HMDK for members

Dear Faculty and Colleagues, (Email Oct. 14, 5:09 p.m.)
As you may already know, on the evening of Oct. 7, 2026, the IT department of the Baden-Württemberg University Service Center (HSZ-BW) detected a cyberattack on the HSZ-BW. All necessary measures were taken immediately to mitigate the consequences of the attack. To this end, all systems were taken offline, the internet connection was disconnected, and the telephone system was deactivated. The relevant investigative authorities and the BW Cybersecurity Agency were notified that same evening.

Since the morning of October 8, 2026, the HSZ-BW crisis management team, led by Prof. Dr. Peter Väterlein, has been working continuously to investigate and resolve the incident. The investigation has been taken over by the Reutlingen Police Headquarters in cooperation with the Karlsruhe State Attorney General’s Office, Cybercrime Division. The CSBW is supporting both the investigation and the HSZ-BW. Internal and external specialists are currently working to resolve the incident.
Investigations into the cyberattack on the HSZ-BW by a team of internal and external specialists are proceeding at full speed. According to the latest information, attackers infiltrated the network with malware and thereby gained access to data. The extent to which data was extracted is currently the subject of the investigations.

During a video conference on October 14, 2026, representatives from the HSZ briefed the chancellors of the affected universities. They are working around the clock to restore services and establish emergency operations. At this time, it is not possible to provide a definitive timeline for when specific solutions will be available. Meanwhile, the chancellors are seeking solutions to restore our ability to function. I ask for your understanding regarding this difficult situation.
You can always find the latest information here: https://hsz-offline.de/

I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the current impacts:

Impacts on the Finance Department:
For the Finance Department, this means, among other things, that invoices cannot currently be paid because our financial system is unavailable. For this reason, we are unfortunately forced to suspend all orders effective immediately. Please do not place any new orders at this time.

Exceptions are made for all measures necessary to ensure the continuation of administrative and teaching operations.

Impact on payroll:
Currently, the connection to the State Office for Salaries and Benefits is also down. Salary payments for existing employment relationships are not affected by this. However, for new hires—particularly student assistants—there may be delays in the payment of compensation. In addition, neither honoraria for guest lecturers and adjunct instructors nor reimbursement for business travel expenses can currently be processed.

Impact on our students:
The student portal is currently unavailable. However, certificates of enrollment and leaves of absence/extensions of study can be requested at the Registrar’s Office/Student Secretariat.

Impact on our prospective students:
The applicant portal is currently unavailable. However, it will soon be possible to apply for the 2027 summer semester. Information will be posted on the website as soon as applications are open.

Impact on internal services:
The IT department is developing a tool for new email accounts, PDF login credentials, Wi-Fi, Moodle, intranet access, university ID cards, and their validation. Implementation will take a little while longer. We will implement this as soon as it is functional and will provide updates accordingly.

Impact on payroll:
Currently, the connection to the State Office for Salaries and Benefits is also down. Salary payments for existing employment relationships are not affected by this. However, for new hires—particularly student assistants—there may be delays in the payment of compensation.

What is being done now?

Following a final analysis, the HSZ will work to implement emergency operations.

The HSZ will then work to restore the systems to operation to the extent possible.

The affected universities are working together to find interim solutions that can be implemented quickly, particularly in the areas of finance and human resources.

And, of course, we will continue to provide updates as they become available.

Sincerely, Martin Renz, Chancellor

There are currently restrictions in the following areas:

• Campus management systems: Online portals for students and teaching staff are largely unavailable.
• Online administrative services: Functions such as re-registration, viewing marks, registering for examinations or downloading certificates of enrolment are currently unavailable.
• Applications for certificates of enrolment and leave of absence/extensions of study may be submitted to the Examinations Office/Student Registry.

• Invoices cannot currently be paid as our finance system is unavailable.
• For this reason, we are obliged to suspend all orders with immediate effect.
• Please do not place any further orders at this time.
• This does not apply to any essential measures required to ensure the continuation of operational and teaching activities.

• The connection to the State Office for Salaries and Pensions has been lost.
• Salary payments for existing employment contracts are not affected by this.
• However, for new appointments, particularly in the case of student assistants, there may be delays in the payment of remuneration.
• Furthermore, it is currently not possible to make fee payments to visiting lecturers and lecturers on contract, nor to reimburse expenses for business travel.

Proof of matriculation, study progress certificate, and BAföG certificate can be viewed, downloaded as a PDF file, and printed via the student portal.

All information can be found here.

The university library is located on the 8th floor. Introductions to library usage and user training for new students regularly take place at the beginning of the semester.

The Career Service is a service facility for students and graduates of the HMDK. It supports the transition from studies to the professional world through information, advice, and qualification. The services are available to you free of charge during and after your studies. Every semester, workshops on topics related to careers in the areas of self-management and self-presentation are offered. Registration is possible on the website.

