Objective 4 – Innovative learning and teaching
The challenge
Over the past fifty years, Germany and other countries have significantly expanded the tertiary education sector. Maintaining the quality and distinctiveness of academic university education in the face of large student numbers – while already preparing for the forthcoming demographic changes and the subsequent increased competition for students – presents a double challenge for the decades to come. This challenge is further exacerbated by the numerous other providers of tertiary education that are rapidly gaining in strength and appeal. German universities are already stepping up their efforts to recruit students at home and abroad with innovative and attractive study courses.
Our approach
The University of Bremen strives intensively to recruit highly qualified students from Germany and abroad. In this regard, our systematic pursuit of innovation in education is a major advantage. Since its foundation, learning through projects has been a distinguishing feature of study at the University of Bremen, and we have recently given this approach a new interpretation through our focus on research-based learning. Intellectual curiosity, critical questioning and a methodical approach to problem solving are at the core of this approach to personality development.
Since professional qualification requirements and job descriptions are rapidly changing, the University of Bremen has developed key skill sets through research-based learning in the individual disciplines, providing knowledge and experience that can later find application in a wide variety of contexts.
The University’s increased emphasis on research-based learning is accompanied by a new, strategic focus on teaching and optimised quality assurance, which has already resulted in successful system accreditation. We will continue to integrate our research strength systematically into our teaching and so enhance our profile in this area.
Our goals
- To anchor research-based learning as a trademark feature in the curricula, develop teaching profiles corresponding to the individual disciplines, and make research-based learning a topic of didactic research.
- To create bachelor programmes in selected areas that encompass several disciplines, deferring individual specialisation to later semesters of bachelor’s study courses.
- To facilitate access for talented international students, for example through bachelor’s programmes that begin with English as the language of instruction with later transition to German, or through English-language master’s programmes.
- To promote the internationalisation of our existing study programmes, increase cultural diversity on the campus, and develop new study programmes with partner universities abroad.
- To constantly improve and advance the quality of our teaching. To achieve this, we offer freedom of scope and incentives, together with recognition for outstanding contributions.
Objective 1 | Strengthening interdisciplinary profiles – Objective 2 | Stimulating new ideas – Objective 3 | Promoting talent and academic independence – Objective 5 | Diverse learning opportunities – Objective 6 | Developing staff potential – Objective 7 | Building bridges to the world – Objective 8 | Intensifying cooperation in the region – Objective 9 | Shaping digitalisation