Not only are course contents constantly changing, but study conditions and teaching formats should also be up-to-date. The Hessian state programme QuiS is dedicated to this goal. At their annual conference in Wetzlar, the 14 participating educational institutions discussed flexible study options, educational equity, conditions for academic success, and new teaching formats.
“With QuiS, the state government is responding to the needs of an increasingly heterogeneous and diverse student body, as well as to the internationalization of higher education. QuiS gives us the opportunity to react quickly and directly to current challenges. With this programme, we aim to increase permeability within the education system, enable students to pursue studies with equal opportunities, and guide them to a successful degree,” said Christoph Degen, State Secretary in the Hessian Ministry of Science and Research, Arts and Culture, welcoming the participants from academia, administration, and university presidents. Since 2021, Hessian universities, supported by the QuiS funding programme (Quality in Studies and Teaching in Hesse), have been working on a variety of projects to develop university teaching. Approximately €130 million is available during the current Hessian Higher Education Pact.
The programme is coordinated by the QuiS service center at the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM) in Giessen . Its Vice President for Academic Affairs, Prof. Dr. Katja Specht, praised the programme for strengthening cooperation and communication between universities and promoting the exchange of ideas and best practices. "QuiS has become a brand synonymous with innovation and sustainable quality in higher education in Hesse," she said. QuiS's broad spectrum encompasses topics and projects ranging from internationality and diversity to future skills and mental health, as well as the flexibilization of study programmes.
The conference, held as a networking and working meeting at Leica's Leitz Park, facilitated in-depth exchange of approaches and ideas. The programme was moderated by Prof. Dr. Claudia Schmeink and Jörg Pulfrich, who led plenary discussions and presented workshop results. In two rounds of four workshops each, the key themes mentioned in the opening remarks were discussed, along with very specific questions, such as: "How can we strengthen decision-making skills among participants in orientation semesters?"
Students, as well as members of university executive boards, higher education didactics experts, and members of the "Commission for Student Success," offered their unique perspectives on the issues addressed in QuiS. They spoke in response to the keynote address by PD Dr. Malte Persike, Academic Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning Services at RWTH Aachen University. In his presentation, "The Blended University – On the Path to the Learning Architecture of the Future," he explored the concept of blended learning as a combination of digital and analog teaching formats and applied it to all areas of a university. "The implementation of the blended university impacts service structures, spatial design, the role perception of all staff members, the collaborative work of various stakeholders, and ultimately fundamentally changes the culture of the entire university system," he argued, advocating for bold thinking that goes beyond simply modernizing teaching methods. His conclusion: Realizing the blended university requires a strategic change process that is developed and implemented collaboratively with all status groups.