Protecting your personal data is particularly important to us. You can find our detailed privacy policy here.
For any questions regarding this, you can contact the data protection officer, Irina Weiß, at the email address datenschutz@hmdk-stuttgart.de

Information about the various ensembles can be found here.

At the gate on the 5th level, there is a well-stocked first aid kit available. Acute injuries and accidents should always be treated on site through the in-house first aid network. A list of current first aiders is available at the gate. In addition, emergency medical services can be reached by calling 112 through the gate.

Individuals injured should not be driven to the hospital by the first aider.

The General Student Committee (AStA) usually organizes a breakfast for first-year students at the beginning of each semester, as well as a social evening for them to get to know each other. There are also separate events offered for international students. Please pay attention to the information provided during the welcome session, posters displayed in the university building, and the AStA's Instagram account.

After enrolment, you will receive a message with a password-protected PDF document attached to your private email address. The password for the PDF document is your date of birth in the format DDMMYYYY (without dots or hyphens; if DD is single-digit and has a leading zero, please do not enter the leading zero). There you will find all important information about your login details, including for your HMDK email inbox, which we have set up for all students at the beginning of their studies. Please log in there and regularly check your inbox. Important information from the university management will be sent exclusively to your student email address. After deregistration, the university computer account and the university email address will be automatically locked and then deleted after a period of four months. Please note that after the account is deleted, no access to the emails will be possible.

Please hand in lost items at the reception. If you are missing something yourself, please also contact the reception and inquire at the AStA.

Every student receives the HochschulCard at the beginning of their studies from Anne Rabe, Room HG-09.34, 9th floor. The card has various functions: it serves as a student ID (providing discounts at many events), library card, copy card, and wallet. To use the wallet function (cashless payments), you can top it up either on the 6th floor, in the cafeteria, using a debit card, or with cash at the canteen. Only by using the University Card can you eat at a reduced price in the canteen. Furthermore, study rooms can only be booked through it.

At the beginning of each semester, after re-registering, the University Card must be validated at the machine on the 6th floor.
The initial creation is free of charge. Any subsequent University Card, for example in case of loss, improper use, or destruction of the chip, is subject to a fee of 30 €. A new card can be requested from Elena Argiriou in Room HG-09.07.

For detailed information about the HochschulCard, please click here.

HORADS 88.6 is the campus radio for the Stuttgart and Ludwigsburg region. The broadcast studio is located at the Hochschule der Medien. Since 2010, HORADS has been officially licensed as a learning radio with its own FM frequency and can be received in the Stuttgart area over 88.6 MHz, as well as worldwide via live stream and radio app.

Students from the Stuttgart region can acquire media skills in radio broadcasting and have the opportunity to create their own journalistic program. The main focus of reporting includes topics related to science, culture, university life, and the region. Students can gain journalistic experience in the news and music editorial departments, support the IT sector, or engage in public relations. Apart from weekly broadcasts, HORADS also offers workshops to introduce students to these areas.

The HMDK Stuttgart has its own weekly program (during the lecture period on Wednesdays from 16:00 to 17:00), primarily reporting on current topics at the HMDK. More information is available on the website.

The University Symphony Orchestra (HSO) serves as the largest musical ensemble at the center of the professional orchestral training (Bachelor or Master of Music) at the HMDK. Students are responsible for keeping themselves informed about their scheduling, programs, rehearsal plans, and any potential changes.

The relevant information is posted by the orchestra office on the 6th and 8th floors in the display cases there. You can find the HSO regulations there and on the website.
Contact person: Frank Behrendt

Students of the HMDK can use the sports facilities of the University of Stuttgart. Registration is done through the University's website.

You can view, download, and print your enrolment certificate in the student portal as a PDF file.

PCs with internet access are located in the computer room on the 6th floor (room HG-06.09, next to the AStA office) as well as in the library. WLAN is now available in almost the entire university building.

Copy machines are located in the adjacent room behind the cafeteria towards the theatre. There are also copy machines on the 6th, 7th, and 8th floors, with the one on the 7th floor primarily for teachers. The HochschulCard doubles as a copy card (but it needs to be charged – see HochschulCard). The use of the copy machines in the computer room is possible without the HochschulCard. You just need to log in at the computer. Each semester, you have € 6 credit for prints on your account if you log in via the PCs in room HG-06.09 (equivalent to 600 copies). The copy amount will be deducted from your personal balance at the copy machines. In case of malfunctions at the copy machines, please inform the reception desk.

It is also possible to print PDF documents directly from a USB stick. The usual printing costs apply. Furthermore, scanning is available with the copy machines – either with forwarding to your email address or to a USB stick.

Usually, the university canteen is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. Food is served from 11:15 am to 2:15 pm. You can find special closing times here.

The menu is displayed directly in front of the canteen and can also be viewed at www.studierendenwerk-stuttgart.de. Payment for meals is made with the HochschulCard or by EC/credit card. Cash payments are not possible! However, without the HochschulCard, the subsidy from the Studierendenwerk Stuttgart cannot be granted.

