millions of euros for better teaching conditions

November 15, 2011 – Berlin/Lüneburg. In the next five years, Leuphana University of Lüneburg will receive nearly four million euros from the German Federal-Länder Program for better conditions of studying and improved quality of teaching. As announced today by the Federal Minister for Education, Annette Schavan, and State Secretary Doris Ahnen, both chairwomen of the German Joint Science Conference (GWK), Leuphana is one of the winners of a federal competition organized by the GWK. The University applied for funding by submitting a concept for introducing a strategic quality management system. For Sascha Spoun, President of Leuphana, this is another milestone in the successful development of the University. Funding will start on March 1, 2012.

“The funding approval will help us considerably in further developing our study and university model we first introduced in 2007”, commented the President of Leuphana, Sascha Spoun, on the funding decision. Thanks to the additional funds granted, the University would now be able to press ahead with the expansion of its study programs, and all students would soon be able to profit from this.

Until 2020, the Federal Government will provide about two billion euros for the so-called Teaching Quality Pact. Universities can apply for these funds by submitting project proposals. The first round of the selection process was held in spring this year. Already then Leuphana’s application submitted jointly with three other universities was successful. A total of 135 applications were submitted in the second round of the selection process, of which 72 were chosen for funding. The funding decisions are made by a committee that is composed of twelve experts from science, higher education management and students as well as of two representatives each from the federal government and the Länder.

The successful application submitted by Leuphana University of Lüneburg is aimed at establishing a network covering all higher education institutions. This way the University wants to further develop and improve the conditions of studying and teaching. The functions of the new network will include, among others, embedding research-focused learning as a basic principle in the programs of study, improving the didactic qualification of university teachers, and introducing effective procedures for evaluating the study programs. In addition, it is intended to involve students in quality management and teaching development more systematically.