Information for first-year students

Welcome to Trier University!

The team of the Center for Information, Media and Communication Technology (ZIMK) warmly welcomes all new students starting their studies at the university this semester.

As a first-year student, we understand that you are not yet familiar with the systems, processes and procedures at the Trier University. At the beginning, upperclassmen/students in higher semesters, the student councils, tutors, lecturers, secretariats etc. can often help you with questions concerning your studies and beyond. 

For this reason, we have compiled information, frequently asked questions and important links to help you find your way around and get an overview of our most important IT services and systems.

Who are we?

ZIMK is a central institution and the data center of Trier University. We are responsible for the internet on campus (LAN and WLAN), for the provision of user IDs, for the email system, for the learning management system Stud.IP and for the public PC pools, among many other central services and applications. Through our Service-Punkt, we also offer advice and support for the IT resources we provide as well as IT training courses for students and staff at the university.

In simple terms, our task is to ensure that all areas and facilities of the university - research, teaching and administration - are supplied with IT infrastructure and technology, and to support these areas with our IT systems and support.

In the following, we will introduce you to some of our services so that you can familiarize yourself with the terms and become acquainted with some of the services we offer.

The ZIMK user identification

The ZIMK operates the central IT services of the university. You received access to these services once you are enrolled with your matriculation documents: the ZIMK user ID and the corresponding password.

We recommend that you change the password that the university assigned to you, called "Ursprungspasswort”, immediately. The directions on how to change your password can be found on our website ⇒ Change ZIMK Password.

More detailed information about the ZIMK User ID can be found on our website ⇒ ZIMK-User ID

Some important services and systems you can use after logging in with your ZIMK access data are:

Your email inbox

Your user name is also the name of your personal email address at the university. The email address is composed as follows:

Username@uni-trier.de

You should check your university email inbox regularly, as this is the only email address that will be used for communication with you by university staff and systems throughout your studies. Your email inbox is available to you via Microsoft Web App (OWA). You log in with your user name and password.

As an alternative to the web portal, you can also retrieve your messages via an email program on your computer or via an app on your smartphone. Instructions for setting up your mailbox under Outlook, Apple Mail, iOS Mail or Android Mail can be found at ⇒ Instructions for Microsoft Exchange.  For an overview of server settings for setting up your mailbox on other email clients, see ⇒ IMAP-Servereinstellungen.

Managing your studies and using the university's learning platform system

Your ZIMK user ID is also needed to manage your studies:

  • For the administration of your studies as well as the registering for courses and exams you will use PORTA. The system is managed by the Student Affairs Office within the University Administration (Department II). Further information about PORTA as well as advice for students in the current corona situation can be found on the following page ⇒ porta.uni-trier.de
  • The central learning platform of Trier University, through which you can access materials, assignments etc. of the individual courses, is called Stud.IP. ZIMK is responsible for the system and our Service-Punkt will be happy to help you with any questions you may have regarding its use. Especially during the online semester, the majority of content is provided by lecturers via this system.

Forgot your password?

If you have forgotten your password or lost your access data, but still have access to your university mailbox, e.g. via an email program or your smartphone, you can contact our ZIMK Service via email using your university email address to have your password reset.

 

If you do not have access to your student email address, please contact us by phone at +49 651 201 4400 or visit our Service-Punkt in room E43a.

Important to note: Always remember to keep your home address up to date, as we will send your new password to this address without exception. If needed, you can update your address in PORTA yourself, after logging in with your ZIMK access data. If you do not have access to your password and there is information in your account that needs to be updated or corrected (i.e. home address, name change, or incorrect date of birth etc.), please contact the Registrar’s Office by email.

WiFi (WLAN) and eduroam at the university

The WiFi (WLAN) network at the university is named - ZIMKFunkLAN  and is available to students in almost all areas of the university on all campuses in the context of research and teaching, up to a maximum 30 GB download volume per month.

ZIMK also participates in the eduroam program. This means that if you are travelling to another institution that also participates in the eduroam program, you can use the Internet via eduroam free of charge using your ZIMK email address and password. The program is available at numerous universities and educational institutions worldwide. Visiting scholars and students from other universities can use our eduroam network via their external university email addresses if their home universities participate in the program.

PC pools and print and copy system

We also operate the so-called "PC pools" at the university. These are publicly accessible rooms equipped with computers. The computers can be used by all members of the university, including students. The computers in the PC pools are equipped with a wide range of software, of which certain programs , such as Citavi or SPSS, are also licensed for home use by students. Unfortunately, all our PC pools are currently closed due to Corona restrictions, but it is important to know about this possibility.

Also our "ZIMK DocuPRO Kopier- und Drucksystem(ZIMK DocuPRO Copy and Print System) is currently not available. However, under "normal" conditions, university members can copy to the publicly displayed Ricoh Multifunction Devices (MFGs) via their student or employee ID cards and print jobs sent to the system via the PC pools or our EveryonePrint mobile printing system. In order to use the system, you need to top up your printing/photocopying credit in advance. For more information, please visit ⇒ DocuPRO-Guthaben auf- und abwerten to upgrade and downgrade DocuPRO credits.

Additional IT functions via your student ID card

Your student ID card, or TUniKa for short, not only serves as an identification card and ticket for public transportation, but also allows you to use some additional functions and IT services, which are unfortunately not available at the moment:

  • Some PC pools (mainly outside the library) have an access mechanism via TUniKa und PIN.
  • You can top up the credit for the ZIMK DocuPRO copying and printing system at one of the TUKAN machines (white columns with touch screen – automated pay machines). You can use the credit to copy and print at Ricoh multifunction machines (MFGs) as described above in the reading rooms of the University Library, in the PC pools, and in front of B121.

There are also two different accounts on your Tunika:

  • the ZIMK DocuPRO account for copying and printing at the university and
  • the Studiwerk credit (e.g. for payment in the mensa/canteen.

Storage space on the network drives

The ZIMK provides all students with so-called network drives. These drives are storage space on the central file servers of the ZIMK, which are provided via the network. The data is backed up with regularly with high performance and secure access.

There are two types of network drives:

  • U drives

    The U drives are your personal drive that only you can access. After logging on to the domain, this drive is automatically available under U:.

  • Group drives

    Group drives allow data to be stored or shared by and for multiple users. The data on a group drive is only available to the respective members of a group. After logging on to the domain, these drives are automatically available under V:. New group drives can only be requested by employees.

More and detailed information about network drives can be found on our website ⇒ ZIMK-Netzlaufwerke.

The Service-Punkt as the first point of contact

The ZIMK Service-Punkt is our Point of Service, acting as the first point of contact where student assistants will gladly answer your questions about the use of our services or help you with technical problems. The Service-Punkt also lends notebooks, beamers, cables, display adapters, presenters and loudspeakers for university events.

We are available at the following times by phone (+49 651 201-4400), e-mail (zimkserviceuni-trierde), in person (Room E43a) and via our helpdesk portal:

Monday through Thursday      9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Friday                                       9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

 

Frequently asked questions