Target audience

The professional development events organised by the OFZ – Centre of Excellence for Regional Teacher Training – are aimed at teachers in state schools, non-teaching staff in state schools, and trainers at teacher training colleges in the towns of Delmenhorst, Oldenburg and Wilhelmshaven, and the districts of Ammerland, Friesland, Oldenburg and Wesermarsch. Teachers from outside the region may also attend OFZ events. For teachers and staff at independent schools, the conditions set out under ‘Independent schools’ apply.

Announcement

The OFZ publishes its professional development events on the OFZ website (https://uol.de/ofz) and on the Lower Saxony Learning Centre – NLC (https://nlc.info), and also notifies schools of selected events via emails sent to headteachers. The announcements contain detailed information about the events. These ‘General Terms and Conditions for Participation in OFZ Events’ form an integral part of the announcements.
Furthermore, participants can set up interest filters in their personal NLC profile and subscribe to individually tailored reminders. Help on using the NLC can be found on our homepage at www.ofz.de or by emailing or calling 05121/1695-400.

Registration

Registration takes place exclusively online via the OFZ website, from where you will be redirected to the Lower Saxony Learning Centre (NLC), or directly via the NLC. Online registration is a prerequisite for processing your application, e.g. for the creation of attendance lists and certificates of participation. To process your registration, you will need a valid account which, in addition to your first name, surname and email address, includes your school number or official address.

Before registering, you must obtain authorisation to attend from your line management, even if training events take place outside working hours and/or online (note: you do not need to submit this authorisation to us). If you require accommodation for multi-day events, please indicate this if the event is advertised as including overnight accommodation. Any existing medical conditions must be entered in your personal profile. Furthermore, any special arrangements that need to be taken into account must be noted in the ‘Comments’ section.

By registering, you accept the terms and conditions of the event. Confirmation of receipt of the 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 received after the deadline can only be considered if places are still available, if this is organisationally feasible, or if the event has not had to be cancelled due to insufficient registrations.

The conditions set out under ‘Cancellation’ apply to the cancellation of a booking. By registering, you accept the general terms and conditions of the OFZ.

Course materials

Course materials will be distributed during the event, if necessary. The costs for these are included in the course fee or may be collected by the course leaders on site.

Cancellation of events

We reserve the right to cancel events for unforeseeable reasons (e.g. illness of the course organisers or speakers, or an insufficient number of participants). In such cases, no fees will be charged. Events that have already commenced (e.g. continuing professional development programmes spanning more than one calendar year) may also be cancelled or rescheduled in exceptional circumstances (e.g. a significant reduction in the number of participants, or illness of the event organisers or speakers). The OFZ will endeavour to offer alternative dates for cancelled events. There is no entitlement to the event taking place. In the event of cancellation, only the costs for the sessions attended up to that point will be charged.

Accommodation for disabilities

People with disabilities or food intolerances are asked to specify in the ‘Comments’ section when registering what arrangements are required so that these needs can be taken into account as far as possible in the organisation at the venue, e.g. accessible entry. A severe disability must be indicated in the personal profile. The OFZ endeavours to ensure accessibility when booking conference venues, but unfortunately cannot always guarantee this. People with severe disabilities, as defined in Section 81(4)(2) of SGB IX, will be given priority when places on training courses are allocated.

data protection

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

Authorisation for business travel

Authorisation from the line manager (for teachers and school staff in the state service, this is usually the headteacher) to participate is a prerequisite for registering for a further training event and for compliance with civil service regulations. This also applies to teachers and school staff on parental leave and women on maternity leave outside the statutory period during which work is prohibited (the six-week period prior to childbirth). This authorisation must already have been obtained by the time of online registration.

Note: A proposal for authorisation of a business trip (for training or further professional development) must be submitted to the relevant supervisory authority. The decision regarding exemption from teaching duties and regarding the teachers’ contribution towards the costs is also made by the relevant supervisory authority.

Invitation

The invitation is usually sent by email upon expiry of the registration deadline or approximately 14 days before the start of the event to the email address provided by the teacher in the Lower Saxony Learning Centre (NLC), with a copy sent to the school or relevant department. Once the OFZ has sent the invitation, the registration becomes binding for both parties and generally obliges the teacher to attend the entire event or series of events. If the event is cancelled or overbooked, you will also receive a written cancellation approximately 14 days before the scheduled event date.
Participation is generally not possible without an invitation.

Liability

The OFZ’s liability for other damages, in particular those arising from accidents, damage, loss or theft is excluded, 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 does not apply to damage resulting from injury to life, limb or health arising from 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. In such cases, the statutory provisions apply. In conference centres and hotels, the general house rules and guidelines on conduct must be observed.

