Quality in studies and teaching

To ensure successful teaching and learning at our university, we are constantly working on quality assurance and quality development. 

Our quality management system was accredited in September 2020 until 2028. The Accreditation Council’s seal certifies that our university can guarantee the achievement of learning outcomes and quality standards in study programmes and teaching. 

At our university, numerous colleagues are involved in the further development of university teaching, through working groups and projects. The Higher Education Didactics Unit coordinates this exchange, organises on-site workshops, provides advice on practical teaching issues, supports the professional development of academic staff and promotes individual, innovative teaching projects through our university’s own micro-project programme.

Several times a year, higher education didactics workshops take place at our university; these are also advertised statewide as continuing professional development events organised by the Baden-Württemberg Centre for Higher Education Didactics (HDZ). Lecturers at the university who are aiming to obtain the Baden-Württemberg Certificate in Higher Education Didactics are provided with information regarding the requirements for this qualification.

The unit provides advice and practical support for teaching projects. As a member of the German Society for Higher Education Didactics (dghd), it can, upon request, identify similar initiatives at other universities or suitable working groups with comparable objectives. The unit organises a qualified classroom observation programme for lecturers at our university as part of continuing professional development in higher education didactics. In coordination with the Quality Management Unit (SQM), a qualitative evaluation is carried out using TAP (Teaching Analysis Poll) during the evaluation period for courses. 

Our university is one of the first in Germany to support innovative projects in study and teaching through unbureaucratic start-up funding: Through the so-called ‘Microproject Programme’, we support teaching projects for the duration of one semester up to a specified maximum amount, without any cumbersome application or reporting requirements.

Lecturers can obtain funding at short notice to cover fees and service contracts, assistant staff hours and material costs, and, if desired, for the publication of the respective project.