One-track specialists and ivory towers in university education are a thing of the past.

In its guidelines for universities, the German Conference of Ministers of Education emphasises the importance of the societal relevance of studies and teaching. It has therefore reacted to changed social demands on work and knowledge production. This means that

• university education and the labour market are understood to be interrelated processes. What this specific connection looks like is determined when new courses are planned, for example.
• graduates are understood to be part of society. Nobody is solely a one-track specialist later in life. After graduating, students assume civic, political and cultural roles. Universities must strengthen students for these roles – through personal development.The aim of personal development is specified by the German Conference of Ministers of Education:

“Following graduation, students should be able to substantially shape social processes critically, in a reflective manner, with a sense of responsibility and in the spirit of democracy.” (Paragraph 11.1) 

The Coordination Office for Non-technical Courses supports the responsible academic committee for Non-technical Courses in implementing this qualification aim by providing suitable courses. As the link between academia and administration, studying and teaching, teaching staff and students, it also develops constructive solutions where processes are not running smoothly, or teaching and teaching processes can be improved through services for teaching staff.

 

As the S8 office, it is part of the Academic and Student Services (SLS).

Its work is divided into five main areas:

• Ensuring quantitatively sufficient and qualitatively high-class teaching.
• A central service for teaching staff and external lecturers in particular.
• Ensuring access to the courses  for students.
• Harmonising structures and processes of an interdisciplinary teaching area with those of degree courses.
• Specific tasks such as university partnerships and a teaching programme that supports thesocial engagement of refugee students.