Please note:

The use of Teams is still being clarified for employees. As soon as a decision is made, users will be informed accordingly.

General Terms of Use

Microsoft365 (M365) is a cloud-based service from Microsoft, which RWTH Aachen University enables its employees to use within a defined framework.  

The services offered are provided on servers located in Microsoft cloud data centers and not in the RWTH Aachen University data center. RWTH Aachen University therefore has no physical access to the hardware. However, RWTH Aachen University is responsible for implementing authentication and managing the licenses. 

The IT Center has also implemented the following framework conditions centrally: 

• M365 has been reduced, as far as technically possible, to the following apps: M365 Apps for Enterprise (local installations) and via MS Teams. 
   
• The following lifecycle is implemented: 
  • Accounts of employees are removed from the M365 area after leaving RWTH Aachen University (i.e. users are no longer visible to others and can no longer log in). The final deletion of the account and the data associated with the account will take place 30 days later. 
  • Guest accounts are automatically removed from the M365 area 3 months after the last login (i.e. the users are no longer visible to others and can no longer log in). The final deletion of the account will then take place 30 days after the account has been removed. 

The following obligations apply to the user. These result directly from Microsoft's license conditions and measures for compliance with data protection and data security:

• Microsoft software and services are used in accordance with the current version of the Product Terms (PTs), the Online Services Terms (OSTs) and the Data Protection Addendum for Online Services (DPA). These can be viewed on the Microsoft website.
   
• The use of M365 is intended for activities in the context of RWTH Aachen University. The software and services are to be used exclusively for official purposes or for official projects in compliance with the statutory retention periods and archiving laws. Use for private and commercial purposes is not permitted.
   
• When using M365, the applicable legal provisions and regulations (license law, data protection law, personnel file law, tax law, copyright law, telemedia law, archive law, US export control law, etc.) must be observed. 
   
• You are only authorized to use the software and services during the licensed period. All software must be deleted or services may no longer be used if RWTH Aachen University terminates the MS Federal contract with Microsoft or does not submit an accession or renewal order or does not acquire perpetual licenses before the end of the licensed period, depending on which event occurs first.
   
• The use of BitLocker keys for employees is not possible. The use of BitLocker must be checked on all devices on which Windows has been activated via the RWTH tenant and deactivated if necessary. If BitLocker encryption or similar is desired, please contact the IT administration of your institution.
   
• Additional terms and conditions apply to the use of Teams (see below).

By using M365, you accept the above regulations.  

In addition, we recommend the following actions: 

• Please observe the existing RDM processes and solutions at RWTH Aachen University when processing and storing research data. 
• The use of private devices is at your own risk.

Do not save/synchronize the data on private devices. If the data is lost on the end device, RWTH cannot provide any guarantee or support.

Terms of use for Microsoft Teams for employees of RWTH Aachen University

At RWTH Aachen University, Cisco Webex is offered for service operations as a video conferencing solution, and Zoom is offered for teaching purposes. The use of Microsoft Teams is only permitted under the following specific conditions, which apply in addition to the general terms of use of M365:

• MS Teams is limited to basic functions. This means that communication via chat messages or calls between individuals or groups is possible. However, due to the deactivation of OneDrive at RWTH, files cannot be sent in direct chats. In addition, the use of apps in MS Teams is disabled, such as the calendar function.

• The use of Microsoft Teams is permitted exclusively for business purposes or business projects.

• Employees may only use Microsoft Teams if this is absolutely necessary for collaboration with external partners.

• This necessity is confirmed by checking the box in Self-Service. If the necessity no longer exists, the check mark must be removed here. This will automatically revoke the Microsoft Teams license after a processing time of up to 24 hours.

• The IT Center implements a lifecycle for the use of Microsoft Teams: 

  • Accounts: Data associated with the Microsoft Teams account will be deleted 30 days after the Microsoft Teams license has been revoked. Group memberships and content already published in groups will not be deleted when the license is revoked. The account can be reactivated within these 30 days to continue accessing the data. The synchronization time with the systems of up to 24 hours should be taken into account when deactivating or reactivating the checkbox.
  • Groups/Teams: 60 days after a group in Microsoft Teams no longer contains any members of RWTH Aachen University, it will be deleted. Guest accounts are not considered members of a group in this context.
  • Groups/teams without owners: If a group no longer has an owner, a new owner must be designated. To do this, all current members (except guests) must confirm the new owner. To initiate this process, a member of the team should contact the IT Service Desk (servicedesk@itc.rwth-aachen.de). The IT Center will then explain the further procedure.
  • For SharePoint sites, notifications are sent to administrators after 3 months of inactivity. If no activity is detected after three reminders at two-week intervals, the site in question will be removed and permanently deleted after 30 days.
     
• Use of SharePoint Online: When you create an MS Teams group, a SharePoint Online site is automatically created and linked to the group. The use of SharePoint Online is not permitted for RWTH employees. We recommend using sciebo as an alternative for collaborative document editing within a group.

By using Microsoft Teams, you accept the above regulations and are obliged to comply with them.
Do not save/synchronize the data on private devices. RWTH cannot provide any guarantee or support in the event of data loss on the device.