Teachers, researchers, administrative staff, and students from all areas of the university gained insight into existing AI applications at JLU, exchanged ideas, and learned about the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence. More information is available at the website of the project New Paths with AI, which the CIO and BfD are currently implementing together.

By establishing the Occupational Health Service Center (SAM), Justus Liebig University Giessen is taking a significant step toward providing future-oriented and efficient occupational health care for its employees. A key feature of the new service center is the use of an innovative software solution that BfD and HRZ have introduced, which enables fully digital file management for all test subjects. A decisive advantage here is the seamless transfer of results from occupational health examination devices and laboratory findings. This data is directly stored digitally without changing media, which significantly speeds up processes and increases data security.

Moreover, the solution offers a self-service portal to automate appointment scheduling for current and future employees. There are also plans to integrate services for students such as mandatory occupational health care for medical students or rabies vaccinations for veterinary students.

We are delighted to have reached this important milestone in the digital transformation of our services for JLU.

Since July 2025, electronic signatures have been rolled out initially in predefined pilot areas within the central administration. The signature tool inSign is being used for this purpose. In this second project phase, the focus is on developing and implementing legally compliant processes for advanced electronic signatures (AES).

Eveeno enables efficient, modern, and data protection-compliant participant management for university events. It supports registration, communication, and data management—in a centralized, structured, and transparent way.

The web form for registering for an event and additional information about the tool and how to process events with participant fees can be found on our website:

https://www.uni-giessen.de/eveeno/en

At this year's Digital Spring Cleaning with the motto Secure.Digital.Enroute, over 100 employees from the central administration, departments and centers worked together to strengthen digital security at JLU.  Important steps were taken within 1.5 hours: We set up the password manager KeePassXC, presented e-learnings on IT security and shared practical tips such as screen locking with Windows + L. 

Thank you for your active participation and positive feedback!

The Digital Transformation Office (Büro für Digitalisierung, BfD) has been fully staffed once again since January 1, 2025 with three new officers. Isabel Cutrim will take over the research focus in 2025, Johanna Daus has taken over the role of digital transformation officer with a focus on studies and teaching in BfD after the end of her temporary position in StW, and Anne Landsiedel has moved from the International Office to BfD, where she will be your point of contact focused on the administration.

The first monitoring of the Digital Transformation Strategy published in 2023 by Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU) has been successfully completed. Progress and successes in implementing the strategy were reviewed and the indicators updated to reflect the current status.

The results show that JLU is on track to achieve its digital transformation goals. Many areas of the three activities Research, Teaching, and IT Governance, Administration, and IT Infrastructure have developed further, with 16 of the total 65 indicators already having been achieved. More incremental developments of the Digital Transformation Strategy are planned for 2025.

We would like to thank the many participants for their support in monitoring the strategy in 2024.

The complete results of the 2024 monitoring can be viewed here: https://www.uni-giessen.de/en/org/admin/staff-div/stw/digtransstrat/implementation/status

While the DTO continues to focus on shaping the digital future of JLU, we would like to take this opportunity to look back on our successes so far:

Digital Transformation Strategy

In close cooperation with the executive board, staff divisions and departments, the DTO developed a university-wide Digital Transformation Strategy and published it in both German and English in autumn of 2023 after involving all committees. With three activities, nine major goals, 25 subgoals and 66 measurable indicators, JLU's digital course was set for the next seven years.

Digital Pact projects

Supporting and continuously developing 13 Digital Pact projects with a total budget of over 5.5 million euros is helping significantly modernize our infrastructure. The projects are in the areas of teaching, research, administration, and IT infrastructure.

myJLU app

JLU's campus app bundles systems relevant to our students into one application, provides them with a wide range of information via various feeds, lets them book sports courses via a mobile application, and more. The myJLU app, which the DTO played a key role in launching, was released in December 2022. Over 9,500 users now keep themselves up to date with this app—and the trend is rising.

Digital processes

After helping convert the paper sick slip into a digital format, the DTO supported the replacement of many more analog forms with web-based ones. Our efforts to switch from paper-based processes to web forms were rewarded with JLU's Sustainability Award in December 2023. The DTO was also instrumental in converting the Circulars of the President into a more efficient, sustainable, bilingual digital format. 

