News Overview

COVID-19: Information about academic affairs in winter semester 20/21

Common hygiene and distance regulations remain in place in the coming semester. In teaching, this has a particular effect on the available room capacities. In on-site courses with many participants, usually only a small number of students can be present. Support has been prepared for this:

• Planning attendances in winter semester (in German)

In addition, TU Graz reacts to changing traffic light colours of the nationwide Corona traffic lights. Some regulations, such as the maximum occupancy rate of lecture halls, seminar rooms and laboratories, must be observed at all times for green, yellow and orange. Details of the different operating modes can be found in TU4U (in German), the traffic light status for TU Graz, which is updated weekly, can be found at www.tugraz.at/go/coronavirus.

“LEHR-Stammtisch” and Workshop: Institutional support for teaching excellence

In cooperation with OeAd and uniko workshops on learning and teaching at Austrian universities will be held at three universities in 2020. At TU Graz, the focus will lie on institutional support and incentive systems for teaching excellence on 23 September.

Highlights of the day include a lecture by Lewis Purser of the Irish University Association and breakout sessions on the topics:

• Feedback instruments (University of Graz)
• From emergency remote teaching to creative and accessible education (Advance HE, UK)
• Incentives in teaching (TU Graz)

Following that, the teachers’ discussion group (LEHR-Stammtisch) takes place.

Programme of 23 September:
Workshop: 10 am – 2 pm
Teachers’ discussion group: 2 pm – 4 pm

Details and registration: Registration website

Reading rooms are reopened again

All reading rooms, the foyer and group rooms are open again since August 31: Working and learning areas on all floors of the main library open from 9 am to 3 pm, the foyer from 8 am to 8 pm.

You can use the group rooms of the main and the subject library Inffeld by prior reservation. Up to four people are allowed per room at the same time. Go to the circulation desk or contact the respective library branch by phone or email for your reservation.

To ensure that all working and learning areas of the library remain open, please continue to follow distance and hygiene regulations. Disinfectants are available in every reading room, so you are able to disinfect your work space on your own. In addition to that, you have to fill the attendance list on-site with your arrival and departure time.

Call: Submission for Eramus+ KA2 Strategic Partnerships

You can submit applications for Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships to the EU until 10-29. Funding is available for projects that help equip education systems to meet the challenges posed by the shift to online and distance learning.

Topic: "Digital education" (as a reaction to the COVID-19 situation) and how this can be implemented pedagogically at university

Maximum grant amount: € 300.000 for projects with a duration of 24 months

Project duration: 12 - 24 months

Deadline for submission: 29 October 2020, 12.00

For narrower information please contact Mag. Kordula Fabiani of International Office – Welcome Center (+43 316 873 6415, kordula.fabianinoSpam@tugraz.at). Details about the call can be found on the Website of OeAD (in German).

COVID-19: Information  about teaching operations

Summer semester 2020

Teaching and examination operations remain primarily digital. Further easing of the restrictions:

• From 31 August: Oral on-site courses up to approx. 30 participants are possible again after approval; all buildings are open again (incl. drawing studios, learning and reading areas); excursions (also within the framework of courses) are possible again
• From 31 August: Higher capacities in lecture halls, see TU Graz cloud or TUGRAZonline
• Details in the intranet TU4U

Winter semester 2020/21

• Digital first at courses and exams: limited spatial resources remain upright
• Hygiene rules and safety distances remain upright
• Details in the intranet TU4U

Information and advice: www.tugraz.at/go/coronavirus

Support offers for teaching

The Teaching Academy and the Didactics Steering Group will increase their offerings over the summer months to support teachers with regard to the general conditions of online teaching, the conception and implementation of hybrid formats and the special situation of students who cannot be present. You can find all dates and contacts at the exchange platform “Virtual teaching in times of Corona”.

There will be furthermore a training for those student assistants who will support TU Graz teaching staff in the implementation of virtual teaching (for example: creation, implementation and processing of virtual exams). The first training will l take place on 17 September 2020, please report your needs at vr-lehrenoSpam@tugraz.at.

Virtual opening of the Teaching Academy

Beginning with the present summer semester, the Teaching Academy provides all in-house training in the field of teaching. The comprehensive didactic qualification programme offers a variety of specialisation opportunities.

The festive and official opening was planned for the end of April, which had to be cancelled due the Corona pandemic. Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, Stefan Vorbach, and head of the Teaching Academy, Verena Schwägerl-Melchior, now address all interested parties in a video message to give the opening a festive frame. You can find the video and all information about the Teaching Academy in the intranet TU4U.

