Addressees

The training events of the OFZ - Centre of Excellence for Regional Teacher Training are aimed at teachers at public schools, non-teaching staff at public schools and trainers at the teacher training colleges in the cities of Delmenhorst, Oldenburg and Wilhelmshaven and the districts of Ammerland, Friesland, Oldenburg and Wesermarsch. Teachers from outside the region can also take part in OFZ events. Teachers/employees from independent schools are subject to the conditions listed under Independent schools.

Announcement

The OFZ publishes its training events on the OFZ website(https://uol.de/ofz) and in the Niedersächsisches LernCenter - NLC(https://nlc.info) and also informs schools of selected events by email. The announcements contain detailed information about the events. These "General Terms and Conditions for Participation in OFZ Events" form part of the announcements.
Participants can also store interest filters in their personal NLC profile and subscribe to customised reminders. You can find help on how to use the NLC on our homepage www.ofz.de or contact us by email or phone 05121/1695-400.

Registration

Registration takes place exclusively online via the OFZ website, from where you are redirected to the Niedersächsisches LernCenter (NLC) or directly via the NLC. Online registration is a prerequisite for processing, e.g. for the preparation of participation lists and certificates of attendance. A valid account is required to process the registration, which must contain the school number or service address in addition to the first name, surname and email address.

Before registering, you must obtain authorisation to attend from your superior department, even if training events take place during off-duty hours and/or online (note: this does not have to be submitted to us). Any request for overnight accommodation for events lasting several days must be stated if the event is advertised as including overnight accommodation. Any existing intolerances must be entered in the personal profile. In addition, any precautions to be taken must be indicated under comments.

By registering, the terms and conditions of the competition are recognised. Confirmation of receipt of registration does not constitute a guarantee of participation. The OFZ only accepts the registration once the invitation has been sent.

The registration deadline stated in the announcement (usually two to four weeks before the start of the event) must be observed. Registrations after the registration deadline can only be considered if there are free places available, if this is organisationally possible or if the event does not have to be cancelled due to insufficient registrations.

Cancellation of the booking is subject to the conditions listed under Cancellation. By registering, you accept the general terms and conditions of the OFZ.

Work materials

If necessary, work materials will be distributed during the event. The costs for this are included in the event fee or can be charged by the management on site.

Cancellation of events

We reserve the right to cancel events for unforeseeable reasons (e.g. illness of the event management or speakers or insufficient number of participants). In this case, no costs will be charged. Events that have already begun (e.g. continuing education measures that extend over more than one calendar year) may also be cancelled or rescheduled in special cases (e.g. significant reduction in the number of participants, illness of the event management or speakers). The OFZ will endeavour to offer alternative dates for the cancelled events. There is no entitlement to the event being held. In the event of cancellation, only the costs for the events attended up to that point will be charged.

Consideration of impairments

Persons with disabilities or food intolerances are requested to indicate under "Comments" when registering what arrangements are necessary so that the disabilities can be taken into account as far as possible in the organisation at the conference venue, e.g. barrier-free access. A severe disability must be indicated in the personal profile. The OFZ endeavours to ensure accessibility when renting conference venues, but unfortunately cannot always guarantee this. Severely disabled persons in accordance with § 81 Para. 4 No. 2 SGB IX will be given preferential consideration when allocating training places.

Data protection

Personal data required for the registration and organisation of the event will be processed in accordance with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Lower Saxony Data Protection Act (NDSG). You can access the data protection declaration for registration via the Lower Saxony Learning Centre (NLC) at any time at https://nlc.info.

Business trip authorisation

The authorisation of the superior department (for teachers and school staff in the state service, this is usually the head teacher) for participation is the prerequisite for registering for a training event and for the protection under employment law. This also applies to teachers and school staff on parental leave and women on maternity leave outside the statutory employment ban (six-week period before giving birth). This authorisation must already be available during the online registration process.

Note: A proposal for authorisation of a business trip (training and further education trip) must be submitted to the superior department. The decision on exemption from teaching and on whether teachers should contribute to the costs is also made by the superior department.

Invitation

As a rule, the invitation is sent by email to the email address entered by the teacher in the Lower Saxony Learning Centre (NLC) and a copy to the school/department when the registration deadline is reached or approx. 14 days before the start of the event. Once the invitation has been sent by the OFZ, the registration becomes binding for both parties and generally obliges the participant to attend the entire event or series of events. If the event does not take place or is overbooked, you will also receive a written cancellation approx. 14 days before the planned event date.
Participation is generally not possible without an invitation.

Liability

The OFZ accepts no liability for other damages, in particular for those resulting from accidents, damage, loss or theft, unless the damage is due to a grossly negligent breach of duty by the OFZ or an intentional or grossly negligent breach of duty by a legal representative or vicarious agent of the OFZ. This shall not apply to damages resulting from injury to life, limb or health that are based on a negligent breach of duty by the OFZ or an intentional or negligent breach of duty by a legal representative or vicarious agent of the OFZ. The statutory provisions apply here. In conference centres and hotels, the general house rules and rules of conduct must be observed.

