Free space for teaching

The aim of the funding is to provide teachers with the necessary resources to support the continual improvement of university teaching. During the approved project-development time period, teachers (alone or in teams) have the opportunity to develop and test new concepts at the University of Konstanz that have already proven to be effective at other universities. A wide range of projects are promoted - from the redesign of individual courses, the revision of curriculum content and modules to the redesign of an entire study programme.

For example, funding is provided for projects with the following objectives:

• applying teaching methods and concepts
• further developing research-based teaching
• strengthening the practical relevance of study programmes
• developing new teaching concepts in teacher training study programmes
• developing new interdisciplinary courses
• intensively supporting students in the major compulsory courses during the introductory study phase
• adapting teaching content within individual modules
• integrating gender and diversity in preparing, for example, teaching concepts, teaching content, modules or their application in teaching formats and teaching methods
• developing innovative teaching formats to reduce dropout rates
• improving the transition from bachelor to master studies
• integrating e-learning components
• developing teaching methods that promote student writing skills and general scientific working techniques

Partial release from teaching responsibilities or full substitutions up to a maximum of nine course hours (LVS) are possible. The scope of the proposed teaching load reductions will be adjusted in regards to the the effort necessary to implement (and possibly test) the project. Depending on their qualifications, substitute faculty may be instated for a period of one to two semesters and receive remuneration up to the W3 payment bracket. Additionally, assistants and material resources are available for such projects.

Applications for “free space for teaching” can be submitted on behalf of one or more faculty members. For collaborative applications, one of the applicants must be a professor, assistant professor or a faculty member with a teaching load of at least 6 course hours (LVS). The reduction of the teaching load for all participating faculty members may not exceed a total of nine LVS.

In order to submit an application please use the application form and the calculation worksheet. The main part of the application involves a maximum five page project outline that should include the following information:

1. brief summary of the project (maximum 1,000 characters)
2. starting point
3. objective for the project
4. key points and milestones
5. information on sustainability
6. time and finance plan
7. planned faculty substitutes

Please come to an agreement with the relevant department and study commission in terms of your project outline. Please contact your departmental head of administration and submit the application subsequently to the faculty board of the Committee on Curricular Affairs and Life-Long Learning (ALW). The ALW comparatively discusses all applications submitted before the respective deadlines and prepares a resultant draft resolution for the rector.

Please send your applications as a PDF file to the ALW (Sabine Mack): alw@uni-konstanz.de.

It is expected that final reports are written up for all funded projects eight weeks after the end of the funding period. The submission of this report will allow for the evaluation of the measure's success.

It is recommended that all applicants discuss their plans, the options for faculty substitutions as well as the required resources with Jens Protze, the Project Coordinator of the Quality Pact for Teaching: jens.protze@uni-konstanz.de, Phone: +49 7531 88 -3503

Our university didactics team can advise you on concepts and didactics issues before submitting your applications. Please contact Melanie Moosbuchner, Phone: +49 7531 88 -5227

With specific questions about gender and diversity-sensitive teaching, please consult Michaela David (gender, phone: +49 7531 88 -5338 or Anna Blank (diversity, phone: +49 7531 88 -5313).