marketing department. FH Upper Austria is required to coordinate relevant information with the crisis management team of the federal state of Upper Austria. Your contact for corresponding enquiries from media representatives is elisabeth.merta@fh-ooe.at. 

EVENTS 

In general, live events are prohibited. If an event falls under the exemption criteria of the decree, it must be submitted for approval via the official supervisors or the deans' offices. 

All this information is based on the current state of knowledge on the weekend, November 15 , 2020, and will of course be adapted promptly if necessary. Please check your company e-mails and other information channels of the FH Upper Austria on an ongoing basis. This will keep you informed and up-to-date. 

In view of the once again very serious situation, I would like to urge you once again to keep your social contacts to an absolute minimum and to comply with the announced hygiene standards and regulations in your private life as well. 

This time demands a lot of energy from all of us. But please do not forget to look at the positive side, this is how we will come out of this pandemic stronger. 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your dedication and commitment. 

My best wishes go with you and your relatives. 

Stay healthy! 

Dr. Gerald Reisinger 
President of the FH Upper Austria 

Dear students!
Dear employees!
Dear lecturers!

In general, the universities are excluded from the current Covid-19 measures of the Austrian Federal Government; this is mainly due to the high level of professionalism with which the tertiary education sector in Austriacopes with the Covid-19 situation. Nevertheless, it is also necessary to reassess the framework conditions for the FH Upper Austria. For the FH Upper Austria, this means that we will take safety level I of our safety matrix with additional measures as of Monday, November 2, 2020. This applies to all four schools as well as the Headquarters.

STUDY OPERATIONS
From Tuesday, November 3, 2020 on, we will switch courses to distance mode as far as possible, except for those courses without substitution possibilities or those with necessary presence, e.g. laboratory classes. At the same time we will activate contact tracing for students in attendance at all schools. Instructions for this have already been sent out. This regulation is valid until the end of November. It is again pointed out that for all persons in attendance at the FH Upper Austria schools, compliance with the applicable safety and hygiene regulations continues to apply.

Students have to limit their stay at the campus only to the required time of lectures.

Libraries: Lending activities remain unchanged, reading areas will be closed.

Examination mode: In the interest of both students and lecturers, the examination mode will continue to be in attendance, whereby the applicable safety and hygiene regulations must be observed.

RESEARCH
The research operations remains unchanged. Home Office can be used again where research activities are not tied to the spatial conditions of the FH Upper Austria. The decision on this is incumbent on the supervisors, at their own discretion and in the best interest of the operational requirements. The corresponding home office notifications for the maximum duration until November 30, 2020 are to be sent to
krisenmanagement@fh-ooe.at.

IT, IMMO AND ADMINISTRATION
All employees are still present in compliance with the applicable safety and hygiene regulations. In addition, the supervisors can also approve home office in order to reduce the amount of persons per office. The decision on this is incumbent on the supervisors, at their own discretion and in the best interest of the operational requirements. The corresponding home office notification for the maximum duration until
November 30, 2020 are to be sent to krisenmanagement@fh-ooe.at.

GENERALLY VALID

All employees who are in quarantine are naturally excluded from the presence, just like all those who belong to the risk group and can provide a medical certificate. Safety level I includes the recommendation not to receive external guests at the FH Upper Austria until further notice. Where it is absolutely necessary, presence must be recorded and external persons must be accompanied during their stay at FH Upper Austria schools. The necessary templates/documents etc. (analogous to lockdown in spring) are available at the schools.

It is still valid: take good care of yourself, keep your distance and the hygiene regulations, stay healthy!
We will of course continue to informe you about further measures as soon as necessary.
Thank you for your efforts to get the FH Upper Austria, the students, employees and lecturers through this tense time.

Dr. Gerald Reisinger
President

Dear part-time faculty,
Dear students,
Dear colleagues!

Due to the current Covid19 situation in the city of Wels, the current security level at the FH Upper Austria will be adjusted for the School of Engineering in Wels. Accordingly, from Monday, October 19, 2020, Wels Campus will be set to security level I.

All other schools as well as various FH Upper Austria business units will remain in "regular operation" until further notice.

What does security level I mean for the School of Engineering? 

In addition to the hygiene measures already in place, such as compulsory masks for students and the safety distance to be maintained, contact tracing in the lecture halls, seminar rooms and laboratories will be started from Monday onwards using a QR code. Please find enclosed a short instruction about the registration possibilities and further information (English version will follow). In addition, you will also find the manual in the Moodle course at https://elearning.fh-ooe.at/course/view.php?id=89#section-13.

