Strategic goals

The use of quality improvement funds at the University of Münster proves to be very successful in improving and further developing study and teaching conditions overall. The focus is on promoting active learning through innovative teaching and learning formats, expanding the course offerings in degree programmes with high student numbers, and enriching smaller degree programmes through interdisciplinary offerings. In addition, part of the funds is available for the needs-based further development of support and advisory services for students and the digitisation of teaching.

In particular, in the areas of "support and advice", "learning conditions", "practical relevance" and "promotion of (digital) teaching", continuous quality-enhancing improvements can be achieved.

Improvements in support and advice

These result from a variety of measures. The deployment of additional scientific staff and student assistants enables more intensive support for students, for example, through the expansion of tutorials and mentoring programmes (e.g. the establishment of Learning Centers and Math Treff in the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science). This serves to individualise teaching and support students, especially in the early stages of their studies. Intensive support for first-year students and the associated facilitation of entry into studies are important components of further study success (e.g. the writing workshop at the Department of Philosophy). Funding from QV funds is another essential component in ensuring good support for students.

Improvements to learning conditions

To create better learning conditions, for example, the opening hours of libraries are extended into the evenings and weekends. In addition, the number of learning and workplaces in learning laboratories, media rooms and libraries is increased. Book and journal holdings in the libraries are also expanded and supplemented by the continuous acquisition of additional specialist literature. The purchase of further licences and databases and the use of material and investment funds for better technical and other equipment also contribute to an improvement in learning conditions. In laboratories, media, course and seminar rooms, the learning conditions are optimised through improved equipment. Current examples include the modernisation and reorientation of laboratory practical courses in the Faculty of Physics or the purchase of CPR training models in the Faculty of Biology.

Strengthening practical relevance

The introduction of additional practice-oriented course formats enables students in individual faculties to have a better reference to practice. For example, additional work placements with a focus on research-based teaching are created. In addition, practice-oriented events are held (e.g. the X-ray days of the Faculty of Medicine) and excursions are subsidised. In this context, the offers for the mediation of key competencies are important, which round off the student training with knowledge relevant to professional activity (e.g. business English courses and business games in the Faculty of Economics, the teaching hospital of the Faculty of Medicine).

Promotion of (digital) teaching

QV funds support teaching in many ways. With the funds provided, new teaching concepts are developed and implemented (e.g. the PharMSchool of the Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy and the Unirep Online Portal of the Faculty of Law), which find recognition beyond the university. In recent years, this has also meant the expansion of digital teaching and the integration of digital and hybrid teaching and learning formats into university education.

These are continuously improved and expand the possibilities for students and teachers to draw on a wide range of teaching formats and materials and to track teaching progress individually. The projects mentioned here by way of example can certainly be assigned to several categories. The assignment to a category was made in order to make the stated objectives more transparent.