It is important to the University of Music and Drama that staff, students and guests treat each other fairly and respectfully. The conditions of artistic and academic education with its large proportion of individual and small group lessons, personal dependence on the teacher, high pressure to perform and the commitment of the whole person require particularly sensitive interaction with one another.
First Aid / First Aid
If you find yourself in an acute emergency, please contact the Student Council, the Hotline for Heikles or the General Student Committee (AStA).
Language support is available from the Language Team.
[Links/Contact details]
All offers at a glance
The Council of Confidence (VR) is a contact point for difficulties in all areas at the HfMT. Discussions are also offered for personal crisis situations. The Council sees itself as part of the university's conflict management system. It is independent. Its position is impartial and neutral.
Its aim is to help resolve conflicts, to enable those involved to have a constructive exchange with the conflict partners, to allow other assessments and to open up new options for action. All discussions are treated confidentially.
The BoD consists of members of all status groups and is open to all students and employees of the HfMT.
The main task of the BoD is to advise and mediate between conflicting parties. The BoD has no decision-making powers. A formal complaint can also be lodged with the university management (further details can be found in the anti-discrimination guidelines).
Michel BlümelProf. Jörn DopferAndreas HeißProf. Karin Barbara HolzwarthFlorian Thorben StürmerInes ThielStanislava TikhonovaMascha WehrmannProf. Wolfgang Zerer
[Contact]
Hotline: 01590 1075206
Since 2017, the university has set up this initial telephone counseling service for students to supplement the other counseling options. This hotline is the contact point where students can get anonymous and expert advice in difficult study and life situations.
This is the right place for students if
- there are disputes or problems with the main subject teacher
- there have been verbal or physical transgressions
- personal crises need to be overcome or
- are looking for guidance, decisions and further development.
The hotline is specially tailored to the needs of HfMT students and is supervised by Henriette Talkenberg (teaching coach with numerous additional therapeutic qualifications). She herself has a degree from a music university.
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People from many different countries study and work at the University of Music and Drama. The language of instruction and working language is mostly German and the majority use German and feel at home in it. English forms the basis for teaching and communication in the English-language degree programs; German is also used in most cases.
However, some students have only just started to learn German, so language barriers can sometimes lead to minor or major challenges in everyday university life. These can relate to organizational issues or situations in the context of teaching and entrance examinations. Sometimes it may be important information in everyday university life that could not be understood. Language challenges that are difficult to overcome can also arise when dealing with the authorities. The L(anguage) team can offer selective assistance here and language support can be requested from the International Office.
Contact for inquiries via e-mail: international@hfmt-hamburg.de
Free offer for students [external link]
When is it still stage fright, when is it already paralyzing performance and exam anxiety? Is it still pleasure or already an addiction? What can I do if my social environment is becoming increasingly annoying? What is individual time and stress management?
Eva Frank-Bleckwedel advises those affected and those seeking advice on their current situation in one-to-one discussions. She supports them in developing possible next steps and, if necessary, refers them to the appropriate offices at the HfMT or to suitable legal or psychotherapeutic/psychological support. Appointments can be arranged by e-mail and you will be contacted as soon as possible. All discussions are treated confidentially and further steps are only taken together and in agreement with those affected or seeking advice. Counseling takes place externally.
Make an appointment: eva.bleckwedel@hfmt-hamburg.de
Further information on the advice center can also be found in the interview with Prof. Bleckwedel.
Should any health problems arise, a team of doctors, therapists and physiotherapists at the University Hospital are on hand to help. The special consultation has been set up for students and teachers of the HfMT, professional instrumentalists and vocalists, members of artistic professions in dance and drama, as well as for ambitious amateur musicians and singers. It takes place by appointment in the General Medical Outpatient Clinic in the Outpatient Center of the UKE. Please bring your insurance card and your musical instrument with you to the appointment.
For more information, please see the flyer.
To make an appointment, please preferably send an e-mail to musikersprechstunde@uke.de
UKE, Martinistraße 52, Building East 57, General Medicine.
Where do discrimination and harassment begin?
Even derogatory language, an inappropriate compliment, unwanted proximity or touching can constitute harassment or discrimination or be perceived as such. It is the task of the teacher or supervisor to create an atmosphere and a framework in which irritating behavior can be named and regulated by those involved.
In art lessons, touching can sometimes be helpful for the purpose of demonstrating physical processes. In this case, the teacher needs to make a clear statement in advance about the purpose and the exact physical position of the touch. The students themselves decide whether or not they wish to make use of this type of demonstration. If students do not consent to physical touching, teachers are instructed to respect this and keep their distance.
Anti-discrimination guideline [Download]
[Image: What to do if ...]
