Studium Individuale
cum tempore (c.t.): The Dossier Series for Science, Research, and Teaching at Leuphana
2024-01-01 At this point, we would like to take a little more time than the standard academic quarter and introduce our new series "cum tempore (c.t.)", which will explore Leuphana's archives. Inventions, new findings and projects are the results of long, often challenging processes. The new cum tempore (c.t.) dossier aims to place research reports, news and portraits in a wider context: How do economic players in the Global South benefit from the research successes of the Institute for Sustainable Chemistry? What can Sustainable Finance and Accounting do for a stable economy? What makes Leuphana's original study model a successful concept? From now on, you will find detailed insights into research, teaching, and academic life at Leuphana University Lüneburg right here.
Dr Steffi Hobuß has been Academic Director of Liberal Education and Academic Programme Director of Studium Individuale since 2023. In this interview, she talks about the ideas, challenges and opportunities of the study programme at Leuphana College.
- Dr Hobuß, with Studium Individuale, students develop their own study programme so they can for example combine data science with philosophy and political science. How does Studium Individuale fit into uncertain times?
- In Studium Individuale, students learn to develop a clear plan for their studies and receive intensive guidance from us through reflection exercises, weekend retreats and individual discussions. In addition, there are our core modules in every semester. Over the course of their studies, students address a socially relevant question they wish to answer. This is not so easy, because problems are not something simply given, they don't just lie around in the world like stones. We prepare our students to first recognise problems, grasp them and then work on their solution. Depending on their initial question, our students individually select their lectures and seminars from the university's entire bachelor's programme. Data science, philosophy and political science, for example, can combine ethical, social and technical questions, thus responding to the increasing challenges posed by artificial intelligence.
- How do your students fare in the job market?
- Especially in uncertain times, potential employers no longer ask schematically about study subjects, but about actually acquired competencies and qualifications. In uncertain times, this is precisely what helps. After all, job profiles are changing - nobody knows exactly what the professions of the future will be like. The ability to plan, make decisions, and reflect are particularly important. The high level of interdisciplinary content is present throughout the entire Leuphana bachelor's programme. In the Studium Individuale programme, this is even more pronounced. With our programme, we also want to appeal to first-generation academics and show that our graduates have very good career prospects.
- Your students develop a unique study programme for themselves. Doesn't that make them lone warriors?
- For us, personal development is not meant to be individualistic. We don't want to create combative individuals with big egos. During their studies, our students interact in environments in which their specialist language is not spoken. So they have to ask the other students: What do you mean by your terms? Conversely, the others have to ask: Why did you choose our department? What subject are you working on? Our students are constantly exposed to interaction and dialogue. The boundaries of disciplines are dissolving. The big problems of our time can only be solved interdisciplinarily. We support our students in repeatedly finding themselves in situations where they have to explain themselves and ask questions.
- How important is the exchange?
- I come from the philosophy of language and have spent a long time working on theories of dialogue. Debate culture is very important to me. Good dialogue seems trivial at first. Many people think that you just have to set rules. But that's not enough. Students often ask me: How can I be sure to speak correctly, not in a racist, discriminatory or otherwise derogatory way?
- How can I be certain to speak correctly?
- There is never a guarantee here and no guaranteed safe rules, because language is a living thing. But we can engage with each other, we can listen and we can practise. Debate culture is a process. Even I sometimes miss formulations. It's a process in which it's important that everyone gets involved.
- How can Studium Individuale graduates assert themselves internationally?
- What we offer is not available at any other German university. Studium Individuale is much more international than traditional German programmes. In the German education system, I often receive a certificate with my specialised skills. But in light of current challenges and social interdependencies, more is needed: as an engineer, I don't just need to know how to build a bridge. I also need to be able to interact with citizens' initiatives and politicians.
Nationally and internationally, Studium Individuale has a very high level of connectivity - especially with interdisciplinary master's programmes. - What does liberal education mean?
- With this term, we expand the liberal arts to include the natural sciences and engineering, among others. Studium Individuale is not a purely humanities degree programme. We also have mentors from all disciplines.
In Studium Individuale, we combine liberal education with the critical educational ideal, meaning the idea of not merely studying for a specific purpose. Critical educational concepts were systematically banished from Germany by the Nazis and were only found internationally after the Second World War. We are bringing the critical educational concepts back to Germany, where they actually came from. Functional rationality has a certain role, and it has brought us progress. But education alone does not protect us from inhumanity: Nazi rule was not irrational, but purposeful. People were murdered in factories and the mass murders were scientifically justified by the Nazis. To prevent this from happening again, education alone is not enough; education also needs an attitude. In light of the current world situation, this is once again highly relevant and necessary. - Thank you very much for the interview!
Contact
Dr. Steffi Hobuß
Universitätsallee 1, C8.117
21335 Lüneburg
Fon +49.4131.677-2763
steffi.hobuss@leuphana.de