In the face of the Coronavirus health crisis that is being experienced worldwide and as a measure to ensure the well-being of all students, the Faculty of Medicine at Cologne University has decided to cancel the international student mobility (incoming and outgoing) also for the coming winter term 2020/21 (01 October 2020 - 31 March 2021).

That means in detail for:

International INCOMING STUDENTS coming to Medical Faculty Cologne

• The Faculty of Medicine will NOT ACCEPT INCOMING EXCHANGE STUDENTS FOR THE WINTER TERM (October 2020 to March 2021). 
• All clinical rotations at the Faculty of Medicine are CANCELLED FOR THE WINTER TERM (starting September 2020 to March 2021).
• Students who were already nominated for the coming winter term are not automatically postponed and accepted for the summer term. They have to be officially nominated again by your university as exchange students for the summer term 2021 (01 April 2021 - 30 September 2021; Nomination deadline: 01 December 2020)

We thank all students and partner universities for understanding and accepting this decision. We hope that in the future the situation worldwide will improve in order to be able to continue the academic collaboration with our distinguished partners.

Kind regards and keep safe

Team ZIB Med

Further questions can be answered online:

Dr. Benjamin Köckemann: benjamin.koeckemannuk-koeln.de

Fabienne Schneider: fabienne.schneideruk-koeln.de

Since 10 April 2020, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) has no longer identified any international risk areas or particularly affected areas in Germany because infections with SARS-CoV-2 are now widespread worldwide.

For this reason, students of the Faculty of Medicine who come to Germany from abroad are subject to the following

Prohibition to attend attendance courses and examinations at the University of Cologne (University Hospital Cologne, Academic Teaching Hospitals and Academic Teaching Practices)
for a period of 14 days,
whether or not they show symptoms
and regardless of the country of departure. 

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

The Foreign Office has warned against unnecessary tourist trips abroad. They must expect further drastic restrictions on travel, quarantine measures and restrictions on public life. Even if the purpose of your trip is not tourist, you could be affected by drastic restrictions on travel, quarantine measures and restrictions on public life, depending on your destination country.

According to information from the Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Government's return policy for Germans abroad also applies expressly to "participants in exchange programmes and the like" (not only for tourists*).

For this purpose, it is necessary for you to register in the crisis prevention list ELEFAND, if you have not already done so.
Here is the link: www.diplo.de/elefand

If you need support, please also contact ZIB Med and we will try to help you.

Further information from the Federal Foreign Office: Weitere Infos des Auswärtigen Amtes

The University of Cologne has today added the worldwide travel warning issued by the Federal Foreign Office to its website "Current Corona Information for UzK students abroad" Aktuelle Corona Informationen für Studierende der UzK im Ausland" It can also now be found on the central website of the International Portal.

Please visit Webseite des Internationalen Portals

Ladies and gentlemen,

As a result of the extension of the official ban on contact until 4 May, the University of Cologne has extended its measures to slow down the spread of the virus as well (see https://portal.uni-koeln.de/en/coronavirus ). Our goal remains to slow down the spread of the Corona pandemic for the protection of all, as well as ensuring the utmost security for our members. To this end, we will continue to minimize physical presence and personal contacts on campus, especially by making working from home as the norm and offering digital courses.

We are simultaneously preparing a staged, limited return to presence in certain areas. This applies to attendance examinations, practical courses like laboratory courses, borrowing services in libraries, and laboratory research.

For all this, the University has developed regulations on hygiene and infection prevention measures and guidelines for the implementation that must be taken into account.

A short overview can be found here:
https://portal.uni-koeln.de/en/coronavirus

In detail, the regulations can be found here:
https://portal.uni-koeln.de/sites/uni/images/Aktuell/corona/20200427_corona_Regelungen_Veranstaltungen-Arbeiten_in_Praesenz.pdf (currently in German, an English version will be provided soon)

We ask you to make yourself familiar with these regulations.
Please note in particular:

From 4 May 2020, the wearing of a mouth-and-nose cover is compulsory in all buildings used by the university where more than one person is present. It is strongly recommended that you wear the mouth-and-nose cover throughout the entire campus of the university.

