University didactics and e-learning as strong partners

A cooperation agreement was signed between the Saxony Center for Higher Education Pedagogy (HDS) and the E-Learning Working Group of the Saxony State Rectors’ Conference.

“As modern universities, we are responsible for providing a sustainable education for our next generation of scholars. In light of the current challenges posed by increasing digitalization, we must therefore engage even more deeply with issues related to higher education pedagogy and educational policy. The collaboration between the HDS and the E-Learning Working Group opens up new avenues for us in this regard,”

said Prof. Dr. Barbknecht, Chair of the Saxony State Rectors’ Conference.

On behalf of the State Rectors’ Conference, the Chair of the Executive Board of the Saxony Center for Higher Education Pedagogy, Prof. Dr. Thomas Hofsäss (University of Leipzig), and the spokesperson for the E-Learning Working Group, Prof. Dr. Thomas Köhler (Dresden University of Technology), signed a cooperation agreement on behalf of the two institutions. With the support of the Saxon State Ministry of Science and the Arts, the aim is to deepen existing collaboration and to create framework conditions and offerings for faculty at Saxon universities that promote pedagogically sound teaching in the field of digital higher education.

At the heart of the agreement are coordinated advisory and support services for the universities and their implementation in research and development projects.

“Both the Center for Higher Education Pedagogy and the E-Learning Working Group embody the high standards of quality that Saxony’s universities have established for teaching and learning in the 21st century. “The mandate of the cooperation agreement now opens up new opportunities for both institutions to continue meeting these standards in the future,”

explains Dr. Jens Schulz, director of the working group’s office.

For instance, when awarding grants based on funding from the SMWK, the quality standards of the two institutions will be aligned, and a shared pool of external reviewers will be established. In addition to harnessing existing innovation potential, the collaboration is also intended to have a broad impact.

“The Center for Higher Education Pedagogy has demonstrated how to design a Saxony-wide program in such a way that attractive continuing education opportunities for instructors are available throughout the state. Looking ahead, we are excited about the additional expertise that will be brought in through the cooperation with the E-Learning Working Group, which is intended to enable new offerings in the field of digital higher education,”

emphasizes Prof. Dr. Thomas Hofsäss, Prorector for Education and International Affairs at the University of Leipzig and Chair of the HDS Executive Board.

Further information on the institutions can be found at https://www.hd-sachsen.de and https://bildungsportal.sachsen.de.