She does not yet have her doctorate in her pocket and yet Nadine Wills at the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM) already teaches in the real estate Degree Courses N of the Department S Business Administration and Engineering (Wi) in Friedberg. According to the plan, the 31-year-old is on the way to a professorship at universities for applied science (HAW). Then she is the first participant in the “ProTHM” programme in the cooperative obtaining attainment of practical experience. Among other things, the goal is to support young so -called high potentials in starting a scientific career and is part of the nationwide funding programme "FH Personal". In particular, it should help to counteract the emigration of qualified young people in private economy.
"I had actually considered going to the practice. However, I had concerns about being too far from science after a certain time," says Wills. Because she was enthusiastic about research and teaching early on. After studying bachelor at the Gera-Eisenach University of Applied Sciences, she followed a master in Facility Management at the THM in Friedberg in 2013. Afterwards she worked in real estate project development for some time before moving back to the THM in autumn 2016 to coordinate the real estate Degree Courses at the Wi Department . At the end of 2016, she decided to do a part-time doctorate for which she found the Bauhaus University Weimar as a partner. She is currently waiting for her disputation.
The fact that Wills has only worked 30 percent at THM since spring is part of the “ProTHM” concept: HAWen in particular need staff with practical and professional experience for their teaching. This can hardly be reconciled with the demand for young professors in particular. However, the "regain" of qualified personnel who can already look back on a successful career in business is often difficult. "ProTHM", which provides the THM with around 2.56 million euros for six years, therefore binds high potentials like Nadine Wills to the university, while at the same time giving them the opportunity to gain practical experience in their specialist field.
Wills, for example, is now full-time responsible for data-based management procedures for the entire life cycle of buildings at the Deutsche Bundesbank. She also gives lectures at the THMon the same subject. "I would therefore not see the work in the company and at the THM as a double burden," she clarifies - rather as an optimal complement. Her path to the position was classic: she underwent the regular application process for a position that was freely advertised on the job market. And after only four months on the job, Wills is already feeling the positive influence of the practical experience: "I was able to take a lot of ideas for the apprenticeship with me from the activities that I currently have in the company," she says. You will now find practical examples of theoretically imparted knowledge. She hopes that she can now make her lectures more exciting for the students.
She herself has benefited from practice-oriented teaching, as practiced at the THM , she says. "I would like to give students the opportunity to have similar positive experiences in the future," says Nadine Wills. She must have worked in business for at least three years before she is qualified for a HAW professorship. However, she is not obliged to continue to strive for this - or to do so at the THM .