Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Computer and Media Service

FAQ HU account

Questions:

Answers:

  • What is an HU account?

    • The HU account and password are your credentials to the services of the CMS. Your HU account will be construct with your last and first name by algorithm, with a usual length of eight characters total. Shorter HU accounts are a result of short names. No HU account exceeds eight letters in length. HU accounts are always written in lower case. For example, Fredd Bloggs could receive the HU account. Whenever HU services request a username, login handle, credentials etc., be it with our inhouse offers or third party partners, your HU account will be required. Your email address at the HU is not part of your login credentials.

  • Who is eligible to apply for an HU account?

    • The HU account is a tool for members of the HU and subsequently limited to students, employees, teachers, or visiting scholars and reseachers at the HU. Employees and persons with duties at and for the HU can apply for an HU account using the form for creation of an HU account. Students of the HU or the Charité create HU accounts with the self-service system provided online. Employees of the Charité are not eligible for HU accounts. Please contact your inhouse IT.

  • What is the HU account used for?

    • Whenever you are accessign HU services, be it for course planning, emailing or confirming your identity to third party partners, you will require your HU account for authentification. Services accesible via your HU account include: - Mail, your official mailbox at the HU - WiFi, via the international network eduroam - VPN, to securly access the internal network of the HU from outside - AGNES, to manage your student career or courses as a teacher - Moodle, the course materials platform - HU-Box, our inhouse collaborative cloud storage You can find more information on these and other services on our website.

  • How long is my password valid for?

    • Passwords of your HU account are valid for one year when set. Before expiry you will be contacted twice, using your official HU email address. If you miss the expiration date your HU account will be temporarily locked. You have a grace period of four weeks to change your password using your old one. Thereafter, students are required to set a new password using the PIN letter. Employees ought to contact the user help desk for asssistance.

  • Where do I find my PIN?

    • You can find information on your PIN on our website. Students of the Charité use the DLN ('Dienstleistungsnummer', service ID) instead.

  • What is the validity period of an HU account?

    • Your HU account's validity is tied to your membership at the HU or sponsorship. As long as you are a member of the HU, your account is valid. Should your membership (through termination of enrollment or end of contract) or sponsorship end, we will contact you about further steps.

  • My enrollment ends, what happens to my HU account?

    • Four weeks after your enrollment ended your HU account will be closed and cannot be extended without continued/renewed enrollment. You will be contacted beforehand via email. Please use the time between account lock and end of enrollment to backup your data. The notification will be sent to your official HU email address. You may set up an away-message or a forwarding for your email address. These will remain active for three months after account lock. Therafter, email services will be suspended entirely. If you intend to remain associated with the HU you may apply for an alumni address. Please be advised: In case of early termination of enrollment, such as when you are no longer visiting courses and just have to hand in your last paper, your HU account will still be closed and you will lose access to HU services. Additionally, student accounts can not be converted into employee accounts.

  • What happens to my HU account at end of an employment contract?

    • When your staff ID ('Personalnummer') expires you will be contacted about further steps. You will have several weeks to react before your HU account will be locked. If you are leaving the HU, please use this time to backup your data. You may set up an away-message or a forwarding for your email address. These will remain active for three months after account lock. Therafter, email services will be suspended entirely. If you intend to remain associated with the HU you may apply for an alumni address. If you are still executing duties at and for the HU beyond your employment contract you will have the opportunity to extend your HU account. You will receive a prepared form via automated email for this purpose. Please wait for this document to arrive - there are no steps required beforehand.

  • I am a professor at the HU, what happens to my HU account when I retire?

    • As your membership is sustained, there is nothing to be done in regards to your personal account. While you can continue to use your personal HU account as always, functional HU accounts need to be transfered to new owners. There will be dedicated notifications when necessary.

  • Are guests eligible to apply for HU accounts?

    • No. HU accounts are only available for members of the HU, and not for guests. We provide WiFi for visitors via the international roaming network eduroam. To access eduroam as a guest, simply use your settings and credentials as your home institution advises. No additional credentials are required. Visitors without access to eduroam may use the network '_Free_WiFi_Berlin' at all HU locations.

  • How do attendees and visitors of events at the HU access WiFi?

    • We provide WiFi for visitors via the international roaming network eduroam. Visitors without access to eduroam may use the network '_Free_WiFi_Berlin' at all HU locations.

  • Who do I contact if my questions have not been answered here?

    • In case of further questions regarding our services, please contact the CMS user help desk.