Teaching & Research
at the UW/H
Teaching & Research
at the UW/H
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Model degree program in Leadership & Transformation
The Faculty of Business and Society is working on the systematic further development of Witten didactics in the age of artificial intelligence, transformation and the changing demands of the labor market. The starting point are experiences and approaches that have long characterized studies at the UW/H: the aspiration to undertake one's own studies, the close integration of theory and practice as well as the combination of specialist studies and personal development.
What is it all about?
The central question is: How can students experience more than before that they can actually help shape social and entrepreneurial challenges? And how can they be prepared to do this successfully in an increasingly complex society?
The project comprises three dimensions:
- Further development of existing degree programs: gradual integration of new teaching and learning formats into our Bachelor's and Master's degree programs
- Development of a model degree program: prospective design of a new "Leadership & Transformation" degree program that implements the core principles of the further developed learning concept from the ground up
- Raising the Faculty's profile as a place of learning for the future: emphasizing the special teaching and learning concept and the associated formats in the Faculty's external image in order to make it more attractive to potential students and significantly increase student numbers
Why this further development?
Firstly, artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing the requirements of higher education. If specialist knowledge can be called up at any time and routine activities can increasingly be shifted to AI agents, the focus of academic education will shift towards research and entrepreneurial spirit, judgment, application skills and the ability to remain capable of acting and taking responsibility in unclear situations.
Secondly, learning research and experience with project-based formats at the faculty show that students learn most sustainably when they work on real issues and experience self-efficacy in the process.
Thirdly, the transformation project underlines the UW/H brand and the claim to be a model university, to test new approaches and to prepare new learning concepts as models for other universities in order to further develop higher education in Germany.
What is the goal?
Students develop a personal, socially relevant concern - their mission. Around this mission, an individual, scientifically based learning path is created, accompanied by coaching, systemic perspectives and project-based work. The subject areas of management, economics, politics, law, philosophy and psychology are systemically linked and supplemented by a coordinated methodological and subject curriculum. The enhanced learning concept thus combines the proven strengths of the faculty with a clearer focus on project-based and research-based learning:
- Project-based and research-based learning: students work on social and entrepreneurial issues - in cooperation with practice partners from the UW/H network (WIFU, ZNU, RMI, [tra:ce], healthcare facilities, alumni companies, etc.) and/or in research projects.
- Individual learning paths: Students develop their personal profile, which combines specialist knowledge, methodological competence, future skills and an entrepreneurial mindset.
- Self-efficacy experience: The conviction that they can overcome challenges is created through concrete project successes and a sense of achievement.
- Responsible use of AI: AI tools are integrated into learning, research and work processes, combined with critical reflection.
Current status
The faculty is currently working in working groups on central topics of the transformation process. The main focus is on (1) part-time courses, (2) internationalization, (3) artificial intelligence and (4) the design of the teaching and learning concept. Work results and milestones are reported here on the intranet page and in the internal newsletter.
The first "transformation cohort" of students, who are already working with new formats within the existing degree programs and actively shaping the development of the model degree program, will start in the summer semester of 2026.
Contact person
Manuel Dolderer coordinates the project for the faculty and is the contact person for questions and participation opportunities: manuel.dolderer@uni-wh.de