Costs

Events free of charge

For certain events (e.g. with high educational policy priority or to communicate uniform standards), the event and travel expenses of the participants are financed from state funds. This will be indicated separately in the invitation to tender. For other free events, travel expenses may have to be covered by the school budget (see reimbursement of travel expenses).

Paid events

In the case of chargeable events, the amount of the event fee is shown in the respective advertisements. The cost contributions are listed according to whether they include or exclude overnight accommodation. Regulations on accommodation for events lasting several days can be found in the accommodation section. Any additional travel expenses incurred must generally be covered from the school budget (see reimbursement of travel expenses).

Invoicing

In the case of chargeable events, the amount of the participation costs is shown in the announcements. Invoices are sent by email to the school or office. Further details can be found in the section Contract and payment partners .

Reimbursement of travelling expenses

Events financed from state funds

As a rule, travel expenses are reimbursed ex officio in accordance with the provisions of the Lower Saxony Travel Expenses Ordinance (NRKVO) of 10.01.2017 (Nds. Law and Official Gazette No. 1/2017, p. 2 ff.) on the basis of Section 84 (4) of the Lower Saxony Civil Service Act (NBG) of 25.03.2009 (Nds. Law and Official Gazette. p. 72), last amended by Article 8 of the Act on the Revision of the Remuneration Law of 20.12.2016 (Nds. Law and Official Gazette. p. 308). You can find a guide to completing the travel expense application form here.

Please note: In accordance with the provisions of the BRKG (or NRKVO), travel expenses will only be reimbursed up to the cost of the cheapest ticket in the lowest class of a regular public transport service.

Other events

Travel expenses may be reimbursed from the school budget at the school's discretion.

Cancellation

Cancellation of an event can be made directly in the Lower Saxony Learning Centre under "Event registrations". Alternatively, a written cancellation by email stating the course number is also possible. Cancellations by telephone will not be accepted. In principle, cancellations should be made as early as possible so that free places can be passed on to other interested parties in good time. This also applies to free courses.

Cancellations after receipt of the invitation, after reaching the registration deadline or non-appearance, for whatever reason, do not release the participant from paying the costs stated in the NLC. The sending school or office will be invoiced for the costs stated in the NLC. This also applies to non-attendance due to illness.

If the registered person is unable to attend, a suitable replacement person can be nominated with all the necessary details. The change must be communicated to the OFZ by email in advance, stating the course number. In this case, no costs will be incurred.
A cancellation of a multi-part course can only be made in writing with special justification and with the approval of the supervisor.

Independent schools

Teachers/employees from independent schools can participate at their own expense within the scope of available places.

In-school training programmes

In close consultation with requesting schools, the OFZ creates a tailor-made further training offer and takes over the complete organisation of the event. The costs incurred for speakers and preparation are invoiced to the commissioning school. You can find further information on internal school training programmes here.

Certificates of attendance

Participants confirm their participation in the face-to-face training event by signing the attendance list. In the case of online training events, the event organiser records attendance. After the event, a certificate is made available online in the Lower Saxony Learning Centre (NLC) under "Certificates".

Continuing education programmes are certified with a certificate and are subject to special conditions, which can be found in the respective programme.

Compulsory participation

The state of Lower Saxony obliges the persons employed there to participate in all events of this programme and to provide the required services after invitation. Participation includes release from conflicting official obligations to the extent necessary. The event organiser and the school/office must be notified and reasons given for leaving an event. Upon leaving the event, the release from official obligations also expires.
Release from a multi-part programme can only be granted in writing with special justification and the approval of the supervisor. Otherwise, reimbursement of the costs incurred up to the time of cancellation may be demanded.

Oversubscription

If the number of applications exceeds the number of places available, the right of co-determination for employees in the Lower Saxony state service requires the involvement of the main school staff council, the equal opportunities officer and, if applicable, the liaison teacher for severely disabled persons from the Regional State Office for Schools and Education. Those not considered in the selection procedure will be informed of the decision. In the event of a significant oversubscription, the OFZ will endeavour to offer another event on the same topic. In the event of a re-registration, the unsuccessful applicants will be given preferential treatment during the registration period if they indicate the cancellation received in the "Remarks" field when registering.

The selection procedure is subject to fixed selection criteria.

Accommodation

Events financed from state funds

Accommodation and meals are generally provided ex officio for teachers in the state service of Lower Saxony (see call for applications).

Accommodation is usually provided in single rooms. However, there is no legal entitlement to a single room.

Other events

The announcement will indicate whether accommodation costs are included in the event fee. If accommodation costs are not included in the programme, participants must book and pay for their own accommodation if required.

Catering

For courses lasting more than two hours, the usual hot and cold drinks are usually provided. The costs are included in the event fee.
This does not apply to sports events or events in computer rooms. If catering is provided, this will be indicated in the invitation to tender.

Contractual and payment partners

The OFZ's contractual and payment partner is always the school/office. All public schools in Lower Saxony are provided with budgets to be managed independently, which are used, among other things, for the financing of further training events (see RdErl. D. MK of 31 July 2018 "Hauswirtschaftliche Vorgaben für das Budget der Schule"). If the costs are not to be borne by the school/office but by the participant, an internal school arrangement must be made.