Help and guidance

• Crisis emergency service for the city of Münster (LWL-Klinik Münster) (in German)
• Clinic and Polyclinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Münster University Hospital (in German)
• Crisis help Münster e.V. (in German) English-language advice also possible
• kombabb-Kompetenzzentrum NRW (in German)
• “More normal than you think” – information on mental illness (TH Köln and University Hospital Cologne) (in German)
• Psychological counseling at the University of Münster
• PsychotherapeutInnen-Netzwerk Münster und Münsterland e.V. (Therapy placement service)
  Therapists who also offer sessions in languages other than German can be found using the search function on the website https://www.ptn-muenster.de/therapeutinnenliste/
• Procrastination outpatient clinic at the University of Münster
• Psychotherapy outpatient clinic at the University of Münster (in German)
• University Hospital Münster (UKM) (in German)
• Telephone counseling (in German)

Brochure: Equal Treatment at the University of Fine Arts Münster – Support and Counselling in the Case of Discrimination, Abuse of Power, Bullying, Sexual Harassment and Violence

Equal Opportunities Officer / Diversity Officer

The Equal Opportunities Officer / Diversity Officer and her deputy have the task of supporting the University in implementing the equal opportunities mandate. They are involved in structural planning, for example by participating in the development of plans for the advancement of women or gender equality or by taking a stand on gender equality issues in the University’s committees. Another important task is to participate in appointments. In this context, they may attend the meetings of the Senate, the Rectorate, the appointment committees and other bodies with the right to propose motions and to speak.

The Equal Opportunities Officer / Diversity Officer of the University of Fine Arts Münster and her deputy form the Equal Opportunities Commission. They are elected by the Senate and appointed by the Rectorate for a term of four years. Other members of the University of Fine Arts may be consulted for the sessions of the Equal Opportunities Commission. The duties, rights and eligibility of the Equal Opportunities Officer, her deputy and the Equal Opportunities Commission are derived from the KunstHG (Art Colleges Act) and the State Equal Opportunities Act.

• Information from the University of Münster about studying while raising a child (uni-muenster.de)
• Information from the German National Association for Student Affairs for students with children (in German)

The Art Law Clinic Münster is a joint project of the University of Fine Arts Münster and the Department of Private Law of the Institute for Information, Telecommunication and Media Law at the University of Münster. The institution follows the principle “by students for students”. In this spirit, the project has set itself the task of providing specialised law students who support, free of charge, young artists at the University of Fine Arts in the case of legal problems. Assignments include realising artistic projects, enforcing artists’ rights and removing legal concerns or barriers. At the same time, the Art Law Clinic promotes interdisciplinary cooperation and mutual understanding between the disciplines.

In Münster, this is achieved, in part, through the lecture “Art and Law”, which takes place once a semester at the University of Fine Arts, as well as through the “Art and Law: Guide for Artists”, which offers an initial orientation in the field of art law regulations and subject areas. Information on the lecture can be found in the current course catalogue (German).

Individual counselling is also offered on a case-by-case basis. It is carried out at eye level by law students from higher semesters and is subject to quality control by the advisory body of the Art Law Clinic.

The office of the Art Law Clinic is located in room 120.213 at the Institute for Information, Telecommunication and Media Law, Leonardo Campus 9. It can be contacted on Wednesdays from 14:00–18:00 on site or by email to art-law-clinic[at]listserv.uni-muenster.de.

Flyer [download] (German)

Poster [download] (German)

Website of the Art Law Clinic

The representative works to ensure that the special needs of students with disabilities or chronic illnesses are taken into account and, in particular, that the legal provisions applicable in their favour are observed. Specifically, the representative is involved in the planning and organisation of teaching and study conditions and in compensating for disadvantages with regard to studies and examinations. Furthermore, the representative is the person to contact for complaints by those affected.

Students with disabilities or chronic illnesses are particularly dependent on flexible study structures, as they are often unable to devote their full working capacity to their studies. They need additional time and energy for organising everyday life, therapy and rehabilitation measures. With regard to the current structural situation, not all areas of the University of Fine Arts Münster are accessible for wheelchairs (the university aims to gradually remove structural barriers and compensate for acute disadvantages as far as possible through customised individual measures).

In this context, the representative provides support in questions such as the following, jointly developing individual solutions:

• How do I plan my studies so that I meet the requirements, but at the same time don’t overdo things? 
• Do I need any disadvantage compensation for specific academic achievements and who can I contact?
• Do I have specific requirements for excursions/participation in exhibitions and how can these be met (such as transport, sleeping arrangements, personal assistance/support)?
• How can I work with physical disabilities in the workshops, for example?
• Are there ways of making rooms accessible for me or equipping them properly?
• If I experience discrimination, how do I get help?

• Information for students with disabilities on the pages of the German National Association for Student Affairs (Deutsches Studierendenwerk)
• Service of the city of Münster for people with disabilities (in German)
• kombabb-Kompetenzzentrum NRW (in German)

Teaching at the University of Fine Arts Münster focuses on individual artistic development and is characterised by a variety of personal mentoring relationships. In these, problematic situations between people or other obstacles and difficulties may arise as well. In most cases, these cannot be adequately described using standardised evaluation procedures and even fewer can be handled this way. A safe space in which these experiences can be articulated and reflected upon, and the first steps towards help can be discussed, is therefore necessary.