I would like to ask you to support the FH Upper Austria in this measure by registering yourself at your workplace in the appropriate rooms and also by deregistering when you finally leave the lecture, exercise, seminar, exam, etc.

Through your discipline and adherence to the measures, you will make a significant contribution to being able to continue to offer face-to-face teaching. Together we will successfully master the winter semester.

Stay healthy and take care of yourself and your fellow human beings.

Dr. Gerald Reisinger

President

Dear employees!
Dear students!
Dear teachers!

On 1 October 2020, the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria will be back in full operation. We are very pleased about that! In order to be able to take the appropriate precautions in the light of current developments, we would like to inform you about the extended measures that have been decided upon by the FH Upper Austria crisis management team:

From 01.10.2020 all students are obliged to wear a mouth and nose protection mask. However, it is strongly recommended to wear the MNS before 1.10! Wearing it is obligatory from the moment you enter a FH Upper Austria building and on the school corridors until you reach your seat/workstation, even if the safety distance of 1 metre can be maintained. It is still mandatory to wear a mouth and nose protection mask even at workplaces where the 1 metre safety distance is not reached (e.g. in laboratories).

Employees are recommended to wear a mouth and nose protection masks when entering FH Upper Austria buildings and in the corridors.

For this purpose, FH branded MNP masks made of fabric for the staff and students will be provided - however, for production reasons, not until a few days after 1 October.

As a general rule, if you feel ill or show Covid-19 symptoms, stay at home and contact your GP and call 1450.

However, if you suddenly feel unwell during your stay at the FH Upper Austria and develop symptoms, inform the class representative immediately and keep distance from other people. The class representative will coordinate with the lecturer/teacher to pass on the relevant information to the dean.

For these cases we have provided contactless clinical thermometers at the schools, which can be used voluntarily for an initial clarification regarding fever.

You can find the thermometers:

Hagenberg Campus: room FH1.105 (Administration)
Linz Campus: Building A: ground floor, room A-011c ("Postkammerl") / Building B: 3rd floor (cabinet next to printing area)
Steyr Campus: FHI: ground floor, room 2002 (Info Point) / FHII: ground floor, room 1003 (first aid room) / FH III: 2nd floor, room 5207 (Office ILM/SCM/DTLM)
Wels Campus: Building A, O2-021 (Office LTE/SES/EE) / Building A, O2-049 (Office AMM/IPM/Mewi) / Building A, O2-048 (Office AT/BI/MB)
Headquarter Wels: 3rd floor, office 3.002 (PM&PE)

The following hygiene regulations apply when using the clinical thermometer:

• The person taking the temperature must wear disposable gloves
• All participants have to wear a mouth and nose protection masks
• 1 metre safety distance must be maintained
• Disinfect the clinical thermometer after use

We ask each of you to follow the applicable measures and regulations for the containment of Covid-19 spread in order to protect you, your fellow students, your colleagues and of course your private environment and not to unnecessarily endanger the study programme at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austrian.

Let's keep physical distance and stay connected in mutual responsibility for each other!

Bernadette Spiesberger
For the crisis management team of the FH Upper Austria

Mailing at the beginning of the semester

Guide for safe university operations

Dear employees!
Dear teachers!
Dear students!

I would like to take the opportunity of yesterday's press conference by State Governor of Upper Austria Thomas Stelzer and the repeated announcement of the obligation to protect the mouth and nose in official buildings, in public spaces, for service providers, etc. to inform you about the relevant arrangements at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria.

Basically, how to and further

o maintaining the appropriate minimum distance of one meter

o in laboratories, due to the spatial conditions, the obligation to protect the mouth and nose

o the use of existing disinfection dispensers at the sites

o the observance of all previous hygiene measures: Washing hands etc.

and thus the currently running presence operation can be handled at the locations without any changes.

The use of the Stop Corona App helps with any contact tracing and can be installed on a voluntary basis (also on company mobile phones).

If we are all attentive and consider ourselves and our colleagues, we can together master the current situation in a proven way.

Best regards and all the best!

Dr. Gerald Reisinger

Dear students of the FH OÖ!

First of all I would like to thank you for your active cooperation in coping with the circumstances caused by COVID-19.

The University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria plans to conduct the winter semester 2020/21 in regular operation with a higher proportion of distance learning (depending on the general conditions). The concrete arrangements of the courses will be decided by the faculties.

From today's point of view, the 1m distance regulation or, in case of undercutting, the obligation to protect the mouth and nose will continue to apply.

Please make your private arrangements accordingly.

More information about the graduation ceremonies:

They will be handled decentrally in compliance with certain requirements (e.g. obligation to register, possible restriction of the number of visitors inside the building etc.) Detailed information will follow.

