Agenda

1. Background: Higher Education in Germany 1999-date2. The Challenge(s) of Implementing Bologna: From

Learning to Teaching?3. Student Involvement and Engagement in German HE4. …And Back: New Initiatives for Student Engagement

1.1. Student numbers 2000-2017

-

500 000

1 000 000

1 500 000

2 000 000

2 500 000

3 000 000

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Student Numbers

+

2007”Switch” to BA/MA

1.2. HE Funding 2000-16 (excl. research grants)

-5 000 000

10 000 00015 000 00020 000 00025 000 00030 000 00035 000 00040 000 00045 000 00050 000 000

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Finanzierung

Finanzierung

1.3. Full-time Professors 2000-16 (total & female professors)

05.000

10.00015.00020.00025.00030.00035.00040.00045.00050.000

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Full-time Professors

female Profs. Professors Total

1.4. Ratios Students : Professor vs. Expenditure Euro : Student (2000-16)

0102030405060708090

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Euro/Student Student/Prof

+50%

+22%

2.1. The Challenge(s) of ImplementingBologna (1999-2010)• Old: Magister/Diploma (5-

7 year)

• New: BA + MA (3 + 2 year) system

• Challenge: the BA as the„first professional HE qualification“

2.2. Perceived Problems with the New BA/BSc Degree Programmes (2003-9)• Condensed curricula, focus on

transmission of knowledge• Increased student workload

(over-assessment)• Limited opportunities for

student choice (fewer electives/options)

• Pressure to finish (decline in international mobility)

X XX

• Condensed curricula, focus on transmission of knowledge

• Increased student workload (over-assessment)

• Limited opportunities for student choice (fewer electives/options)

• Pressure to finish (decline in international mobility)

• Attempts to improve HE funding by introducing study fees (2006/7-2014)

X XX

2.2. Perceived Problems with the New BA/BSc Degree Programmes (2003-9)

3.1. Formal Student Engagement

• National Student Survey? – „Sozialbefragung“ by Studentenwerk bi-annually since 1951

• Representation in HE Governance? - Elected student bodies in all Länder, compulsory membership (funding) in 14 : 16

• Student Unions? – Yes, 1920-33, 1949-date, since 1993 organised as “Zusammenschluss freier Studierendenschaften” (zfs)

• Representation on faculty and programme (institute) boards? Yes, but always in a minority

• Participation in programme accreditation? – Yes, commissions for Teaching and Learning, representation in Accreditation Council

• Teaching evaluations? Yes, required by Länder-legislation governing HE

3.2. Problems with Formal Student Engagement• Lack of political legitimacy: low participation rates in student

elections (1,2-14,7%)• At programme level, student representatives are often self-

nominated rather than elected (Fachschaftsinitiativen not -vertretungen)

• Shorter degree programmes and lack of a cohort-structure work against continuity and effective representation

• Teaching evaluations take place, but are usually not actionable

3.2. Unique(?) forms of Student Engagement• Student Assistantships: Paid

part-time positions as tutor or research-assistant with individual professors or in research projects (from BA-level onwards; 450€ 40h/month)

• Student Projects/Tutorials: University-funded, self-organised independent learning/inquiry projects

4.1. New Initiatives for Student Engagement

• Since 2010: 4 billion Euros federal funding under the Quality Pact for Teaching (2010-2020)• Seed funding for Centres for CPD in Teaching & Learning• Seed funding for innovative forms of teaching & learning• Support initiatives to strengthen the transition into HE

• bologna.lab: a central teaching & learning laboratory• Research-based learning• Interdisciplinarity• Internationalisation• Flexibilisation of the curricula (-> digital learning)

4.2. Case Study: Strengthening the links between Research & Teaching at HU Berlin

• Humboldt-Universität and the “unity of research and teaching”• One of Germany’s leading research universities• Recognised for research excellence since 2011• Teaching staff are research active• Curricula are strongly research-led• Opportunities for “independent learning” exist at all levels

• …but:• Top researchers released from “teaching duties”• 50% of non-professorial research staff not engaged in

teaching• Doctoral & PostDoc researchers advised against teaching

4.3. Case Study: The HU-Q* Programme –Creating space(s) for student research*”Q” for query, question, quest & qualification

• Aim: creating opportunities for student research at BA (and MA) level

Organisation:• University-wide “UROP”-scheme• Common concept of Research-Based Learning (group projects)• Different formats for different target groups

• Q-Tutorials (-> students) • Q-Teams (-> junior research staff, more advanced BA students)• Q-Kollegs (-> senior (teaching) staff, junior researchers, students)

4.3. Case Study: The HU-Q Programme –Creating space(s) for student research

• Q-Tutorials: student-initiated and –led projects for in-depth engagement with a topic of their choice.