Digital Spring Cleaning

At the beginning of spring 2023, the DTO organized a Digital Spring Cleaning for the first time. The event sought to tidy up e-mail inboxes and digital storage. Due to its great success, we held another one at the beginning of spring 2024: This event successfully cleaned up JLU websites. Over the course of the day, more than 2,000 links that were no longer usable were removed.

Digital Day program

JLU has participated in the annual nationwide Digital Day since 2022. The DTO coordinated the program in 2023. With 24 activities on the topic of 'digital transformation', JLU was able to demonstrate its digital expertise in the areas of teaching, research, and administration. With this balanced, multi-layered program, JLU clearly stood out from the other universities in Hessen.

The DTO is optimistic about the future and promises to be a continuous driving force in digital development at JLU and to contribute actively to digital transformation. At the same time, we would like to thank everyone who has contributed to these successes, and we look forward to continuing our digital journey together.

Digital Day, which aims to actively meet the challenges of digital change, offered JLU the opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to current digital trends and technologies. JLU deliberately took up the nationwide focus topic of Artificial Intelligence and offered four activities on this topic.

Both online and on-site formats allowed a wide range of students, employees, and the public to take part in the various activities and engage intensively with the topic of artificial intelligence in particular. In addition to the presentation of the Central Hessen research infrastructure database Find Mi and the BrAIn app developed for medical research, from which both students and doctors can benefit, the diverse program also offered a workshop on writing texts with AI. Furthermore, a discussion format was used to discuss how AI will change the (educational) world, and a presentation explained neural networks, the basis of all artificial intelligence, in a way that is also understandable for the general public.

The broad participation and the wide range of activities on offer underscore the fact that JLU Giessen sees Digital Day as an opportunity to engage with current digital trends and technologies and is actively involved in the social debate.

Click here for JLU Giessen's events on Digital Day 2024 (German only).

Now that President Prof. Dr. Katharina Lorenz has taken office, the format of the circular publications have also been updated. The switch from PDF files to websites makes searching for relevant information on our daily operations more timely and efficient.

The new format is much more accessible and saves a large amount of data and therefore CO₂. You can reach your destination with fewer clicks, especially on mobile devices. The content has also changed: points of contact are always up to date, and all circulars are now available in two languages—German and English.  

You can find out more about the background to the changeover project here. You can find the new web space with the Circulars of the President at this address: 

uni-giessen.de/en/organization/admin/circulars

This time, the focus was on cleaning up JLU Giessen's websites. After a virtual kick-off event with Prof. Dr. Alexander Goesmann, Vice President for Academic Infrastructure, we provided opportunities for you to participate.

JLU web editors could have their websites checked for broken links using a dead link checker. Users could also fill out a whistle-blower form to anonymously point out outdated websites. We also provided many tips and tricks on web links and how to improve websites.

Many users took advantage of the Digital Spring Cleaning 2024 activities. A total of 125 people took part in the event. On this day alone, over 2,000 dead links on JLU's websites were repaired. The most diligent cleaner and the editor with the cleanest web pages were each awarded a prize.

The content from this and last year's Digital Spring Cleaning will remain permanently available. You can use them at any time to spruce up your own websites and digital filing systems. Take a look around and be inspired: uni-giessen.de/en/spring

Just in time for the start of spring, the Digital Transformation Office (BfD) once again would like to clean up the digital world together with you. Please make a note of our Digital Spring Cleaning day of action on March 20, 2024 and pass this date on to your colleagues in your department, faculty, chair, or working group. This year, the focus will be on our websites. More information will soon follow on our website: https://www.uni-giessen.de/en/spring

The project developed and published instructions for converting paper forms to web forms. The departments and staff divisions were also supported in their conversion of 12 paper forms. Specifically, at least 1 form was converted in each department.

The main focus for BfD was the transfer of know-how to the individual departments. Employees in the departments and staff divisions are now able to develop and implement web forms independently. A new category has also been introduced. A distinction is now made between web forms and paper forms.

