The winter semester 2021/22 continued to be strongly influenced by the Covid pandemic and demanded a high degree of flexibility and mutual consideration from all lecturers and students. For the first time since the winter semester 2019/20, however, it was again possible to conduct teaching in attendance while observing the appropriate safety precautions. With a successful hybrid concept that provided for four courses in presence, three digitally, and another in alternating mode, our chair successfully contributed to getting face-to-face encounters and exchanges between lecturers and students going again in the seminar room, while at the same time taking into account the sensitivities and needs of all involved.

Despite the adverse circumstances, our students look back on their return to campus with satisfaction. For example, our student assistant Laura Linz, who is happy to be able to complete the last stages of her master's studies in presence: "I really enjoyed being able to study and work in presence at the university again. Although some courses were moved back to online mode during the semester and the hallways became emptier again, I still come here several times a week because I don't want to miss the personal exchange in the team and with my fellow students."

Lex Metzeld, student assistant at the chair, who was able to enjoy studying at the Westend Campus for the first time in his third Bachelor semester, also draws an extremely satisfied conclusion: "The past semester has exceeded my expectations in a positive sense. I had a lot of fun during the weeks of face-to-face teaching until Christmas. The interesting and pleasant discussions and the fact that I already knew the course participants also qualitatively enhanced the last few weeks of online teaching. All the more I can say for myself after this semester: There is no real substitute for direct interaction, which is why I am very much looking forward to the summer semester as a (hopefully) purely face-to-face semester. And apart from that, there is still the weekly exchange with my colleagues at the professorship, which is always a highlight of my week."

While our entire chair is happy about the successful resumption of campus life, we ask for your understanding should we not be as present and reliably reachable as usual during the semester break. This is especially true for Professor Claudius Wagemann, for whom the end of the lecture period means the beginning of a research semester.