At Ruhr University Bochum (RUB), the focus is on students as active creators of their learning. They should not only absorb content, but also be empowered to learn, research and design actively, independently and at a high academic level.
Ruhr University Bochum does not see teaching as a mere transfer of knowledge, but as a dynamic, collaborative process.
As a university with a strong research profile, it is a central concern of the university to enable students to structure learning processes themselves, to work on real problems and to take responsibility for their learning paths.
This takes place within individual courses as well as within the framework of interdisciplinary concepts and university support programs.
The central didactic guiding principle of teaching at RUB is research-oriented learning: Students enter the research process together with lecturers, develop questions, carry out their research independently and reflect on their results in an academic community.
In line with the future concept of teaching, the focus is on five design features:
Research-oriented learning not only promotes subject-specific skills, but above all strengthens independence, scientific judgment and the ability to reflect.
In order to consolidate and further develop this principle, the university management promotes innovative teaching concepts through a university program for research-oriented learning. Lecturers from all faculties can apply with project-oriented ideas and design teaching that involves students in real research processes at an early stage and in a well-founded manner.
This program creates teaching-learning formats that range from curricular integration to interdisciplinary projects and enable students to work on complex issues independently.
The program also places special emphasis on the area of data science: Since 2019, there has been a focus on integrating data-based methods and techniques more strongly into teaching across all degree programs and preparing students for today's challenges.
RUB promotes learner-centered formats in which students work on real-life challenges. An important example of this is Challenge-Based Learning (CBL).
In such teaching-learning settings
This emphasizes critical thinking, cooperation and creative problem-solving.
Teachers act as coaches, provide guidance and support reflective learning processes without prescribing content.
The Centre for City Futures (RUB CCF) is an important institutional framework for co-creative and challenge-based teaching and learning formats.
As an interface between the university and urban society, RUB CCF creates spaces in which students work together with academics, municipal actors, civil society organizations and other practice partners on future issues of urban development.
In courses and project-based settings, such as the UNIC CityLabs, social challenges from the city of Bochum and the region are addressed, scientifically processed and further developed in co-creative processes.
Students contribute their own perspectives, take on responsibility in transdisciplinary teams and directly experience the social relevance of their studies.
RUB also promotes the co-creation of teaching: Students can actively participate in the design of study programs, teaching modules and learning settings.
This includes in particular
Student initiative projects are a special area for student initiative. They enable students to develop and implement their own ideas for the further development of studies, teaching and learning culture.
Students identify topics and needs themselves, design projects independently and implement them – often in close cooperation with lecturers, university institutions or external partners.
The initiative projects strengthen self-organization, assumption of responsibility and participation and turn students into active co-creators of the university. At the same time, many projects have an impact beyond their own studies and contribute to the sustainable further development of teaching at Ruhr University Bochum.
Ruhr University Bochum supports these developments with quality and advisory services.
This creates a teaching and learning environment that is geared towards the needs of learners and systematically integrates innovations.
Teachers are supported by
to continuously (further) develop innovative teaching formats.
Regular surveys of students and teaching staff ensure quality and a culture of feedback.
