Call for Proposals by the Quality Improvement Commission (QVK) of the Senate of the University of Münster for Project Funding of Studies and Teaching in the Academic Year 2025/2026

Funding Conditions

Type and goals of the project

Selection Criteria and Procedure

Financing

1. Funding Conditions

For this call for proposals, 280,000 euros are available for allocation by the Quality Improvement Commission in 2025.

  • Submitted projects should not exceed a budget of 50,000 euros.
  • Eligible expenses include personnel costs (e.g., student assistants), materials, travel expenses, events, infrastructure measures (e.g., renovations of lecture halls, IT equipment).
  • The goal of the submitted projects is to improve teaching and study conditions.
  • Funding is only available for newly established projects; follow-up funding or partial funding of existing projects is not eligible.
  • We recommend aligning the submitted measures with one of the cross-sectional topics of the University of Münster (e.g., Diversity, Democracy Education, Sustainability, Digitalization).
  • We recommend aligning the projects with the Mission Statement on Study and Teaching of the University of Münster.

Further important information regarding funding can be found under point 4 “Funding”.

Eligible Applicants

  • Deans and faculty councils are excluded from this call for proposals.
  • Applications from central units of the University of Münster are possible.
  • Multiple applications from the same applicants are possible.
  • Projects must be submitted jointly by students and teaching staff.

Project Management

  • The project manager must be an employee of the University of Münster to ensure access to SAP.

Timeline

  • Application deadlines:
    • May 15th for project start in the winter semester (October)
    • November 15th for project start in the summer semester (April)
  • Decision in QVK: at the latest 2 months after submission
  • Funding period: 2 semesters (1 year)

Application Structure

  • Maximum 1,200 words, clear goal formulation, and added value of the project
  • List of involved teaching staff and students (including email addresses) and the responsible project manager (for SAP)
  • Timeline
  • Itemized list of planned expenses
  • Brief formulation of perspectives for the project idea after the end of funding

Final Report

Funded projects must be documented in a short final report (approx. 3 pages) after the end of funding. This report will be published on the QVK homepage.

2. Type and goals of the project

With this call for proposals, we aim to support and promote openness and creativity in university teaching. The funding should create opportunities to develop, test, and evaluate ideas for teaching. We allocate funds for experimental and interdisciplinary concepts.

 

The projects should refer to the Mission Statement on Study and Teaching of the University of Münster.

 

The call for proposals is thematically open. All projects that convince through their innovation potential and interdisciplinary approach are welcome. Projects can only be submitted jointly by students and teaching staff.

3. Selection Criteria and Procedure

The submitted projects will be selected based on the following criteria:

  • Interdisciplinarity
  • Innovativeness
  • Clear involvement of students/student councils in the project

 

The applications will be reviewed by the Quality Improvement Commission of the Senate of the University of Münster and selected for funding. The commission will also consider the promotion across the various profile areas.

4. Financing

  • If software, webspace, or similar resources are requested, please check and explain what is already offered by the university (e.g., by the CIT).
    • If the existing offerings do not meet your needs, a brief justification for the chosen paid tool is required.
    • If funds are requested for digital tools that require license fees, please explain how the financing of these fees will be ensured after the end of the funding period, so that the acquired tool can be used long-term.
  • Teaching Concept Development: We assume that the development of teaching concepts will be carried out by the university staff responsible for this. Please briefly explain why, if necessary, the concept development exceeds these capacities and how the long-term use of the thus funded teaching concepts is ensured.
  • Data Protection (including GDPR) and Consent:
    • If you request funds for data collection (e.g., photos, videos, interviews, personal data), please address the consent and data protection issues: How do you ensure the informed consent of the involved persons? What use have you planned for the data collection, and how is their sustainable, long-term use ensured, including the maintenance of the consent declarations?
  • Excursions: An excursion in itself is not innovative. Please briefly explain what elements make your excursion innovative.
  • Catering and Meal Costs: Meal costs for students, whether at the study location in Münster or during an excursion, are not eligible for funding. Catering costs for guests at (teaching) events are not eligible for funding.
  • Travel Costs: Travel costs for students within the validity area of the semester ticket are not eligible for funding.
  • Travel and Accommodation Costs, Guest Fees: If a person brings specific expertise, funding for travel and accommodation costs is possible. Guest fees for these persons are not eligible for funding. Please check if, for reasons of sustainability (especially avoiding CO2 emissions), an offer via Zoom could be a feasible alternative.

 

Submission: In the form of a PDF attachment via email to zentrale.qvk@uni-muenster.de with the subject "Project central QV 2025."

 

Deadline for projects starting in April 2026: November 15, 2025.

 

For inquiries, please contact the chair of the Quality Improvement Commission of the Senate of the University of Münster: Christopher Margraf, zentrale.qvk@uni-muenster.de.