Excellent university didactics for engineers

Teachers, too, are constantly learning. Through the Certificate Program in Higher Education Pedagogy (HDS), teachers expand their individual teaching competencies in the areas of knowledge, professional values, and practical skills. The certificate program focuses on increasing the level of professionalism in teaching and promoting a shift in perspective among teachers—also known as the “shift from teaching to learning.” The certificate program consists of three modules that culminate in a teaching-and-learning project (“Scholarship of Teaching and Learning”) and are thus directly dedicated to the further development of the participants’ own teaching. The “Plus” Certificate from the Saxony Center for Higher Education Pedagogy also recognizes the ongoing commitment of faculty members to addressing pedagogical issues and actively supporting collegial exchange and the dissemination of good teaching practices.

Once again, the Saxony Center for Higher Education Pedagogy (HDS) is recognizing faculty members at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences for their commitment. At the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, a large number of staff members from various departments are currently participating in the HDS certificate program. The faculty leadership supports this effort and recognizes this commitment. Among this year’s certificate recipients is Dr.-Ing. Sebastian Herrmann (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering), who, as part of the certificate program, has explored approaches to electronic learning support in various modules of technical thermodynamics.

The successful completion of the various modules, the development of pedagogical approaches, and the implementation of measures to promote the transfer of good teaching practices were actively supported by on-campus higher education pedagogy support services, such as consulting and guidance in the design and implementation of teaching and learning formats. Of particular note here are the D2C2 and Digital Higher Education projects (led by Prof. Keil, Vice President for Education and International Affairs), as well as offerings from the Center for e-Learning ( Zfe) and the higher education pedagogy advisor at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences.

“In this context, special thanks go to Mr. Ronny Freudenreich, Dipl.-Ing. (FH), M.A., for his excellent guidance on issues of higher education pedagogy and his support with the transfer of knowledge, as well as to the Center for e-Learning (Zfe) at our university, whose staff have supported me for many years with their outstanding expertise, as well as to our university’s instructional design specialist for organizing valuable on-site professional development opportunities that were very helpful for my professional growth,” said Dr.-Ing. Sebastian Herrmann.