Costs

Free events

For certain events (e.g. those with high educational policy priority or aimed at establishing uniform standards), participants’ event and travel expenses are funded from state funds. This is specifically noted in the call for applications. For other free events, travel expenses may need to be covered by the school budget (see travel expense reimbursement).

Charged events

For events subject to a fee, the amount of the event fee is specified in the relevant call for applications. The fees are listed according to whether they include or exclude accommodation. Regulations regarding accommodation for events lasting several days can be found in the ‘Accommodation’ section. Any additional travel expenses incurred must generally be covered by the school budget (see Travel Expense Reimbursement).

Invoicing

For events subject to a fee, the amount of the participation fee is stated in the announcements. Invoices are sent by email to the school or relevant department. Further details can be found in the ‘Contract and Payment Partners’ section.

Travel Expense Reimbursement

Events funded from state resources

Travel expenses are generally reimbursed ex officio in accordance with the provisions of the Lower Saxony Travel Expenses Regulation (NRKVO) of 10 January 2017 (Lower Saxony Law and Official Gazette No. 1/2017, p. 2 ff.) pursuant to Section 84(4) of the Lower Saxony Civil Service Act (NBG) of 25 March 2009 (Nds. Law and Official Gazette p. 72), as last amended by Article 8 of the Act on the Reform of Remuneration Law of 20 December 2016 (Nds. Law and Official Gazette p. 308). Guidance on completing the travel expenses claim form can be found here.

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

Other events

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

Withdrawal

To cancel your place on an event, please do so directly via the Lower Saxony Learning Centre under ‘Event registrations’. Alternatively, you may cancel in writing by email (), quoting the course number. Cancellations by telephone will not be accepted. As a general rule, cancellations should be made as early as possible so that any vacant places can be made available to other interested parties in good time. This also applies to free events.

Cancellations made after receiving the invitation, after the registration deadline has passed, or in the event of a no-show – for whatever reason – do not exempt you from paying the fees shown in the NLC. The sending school or organisation will be invoiced for the costs shown in the NLC. This also applies to non-attendance due to illness.

In the event that the registered participant is unable to attend, a suitable replacement may be nominated, providing all necessary details. The OFZ must be notified of the change in advance by email (), quoting the course number. In this case, no costs will be incurred.
Exemption from a multi-part programme can only be granted in writing, with specific justification and the consent of the line manager.

Independently-run schools

Teachers and staff from independent schools may participate at their own expense, subject to availability.

In-school training programmes

In close consultation with schools making enquiries, the OFZ develops a bespoke training programme and takes full responsibility for organising the event. The costs incurred for speakers and preparation will be invoiced to the commissioning school. Further information on in-school training can be found here.

Certificates of attendance

Participants confirm their attendance at the face-to-face training event by signing the attendance register. For online training events, the event organisers record attendance. Following the event, a certificate will be made available online in the Lower Saxony Learning Centre (NLC) under ‘Certificates’.

Further training programmes are certified with a certificate and are subject to specific conditions, which can be found in the details of the respective programme.

Compulsory attendance

The State of Lower Saxony requires its employees, upon invitation, to attend all events forming part of this programme and to fulfil the required obligations. Participation includes exemption from conflicting official duties to the extent necessary. Leaving an event must be reported to the event organisers and the school/department, stating the reason. Upon leaving the event, the exemption from official duties also ceases.
Exemption from a multi-part programme may only be granted in writing, with specific justification and the consent of the line manager. Otherwise, reimbursement of costs incurred up to the time of withdrawal may be demanded.

Over-subscription

If the number of applications exceeds the number of places available, the right of co-determination for employees in the Lower Saxony civil service requires the involvement of the Main Staff Council, the Equality Officer and, where applicable, the liaison teacher for people with severe disabilities at the Regional State Office for Schools and Education. Those not selected as part of the selection procedure will be informed of the decision. In the event of significant oversubscription, the OFZ endeavours to offer a further course on the same subject. If they re-apply, those who were not selected will be given priority within the application period, provided they indicate the rejection they received in the ‘Comments’ field when submitting their application.

The selection procedure is subject to specified selection criteria.

Accommodation

Events funded from state resources

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

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

Other events

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

Catering

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

Contractual and payment partner

The OFZ’s contractual and payment partner is, as a rule, the school or educational authority. All state schools in Lower Saxony are allocated budgets to be managed at their own discretion, which are used, amongst other things, for the financing of further training events (see Circular D. MK of 31 July 2018 ‘Financial guidelines for the school budget’). If the costs are to be borne by the participant rather than by the school or department, internal school regulations must be put in place.