Benefits of the project

• In addition to saving time when filling out the form, the main benefit of the project is increased user satisfaction: many people simply want to work digitally, and only digital allows them to work remotely in a meaningful way.
• This also saves JLU Giessen kilos of paper and kilometers of transport.
• It is also important to note that, according to Dr. Steffen Puhl, point of contact for digital accessibility and inclusion in IT, the use of a web form is much more accessible than any paper form.

Next steps

The results obtained are now being used in day-to-day business by the departments and staff divisions. Every paper form that is converted is a further step in digital transformation and increases user satisfaction. If required, BfD is available to provide support at any time.

The Digital Transformation Office (BfD) is supporting the transition from paper forms to web forms. As a result, the number of available web forms is continuously increasing. Until now, however, there has only been a central overview of the paper forms, which usually have to be printed out and signed by hand. Now, a central overview page with all web forms is also available:

•  https://www.uni-giessen.de/de/org/admin/w-form

This list updates itself automatically each time it is called up. Unlike the paper versions, the web forms can be used conveniently while working remotely. JLU's efforts to increase sustainability are also accommodated by eliminating a large quantity of printouts.

If you have paper forms in your department that you would like to convert to web forms, BfD will be happy to assist you. Just take a look at our project page Web Forms Made Easy and contact us at BfD.

Following the nationwide changeover of sick slips for employees with health insurance from the yellow paper notifications to an electronic process from 2022 to 2023, Justus Liebig University's (JLU's) Human Resources Department also revised its internal procedure for reporting sick days. In this context, BfD together with Department C launched the project Electronic Sick Slip (EAU). During the first phase of the project, they developed and published a web form within a few weeks. This not only streamlined and digitized the workflow but also economized and improved a number of things: 

• Around 10,000 printouts are saved per year.
• Storage space for 16 new file binders each year is freed up.
• Approx. 10,000 pieces of mail are no longer delivered (the in-house post office saves both human and logistical resources).
• Employees with disabilities can much more easily fill out the user-friendlier web form than the PDF document.
• The entire process can be done remotely (no more trips to the mail room to send and receive correspondence).

The second phase of the project is currently focused on automating Department C's electronic sick slip processing procedure as much as possible. BfD is using the experience gained from this as a best practice example for similar digital transformation projects in other departments and staff offices.

Here are the web forms for the electronic sick slip (German only).

More than 30 different contributors presented 20 activities dealing with digital teaching, research, and administrative topics. Explanations of digital technologies tailored to target audiences, concrete assistance, practical tips and answers to questions about digital applications, and presentations of innovative projects were all part of what was offered. Current topics such as ChatGPT, research data management, and the deployment of new software possibilities were presented and discussed during Digital Day. Participants were invited to try out formats in the fields of virtual and extended reality, serious games, and eye tracking. Organizations opened their doors to present both digital and analog collections, as well as their digital research and teaching projects.

The diverse features on offer at JLU's Digital Day showed that the topic of digital transformation permeates all areas of the university and engages all target audiences. From basic competencies in dealing with digital solutions to innovative application scenarios, digital transformation at JLU is a decisive influence in everyday work and studies.

The idea for Digital Day originated in the challenges associated with involving all participants and attracting target audiences with tailored solutions. Throughout Germany, this day is about participating in and supporting digital transformation within society. With its program, JLU has also shown that it recognizes this challenge and continues to focus on this need for information and support by providing appropriate solutions via the Digital Transformation Office.

Compared with all of Hessen, JLU emerged with the most comprehensive program. In order to keep living up to this pioneering role, the university will continue developing formats that promote participation in digital transformation at JLU and thereby offer successful, innovative contributors a platform with which to share their experiences.

We would like to thank everyone who made this day so multifaceted and unique, and we are already looking forward to Digital Day 2024.

Participants: University Library, University Computer Center, HessenHub, NIDIT, LevelUp, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Institute of Chemistry Education, The IT and Service Center of Faculty 02, JLU Collection of Classical Antiquities, Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Center for Teacher Education, UNIVERSUM, General University Sports, Teacher Education @nd Media (TE@M), and the Digital Transformation Office