These plans are based on the current state of knowledge, subject to changes in the specifications by the Austrian federal government.

I wish you a relaxing summer and enjoy your holiday!

With best regards

Dr. Gerald Reisinger

President

Dear employees!
Dear teachers!
Dear students!

Fortunately, the general conditions are developing in such a way that we can return to normality synchronously with social life.

As of June 15, 2020, we will therefore return to the state BEFORE Covid 19 - with the exception of the regulations listed below. In preparation for the return to normal operations, all those employees and teachers - who are still in the home office - will be able to resume their work at the site as early as Monday 8 June 2020.

The locations of the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria are once again fully accessible to all authorised persons (visitors by appointment only).

This means in concrete terms and applies to the entire FH Upper Austria:

- A safety distance of at least 1m must be maintained!
- The disinfectant dispensers provided are to be used and regular hand washing is still
  recommended.
- Regular exchange of air must be ensured by appropriate ventilation.
- By sensible temporal arrangement, crowds of people should be avoided as far as
  possible.

Study operation

All courses that are possible in a distance mode will continue to be held in this form. Courses, examinations, exercises, etc. that are held in attendance continue to be subject to the above-mentioned safety regulations.

Examinations can be viewed again after prior registration and in compliance with the above-mentioned regulations.

Libraries are also reopened under the above-mentioned conditions (including the reading area).

R & D

R&D is a regular operation. The above-mentioned specifications are to be applied accordingly.

Facilities management

Regular cleaning is ensured by the facility management.

Furthermore, it is recommended to regularly clean the work equipment with the help of the cloths and cleaning agents provided. The utensils already provided at the locations should be used for this purpose. If you wish to fill liquid agents in your own containers for this purpose, make sure that they are clearly marked so that there is no serious confusion (e.g. disinfectant in a supposed water bottle).

Events

Currently there are no events planned by the FH Upper Austria. In principle, the general regulations of the Federal Government apply to events.

At this point I would like to inform you that the administrative processing of the last three months with regard to time recording in the home office takes some time. We are working on it with high pressure and I ask you for a little patience.

In conclusion, I would like to thank you all once again for the great achievement that we as FH Upper Austria have managed to get through these difficult times so unscathed and I wish us all that we can start into a regular winter semester 2020/21 after a hopefully relaxing summer.

Dr. Gerald Reisinger

Information for students, employees and lecturers by Mr. Gerald Reisinger: 

The Austrian Federal Government has only implemented the general obligation to wear mouth and nose protection announced for after Easter to a limited extent, therefore the relevant passage of the letter of 8 April (obligation to wear mouth and nose protection at the locations of the FH OOE) is not relevant.

The Upper Austrian University of Applied Sciences intends to gradually move towards normal operation as of Monday, 4 May 2020 go. Information letter of FH OOE Management

The minimum operation at universities has been extended by the Federal Ministry to 30 April 2020. Therefore, lectures will continue to be held in distance learning mode.

We are in close contact and coordination with the authorities. The next information from our side regarding possible changes will be given as soon as the new legal framework is clear and can be communicated - as things stand at the beginning of next week. We will inform you immediately via all our online channels.

Letter of Mr. Gerald Reisinger, President University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria

Due to a directive of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research and in order to counteract a possible spread of the coronavirus, no classroom lectures have been held at the FH Upper Austria since Wednesday, 11.3.2020 until further notice.

The University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria will keep you informed about current developments and changes via its channels. Please take a look here regularly.

Here, too, it applies that these are to be carried out - if at all possible - by telephone or electronic media.

Returning and borrowing books is generally possible. The reading zones in the libraries are closed, and the length of stay in the libraries must be kept to a minimum. We would ask you to make use of the large online offer of books and magazines. 

If any questions cannot be answered from the information provided (FAQs, etc.), please contact the Dean's office of the respective faculty in the first instance or send an email to krisenmanagement@fh-ooe.at.

Please note the current information on the FH Upper Austria website www.fhooe.at (https://www.fh-ooe.at/ueber-uns/news/news/informationen-zum-coronavirus/) with the links provided to the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection and the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research. 

Suspected cases or infections must be reported immediately to the Dean's Office or, in the case of the Holding, to Bernadette Spiesberger (Head of HR). Any official information and notifications issued by the authorities must also be forwarded immediately to the Dean's Office / HR. This group of persons decides and coordinates the further procedure according to the instructions of the medical authority.

This information is based on the current state of knowledge as of 12. March 2020 and will of course be adapted promptly if necessary. 

In view of the seriousness of the situation, we would once again urge you to keep social contacts to an absolute minimum and to comply with the announced hygiene standards in the private sphere as well.