The German Association of Universities (DHV) has asked the federal and state governments to give universities more support in setting up corona test capacities.

The gradual opening of the universities depends on the rapid progress of the vaccinations, but also on extensive testing.

In order to be able to offer more face-to-face events again by the winter semester at the latest, the course would have to be set today, said DHV President Bernhard Kempen.

According to calculations by the German Rectors' Conference, the monthly costs for regular tests per university could be in the six-figure range.

"By providing funds, politicians can demonstrate that the opening of universities is recognized as being relevant to the system," continued Kempen.

Heike Schmoll

Political correspondent in Berlin, responsible for the “educational worlds”.

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    Comprehensive test strategies were still lacking, especially for students.

    Kempen referred to a survey by the news portal Watson, in which all federal states except Saxony-Anhalt and Schleswig-Holstein took part.

    So far, only universities in Bavaria, Brandenburg and Saarland have had test strategies for students.

    Countries such as Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg and Baden-Württemberg are working on expanding the universities' testing facilities.

    However, the majority of the federal states only test university employees and refer students to the publicly accessible corona test centers.

    University professors and students "criminally neglected"

    The concerns of university lecturers and students in the Covid 19 pandemic were "criminally neglected," said Kempen. The federal government has meanwhile put scientists on an equal footing with the group of teachers with regard to their teaching and supervisory tasks in the federal coronavirus vaccination ordinance of April 29, which means that both have a higher vaccination priority. But that is only the beginning of an opening perspective.

    In order to increase the speed of the vaccination campaign as a central way out of the area lockdown, company doctors at universities would also have to be quickly involved in the vaccination campaign.

    As soon as the system of vaccination prioritization falls, immunization of students on campus can be accelerated with the help of vaccination vehicles and vaccination lanes.

    With the beginning of the pandemic, the universities quickly and successfully converted a large part of their courses into digital formats.

    "It is now crucial that politicians take their commitment to give education and research the highest priority seriously," said Kempen.

    Baden-Württemberg is one of the first countries to offer more face-to-face events in the summer semester.

    Lectures with up to 100 students should be possible outdoors, and then indoors again.