LLT breakfast

At the cosy LLT breakfast of the service unit Educational Technology (LLT) you will have the opportunity to learn new things about the use of digital media in teaching and then to exchange ideas with colleagues and the LLT team in a relaxed atmosphere. We are very pleased to welcome you again face-to-face at this event.

Hard facts:

When: Tuesday, 14 July 2020, 8 am - 9 am

Where: Mia & Mason Rooftop, Stremayrgasse 16, 5th floor

Topic: TU Graz TUbe

Registration: elearningnoSpam@tugraz.at

Note: The number of participants is limited to 20 persons!

Do not miss: A new version of the TELucation folder is available on-site!

Two free places for the training programme eDidactics

Due to Covid-19, it was necessary to switch teaching to online formats very quickly this semester. It is important for TU Graz to continue to offer teachers qualification measures in the use of digital technologies. For the programme eDidactics of the Styrian University Conference (Steirische Hochschulkonferenz), two free places will again be made available. Interested lecturers at TU Graz are asked to apply to vr-lehrenoSpam@tugraz.at by July 15th with a short letter of motivation.

The programme offers a choice between different modules, which can also be attended independently of each other:

• Learning Management Systems
• Media didactics
• E-Moderation and communication
• Cooperation and collaboration
• Multimedia production
• Assessment of performance
• Legal issues
• Accessibility and inclusion

On July 1, 2020, the ad hoc conference will take place again from 4 pm to 7 pm. The next Barcamp focuses on the description and discussion of the marketplace calls. As an innovation, the TEL Marketplace for researchers and lecturers will be expanded to include a Call for Excellence MOOCs, and the Technology-Enhanced Administration (TEA) Marketplace for Students will be launched. The TEA Marketplace will promote innovation in ​​administration in the form of Open Source Projects. In addition, the exchange between pilot teams, lecturers and students is encouraged again

The upcoming TEL Marketplace Barcamp will also present itself in a hybrid manner, namely offline & online. Please register, while announcing if you intend to participate offline or online: marketplace.lltnoSpam@tugraz.at.

TU Graz Library reopens on June 2, 2020

Welcome back at TU Graz Library and Archives! All branches are open since June 2, 2020 with slightly altered opening hours.

Feel free to use the open shelves again, including the reserved books collection at the main library. The learning and reading areas and computers, however, cannot be used until further notice.

The journals department and the inter-library loan service at Technikerstraße 4 are also reopening on June 2. The scan service for journal articles is still available and free of charge. Scanners and copiers are available at all of our branch libraries.

For reservations and orders from the closed stacks please use your personal account at the TU Graz LibrarySearch or ask our staff on site.

Please follow the rules for hygiene and maintain a safe distance to other patrons during your library visit.

New opening hours

Main library | Mon – Fri, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Subject libraries NAWI and Inffeld | Mon – Fri, 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Now available: virtual textbook collections

All textbook collections are now accessible via TU Graz LibrarySearch under the category "Collections". Lecturers can add both print media and e-books to these collections. Thus, students get online access to the most important books of their courses.

All e-books can be read and downloaded within the virtual textbook collections at TU Graz LibrarySearch. Additionally, you can search for collections using the search bar and the “Collection” facet. Please select this facet on the left side of the website after you have entered your search term.

Lecturers who want to provide their students with a textbook collection via TU Graz LibrarySearch send their requests to service.bibliotheknoSpam@tugraz.at. Links to individual textbook collections remain unchanged and can therefore be forwarded to students for easy access.

Please find all virtual textbook collections here.

Long night of procrastination online

Following the success of the first Long Night of Procrastination (LNAA) at TU Graz, there will be a repeat in 2020. We invite all students who have already ignored their upcoming (final) papers for far too long to let the night turn into day together. The Long Night is available to all those who are looking for motivation and who want to use a work-intensive night to take decisive steps forward. This time, the LNAA will be held as an online format. Provision is made for:

• a common virtual space
• a little snack - let us surprise you
• individual writing and research consultation
• breakout sessions for writing, rework, research and against procrastination

The event:

• When: 9 June 2020, start at 17:30 (Open End)
• Where: somewhere in virtual space (detailed information after registration)
• Registration: www.tugraz.at/go/lnaa

5 x 1.000 euros for gender and diversity

Mind the Gap – that’s the motto of the price for gender and diversity. By this, TU Graz supports argumets related to the human factor in engineering and science. Overall, five prices with a total value of 5.000 euros are awarded!

Target group: Students and employees, as individuals or in a team (max. 5 persons).The focus lies on

• Academic theses (bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral theses) and publications
• Teaching activities
• Participation in completed or ongoing continuing education activities, workshops, conference contributions
• non-academic projects to promote diversity in research and teaching.

