How does contemporary academic guidance work, and how can teachers provide effective advice to their students? Under the motto "How to: Academic Guidance in STEM?", the Technical University of Mittelhessen (THM) hosted a practice-oriented teacher training course in Friedberg.
The teachers, mostly from the Wetterau region, took the opportunity to gain a first-hand insight into what awaits students of the STEM subjects of mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, and technology at THM . They were able to choose from four practical programmes and participate in them themselves: The "3D Printing" programme introduced fields of application ranging from traditional mechanical engineering and architecture to applications in marketing. "Experience Electrical Engineering" allowed participants to simulate and understand LED flashing signals without a microcontroller. The "Fundamental Physics Laboratory" explained how a physics degree programme at THM works, from atomic physics to thermodynamics. And finally, "Metallurgy under the Microscope" demonstrated how mechanical engineering students technically prepare and analyze specimens.
Prof. Dr. Fabian Mink from the organizing team welcomed the group and introduced them to the compact programme. After a look behind the scenes—for example, at the OpenA5 makerspace, the rooms of the sM Department , and the electrical engineering department in the IEM Department the teachers completed the orientation programmes and gained firsthand experience from the student perspective.
A central component of the Further education programme was the simulation of a personal students advisory service : In role-playing exercises, participants rehearsed typical advisory situations with Anne Leßmann and Martin Kuulmann from the central students advisory service . This gave the teachers insight not only into the content and services, but also into the format and process of individualized counseling. Sarah Stolle then presented the THM 's other study orientation programmes and demonstrated how schools and universities can work more closely together.
Finally, Florian Cöster from the State School Office gave an outlook on the FIT Student Information Day on November 4, 2025, which is being offered in cooperation with the office and will provide interested students with additional insights and opportunities to participate.