All other protective measures such as keeping your distance and handy hygiene must also be followed!

These measures do not mean that presence on campus can be increased again. Physical presence on the campus still shall be restricted to cases where it is absolutely necessary. For staff working in health care the regulations of Cologne University Hospital and the Faculty of Medicine apply.

Please keep yourself informed by regularly checking the daily updated website https://portal.uni-koeln.de/en/coronavirus
If you have any questions, you are welcome to send them to info-praeventionverw.uni-koeln.de

We are aware that the current, difficult situation is a challenge for many of you. We would like to thank you very much for your cooperation in the implementation of all measures taken as well as for your great and persistent commitment and sense of responsibility.

With best regards

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Axel Freimuth                       
Rector of the University of Cologne                    

Dr. Michael Stückradt
Chancellor of the University of Cologne

You can protect yourself against the corona virus in the same way as against the real virus flu (influenza):

-don't shake hands.
-Maintain good hand hygiene and wash your hands with sufficient soap and water. A disinfectant is not necessary.
-Hold the cough/sneezing label (crook of the arm instead of the hand).
-Use tissues only once and dispose of them safely.
-If possible, keep a distance of 1 to 2 metres from other people.
-Out face mask is not required.

Source: Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA); infektionsschutz.de
www.infektionsschutz.de/mediathek/printmaterialien.html, CC BY-NC-ND

Further tips can be found in the service area of this page.

Content in German language

• Die 10 wichtigsten Hygienetipps

Source: Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung (BZgA); infektionsschutz.de
www.infektionsschutz.de/mediathek/printmaterialien.html, CC BY-NC-ND

The new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) leads to an infection of the respiratory tract and causes fever, coughing and breathing difficulties, among other things. The virus is transmitted from person to person by droplet or smear infection.

Further information: Antworten auf häufig gestellte Fragen zu SARS-CoV-2 vom Robert-Koch-Institut

As with influenza and other acute respiratory tract infections, the rules for coughing and sneezing, good hand hygiene and distance from the sick (approx. 1 to 2 metres) also protect against transmission of the new coronavirus. Shaking hands should also be avoided. In general, people who have respiratory symptoms should stay at home.

Hust- und Niesregeln, gute Händehygiene of RKI recommendation: Status: 16.03.2020

RKI-Empfehlung: Stand: 16.03.2020

In case of respiratory disease, a test should be arranged even if only mild symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, sore throat etc. are present

if:
-in the last two weeks you have had contact with a patient who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the laboratory
-man was in an area where many COVID-19 diseases have already occurred
-a previous illness exists or the respiratory disease is getting worse (shortness of breath, high fever, etc.)
-when you come into contact at work or in voluntary work with people who have a high risk of serious illness (e.g. in hospital or in care for the elderly)

Even before the test result is available, one should isolate oneself, i.e. stay at home, avoid all close contact under 2 meters, maintain good hand hygiene and wear a mouth and nose protector when in contact with others (if available).

RKI recommendation/status: 16.03.2020

If only mild symptoms are present, those affected should isolate themselves, i.e. stay at home, avoid all close contact under two metres, maintain good hand hygiene and follow rules for coughing and sneezing.

If you have a well-founded suspicion, you should first contact your family doctor or the emergency medical service 116 117.

In emergencies (e.g. respiratory distress), contact the emergency number 112 or an ambulance service.

If your practice orders a test:

If you suspect coronavirus infection, go to the Infection Control Center, Building 16 of the University Hospital.

