Editorial

Dear Readers, even though we don’t yet know when we’ll all be reunited on campus, let’s make the most of the many creative ideas that have emerged from all areas of the university over the past two semesters, let’s expand the creative freedom we’ve carved out for ourselves—and let’s stay in touch! “#stayconnected”—with this documentary video, students from the School of Business have struck a chord, as evidenced by the number of views on the university’s social media accounts. In the film, students and faculty members share how they’re overcoming the challenges of digital learning, coping with working from home, and—last but not least—how they’re managing to stay in touch with one another despite everything. They don’t shy away from the difficulties—and that’s precisely why “#stayconnected” is also a source of encouragement. The project is one of many examples from the 2020–21 winter semester that we’ve compiled in the new online edition of our university magazine “Forum.” The spectrum ranges from a podcast series by the Department of Architecture to virtual excursions through Japan’s cultural landscape, all the way to a “murder mystery dinner” that the AStA used to bring first-semester students together in a fun way. The issue features contributions from staff members in the Media and Teaching, Human Resources, and Academic Success Management departments, and—last but not least—the members of the “new” university administration, who introduce themselves with brief statements in a video.   Sincerely Prof. Dr. Susanne Weissman President of Mainz University of Applied Sciences