University IT and Data Center

As part of the Dies academicus on December 4, 2024, we as the University IT and Data Center offer an approx. 30-minute guided tour through the machine room of the high-performance computer “Marvin”.

Start of the tour: 10:00 am

Please note that the number of participants is limited to 15 people. Therefore, participation is unfortunately not possible without prior registration and confirmation. If you are interested in participating, please contact Jan Steiner by Monday, December 2, 2024.

After successful registration, you will receive a confirmation and information regarding the meeting point by e-mail.

In addition to the weekly, open video consultation hour, in which questions can be asked about the structure, design, macros, functionalities and templates, the Atlassian team at the University IT and Data Center also offers Confluence training courses for beginners.

The short training courses with small exercises are designed for newcomers to working with Confluence. Participants receive an overview of the core functions of Confluence so that they can start working with Confluence immediately after the training.

The next dates:

• 25.11.2024 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
• 13.01.2025 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
• 10.02.2025 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
• 10.03.2025 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
• 07.04.2025 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
• 05.05.2025 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Duration of the training: 60-90 minutes

Technical implementation: Zoom and Confluence (the Zoom meeting room will be opened 10-15 minutes before the start of the training to clarify any technical questions).

You will receive the access data in the Atlassian Tools area in Confluence (only accessible in BONNET/VPN).

Prior registration is not required.

Interested members of the university should take part in this training with a computer/laptop from the university network (BONNET) or via VPN. Confluence is only accessible via BONNET or VPN.

The University IT and Data Center celebrated its 50th anniversary with a ceremony on November 6, 2024 at the University Forum in Heussallee. As part of the ceremony, the University IT and Data Center looked back on its history and the IT development of the University of Bonn over the past five decades with around 130 invited guests.

After a welcome address by Dr Rainer Bockholt, Director of the University IT and Data Center at the University of Bonn, Prof. Dr Maren Bennewitz, Vice-Rector for Digitalisation and Information Management, Prof. Dr Max P. Baur, former Chairman of the IT Board of the University of Bonn, Daniela Korden, Project Manager for DiCe projects at the HRZ and Susanne Sigmund, former HRZ employee, gave welcoming speeches.

A highlight was the keynote speech by Prof. Dr Harald Ziegler from Ruhr University Bochum, whose spectacular extrapolation revealed that "[...] one data center year corresponds to approx. 22 university years. What changes in a working life changes at the HRZ in approx. two years, i.e. an HRZ employee has to retrain at least 6-7 times in a working life." Despite the fast pace of technological progress, all HRZ employees have one characteristic in common: their flexibility. But it takes far more than just flexibility and problem-solving skills to work efficiently at the University IT and Data Center.

"At the HRZ, the focus is always on people", emphasised Dr Rainer Bockholt, Director at the HRZ for over 21 years. ‘We are happy to be here’ is not just an empty phrase, but reflects the working atmosphere at the HRZ, said Daniela Korden, a current HRZ employee. This mood could be felt without exception among the current and former employees present.

Susanne Sigmund, former head of training and head of the user support department, stated: "One of the biggest success stories is the training in IT for system integration at the HRZ. Since it began in 2005, all trainees at the HRZ have passed their final exams and none have failed." A special fact: the two very first trainees from 2005 are still working at the HRZ today.

In addition to video presentations and slide shows with photos from the HRZ archive, the guests also enjoyed live music with light, cheerful sounds from flamenco guitarist Ismael de Barcelona.

The “Regional University IT and Data Center of the University of Bonn” (RHRZ) was founded on November 1 in 1974.

On the occasion of its 50th anniversary in November 2024, the University IT and Data Centre looks back on its beginnings and the impressive development in the areas of information technology and digitalization at the University of Bonn.

In the first week of November, the HRZ is dedicating each day to one of the last five decades and publishing a new page in the new “History” area of the website, in which the most important milestones and technical achievements of the last 50 years are documented. This gives an exciting insight, including a picture gallery, into the past of IT and data processing at the University IT and Data Center of the University of Bonn.

A new video series “HRZ time travel” will be published on the HRZ channel on YouTube, which illustrates the most important development steps of the past decades – up to the here and now in 2024 – in an entertaining way.

The HRZ time travel starts in the founding years: the 1970s.

Enjoy this insight into the development of the University IT and Data Center and the evolution of IT at the University of Bonn!