Further information

https://www.uk-koeln.de/patienten-besucher/coronavirus/

https://www.stadt-koeln.de/leben-in-koeln/gesundheit/infektionsschutz/corona-virus/koeln-ist-auf-corona-verdachts-oder-erkrankungsfaelle-vorbereitet

Information UoC with site view/Plan

The Federal Ministry of Health provides daily updates on the coronavirus

Link zur Webseite des BMG

Das Robert Koch Institut informs daily

Yes, you are an enrolled student at the UzK in the summer semester and can also attend the online lectures from abroad. Please remember that there are no ECTS credits for lectures alone. Only the combination of lecture and exam will be awarded with ECTS points.

This is a decision that you must discuss with your home university.
None of us know how the coming weeks will develop. It is possible that if the pandemic continues to worsen, there will be a further cancellation of classroom teaching.
Given the current dynamics of the Covid 19 situation, many universities strongly recommend that their foreign students return to their home countries. Due to the daily new developments, arrival and departure (from Germany as well as from home countries) may be subject to quarantine or travel restrictions at any time without prior notice. In times of such uncertainty it may be best to be close to family and friends.
Therefore, the following scenarios exist:
1) You end your ERASMUS now and travel home to continue your studies at your home university (this is what we have recommended to our own Cologne students abroad at the beginning of March so that they are under the supervision of their home university, i.e. the University of Cologne)
2) You are now travelling home, but will continue your ERASMUS semester online. CAVE: However, the development of online lectures and exams at the Faculty of Medicine is still in progress and not yet completed. There is still the risk that exams will be postponed and can only take place after your official ERASMUS period has ended.
3) You will stay in Cologne and continue your studies online (for the time being). CAVE: However, the development of online lectures and exams at the Faculty of Medicine is still in progress and not completed. There is still the risk that examinations will be postponed and can only take place after your official ERASMUS period has ended.
Please contact your home university to discuss the best possible solution for you. Your home university should guide you and carefully consider the above scenarios. Our own experience has shown that the best way to proceed is for a student to be under the aegis of the home university and thus enrolled at the home university. This is, for example, the reason why many Cologne students have cancelled their stay abroad, returned to Cologne and enrolled at the Medical Faculty of Cologne in the summer semester in order not to be affected by postponed examinations etc. Please ask your home university what they suggest in this regard. If you stay in Cologne, you will be treated like all other Cologne students, i.e. you will also be treated with the possible risks that result from the now changed curriculum, e.g. the postponement of examinations and block work placements to the coming winter semester.

Information on the implementation is in progress and will be updated daily at the appropriate time.

Clinical traineeships (Famulaturen) can be continued on the basis of an individual assessment decision by the respective institution and, if necessary, new ones can be started. For them the comparable regulations for hygiene and protective measures apply as for regular employees.

Students in the practical year are not affected by the suspension of classroom teaching. The comparable regulations for hygiene and protective measures apply to them as for regular employees*. Only group lessons such as the central PJ further training at the University Hospital are not taking place at the moment.

Internships (especially those with patient contact), which are completely cancelled this summer semester, will probably be made up for in the coming winter semester in a modified and reduced time frame. Since you will no longer be enrolled at the UzK in the winter semester 2020/21, please contact your home university to make up for any missing block internships there.

Yes, KLIPS calculates ECTS automatically. If the block work placement is not entered as "participated" in KLIPS, less ECTS will be listed on the ToR for the respective subject.

Please contact the respective foreign representation (embassy or consulate) of your home country in Germany. Some airlines still offer flights within and outside Europe. Please check for offers from other airlines and always contact your home university.

If you decide to return to your home country, please cancel your room in the student residence by informing the person who originally sent you your room offer as soon as possible. If you cancel your tenancy agreement quickly, the Studierendenwerk may be able to transfer your room to another tenant and thus avoid further costs. If you do not officially cancel your room, you are responsible for the conditions of the rental agreement you signed. The additional costs incurred can possibly be claimed from your home university during an ERASMUS stay. For the application of ERASMUS "Force Majeure" please contact your home university.