The HSZG was delighted to welcome a large number of visitors at the presentation of the Quality Pact for Teaching certificate.
The Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences welcomed a distinguished visitor to the Zittau campus. On October 25, 2016, Thomas Rachel MdB, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, handed over the certificate for the grant notification for around 1.7 million euros, which the university raised as part of the Teaching Quality Pact to improve study conditions. State Secretary Rachel was accompanied by Michael Kretschmer, Member of the Bundestag for Görlitz.
"With the Teaching Quality Pact, we want to improve student support in its diversity and the quality of teaching. We were impressed by the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences' concept of introducing students to problem-oriented learning and responsible action in line with the motto 'motivation through practical relevance'. In this way, the university prepares its students even better for their career entry. Zittau and Görlitz clearly illustrate how a university of applied sciences can become the innovation engine of an entire region. I congratulate the university on its success in the Teaching Quality Pact and wish it every success in the second funding phase," said State Secretary for Research Rachel.
With the Quality Pact for Teaching, the federal government has launched a broadly effective, nationwide funding program for universities. Until 2020, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) will provide around 2 billion euros for better study conditions. The project term of the second approval phase begins on January 1, 2017 and ends on December 31, 2020.
"We are very pleased that we were able to successfully raise funds with our 'Diversity as a Strength' application," said Rector Prof. Friedrich Albrecht.
The Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences project is called "Diversity as Strength" and includes a comprehensive catalog of measures. Among other things, tutoring and mentoring programs, a special support program for foreign students and specific support modules for students on engineering and science courses (internship park; MINT Center) are being implemented. This will further improve the success rate of students in these areas. The university thus has the opportunity to adequately accompany and support the faculties and students with a holistic program that does justice to the increasing heterogeneity and diversity of the students.
In addition to this individual project, there will be a joint project involving all Saxon universities, in which Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences is also involved and in which higher education didactic topics in particular will be further developed.
"It is a very special honor for our university that Parliamentary State Secretary Thomas Rachel is personally present to hand over the certificate for the start of these projects," said Rector Prof. Friedrich Albrecht. "We see this as an appreciation of the university for the innovations achieved in teaching and studies."
