Innovative Teaching Schemes and Structures
With its approximately 50,000 students, the University of Cologne (UoC) is one of Germany’s largest universities. In the area of teacher education as well as the development of a strategy for its future development, it occupies a leading position. This is underlined, among other things, by the ZuS project - Zukunftsstrategie LehrerInnenbildung (A Future Strategy for Teacher Education), which is being funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
What characterizes the UoC above all is its mission to safeguard and foster diversity while at the same time guaranteeing quality and equal opportunities. This means that our (prospective) students enjoy individual and needs-based advice and support throughout the entire student life cycle – from choosing the (right) degree programme to a smooth start at our University and ultimately to the successful completion of their studies.
Our goal is to introduce our students to academic work at an early stage and encourage them to develop their own individual profile. Research-based and practice-oriented course components as well as the free-choice Studium Integrale elective courses are the ideal way to do so.
We place the same ambitious demand on our students as well as our faculty that they contribute to the continuous shaping and further development of studies and teaching at the UoC in a discursive and active way, this way assuming co-responsibility for the educational process (not just) at the University.
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What the University of Cologne offers its students:
• About 100 subjects in over 300 free-choice combinations
The UoC currently offers around 100 quality-assured degree programmes, with a total of over 300 subject and teaching combinations to choose from. As part of the system accreditation, the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes are transferred to an internal quality assurance and further development system. The study structures and examination regulations harmonized in the course of model accreditation will be supplemented by transparent quality objectives and continuous monitoring in a dialog-oriented procedure involving all stakeholders. Various bi-national study programmes in the field of law and the classic state examination programmes in law, medicine, and dentistry complement the UoC’s tiered degree programmes, making it a full university.
• Free-choice Studium Integrale options
The Studium Integrale is part of all bachelor programmes at the University of Cologne (with the exception of the teaching degree programmes) and accounts for 12 credit points that can be earned “freely” across all disciplines. The aim of this offer is to foster an individual education for each student – beyond the compulsory courses and electives prescribed by his or her respective programme curriculum.
• Research-oriented teaching
Teaching and research are considered on an equal footing at the UoC and dovetailed where it makes sense to do so. In this context, students at the UoC with an interest in research are given structured support in the shape of various programmes and other offers and introduced to research from an early stage.
Particular examples are the research classes for teaching degree students (Lehramtsstudierende) and students in regular programmes (Fachstudierende), the Competence Labs of the project “A Future Strategy for Teacher Education” (ZuS), the cross-Faculty project „ViLLA Videos in der Lehrerinnen- und Lehrerausbildung" as well as the zdi-Schüler/innenlabor. CEPLAS awards 12 Stipendien each year to bachelor students in the natural sciences for a three-week research internship in the field of plant sciences. An example from the Faculty of Medicine is the Cologne Research Exchange (Forschungsbörse).
• Teacher education
One of the UoC’s key features is its teacher education, which is currently being further enhanced in the framework of the initiative “A Future Strategy for Teacher Education” („Zukunftsstrategie LehrerInnenbildung“) with the aid of funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The Centre for Teacher Education (Zentrum für LehrerInnenbildung (ZfL)) is the central contact point for the over 14,200 teaching degree students at the University of Cologne: It is responsible for arranging the practical phases of the bachelor’s programmes and the coordination of the internship semester in the master’s programmes. The Joint Examination Office for Teacher Training Studies of the Centre for Teacher Education administers the Joint Examination Regulations for Teacher Training Studies and ensures that they are implemented and observed. In the framework of its own graduate school, the centre supports early career researchers in the fields of subject-related didactics and educational sciences. The centre’s advisors are on hand to assist (prospective) students with all matters concerning teacher training. In addition, the ZfL works on various issues such as the digitisation of teaching and learning, internationalisation and the increase of equal opportunities. In this way the ZfL actively supports the innovation of teacher education.
