There’s a new face on the management floor at the University of Bremen: On 1st October 2014 Professor Thomas Hoffmeister took up his appointment as the University’s new Vice rector for Academic Teaching and Learning. Hoffmeister, a professor in the Biology Department, is successor to Heidi Schelhowe, who held the post since April 2011. At a meeting in June 2014, the University’s highest governing body, the Academic Senate, acted on the suggestion of the University Rector, Bernd Scholz-Reiter, to appoint Thomas Hoffmeister to a two-year period of office. Hoffmeister is an internationally acclaimed expert on biological pest control. He joined the University of Bremen in 2004, when he accepted a professorship in “Evolution and Population Ecology”. Since 2010 he has taken on various administrative tasks in the Faculty of Biology /Chemistry, where for two years he held the post of Dean.
Research-based learning – quality assurance in academic teaching – internationalization of degree courses
Thomas Hoffmeister intends to continue the policy so successfully pursued by Heidi Schelhowe and build further on the University’s established high profile in the area of “research-based learning”. The new member of the University’s top management sums up the advantages of systematically intertwining university research and academic teaching as follows: “Research-based learning is the way to motivate students to acquire new skill sets and knowledge, putting them on track to becoming critically thinking enthusiastic researchers.” Thomas Hoffmeister perceives a second main focus of his work as Vice Rector in consolidating quality assurance in the area of academic teaching. In this respect, he wants especially to strengthen the coordination between the decentralized departments and central management. In light of the changes taking place in German society, Hoffmeister intends – as his third main focus – to steer the University firmly in the direction of internationalizing its degree programs with the ultimate aim of further enhancing the University of Bremen’s appeal as an attractive international venue for students and researchers from around the world.
In view of the totally inadequate basic state financing foreseen in Bremen‘s Science Plan 2020, Hoffmeister is left in no doubt about the major funding problems he is going to face in future. In his opinion, though, it would be totally irresponsible to carry out additional cuts according to a drip-feed method across all departments. He therefore concludes that the University must brace itself for “an agonizing debate, but one that is inevitable.”
If you would like to obtain further information in connection with this article, please contact:
University of Bremen
Vice Rector for Academic Teaching and Learning
Prof.Dr. Thomas Hoffmeister
Phone: +49 421 218-60031
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