There are no thematic restrictions. Evaluation criteria are the degree of engagement and integration of diversity aspects (such as gender, age, culture, language, experience, physical abilities, etc.).

Application period: 8 March – 30 September 2020, submit to akgnoSpam@tugraz.at

Information of TU Graz about COVID-19

Teaching and examinations will continue to be conducted on the basis of virtual teaching. Only in agreement with the Rectorate will it be possible to offer on-site teaching and on-site examinations - if necessary including the summer months. All this will of course continue to be carried out in accordance with strict rules of conduct and distance. For all other courses and examinations, we request that these be conducted in virtual form.

The Rectorate's ordinance on special regulations due to COVID-19 within the Legal Regulations for Academic Affairs came in force on 7.5.2020. It determines special regulations regarding the StEOP, interruption of studies, courses and examinations.

FAQs, current information on streaming courses, the teaching and examination system of TU Graz: www.tugraz.at/go/coronavirus.

Information and advice

In case of symptoms: call 1450

Infoline: 0800 555 621

Questions about TU Graz: aktuell-und-offiziellnoSpam@tugraz.at

Questions regarding study law: studynoSpam@tugraz.at

Information of TU Graz about COVID-19

As of 10 March 2020, the Federal Government issued new measures for the handling of COVID-19. These measures also affect the regular operation of TU Graz.

On-site courses and events

No form of on-site courses takes place at TU Graz between 11 March and 19 April 2020. This applies to every course type regardless of the number of participants, Life Long Learning offers are affected as well. All public events (graduation ceremonies, conferences, lectures etc.) are cancelled for this time span.

FAQs, current information about the streaming of courses, examinations and closed sites of TU Graz: www.tugraz.at/go/coronavirus.

Information and advice

In case of symptoms: call 1450

Infoline: 0800 555 621

Questions about TU Graz: aktuell-und-offiziellnoSpam@tugraz.at

Questions regarding study law: studynoSpam@tugraz.at

Teach, Present, Publish: English for Academic Purposes

Next summer there will again be the opportunity to participate in the further education program Teach, Present, Publish. Within three weeks, teachers have the possibility to improve their English skills at a scientific level. Teachers of Montclair State University give lessons in three modules:

1. Academic English Writing Skills in the Natural and Applied Sciences
2. Essential Spoken English for Instructors
3. Methodology of Teaching in English

Basic data on the course:

• When: July 6 - 23 2020, every Monday to Thursday
• Duration: approx. 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
• Fees: none for teachers of TU Graz

Information on the application and further details can be found in the intranet TU4U. Deadline for applications is 3 April 2020.

Staff mobility offers for academic personnel

TU Graz offers a wide range of mobility opportunities for academic staff. Seize the chance to spend time abroad for teaching, further education and research. You have the possibility to complete mobility programmes at higher education institutions/ partner institutions/ organisations that fit your teaching, further education or research purposes. All necessary information can be found in the intranet TU4U.

[Translate to Englisch:]

TUbe: Updates und neues Design

TUbe, das Videoportal der TU Graz, bietet Aufzeichnungen von Lehrveranstaltungen, Events (z. B. Prof. Pottlachers jährliche Weihnachtsvorlesung) und Livestreams. Die Plattform wurde vor Kurzem rundum erneuert und erstrahlt nun in einem neuen, frischen Design.

Zum Videoportal TUbe

PossibiliME: Guide to studies

The Circle of Excellence Graz’ class project 2019 comprised a topic of significant relevance: Students of TU Graz and University of Graz answered questions why they chose their studies and what fascinates them specifically about them – in front of a camera. The resulting videos state the project PossibiliME, where prospective students receive an insight in what to expect of each study programme in a few minutes.

The videos were introduced to the public at a festive closing event on 20 November in the auditorium of TU Graz and can now be found on YouTube.

For further information about the Circle of Excellence write to infonoSpam@coe-graz.at or visit the website.

Green Tech Jam & Green Tech Summer

The Green Tech Cluster invites students to collaboratively design green technologies for a sustainable future. The Green Tech Jam 2020 (6 to 7 March) as well as the Green Tech Summer offer opportunities for that.

Green Tech Jam

At this interdisciplinary Hackathon, participants develop creative, new Green Tech solutions. In a 10 minute-pitch, they introduce them to a jury, afterwards 5000 Euro are awarded to the best ideas.

• 6 to 7 March 2020, Inffeldgasse 13, 8010 Graz
• Details and registration

Green Tech Summer

The aim is to develop green business ideas into start-ups over the summer. Interested persons are able to participate individually or as teams and receive 4000 to 6000 Euro.

