COVID19: Teaching and examinations at the Faculty of Computer Science

We are all concerned about the health of relatives, students and guests of the Faculty of Computer Science.
It is therefore essential that the hygiene concept of the Faculty of Computer Science is observed.

From 27.10.2020, the TU Dresden will store personal data of those persons who enter buildings of the TU Dresden. This is to ensure the tracking of infections with the Covid19 virus.

All persons who would like to have access to the TU Dresden buildings from 27.10.2020, 0.00 hours, must register in advance using the contact tracing tool. After each registration, a confirmation for the respective registration will be sent by e-mail, which must be shown on request when entering the buildings.

Further details concerning the registration for the purpose of contact tracking in case of infections can be found in the Rector's circular mail dated 26.10.2020.

• The Examination Office does not offer open office hours at present and can be reached only via e-mail or by telephone.
• Please send applications the examination boards and all other enquiries by e-mail to
  • German degree programmes: pruefungsamt.inf@tu-dresden.de
  • Master Distributed Systems Engineering: infscis.dse@mailbox.tu-dresden.de
  • (European) Master Computational Logic: infscis.cl@mailbox.tu-dresden.de
  • Master Computational Modeling and Simulation: cms-examoffice@mailbox.tu-dresden.de
  • Exchange Students: infscis.fes@mailbox.tu-dresden.de
  • Students of teacher training programmes are referred to the COVID10 information page of the ZLSB.
• Due to the large number of enquiries and personnel bottlenecks, processing times can unfortunately be considerably longer than usual.

• The winter semester 2020/2021 starts on 01.10.2020.

• However, the start of the course is postponed by 2 weeks to 26.10.2020.

• The majority of teaching is carried out online or hybrid. Some courses, in particular for students in the 1st semester of the undergraduate courses, will be conducted in attendance in compliance with the hygiene regulations. Information on the course type (presence/hybrid/online) can be found on our course website.

• Please also refer to the websites of the professorships offering the courses to find out in which form the teaching will be conducted (e.g. via OPAL).

• Enrolment (e.g. via jExam) is still required if the lecturer plans to register. 

• A few cancellations or postponements, especially of seminars, are to be expected. Further information can be found on the websites of the professorships.

All lecturers have been asked to offer exam review dates for all students who have taken an exam in summer semester 2020 and to put information about the dates and the registration system on the websites. Therefore please inform yourself on the websites of the professorships or ask them directly via e-Mail!

Note: The examinations in the modules INF-B-510...540 as well as INF-B-610, INF-D-520, INF-D-940 and INF-AQUA are excluded from the specifications below!

Procedure for examinations

Registration:

• Students register the exam as one examination performance at the examination office. The adapted registration forms have been made available on the known websites.
  The registration form must contain the following information:
  • Module number, module name;
  • Courses being part of the examination as well their SWS;
  • Proposed examiner (normally, the lecturers of the courses) und
  • Proposed „main“ examiner whose secretary is to serve as interface to the examination office.
• Master Informatik/Medieninformatik und Diplom Informatik: The student sends the completely filled out and signed registration form to the examination office of the Faculty of Computer Science at exam-registration.inf@tu-dresden.de. 
• The examination office checks the correctness of the composition of the module examination based on the course catalog, the completeness of the assigned SWS and the examiner's authorization for the corresponding module.
• If the registration is correct, the examination office confirms admission to the exam by electronic signature.
• The examination office sends the admission to the student.
• The examination office sends the admission as well as the prepared module examination protocol to the “main” examiner and her/his secretary.

Organisation of the examination:

• The student contacts the secretary's office of the main examiner and asks for an examination date and notification of the examination modalities.
• The examiners determine the form of the examination. If it is a collegial examination, the main examiner contacts the other examiners in order to determine the form of the examination together as a consortium of examiners. The form of examination can be, for example, an oral complex examination, as provided for in the study documents, a written examination or a portfolio examination (only in absolutely exceptional cases, as, e.g., different forms of examination for the examination parts, i.e. partial examinations, may be necessary for the execution of the examination due to corona conditions).  
• If the defined examination format consists of two or more partial examinations (portfolio examination), the consortium of examiners must agree on how the module grade will be formed.  
• The secretariat of the main examiner will inform the student of the modalities by sending the following exam-related information to the student
  • Module number, module name;
  • Title of the respective examination performance/s (e.g. course to be taken);
  • Date of the examination performance/s;
  • Examination form(s) (e.g. oral attendance examination, oral examination via video conference, written, online test, etc.) with the corresponding information such as duration of the examination and, if applicable, admitted aids; 
  • Names of the examiners;
  • Name of the observers (Beisitzer) in case of oral examination performances;
  • modalities for the module grade.
• The student checks the completeness of the examination information received and clarifies any problems with the secretariat of the main examiner directly. If the student does not agree with these examination modalities and does not want to take the examination in the specified form, the student must de-register the examination at the examination office.
• If necessary, the student has to send the completed and signed "Declaration of Consent to an alternative form of performance of a non-objective examination" to the examiner.

