Guiding Principles and Mission Statement of Ludwigsburg University of Education

Ludwigsburg University of Education is a public university in the state of Baden-Württemberg and conceives of itself as a university of educational science. It is a scientific competence centre for education and culture.

Our primary goals are to provide a basis for educational processes, as well as to research and develop them. A specific point of excellence is the close link we maintain between research, teaching and practice.

Ludwigsburg University of Education has expanded its original function as a teachers training college to include all fields of activity related to educational matters. Our research and teaching address the following areas: all elements of school education, adult education and continuing education, extra-curricular education for children and young people, educational responsibilities within society and culture, as well as educational and socialization processes arising out of disability, social inequality and cultural diversity. This also includes the necessary managerial tasks associated with the above-mentioned fields of activity.

Members and graduates of our university operate in all educational fields and their professional work, expertise, research projects, doctoral and post-doctoral research contribute to the further development of the entire education sector.

We conduct research in all areas of education.

The University offers basic professional undergraduate degree programmes, research-oriented and applied graduate programmes, as well as research-based further education courses. In this way, we impact on professional practice.

The University is an institution of culture which supports cultural participation and education both within and outside the University.

Ludwigsburg University of Education acts in accordance with the principles of the “Leitbild der nachhaltigen Entwicklung” (“Guidelines for Sustainable Development”) and carries out its activities bearing in mind its responsibility for future generations.

Internationalization, international networking and cooperation are central to our institution.
We understand education to be an active process of critical engagement with oneself, society and the world. The discourse surrounding the concept of education and one’s understanding of it are at the very heart of our work at the University.

Our institution provides an environment in which, on the one hand, members of all groups are equipped with the best possible prerequisites for participating in educational processes in social contexts and, on the other hand, individuals can develop the skills necessary to support the learning process of others and learn how to create the conditions necessary for this.

We understand diversity as an opportunity and actively advocate for inclusion.

We understand university education as an educational project for our students in terms of their own character formation and a professional training, in which theory and practice are linked. The basis for this is the ability to reflect critically on educational processes, subject matter, individual prerequisites and contexts, based on a scientifically informed approach.

We, the members of Ludwigsburg University of Education, shape and coin our institution’s culture, which includes a high degree of shared responsibility in all spheres of university life.

We nurture a culture of discourse based on mutual understanding which strives to include and take into account the interests of all parties. We see it as our responsibility to ensure the transparency of proceedings and decisions.

Our understanding of leadership is based upon participation.

Ludwigsburg University of Education is a “learning organization” whose members actively participate in quality improvement. Periodic evaluation in all areas is an important part of this process.

The professional and personal development of the faculty and staff is supported by means of a variety of measures. Ludwigsburg University of Education participates actively in professional training, offering opportunities for trainees where possible.
Ludwigsburg University of Education supports the involvement and participation of its students.

We are committed to the equal opportunities of women and men in all areas and at all levels and recognize gender mainstreaming as a consistent basic principle.

The University recognizes its responsibility to support the health promotion of its employees by means of appropriate measures.

Within the architectural parameters of our setting, we design our campus and our buildings with a view to creating an atmosphere conducive to both learning and working.

Successful learning requires cooperation between teachers and learners. Ludwigsburg University of Education provides students with an environment, in which, as autonomous learners supported by pedagogically competent teachers, they can be successfully active and gain access to theoretical and practical areas of knowledge and experience.

Our faculty understand that the need to keep abreast of current research and discourse in their specialist fields is self-evident (content-related dimension).

While we expect our faculty members to have good human resource skills, expert knowledge and competence in university teaching methods, we also encourage and support them in developing these competencies further (human resources dimension).

Faculty shape learning processes based on criteria that they have gained in the course of their continuous engagement with scientific research relevant to their role as university teachers.

Faculty recognize their responsibility to develop their own teaching as well as their examinations accordingly (pedagogical dimension).

The relationship between faculty and students is critically assessed and actively shaped by both parties: This is done, for example, by providing feedback that is based on strengths rather than weaknesses (relationship dimension).

In cases where this makes pedagogical sense, cross-subject links are established (formal-organizational dimension).

All degree programmes foster cross-subject competences and skills by offering courses on, for example, competences related to research methods, media pedagogy, as well as intercultural and diagnostic skills. In these areas we aim to provide all students with a basic training.

We place special emphasis on educational and subject-orientated pedagogical research, such as fundamental educational research, research into teaching and learning in all age groups, research into classroom teaching, professionalization, educational institutions and organizations, teaching practices, educational, socialization and rehabilitation processes. This, however, does not exclude other areas of research.

An important feature of our research profile is the variety of research approaches and research methods. In particular, our opportunities for interdisciplinary research have great potential.

Our research-oriented teaching is achieved through the close inter-connection that we establish between research and teaching.

Close contacts to areas of professional practice provide access to the students, faculty and institutions in which education research is carried out as well as facilitating the transfer of research findings.

We foster international research collaborations and systematically support young academics through special programmes and opportunities for further qualifications.

The service departments of the university (the administration and operational facilities) function primarily as internal service providers and act in an advisory capacity to ensure that the university is run in an efficient manner. They operate according to clearly structured and well-documented procedures.

Services can, however, also be offered to interested external parties.

We are constantly improving our procedures in order to increase the performance of the whole university.

We aim to limit bureaucracy to a minimum, while at the same time ensuring the professionalism and appropriateness of administrative procedures.

Mutual respect, politeness and the willingness to help others characterize our everyday collaboration with others members of the University.

The University regards itself as a centre of communication and maintains close contacts to regional and national institutions.

We especially value international cooperation with partner institutions and organizations in all parts of the world and foster a close relationship with our partner universities. At the same time, the university is well integrated in the regional community and acts as a stakeholder in local education-related and cultural activities.

We actively participate in the further development of the educational landscape including its public and private educational and cultural institutions.

We are active in public relations work and report on developments in research and teaching as well as on the University’s central service provision.

Our responsibility to educate, train and advise students does not end with their graduation but continues into their professional activity. We are very interested in recruiting active alumni who can provide important impulses for the development of the University. For this purpose, Ludwigsburg University of Education is establishing an alumni network.