General Terms and Conditions for Congresses
of Heidelberg University (organiser)

1. Description of the organiser

The registration of event participants is carried out by UniKT – Congress and Conference Management. The UniKT – Congress and Conference Management is part of Department 6.3 of Heidelberg University and deals with the organisation of congresses and other events. The scientific part is supervised by the scientists of the respective institute, who are named as organisers on the website.

2. Scope of the terms and conditions

These terms and conditions shall apply to the booking of services related to the event mentioned on the registration page. The contract is concluded by selecting and booking the offered booking items. Basis of the contract is the description of the booking items and the price information as shown on the booking form.

3. Conclusion of the contract

The participant expresses his or her interest in participating by making the booking. If the organiser accepts the participant’s offer, a confirmation and a corresponding request for payment (invoice) will be sent. Participation in a scientific congress is exempt from VAT in accordance with section 4 (22) a) UStG (German VAT law). However, there may be supplementary services which are subject to VAT.

4. Right of revocation for consumers

If the participant is a consumer within the meaning of section 13 BGB (German Civil Code), the following shall apply:

Cancellation policy
Right of revocation: The participant may revoke the contractual declaration within 14 days in any form in accordance with section 355 l 2 BGB (German Civil Code) without stating reasons. The revocation period is fourteen days from the date of conclusion of the contract.

Dispatch of the letter of cancellation within the stipulated period is sufficient for adherence to the period of notice. The revocation must be in writing and must be addressed to: Universität Heidelberg, Abteilung 6.3 (UniKT), Seminarstr. 2, 69117 Heidelberg, Deutschland/Germany, by fax to +49 6221-5412962 or by email unikt-kongresse@zuv.uni-heidelberg.de.

Consequences of cancellation: In the event of revocation, any services received by either party shall be returned and compensation made for any benefits derived. Rights to reimburse payments must be fulfilled within 30 days. For the participant, the period shall begin with the dispatch of the letter of cancellation, for the organiser with its receipt.

Online dispute resolution procedure for consumers:
Generally, the University is not willing or obliged to participate in dispute resolution procedures before a consumer arbitration board.

5. Cancellation periods

The respective cancellation deadlines will be communicated on the congress website. Minimum numbers of participants will also be communicated there, if specified.

6. Right of revocation on the part of the University

The University shall be entitled to revoke or terminate the contract if the participant’s statements on essential facts are incorrect or do not comply with the General Terms and Conditions and Eligibility Requirements or if the participant violates important instructions. The same shall apply if the University has good reason to believe that the smooth running of business, security or the public reputation of the University may be jeopardised by reasons attributable to the participant. This applies, for example, to the dissemination of anti-democratic, racist, right-wing or left-wing extremist, xenophobic content or the disparagement of human freedom and dignity.

7. Covid 19 – travel restrictions or conversion to an online event.

If a face-to-face event is not possible due to public law or venue owner requirements or stipulations related to COVID-19, the event will take place online only. In this case, your booking remains valid. The price will be reduced to a booking price shown for the congress for online participation. This also applies if you are not allowed to travel to the event due to travel restrictions imposed by your company, your country of origin or Germany.

Expenses for your participation in the face-to-face event, in particular travel and hotel costs, will not be reimbursed if the event is held purely as an online event (sentence 1). The same applies if you participate exclusively online for other reasons as defined in sentence 4. We recommend that you take out appropriate insurance.

8. Force majeure

If it is not possible to hold the event due to force majeure or for good cause (e.g., due to the illness of the speaker or due to insufficient number of participants), the participants will beinformed immediately. In this case the event fee will be refunded. No further claims, in particular the reimbursement of travel and accommodation costs as well as the number of lost working hours, can be asserted, unless such costs are incurred due to grossly negligent behaviour on the part of the organiser.

9. Programme changes

The possibility of programme changes cannot be ruled out. The organiser reserves the right to replace speakers with other speakers and to make necessary changes to the event programme while maintaining the overall character of the event. In the event of any defect in performance, the organiser shall undertake to do the necessary to contribute to the elimination or limitation of the defects. No reimbursement can be made for changes or cancelled parts of the programme.

10. Obligations to cooperate in online events

In order to participate, the technical requirements on the part of the participant must be met (e.g. stable internet connection, current browser version, loudspeaker or headset). The organiser/university is not liable for ensuring that the technical requirements are met by the participant. Any failure of the technical requirements, even during the online event, does not release the participant from the contractual payment obligation.

The participant is obliged to store the access data and contents carefully, not to pass them on to unauthorised third parties and to protect them from access.

11. Conduct towards other participants

Addressing other participants, in particular with image advertising or for sales purposes, is not permitted unless the other participant expressly requests this. Presumed consent cannot be inferred from joint participation in an event.

12. Liability

The University shall not be liable for the loss of objects or other valuables stolen or otherwise lost from the conference rooms.

13. Data protection notice

The University processes the personal data of participants exclusively for the purpose of carrying out its event-related mandate. The legal basis for the collection and use of participant data in the form of name, address and communications data of the place of residence or business shall be section 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. a), b) DSGVO (GDPR) in conjunction with section 28 (3) DSGVO (GDPR).

The University shall guarantee that the above-mentioned data will be treated confidentially and processed exclusively for the purpose of supporting and organising scientific congresses and university-internal events with scientific relevance.

The above-mentioned participant data shall only be transferred to other participants in connection with the respective event after a declaration of consent has been issued in accordance with section 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. a) DSGVO (GDPR). Any further transfer of the above-mentioned participant data to third parties shall only take place if this is required for the purpose of holding and handling of the congress and all associated services provided by the University. The legal basis for any possible data transfers thus shall be section 28 (3) DSGVO (GDPR).

The participant data shall be deleted as soon as they are no longer required for the above-mentioned purposes, at the latest 10 years after the end of the respective event. However, as long as the University is legally obliged to retain this data, the data shall be stored on the basis of section 6 (1) sentence 1 lit. c) DSGVO (GDPR) (cf. section 17 (3) lit. b) DSGVO (GDPR)) and shall be deleted after expiry of the statutory retention periods. The same shall apply if the University is entitled for any other reason within the meaning of section 17 (3) DSGVO (GDPR) to retain the participant data collected until the reason for such further storage is no longer applicable.

In all other respects, the University’s data protection declaration shall apply, which can be accessed at https://www.uni-heidelberg.de/datenschutzerklaerung_web.html.

14. Image, sound and film recordings by the university

The participant expressly permits the University to make image, sound and film recordings of the congress and to use them for reporting on the congress and for documenting the congress as well as for communication purposes in electronic media and social networks.

15. Picture and sound recordings by the participant

Taking photographs during the event or recording the event, in whole or in part, requires the express written consent of the organiser / university and must be agreed in advance. In the case of online events, this also applies in particular to the taking of screenshots and other technical recordings.

In the event of a violation, the participant may be excluded immediately without reimbursement of the participation fee.

16. Abstract submissions

Participants can submit abstracts. The University decides which abstracts are accepted and used in the congress. There is no legal claim to use submitted abstracts. Legal action is excluded. The author of an abstract assures that he/she has the necessary copyrights and rights of use with regard to all contents of the abstract. The author of an abstract shall grant the University the right to publish the abstract in written or electronic form for congress participants as part of the congress documentation free of charge. The university shall be entitled to publish the abstract alone or together with other abstracts in electronic form on the internet in the context of the congress free of charge.

17. Place of jurisdiction

German law shall apply. The place of performance shall be Heidelberg.