Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

The FAU Competence Center Education (CCE) views itself as a central institution for promoting and developing teaching quality at FAU. Its aim is to support lecturers of all qualification levels — from tutors to professors — in systematically expanding their teaching skills and designing innovative, activating and student-centered teaching.

Making teaching competence visible

The Certificate for Teaching in Higher Education of the Bavarian Universities and our subject-, topic- and target group-specific certificates document continuous further training in university teaching and highlight the commitment of our teaching staff. It provides incentives for the further development of individual teaching skills. FAU Lehre designs its comprehensive range of professional development in cooperation with Bavarian universities and in coordination with universities of applied sciences in Bavaria.

Professionalisation of teaching: offers and opportunities

A key focus of the CCE is the professionalisation of teaching skills. In workshops, coaching sessions, consultations and collegial exchanges, teachers acquire sound didactic, evaluative and advisory skills. This enables them to design learning spaces that facilitate sustainable and self-directed learning. The programme is part of the university teaching education programme in Bavaria in the form of the ProfiLehrePlus network.

From teaching to accompanying learning processes

In addition to the didactic understanding of subject content, contemporary university teaching also focuses on the conscious design of learning processes. Teachers specifically promote self-management, critical thinking, problem-solving skills and the active participation of students. This change in perspective — from pure teaching to accompanying learning processes — is made possible in the proffesional development courses at the CCE.

Theory meets practice: applying didactic principles effectively

The CCE conveys concepts that are scientifically sound and empirically proven. They effectively support teachers in practical implementation and can be directly transferred to their own teaching practice. Practical formats are used right from the start when teaching the basics of university didactics: online learning phases, lesson plans, peer observations and teaching simulations enable reflective and effective teaching development.

Subject-sensitive teaching: reflection and development

University teaching at the CCE is characterised by interdisciplinarity. Lecturers are encouraged to consciously reflect on their discipline-specific teaching culture — from technical language to methodology. This enables the development of teaching concepts that meet both the subject requirements and the learning needs of the students.

Digital teaching: providing targeted support for learning processes

Digitalization opens up a wide range of opportunities to provide targeted support for learning processes. The CCE sees itself as a driving force for the didactically meaningful use of digital tools and formats. The focus is on the primacy of didactics: digital possibilities are embedded in a way that promotes learning — both in the learning process and in communication with students.

Ensuring quality – designing effective teaching

Continuous evaluation and quality assurance in teaching is essential. The CCE supports and guides lecturers in systematically observing, reflecting on, and continuously enhancing their teaching to ensure and improve the quality of teaching and learning over the long term.