"Where there is a cult of personality, hierarchies and strong pressure to perform, abuse of power is usually not far away" (Samnick, Olivia and Röhreke, Friederike (2023). Crime scene university. #MeToo and abuse of power at universities. Available on the ZDF website until 19.07.2025, minute 20:08)
Abuse of power is an issue that requires special attention in any asymmetrical relationship. Teaching-learning relationships as well as supervisor-employee relationships require a high level of self-reflection and role clarity on the part of the teacher or:supervisor, who must always be aware of their responsibility and their role model function, despite all personal influence and involvement in the teaching or leadership style, not to become private or to use dependencies to their own advantage.
The university's student awareness team can be contacted in these cases and provides support in clarifying the role conflict and the dependencies that have arisen. The university's Equal Opportunities Office and the Council of Confidence are also helpful sources of advice in conflicts concerning abuse of power.
In the event of abuse of power in the context of science and research at our university, please contact the ombudspersons for good scientific practice.
DFG guidelines and basic rules of good scientific practice
Commitment of the HfMT to the prevention of abuse of power (PDF)
[Ombudsperson contacts]
In the event of bullying, students should contact their main subject lecturer or the head of degree program. Employees should contact their line manager.
All members and affiliates of the university are called upon to ensure that disadvantages, discrimination or sexual harassment and violence are not practiced and not tolerated at their place of work or study. In spring 2023, an updated version of the Code of Conduct for the HfMT was drawn up by the Ethics Council in cooperation with all university Committees and adopted by the University Senate in July 2023.
An anti-discrimination guideline for protection against disadvantage, discrimination, sexual harassment and violence was adopted by the University Senate in August 2015.
In the event of violations of these guidelines, it is possible to lodge a formal complaint. The complaints offices named in the anti-discrimination guidelines ensure that the anonymity of those involved is maintained. Complaints are pursued and punished by the university management.
[Contact - Office of the President]
Complaints about teaching
If your classes are frequently canceled, please contact the head of the relevant dean of studies office or the Vice President for Studies and Teaching.
The Awareness Team at HfMT Hamburg is a purely student interest group with the aim of raising awareness of discrimination and supporting those affected. We are committed to more diversity at the university and want to be a point of contact from students for students.
We are very happy to welcome new active members from all degree programs. Write to us, talk to us and simply come along to a meeting!
Our aim is to highlight and sustainably change structures that encourage and allow the abuse of power. We organize workshops, lectures and campaigns in exchange and in cooperation with other student Committees, lecturers and staff.
In the Wiesendamm you will find the Awareness Space on the 1st floor in the common area, where you will find a bookshelf with relevant literature and information material on topics related to awareness.
As a purely student-run organization, the Awareness Team bridges the gap between disciplinary measures and the university's advisory services. Our aim is to create a "safe space" and offer a sympathetic ear as well as support and backing in difficult situations.
If you have problems, experiences of discrimination, uncertainties or any other concerns, please write to us. We are also available for a personal conversation and the issues raised will of course be treated with the utmost discretion.
[Contact]
The Equal Opportunities Officers are made up of the elected Equal Opportunities Officers of the Dean's Offices, the technical and administrative staff and the representatives of the AStA. They coordinate their work in the Conference of Equal Opportunities Officers (KoGl), which meets once a month during the semester. The conference is chaired by the university's Equal Opportunities Officer, who is elected by the University Senate.
[Link to Diversity and Equality]
[Contacts]
Sexual abuse counseling for girls* and young women* as well as mothers and caregivers:
Frauen Notruf Hamburg: Tel: 040 2555 66
www.frauennotruf-hamburg.de/
Dolle Deerns: Tel: 040 439 41 50
www.dolledeerns.de
Allerleirauh: Tel: 040 29 83 44 83w
www.allerleirauh.de
Sexual abuse counseling for girls, boys, young women and young men as well as caregivers:
Zornrot: Tel: 040 721 73 63
www.zornrot.de
Disability representative
Representative for severely disabled persons
Inclusion officer
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Dear students, dear prospective students,
for equal participation in the entrance examinations, in the examinations during the course of studies and in lessons, compensation for disadvantages can be granted. Students and prospective students with a visible or invisible disability or chronic illness that has an impact on their studies or examination situation should therefore apply for compensation for disadvantages in writing and informally. Your self-assessment in your application will help us to find an appropriate, individual arrangement.
Further information can be found in the information on compensation for disadvantages for students
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Financial, social and personal matters
Studierendenwerk Hamburg [external link]
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If you need to discuss past cases of harassment and violence, please contact kommission-adv[at]hfmt-hamburg.de. The "Commission for Dealing with the Past" consists of the following persons Martina Bick M.A., Prof. Eva Bleckwedel, Prof. Jörn Dopfer, Dr. Bilinc Ercan-Catanzaro, Prof. Karin Holzwarth, Prof. Dr. Nina Noeske.