Liaison lecturers/students provide such a space for open and confidential discussion in which students and lecturers can, for a start, describe their situation and articulate their personal feelings. Liaison officers listen, advise and recommend initial steps towards a solution or, if possible, may themselves initiate steps towards change as agreed. The explicit and primary goal is to effectively improve and productively deal with the individual situation in the overall context of teaching at the University of Fine Arts Münster.

The reason for such a conversation is not limited to begin with. It should be a problem with personal urgency that is not covered by the scope of usual student counselling. The liaison lecturers/students will refer a student with a problem that is beyond their competence to external counselling centres.

It will be announced here on the website who currently fills this position at the University of Fine Arts Münster. The liaison lecturers/students, together with the Equal Opportunities Officer, her deputy and the representative for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses, will personally introduce themselves to each new orientation year.

The Student Advice and Counselling Centre (ZSB) at the University of Münster is particularly relevant for student teachers with another subject:

• Student Advice and Counselling Centre at the University of Münster

Teaching at the University of Fine Arts Münster focuses on individual artistic development and is characterised by a variety of personal mentoring relationships. In these, problematic situations between people or other obstacles and difficulties may arise as well. In most cases, these cannot be adequately described using standardised evaluation procedures and even fewer can be handled this way. A safe space in which these experiences can be articulated and reflected upon, and the first steps towards help can be discussed, is therefore necessary.

Liaison lecturers/students provide such a space for open and confidential discussion in which students and lecturers can, for a start, describe their situation and articulate their personal feelings. Liaison officers listen, advise and recommend initial steps towards a solution or, if possible, may themselves initiate steps towards change as agreed. The explicit and primary goal is to effectively improve and productively deal with the individual situation in the overall context of teaching at the University of Fine Arts Münster.

The reason for such a conversation is not limited to begin with. It should be a problem with personal urgency that is not covered by the scope of usual student counselling. The liaison lecturers/students will refer a student with a problem that is beyond their competence to external counselling centres.

It will be announced here on the website who currently fills this position at the University of Fine Arts Münster. The liaison lecturers/students, together with the Equal Opportunities Officer, her deputy and the representative for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses, will personally introduce themselves to each new orientation year.

The In-house Medical Service, or Occupational Medical Officer at the University of Fine Arts Münster, has the task of supporting the university management in all matters relating to health and safety at work and accident prevention.

This is done in particular by advising the university management and other persons responsible for occupational health and safety and accident prevention, particularly with regard to

• The planning, construction and maintenance of operating facilities and social and sanitary facilities
• Procuring technical equipment and
• Implementing work processes and working materials
• Selecting and testing personal protective equipment
• Work physiological, work psychological and other ergonomic and occupational hygiene issues, in particular the working rhythm, working hours and break regulations, workplace design, work processes and the work environment
• Organising first aid structures at the university
• Issues relating to changing jobs and the integration and reintegration of people with disabilities into the work process
• The assessment of working conditions

The Occupational Medical Officer also works towards examining employees, providing occupational health assessments and advice, and recording and analysing the examination results.

Your contact:

Occupational Medical Officer Dr. Robert Schuon
Occupational Health and Safety Service of the University Hospital Münster (UKM) and In-house Medical Service of the University of Münster Domagkstraße 28, 48149 Münster Tel: +49 251 251 83 56590
Fax: +49 251 83 55051
robert.schuon[at]ukmuenster.de

Registration Occupational Health Service (UKM): Tel: +49 251 83 56081

Data Protection Officer

The Data Protection Officer supports the university in ensuring data protection. Data protection is the protection of the right to informational self-determination, which is the corollary of fundamental rights.

This right is specified in relation to universities in the Data Protection Act of North Rhine-Westphalia (DSG NRW) (German).

The Data Protection Officer advises the university on the design and selection of procedures for processing personal data, and monitors compliance with the relevant regulations when introducing new procedures or changing existing procedures. The Data Protection Officer must be involved at an early stage in the development of internal regulations and measures for the processing of personal data, and must monitor compliance with data protection regulations, familiarise the persons involved in the processing of personal data with the provisions of this Act and other data protection regulations, and carry out prior checks (see Section 32a (1) DSG NRW).

The universities of art and music in North Rhine-Wesphalia have appointed a joint Data Protection Officer.

Employees of the universities can contact the Data Protection Officer directly at any time in matters of data protection. The Data Protection Officer is obliged to maintain confidentiality about the identity of the data subjects and about circumstances that allow conclusions to be drawn about them, unless they have released the Data Protection Officer from this obligation (see Section 32a (4) DSG NRW).

The Data Protection Officer of the universities of art and music in North Rhine-Westphalia:

Antje Günther
Folkwang University of the Arts
Klemensborn 39
45239 Essen

Phone: +49 201 65051303
antje.guenther[at]folkwang-uni.de

Please note that an email to the Data Protection Officer is generally not confidential. Please address mail to the “Data Protection Officer”. Such mail will not be opened before it reaches the Data Protection Officer.

You can find more detailed information on the website of the

• state commissioner for data protection and freedom of information in North Rhine-Westphalia (German)

and the

• Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information .

The health of our staff is a major concern for the University of Fine Arts Münster. Here you will find information on prevention and the prevention offer as well as contacts for health problems.

• Occupational health management at the University of Fine Arts (in German)

If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact:

• Results of the elections to the Main Staff Council (HPR) in the area of MIWF NRW
• Results of the elections to the Staff Council for administrative and technical staff
• Results of the elections to the Staff Council of the artistic and scientific staff

North Rhine-Westphalian State Staff Representation Act (LPVG) (German)