Deadlines

Registration for the module exams takes place at the latest at the end of the exam registration period, which is determined centrally for the faculty. This date will be in the second half of January (probably 24.01.2021).  If a written examination is set as the examination format, in this case, exceptionally no registration via jExam will take place.

Examination requests for oral exams can still be made after the end of the registration period, but students bear the risk of not being able to get an examination date in the winter semester 2020/2021.

Should the examiner consortium exceptionally agree on a portfolio exam (partial exams) as a form of examination, the consortium must ensure that the student can take the module exam in the winter semester 2020/2021 (until 31st April, 2021).

If the examination is to be canceled through no fault of the student, an examination date until April 30, 2021 is exceptionally possible if the examiner cannot offer a date in the winter semester 2020/2021.

General Information

Written examinations will take place to a limited extent in the winter semester 2020/2021 in compliance with the hygiene regulations. Please check the website of the Office of Student Affairs and the Examination Office to keep up to date with the regulations regarding any changes in examination forms, dates and rooms. 

Registration of an examination performance in alternative examination form, if presence is not possible

Basis of the determinations:

• According to the Specifications of the Prorector Education for the examination procedure in the winter semester 2020/2021 (page 2 d) the following applies::

"If students are unable to attend an attendance examination, a decision shall be made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the underlying determinations and in accordance with the principles generally applicable in the examination procedure, as to whether an alternative examination can be granted at short notice or whether an alternative examination date will be offered."

• Determinations of the examination regulations in § 3 Deadlines and dates:

"(2) Module examinations shall be taken by the end of the respective semester specified by the study schedule.
3) The Technische Universität Dresden ensures [...] that study and examination achievements [...] can be taken within the specified periods. Students shall be informed in good time both about the type and number of study and examination achievements to be taken and about the dates on which they are to be taken [...]. Students shall also be informed of the possibility of repeating each module examination."

Determinations of the Faculty of Computer Science:

If attendance at a written exam in the winter semester 2020/2021 is not possible for one of the following reasons:

• (C1) Student belongs to a COVID-19 risk group;
• (C2) Student has a cold or other COVID-19-like symptoms on the day of the exam;
• (C3) Student cannot be in Dresden on the day of the exam (e.g. foreign students who have been in their home country for the whole semester);
• (C4) Student is in quarantine as a contact person; either due to a notice from the health department (C4.1) or on his/her own initiative after being informed by a COVID-19-positive person (C4.2);
• (C5) Student is ill on the day of the examination or there are other reasons for non-attendance for which the student is not responsible,

it may be possible to switch to an alternative form of examination if the examiner offers such a form. The following steps are necessary for this:

• The student registers for the exam via the respective exam administration system (depending on the study program: CampusNet, jExam or form) by 24.01.2020 at the latest.
• The student fills in the form „Request for taking an examination of a type deviating from the module description (Alternative examination type)“ and obtains confirmation from the examiner that he/she offers an examination in an alternative examination form or an alternative examination date.
• The student sends the form to the corresponding mail address of the examination office1 with the following information:
  • Subject: "Request for taking an examination of alternative examination type [Bachelor|Master|Diplom] [Medieninformatik|Informatik|DSE|CMS|CL|FES]"
  • Mailinhalt:
    • Full name (last name, first name)
    • Matriculation number
    • Course of study and type of degree sought (bachelor's, master's, diploma)
  • Attachment:
    • Request form filled in completely and correctly and signed by the applicant and the examiner.
• After receipt of the request, the examination office confirms the receipt it to the applicant and informs him/her that the examiner will receive a prepared examination protocol for the completion of the examination in alternative examination type by the examination office.
• The examination office sends the examiner the prepared examination protocol for the completion of the examination in an alternative examination form.

Deadlines

• In the cases of (C1) and (C3): The application to take the examination in an alternative form must be submitted to the examination office 3 working days before the examination.
• In the cases of (C2), (C4), and (C5): The examination office is to be informed of the presence of the illness that precludes participation in the examination by e-mail to the corresponding e-mail address of the examination office1. The examination office notes the illness in the corresponding examination administration system for the corresponding examination date. The student can apply to take the examination in an alternative form according to the procedure described above.

