Centralised website maintenance: Why and what are the benefits?

The university website is maintained centrally by the Department of University Communication. This ensures

• a standardised appearance in line with the corporate design,
• accessible and technically optimised content,
• fast and professional implementation by trained employees,
• consistent search engine optimisation (SEO),
• and efficient processing thanks to clear processes.

Procedure for change requests or new content

Please send your enquiries or orders to:

📧

What enquiries and orders are possible?

• Change requests / updates existing pages
• Creation of new subpages or additions
• Appointments e.g. due to the coordination of planned complex website content

Processing time:

⏳ Changes will be within 48 hours implemented. 🔥 Urgent requests are processed as quickly as possible.
📩 After completion of processing you will receive a E-mail confirmation.

Efficient processing - We need this information

We need the following information so that your request can be processed quickly and correctly:

• direct link to the affected page
• Exact location to be changed (text, image, file or similar)
• New content as editable text (no screenshot of pure text passages)
• Screenshots for clarification if necessary
• For images/filesPlease send as attachment.

💡 Tip: The more complete your enquiry, the faster it will be processed.

Contact personinside

📩 Responsible: Mandy Tabatt
📩 Representation: Tina Bergknapp

Support from the Department of University Communication

The university's press and public relations department ensures professional communication with the public and the media. We support members of the university in the preparation of press releases, the organisation of media enquiries and the dissemination of important news.

Please send your enquiries to:

📧 E-mail contact:

Which enquiries are possible?

You can contact us here if you:

Want to have a press release created

• Do you have news or a project that needs to be communicated to the public?
• Send us all the relevant information - we will formulate a press release.

Have an important appointment that needs to be communicated to the press

• Events that should be in the media.
• Visits from personalities or co-operations.
• Organisation of press conferences / invitation of media representatives on request.

Media enquiries have

• A journalist has contacted you with an enquiry?
• We coordinate media contacts and accompany interviews.

Planning a podcast production

• Do you have an idea for a podcast related to the university?
• We support you with production and distribution.

Efficient processing - We need this information

So that we can implement your enquiry quickly and in a targeted manner, please as early as possible the following information:

• Topic & aim of the press release
• Important details (What? When? Where? Who is involved?)
• Contact person and contact details
• Deadline for publication

💡 Tip: The more precise your details, the faster your request can be processed.

Contact personinside

📩 Responsible: Tina Bergknapp
📩 Representation: Nadine Luschnat

Web accessibility ensures that all people - regardless of physical or cognitive limitations - can access information and use digital content without restriction. This is particularly important for universities, as they have to create an inclusive learning and working environment and fulfil their social responsibility.

Why is accessibility important?

Enable accessible websites:
✅ Unrestricted access to information for all users.
✅ More user-friendliness for all - also for people without disabilities (e.g. simple navigation, clear language).
✅ Better findability in search engines - Search engines often rate accessible content more favourably.
✅ Compatibility with assistive technologies such as screen readers or speech recognition software.

People with disabilities are particularly affected by barriers on the web:

• Visual or hearing impairments
• Motor impairments
• Learning or cognitive disabilities

Is accessibility required by law?

Yes, there are clear legal requirements for public institutions (including universities):

📜 Barrier-free Information Technology Ordinance (BITV 2.0):

• Does the European Directive (EU) 2016/2102 into German law.
• Requires public bodies to make their websites and mobile applications accessible.

📜 Accessibility Reinforcement Act (BFSG):

• Regulates accessibility for digital products and services.

📜 UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD):

• Commits Germany to promoting digital accessibility.

Universities must also have a Declaration on accessibility on their website and provide a possibility to Reporting barriers offer.

How is accessibility implemented on the website?

The realisation is based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)which categorise accessibility into four principles:

1️⃣ Perceptibility

• Provide alternative texts for images and graphics.
• Sufficient colour contrast for texts and backgrounds.
• Subtitles for videos and transcripts for audio content.

2️⃣ Usability

• Enable navigation via keyboard (no mouse required).
• Sufficient time for interactive content (e.g. forms).
• No content that can trigger seizures (e.g. flashing elements).

3️⃣ Comprehensibility

• Use clear, simple language (no technical jargon without explanation).
• Structured texts with headings, lists and paragraphs.
• Predictable navigation without unexpected changes.

4️⃣ Robustness

• Compatibility with screen readers and other assistive technologies.
• Use of standardised HTML & barrier-free CMS functions.

Who is responsible for the accessibility of the university website?

The implementation of accessible content is carried out by the Department of University Communication (responsible: Mandy Tabatt)which designs and maintains all web content in accordance with legal requirements.

❤️ With an accessible website, the university ensures that all people - regardless of restrictions - have equal access to digital content.

Anyone who has ever used a website knows the front end - in other words, what is visible: smart images, clearly structured text, a button here, an animation there. But what is really behind it?

🖥️ Frontend - The showcase of the website

The front end is what users see and experience. It provides:
✅ Beautifully designed content (texts, pictures, videos)
✅ Intuitive navigation (so that nobody gets lost)
✅ Interactive elements (forms, buttons, filters)
✅ Mobile-friendly design (because not everyone is sitting at a desktop)

Sounds simple? Now it's getting exciting. 👇

🛠️ Backend - The engine room miracle

The backend is what nobody sees - but without which nothing works. This is where it happens:
⚙️ Database management (All content must be stored securely somewhere).
⚙️ Security updates & maintenance (Websites need protection, otherwise it quickly becomes unsightly).
⚙️ Accessibility & search engine optimisation (Because Google and screen readers expect more than just colourful images).
⚙️ Troubleshooting & bug fixing (What is "broken" for users is often a feat of detective work for admins).
⚙️ Content maintenance & updating (Content quickly becomes outdated - it must be regularly revised, supplemented and optimised).
⚙️ User experience (UX) (A website should not only look good, but also be intuitive to use).
⚙️ Continuous optimisation & performance (Loading times, mobile display, new technical requirements - a website is never really "finished").

Anyone who thinks that changes are 'just a few clicks' often overlooks the complex interplay in the background. Every adjustment is part of a finely tuned system that not only works, but also needs to be optimised, protected and further developed.

Every seemingly simple change often means

🔍 Test that nothing else breaks.
📐 Adapt design & structure so that everything remains coherent.
🔄 Check technical implementation & compatibility.
💾 Ensure that nothing is lost.

An example from everyday life:

"Can you just swap this picture?"

Sounds simple - but it's not, if:

• The new image not the right size and must first be processed.
• The text next to it no longer Optimum fit and customisation has to be.
• The Mobile version suddenly no longer harmonises and readjusted has to be.
• The system temporarily stores and Change only visible after cache deletion becomes.
• The picture in the Media library uploaded, correctly sorted and labelled with meaningful file names so that it can be found again later.
• Alt texts must be stored for accessibility so that screen readers can describe the image correctly.
• Meta tags for SEO so that search engines can categorise the image appropriately and it can appear in the Google image search.
• The page after the change tested to ensure that no other content slips or unexpected display problems occur.

💡 Conclusion: What looks like a "click" to the user often consists of a whole chain of steps. And it is precisely this attention to detail that ensures that the website not only looks good, but also works - everywhere, for everyone and at all times. 😊

Website maintenance is more than just a click - it's a mixture of design, technology, patience and a good coffee. ☕