• Application deadline: 9 March 2020
• Details and registration via the Website or via geinedernoSpam@greentech.at

Learning Chinese at the Confucius Institute

The Confucius Institute of the University of Graz offers this semester once again Chinese language courses for employees and students of TU Graz. The registration is possible since the end of January and until 27 February.

Semester courses in Chinese

• Registration for employees via E-Mail to konfuziusnoSpam@uni-graz.at
• Registration for students (as co-registered “Mitbeleger” at University of Graz) via UNIGRAZonline

Evening courses in Chinese

• Registration via the Website

Here you can find all further information about the language courses. The institute additionally hosts regular Tandem Evenings with varying mottos, where German and Chinese native speakers come together to learn each language of another.

Summer University: Green.Building.Solutions

Discussions about climate change have long since found their way into the most diverse areas of life, including the field of construction. At the Summer University Green.Building.Solutions (GBS), everything’s about the topic sustainable construction of the future. Already for the 10th time ideas of the sectors of architecture and civil engineering come together at this event.

Students of TU Graz have furthermore the option to participate through a scholarship at a significantly decreased price at the GBS.

Basic facts:

• GBS: 18 July to 9 August 2020, Vienna
• Deadline for scholarship submissions: 31 March
• General registration deadline: 30 June

Here you can find all further information about the registration.

Lecture: Climate crisis and change of consciousness

In perspective of the Sustainability4U lecture series Climate crisis and change of consciousness, Prof. Armin Grunwald from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) gives a lecture at TU Graz on 4 March (in German). He treats the question why despite proceeding changes in consciousness in technics and politics no improvements related to environmental problems become obvious and how a response to that question can contribute to a turnaround.

• When: 4 March 2020, 6 p.m.
• Where: Aula (auditorium) of TU Graz, Rechbauerstraße 12, first floor

New Life Long Learning-TeachCenter

The new Life Long Learning-TeachCenter was activated with 31 January 2020. It serves as learning platform for university continuing education. Participants and lecturers in postgraduate further education, extra-occupational further education or university certificate programmes for further education at TU Graz profit especially of the easy user registration as well as of the opportunity of location-independent communication with other participants and/ or lecturers of the courses.

The new TeachCenter

Teachers’ discussion group on 26 February

The Teachers' discussion group as a proven exchange format for methods and didactics in teaching will be continued in the new Rectorate period. In February, the discussion group will be hosted at Campus Inffeldgasse.

Prof. Heidrun Gruber-Wölfler, who was awarded the Prize for Excellence in Teaching 2016, will provide a personal insight into her teaching during the Teachers for teachers input. The expert input, and thus the main topic, will be provided by Dr. Nicole Föger (Austrian Agency for Research Integrity) under the motto Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Control and Prevention.

Teachers’ discussion group:

• When: 26 February 2020, 2 pm - 4 pm
• Where: HS i8, Inffeldgasse 13, ground floor

Limited number of participants! Registration at www.tugraz.at/go/anmeldung-lehr-stammtisch/.

Comprehensive course evaluation

Also this winter semester all courses will be evaluated at TU Graz. The measure, which covers the past summer semester and the current winter semester, serves the purpose of quality assurance.

As soon as the courses are entered for evaluation in TUGRAZonline, lecturers will receive a corresponding E-Mail message from the system. The procedure of the evaluation is the same as usual. For example, lecturers are still able to state own questions. Students are asked for participation!

Information about the process of evaluation can be found on the intranet TU4U.

Diversity in teaching and research

Diversity at tertiary education institutions is omnipresent, no matter whether one relates to the increasing heterogeneity of the students’ population or gender and diversity aspects in research projects. By that, new challenges for researchers and teachers emerge. Two public accessible TeachCenter courses treat that topic (in German):

• Diversity in research
• Diversity in teaching

While the former shows how diversity aspects can be integrated for research projects, the latter contains concrete suggestions on how diversity of students can enrich personal teaching. Finally, checklists can be used to easily determine which aspects can be further developed in one's own teaching or research.

Call for tenders: State Award Digitalisation

The State Award Digitalisation 2020 by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs, which is being awarded for the second time this year, honours outstanding digital products, solutions and processes. An independent jury of experts awards the State Prize to innovative productions in three categories:

• Digital products and solutions
• Digital transformation
• Social responsibility projects

The prize is considered the highest award in this field, which acknowledges the productions and makes them visible. In addition, it demonstrates the innovative potential of the digital sector and presents Austria as a location for digitization, innovation and technology.

• Submission deadline: 27 January 2020, noon (12 am)

Further information can be found on the FFG website.