Text of the decision of the Chairmen of the Examination Boards of 7 May 2020:

"The Chairpersons of the Examination Boards of the Faculty of Computer Science decide to admit oral examinations, defences, colloquia and other immaterial examinations in virtual form as of May 4, 2020. This presupposes that all requirements and recommendations of the Prorector for Education and International Affairs are complied with. In particular, this means that the smooth course of the examination must be ensured. In case of technical problems, the examination must be aborted ex officio. An extension of the examination is not permitted. A video conferencing system recommended by ZIH for examinations must be used. At present, this is only BigBlueButton for oral examinations. Electronic recordings are also not permitted. The examiners are free to offer online-based presence examinations in which the person to be examined is provided with a video conferencing facility in a suitable room at the TU Dresden, or to reject this in general.
Further details can be found in the 'Regulations for the Performance of Examination Services at the TU Dresden during the Corona Pandemic valid from May 4, 2020' by the Vice Rector for Education and International Affairs. All examiners are obliged to inform themselves regularly about the current status of these regulations and to adapt the procedure for the virtual performance of immaterial examinations after further updates of these regulations.
This resolution shall apply until regular attendance examinations are permitted again. The resolution of 18.3.2020 on the mandatory postponement of oral examinations is hereby revoked."

Accordingly, the following is determined:

• Student fills out the form "Declaration of consent to an alternative form of performance of a immaterial examination".

• The student sends the form to the examiner or the secretariat of the main examiner. The form must be signed either with a digital signature or with a signature slip (signature-pdf patched in with Acrobat Reader)).

• After the examination, the examiner sends the signed "Declaration of consent to an alternative form of performance of a immaterial examination performance", together with the examination protocol, electronically signed by the student to the examination office1.

In accordance with the University-wide regulations for studies and examination procedures to mitigate the legal uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 crisis, as well as the fundamental decisions of the Senate for the 2020/2021 winter semester, the following specifications have been adopted with regard to deadlines in examination procedures:

• All repetition periods for the performance of examinations are interrupted for another semester and do not continue.

• Current repetition deadlines are automatically extended by the so called Corona semesters (summer semester 2020 and winter semester 2020/2021).

• Notifications of repetition deadlines are not issued for Corona semesters.

In accordance with Senate Resolution No. IV of 29 April 2020, students can decide for themselves whether or not to accept individual examination results obtained in the summer semester 2020. In the event that an examination result is rejected, students declare this to the Examination Office or to the Service Center for International Students (SCIS):

• The declaration of non-acceptance of an examination result must be made before re-registering for the examination in question, but no later than the end of the following semester.
• The declaration of non-acceptance of an examination result is made using the appropriate form:
  • Rejection of a result of an examination or a preliminary examination (being part of a module examination): de / en 
  • Rejection of an examination result for a bachelor, diploma or master thesis (scientific thesis):de / en 
  • Rejection of an examination result for a colloquium or a defense on a scientific thesis: de / en 

In this case, the examination performance can be taken again in the same examination attempt, whereby the later evaluation counts.

The modalities for the electronic submission of credit applications (applies only to the Bachelor, Diplom and Master programs in Computer Science!) are as follows:

• These regulations refer to the period from 31.03.2020 to presumably 03.05.2020.
• Students send the completed application form for the recognition of study and examination achievements as a PDF file exclusively by e-mail to the functional address anrechnung-studienleistungen-informatik-studiengaenge@tu-dresden.de; this application e-mail must contain the following information:
  • Subject: "Application for recognition of study acievements -  [Bachelor|Master|Diplom] Computer Science"
  • Mail content:
    • Full name (last name, first name) 
    • Matrikel number 
    • Study programme and type of degree (Bachelor, Master, Diplom)
  • Attachments:
    • Completely and correctly filled out and signed application form 
    • Scanned transcript of records (authenticity must be credible)
    • Module/course descriptions
  • The application must be either digitally signed or with a signature (signature pdf patched in with Acrobat Reader).
  • If attachments to the thesis are to be submitted which are larger than 20MB, they must be saved in the TUD CloudStore and a link to the uploaded file(s) on the CloudStore must be included in the application e-mail.
• As soon as the application e-mail has arrived in the mailbox, the student will receive an automatic confirmation e-mail.
• After processing the application: The examination office
  • informs students about the result of the application for recognition by e-mail
• After returning to normal operation of the TUD:
  • The examination board signs the official decision of the requested recognitions;
  • The Examination Office informs students about picking up the documents of recognition.
• Due to the emergency operation of the TU Dresden, delays in the processing of applications are to be expected.