• Differentiated internationalization standards
The internationality of studies, teaching, and research has always been part of the UoC’s identity. The University has reflected on its Internationalization Strategy in the framework of an audit by the German Rectors’ Conference and a re-audit. For the area of teaching, the Internationalization Strategy includes the internationalization of teaching staff. For the area of studies, it foresees the fulfilment of certain standards to encourage international mobility (especially the internationalization of teacher education), more and structured possibilities for internationalization “at home”, as well as enhancement of the University’s appeal for incoming students (see also Cornerstones of the Model “Studying in Cologne” (PDF, Ger.).
• Focus on diversity and equal opportunities
To ensure equal opportunities and maintain diversity, various central and decentralized institutions and other players are working together around the Central Gender Equality Officer and the Department for Gender and Diversity Management (Zentrale Gleichstellungsbeauftragte und das Referat Gender und Diversity Management - GeDiM). In order to integrate gender equality systematically into studies and teaching, seven core objectives were formulated in cooperation with the Gender Equality Officer and the GeDiM. The Faculties, departments, and degree programmes have planned and implemented concrete measures with which to meet them. New stimulus is being injected by the “Shaping Diversity” audit (Diversity-Audit „Vielfalt Gestalten“), in the framework of which a Diversity Strategy for the whole university will be developed and put into practice.
• Targeted advice, supervision, and support in all phases of the student life cycle
A dense network of advisory services is available for students of the University of Cologne as well as prospective students. Apart from the Faculties’ own advice centres, the Student Advisory and Counselling Centre (Zentrale Studienberatung) is both the first point of contact for prospective students as well as a competent partner for students during the entire course of their studies. As part of the university-wide project "Successful Studying at the University of Cologne", a strategic concept is being developed and implemented to accompany students throughout their entire student life cycle on their way to a successful degree.
• Participation and consistent involvement of students through regular structured surveys
Our students are formally involved in all important committees and decisions related to studies and teaching. The Rector and the Vice-Rector for Teaching and Studies are available on a regular basis in the framework of a student assembly. Student participation is also guaranteed through surveys in the framework of the Central Evaluation of Studies and Teaching | University Research (Zentralen Evaluation von Studium und Lehre | Hochschulforschung), which are carried out at various stages in the student life cycle and each focus on a different priority or interest.
• Innovation in teaching
Alongside its university didactics portfolio (hochschuldidaktisches Angebot), the UoC organizes annual Teaching Days in order to ensure a high-quality, dynamic, and continuously developing teaching culture. It also fosters innovative teaching concepts in the framework of the biannual Innovation in Teaching Call for Proposals (Ausschreibung Innovation in der Lehre). In the framework of the project “Professionalization in Teaching Cluster” which started recently, the “Teaching Constitution” at the UoC is being further sharpened and refined. The project "PLAN - Professionalization of Teaching in Academic Networks" focuses on questions of quality development taking into account subject-specific and general didactic aspects.
• Digital support for everyday student life
KLIPS 2.0, the integrated campus management system of the University of Cologne, is a source of comprehensive support and helps students to organize their studies from the application phase to the completion of their degree programme. To support digital teaching, the University runs the ILIAS eLearning Platform (ILIAS), with which both classroom teaching can be enhanced through digital reserve shelves as well as new teaching concepts implemented, such as blended learning. An Electronic Examination Centre (EPC) is currently being set up for eExaminations and IT-assisted teaching.
In the Electronic Examination Centre (EPC), e-examinations are taken and IT-supported teaching formats are offered.
With the aim of ensuring continuous quality development of digital teaching formats, the "Digital Teaching" committee of experts, as an association of all relevant players, is dedicated to the central issues of the field.
• Career orientation / ProfessionalCenter
Das The UoC’s ProfessionalCenter helps to bridge the transition between university and career. It offers students of all Faculties practice-related courses on general and career-oriented skills, provides guidance, and facilitates contacts to professional practice.