In everyday work situations, instant messaging can offer a fast and effective alternative to email communication - for things such as quick consultations, scheduling appointments or communicating more informally. Until now, the ability to use instant messaging at the University securely and in compliance with data protection regulations has been very limited.

The new instant messaging service changes this: It can be used for study-related, research and administrative purposes. All data is only stored on the University's servers. The service uses the open-source communication protocol Matrix, which offers a high security standard and optional end-to-end encryption. Users can simply login by using their Uni ID.

The client software Riot.IM at a glance

The instant messenger can be accessed via browser: https://matrix-im.uni-heidelberg.de. Alternatively, the recommended client software Riot.IM is available for all common operating systems (Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS) and is as easy to use as commercial messaging apps.

It offers the following features:

• Individual and group chats
• (Video) calls (one-to-one calls)
• File sharing via chat
• Optional end-to-end encryption for your conversations
• Intelligent, configurable notifications

Other messengers that support the Matrix protocol can also be used. However, we do not offer extended support for these products.

Try it now

More information and How-tos for setting up the new instant messaging service can be found on the corresponding Service Catalogue page.

The launch of the instant messaging service was moved forward due to the current increased need for digital communication needs. As with any (new) service, we kindly ask you to report any issues you may encounter to the IT-Service (it-service@uni-heidelberg.de), so that our technicians can further improve the service for you.