Dr. Ernst Andreas Hartmann
Education, Science and Humanities
A university is of particular importance in the education and science system because, unlike any other organisation or institution, it conducts education and research in equal measure and combines both.
Research-based learning
The essence of a university – especially in the German scientific and educational tradition – is characterised by the unity of teaching and research. This traditionally deeply-rooted dichotomy is always faced with new challenges and must be constantly adapted to current needs and opportunities.
Various concepts have been developed to link research and teaching – or better: research and learning. In the organisational-didactic concept of Problem Based Learning (PBL), students learn by means of 'real' research and development projects. In the field of continuing academic education, the comparable concept of Work Based Learning (WBL) has been developed. Here, the projects usually come directly from the participants' professional environment. Ultimately, digital research data infrastructures offer unique opportunities to design research-based learning on the basis of a broad and quality-assured foundation of empirical data.
Education, research, transfer
Universities also make a unique contribution to technical, economic and social innovation by promoting continuing academic education in their transfer function. Especially in its project-based form (WBL), it links external research cooperation with continuing education and thus directly contributes to business innovation.
Another important transfer function is the promotion of start-ups from universities. Incubators affiliated with universities provide support in finding ideas and developing business models, and accelerators assist founders with further business development. Once again, the interplay of various performance dimensions of universities is evident here: Research provides the "raw material" for start-ups, the subject of "entrepreneurship" is ideally prominently placed in teaching across disciplines and degree programmes, and the transfer functions support the start-up and the development of the young company itself.
Advise, analyse, promote, organise
We support our clients in project funding, which is directed at universities or cooperating research institutions. We also accompany innovations in the higher education system through studies, analyses, scientific reports and evaluations.