The HochschulCard can be topped up in the following ways:
•    at the top-up machine with an EC/credit card
•    via autoload with PayPal directly at the cash register
•    with an EC/credit card at the information point or at the cash registers in the cafeteria or Canteen

Guest students can obtain a guest card from Tatjana Fellermeier in room H1-0908 or at the Information Point of the Studierendenwerk Stuttgart (Mensa Central, Stuttgart-Mitte, Ossietzkystraße 3, 70174 Stuttgart, opening hours: Monday to Friday 11:00 am to 2:30 pm). For more information, see www.studierendenwerk-stuttgart.de/en/food. Without a guest card or HochschulCard, the full price must be paid.

Next to the gate on the 5th floor, there are mailboxes for the teaching staff, faculties, the Student Administration Office / Examinations Office, and the administration of the university. An overview of the current occupancy of the mailboxes is displayed on-site.

In the 5th floor, each faculty and the Student Administration Office / Examinations Office has its own display case. There you can find information about examinations (dates, times), dates for course schedule meetings, and cancellations of classes (e.g. due to illness). Class cancellations and other important information are also announced on the screens displaying the waitlist for the overflow rooms.

The lockers at the university are managed by the locker tutor of the AStA. If you are interested in a locker, please sign up on the waiting list in front of the AStA office, Room HG-06.10. The waiting time for a locker is approximately one semester, depending on demand. Those next in line will be announced through notices. Lockers can also be shared. Special regulations apply to lockers for drama, EMP, and cello, each having their own waiting lists. A deposit of 25 € is required for a locker. Upon completion of studies, confirmation from the locker tutor must be obtained that the locker has been cleared or not rented.
Contact: schliessfach@hmdk-stuttgart.de

The Studienverlaufsbogen of each semester is to be collected and submitted to the faculty secretariats for documentation at the end of each semester. The successful participation in courses will be confirmed by the instructors at the end of the semester. Incomplete academic progress reports may have a negative impact on exam registrations. Printed academic progress reports can be obtained at the Student Administration Office or the Faculty Offices.

The General Student Committee (AStA) lends out recording equipment (microphones, video cameras up to 4K, audio technology). Information about the equipment rental is displayed in front of the AStA office and is also available on our website. Please use the web form to request rentals.

Members of the HMDK have access to the recording studio. For demo CDs to promote professional careers, the rule is that each university member is allowed to use the recording studio once a year. If interested, please contact us via the following email address: tonstudio@hmdk-stuttgart.de

For many subjects and events at the HMDK Stuttgart, such as music theory or aural training, there are optional tutorials where tutors (students who have already attended the events) offer tutoring, learning support, or practice sessions. If you are interested in such a supportive event, students can inquire with the respective teacher or find information through the notices posted on the relevant floors.

With the HochschulCard, you can book a room at the terminal at the gate for the practice rooms on the 2nd floor (possible 24 hours in advance). The door opening must also be done within five minutes using the HochschulCard. The rooms can be used around the clock.

The practice time is a maximum of three hours at a stretch, after which you must log out by deleting your booking at the terminal in the basement. Only then can you book a new practice room. After logging out, the next room can be booked five minutes later.

The practice rooms on the 5th and 7th floors (key rooms) are assigned by the gate and can be requested there. If a room is not available, you can be added to the waiting list. The waiting list position can be monitored on the screens at the gate/in the cafeteria, so that the key can be picked up promptly at the gate.

The practice time is a maximum of two hours at a stretch, after which you must sign up again. Please be considerate of the university's neighborhood and make sure to close all windows while practicing!

There is also the option to practice in the teaching rooms of the instructors, if they are not occupied and your name has been left at the gate by the relevant teacher. After consulting with the teacher, you can request a general authorization semester by semester from Elena Argiriou (Room HG-09.07).

If the maximum practice time is exceeded or the booked room is not used (in time), the HochschulCard will be blocked for 24 hours. Cards that have been blocked for longer than 24 hours or in error can be unlocked by Tatjana Fellermeier (Room H1-0908) or Elena Argiriou (Room HG-09.07). Alternatively, by email to kartensperrung@hmdk-stuttgart.de, please provide your matriculation number.

After enrollment, you will receive an email to your private email address (provided it is on record with the university) with a password-protected PDF attachment. The password for the PDF document is your date of birth in the format DDMMYYYY (without dots or dashes; if DD is single digit and has a leading zero, please do not enter this zero).
The PDF document contains the following information:

• HMDK email address and access data for the mailbox
• Access data for the WLAN (and eduroam)
• Access data for the PCs on level 6
• Access data for Moodle
• Access data for the library databases
• Information on Speex (language training)

If you do not receive this email, please have the Student Administration Office check if your private email address is on record and if it is correct. Also, check your spam folder if necessary. For any issues or questions, please contact markus.linsner@hmdk-stuttgart.de or daniel.schaller@hmdk-stuttgart.de.

Instructions for accessing Moodle