Bridge to studying: orientate, qualify, support

How can the transition from school to university and the introductory study phase be organised in terms of content and structure? Which conditions are necessary for the students to have a successful start to their studies and to achieve academic success? These are the questions that will be discussed by university participants from all over Germany at the convention by the MINT College Baden-Württemberg, a cooperative institution of the University of Stuttgart and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) on 20^th and 21^st March in Stuttgart. Baden-Württemberg’s Minister of Science Minister Theresia Bauer will open the convention with a greeting. Professor Horst Hippler, President of the German Rectors’ Conference  (HRK) will give an introductory lecture.

The transition from school to university and the first semesters lays important foundations for the next stages of study. When starting studying students face a diverse range of challenges, and the MINT subjects in particular are considered to be difficult.   

”Whether students become successful graduates depends on many factors: on a good transition from school to university, on the start of studying and not least on good support and teaching. The group of students is becoming increasingly heterogeneous and the students arrive at the university with very different prerequisites. We therefore want to pick the new students up in the first two semesters through various offers and formats and in this way create good opportunities at the start for everyone. Together with the universities we promote various paths, all pursuing the same goal: academic success“, said Minister of Science, Theresia Bauer, the patron of the convention.

“Nationwide we enable students to arrive at the university and to study successfully with flexible programs that are closely linked with the specialist subject. This counteracts students dropping out in the long-term“, explained Professor Horst Hippler, President of the HRK.

With the Federal-State Program for improved study conditions and more quality in teaching (Teaching Quality Pact), universities from all over Germany are thereby supported in improving the support of students and the quality of teaching. The MINT College is also being supported in the framework of this program and is moreover integrated in support programs in the state of Baden-Württemberg. With its comprehensive teaching program for prospective students and current students, it contributes towards increasing academic success in the introductory study phase.      
“The convention offers a platform for the dialogue about success factors and best-practice models”, explained Dr Claudia Goll, Director of the MINT College Baden-Württemberg. “The network and the exchange of experience between the parties from university and education facilities in Germany      give impetus for the further development and programs in the introductory study phase.” 

During the convention over 50 lectures and workshops will highlight the topics of orientation, consultation, qualification and support.   

Around 400 participants from universities and higher education facilities as well as facilities and initiatives in the education field will participate in the event. This also includes representatives of the program “Structure models in the introductory study phase" (support through the Minster of Science, Research and Art Baden- Württemberg) and the Teaching Quality Pact (support through the Federal Ministry for Education and Research, BMBF).

Representatives of the media are cordially invited to the convention. Please register by email to tagung@mint-kolleg.de by Friday, 16^th March. If you would like an interview with a speaker, please state this upon registration.

Bridge to studying: orientate, qualify, support
20^th and 21^st March 2018    
Haus der Wirtschaft, Willi-Bleicher-Straße 19, 70173 Stuttgart

From the convention program   

• Minister of Science Theresia Bauer, MdL, will open the convention on 20^th March from 1 pm with a greeting.
• Professor Horst Hippler, HRK President, will subsequently speak from 30 pm on the topic of “Good practice in the introductory study phase“.
• Professor Thomas Zwick (KIT) and Professor Frank Allgöwer (University of Stuttgart) will be speaking about the requirements of teaching in the engineering sciences, including against the background of Digitalisation and Industry 4.0 on 20^th March from 5.45 pm.   
• Professor Gabi Reinmann, Head of the Centre for University Teaching and Learning at the University of Hamburg will be speaking about research orientation in the introductory study phase on 21^st March from 9 am.
• The area of tension school-university with a view to improving the transition will be the focus of the final lecture by Professor Klaus Dürrschnabel, University of Karlsruhe on 21^st March from 2.45 pm.

Entire program: www.mint-kolleg-tagung.de

About the MINT College

The MINT College Baden-Württemberg is a joint facility of the University of Stuttgart and the Karlsruhe Institute for Technology. Nationwide it counts amongst the largest facilities with a comprehensive range of courses in the introductory study phase. The MINT program “Structure models in the introductory study phase” is supported by the Minister of Science, Research and Art Baden-Württemberg as well as in the Teaching Quality Pact by the Federal Minister for Education and Research. MINT stands for Mathematics, Computer Science, Natural Sciences and Technology.