• Benefits:• Student choice• Independent learning in

groups• Potential gauge for curricular

innovation (content & methods)

4.3. Case Study: The HU-Q Programme –Creating space(s) for student research

• Q-Teams: initiated and led by junior research staff attached to an ongoing research project.• Benefits:

• Researchers gain experience in leading (student) research teams

• Students gain insight into working on real research projects

• Research projects can explore areas of their project they would otherwise have had to neglect

• The university wins researchers (back) into teaching

4.3. Case Study: The HU-Q Programme –Creating space(s) for student research

• Q-Kollegs: initiated and led by (senior) teaching staff from HU and an international partner institution (often with aid of PhD students).

• Benefits:• Students get an insight into different

research cultures and traditions in their discipline(s)

• The project is framed by two one week visits at the start (planning) and end (symposium)

• Collaboration takes place online and in situ

• Staff get to co-teach/share the teaching

4.3. Case Study: The HU-Q Programme –Creating space(s) for student research

Three formats:• Q-Tutorials: student-initiated

and –led projects.

• Q-Teams: initiated and led by junior research staff attached to an ongoing research project.

• Q-Kollegs: international student research team.

…adding value:• Didactic training for Q-Tutors

and Q-Team leaders in Research-Based Learning

• Research into the effects of the three formats (Design-based research approach (Deicke et. Al. 2014)

• Evidence based-advice for programme teams on curricular design

4.4. Outlook: The HU-Q Programme (–> Next Steps)• Increasing the visibility of student research through ->

symposia, posters, publications (-> Berlin Conference for Student Research -> Berlin-Wide StuROP)

• Embedding Research-Based Learning in subject curricula -> students already receive credits (-> Teaching & Learning Strategy -> Research tracks)

• Strengthening the role of teaching in new hire/tenure negotiations -> new rules for tenure track appointments (-> early CPD offers for PhD students and tenure track staff)

• Using Research-Based Learning as a step into CPD (-> Accreditation of our training modules by the dghd to make CPD credits “mobile”)

5. Conclusions

• Discussions around active learning and student engagement held back by the Bologna reform process (big differences between subjects)

• Next challenge: To transfer the ideas and insights generated in QualityPact for Teaching projects into the curricula and services of our HEIs

• This is not just a question of funding, but also one of cultural change

Thank you for your attention!

Contact: wolfgang.deicke@hu-berlin.de

References:• Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (Federal Ministry for Education and Research)

• Implementing the Bologna Process (in English) https://www.bmbf.de/en/the-bologna-process-1421.html• The Excellence Strategy (in English): https://www.bmbf.de/en/excellence-strategy-5425.html• The Quality Pact for Teaching (in German only (sic!)): https://www.bmbf.de/de/qualitaetspakt-lehre-

524.html• Deicke, W, Gess, C und Rueß, J (2014) Increasing students' research interest through research-based learning

at Humboldt-University, in: Council of Undergraduate Research Quarterly, 35 (1), Fall 2014, 27-33• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hochschuldidaktik (dghd, German Association for Educational and Academic Staff in

HE), mission statement (in English) https://www.dghd.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/2017-dghd-english-version.pdf

• Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin/bologna.lab, the HU-Q-Programme (in English): https://bolognalab.hu-berlin.de/en/projekte-des-bologna.labs-en/q-programm

• Institut für Arbeitsmarktforschung (IAB – research arm of the national job agency), report on temporary contracts in the public sector 2014 (incl. HE/Research, in German only): http://doku.iab.de/kurzber/2016/kb0516.pdf

• Studentenwerk, “Social Survey”(in English): https://www.studentenwerke.de/en/content/dsw’s-social-survey• Statistisches Bundesamt (National Office for Statistics), Higher Education Statistics (in English)

https://www.destatis.de/EN/FactsFigures/SocietyState/EducationResearchCulture/InstitutionsHigherEducation/InstitutionsHigherEducation.html