Admission to and registration of theses
Extension of final theses
Defences/colloquia of final papers/theses
Submission of final papers/theses

Admission and registration of theses (updated: 27.03.2020)

• Please check the admission requirements, if any, for the beginning of the final thesis of your course and submit the corresponding application to the Examination Office (either with a digital signature or with a signature (signature pdf patched in with Acrobat Reader):
  • Master Informatik
  • Master Computational Science and Engineering (CSE)

  • Diplom Informatik

• The registration of theses with the examination board is done by the supervisor or the supervising university teacher!

Extension of final theses (updated: 27.03.2020)

The modalities for extenting  the deadlines of theses (valid for all courses of study except teaching) are as follows:

• To apply for an extension of the deadline of your thesis, students use the form provided for your degree programme. The following wording may be used to justify the extension: "As a result of the Corona pandemic, the processing of the thesis is taking place under more difficult working conditions. The emergency operation of the TU Dresden infrastructure forced the university to set up a new home office. At present, it is not possible to conduct laboratory-based studies."
• Students send the application form, duly completed in full and correctly, to their supervisor (signed with a digital signature or with a signature string (signature pdf patched in with Acrobat Reader)).
• The supervisor confirms her or  agreement to the extension with her or his signature and forwards the application to the Examination Office or the SCIS.
• After the examination board has processed the application for extension, the Examination Office or the SCIS will inform the students and the supervisor or the supervising university teacher by e-mail about the decision.

Defences/colloquia of final papers/theses (update: 08.05.2020):

Defences/colloquia on final papers can be arranged under the conditions specified in the section "Examinations: Oral examinations, seminar lectures, defences, colloquia and other immaterial examinations".

Submission of final papers/theses (updated on 27.03.2020):

The modalities for the electronic submission of final papers/theses (valid for all study programmes except teaching profession) are as follows:

• These regulations refer to the period from 21.03.2020 until further notice.
• Students send the following documents in due time exclusively by e-mail to the functional address theses.inf@tu-dresden.de: 
  • the PDF of the thesis including the declaration of independent work which must either have a digital signature or a signature string (signature pdf patched in with Acrobat Reader).
  • [concerns only diploma computer science students:] completely filled out application for defence (signed by digital signature or with a signature string (signature pdf patched in with Acrobat Reader))
  • this submission e-mail must contain the following information:
    • Subject: "Submission of [Bachelor|Master|Diploma]thesis [Computer Science|Media Informatics|CSE|DSE|EMCL|MCL|CMS]".
    • Mail content:
      • Full name (last name, first name)
      • Registration number
      • Course of studies and type of thesis (Bachelor, Master, Diplom)
      • Title of the work
      • Reviewer, supervisor (name, first name, e-mail address)
  • If attachments to the thesis are to be submitted which are larger than 20MB, they must be saved in the TUD CloudStore and a link to the uploaded file(s) on the CloudStore must be included in the submission e-mail.
• As soon as the submission e-mail has arrived in the mailbox, the student will receive a confirmation e-mail. 
• Students will also send the thesis and, if applicable, the link to the CloudStore file(s) by e-mail to the reviewers and the supervisor of their thesis!
• The examination office 
  • sends the form of the defense/colloquium transcript to the reviewers as soon as the mailbox is processed;
  • sends a confirmation of the file note to students as well as to the supervisor.
• Due to the emergency operation of the TU Dresden, delays in the confirmation of the file note must be expected (possibly several weeks).
• We will inform you in due course about the decision whether the bound printed copies required by the respective examination regulations have to be submitted subsequently after the emergency operation has been cancelled.

Performance records § 48 Abs. 1 BAFöG (updated: 07.04.2020)

• With reference to the stipulations of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BmBF) regarding the continuation of the payment of BAFöG (here especially point 6. Proof of performance according to § 48 Abs. 1 BAFöG), the Faculty of Computer Science informs
  • Currently, no BAFöG performance certificates according to § 48 Abs. 1 BAföG can be issued until the emergency operation of the Technische Universität Dresden is over.
  • All written and oral examinations have been cancelled since 16.03.2020 and postponed to the summer semester 2020.
• Please submit your BAFöG application with reference to the information published here in accordance with the regulations of the Federal Ministry.