2025/26 Call for Applications: Innovative Räume für innovative Lehre

• Application deadline: 30 March 2025
• Funding decision: April 2025
• Funding and project time frame: 1 May 2025–31 October 2026
• Maximum funding amount: €35,000 (from the Excellence Strategy [second funding line])
• Call for applications text (PDF, in German only)
• Application form

The aim of the call is to redesign existing spaces or open indoor and outdoor areas of the University as creative and multifunctional teaching, learning, and meeting places that enable innovative teaching and learning formats that are flexible and participatory.

These rooms, spaces, and places can be actual physical spaces, or virtual or hybrid spaces. Funding is available for redesign projects headed by lecturers from all subjects and faculties who, together with students, are looking for new ways to give modern teaching formats and concepts an innovative, creative framework based on their specific needs. All lecturers are invited to work with students to develop exemplary room concepts that can be department-specific and/or faculty-specific or provide for joint cross-faculty or university-wide use of rooms and spaces.

The funding can be spent, for example, on innovative teaching and learning infrastructure; multifunctional, flexible furniture and room concepts; the latest technical equipment; lighting; and/or acoustic measures and are not intended for the improvement of basic facilities.

The projects are selected with respect to the specific needs of the respective faculty/department. After a formal review in the Department of Studies and Teaching, a selection committee will assess the applications according to the following criteria:

1. quality, innovation potential, and coherence of the teaching and learning concept, as well as room design
2. feasibility and sustainability of the concept
3. plausibility and appropriateness of the funding requested
4. scope of the project

Take note of the following formal criteria:

• maximum funding amount of €35,000
• applicant is University of Hamburg lecturer (maximum of one application per funding round)
• student involvement
• approval from the office of the dean
• building, room, or space belongs to the University of Hamburg that could potentially be a teaching and learning space
• purely basic furnishing of rooms (e.g., painting the room, repairs, laying cables) is not eligible for funding

The selection committee consists of

• the vice president for studies and teaching (VP2)
• 4 members of the teaching staff (of which, one comes from the Hamburg Center for University Teaching and Learning [HUL])
• 4 students
• the head of Department 3: Studies and Teaching
• the head of Section 86: Campus Development.

• HUL: Zusammenspiel von Raumausstattung und didaktischen Möglichkeiten (PDF, in German only)
• HUL: Set Design – Hinweise zu Lehr-Lernräumen (PDF, in German only)
• HUL: Action Design Pattern – Muster für Lehr-Lernszenarien (PDF, in German only)
• Department 8: Internationale Inspirationsbeispiele – Lehr- und Lernwelten Australien, Singapur, Science City Bahrenfeld (PDF, in German only)

• Any funding awarded must be earmarked and spent in accordance with the implementation plan described in the approved application.
• Funds must be spent by 31 October 2026 at the latest; otherwise, the funds will expire. If the full amount of the funds is likely not to be spend, or the implementation plan will have to be adjusted, this must be reported to Department 3: Studies and Teaching in good time. Possible changes must be discussed with the vice president.
• There is no legal entitlement to funding.
• By submitting your application, you agree that the University of Hamburg—here, the Department of Studies and Teaching—may process your data for the duration of funding within the scope of the Excellence Strategy (second funding line) for the following purpose(s): Application and selection decision for the Fund for Innovative Teaching. You understand that you may withdraw your consent at any time with future effect by contacting the Department of Studies and Teaching. Revocation of my consent does not affect any previous processing of data and information. Find additional information about data processing.

General questions about the call for applications:

Department 3: Studies and Teaching

Hanna Haubert

fonds-lehre"AT"uni-hamburg.de

Advice on renovation projects:

Department 8: Property Management, Section 85: Construction Project Management

Sylvia Lerche

referat85"AT"uni-hamburg.de

Advice on teaching methods

Hamburg Center for University Teaching and Learning (HUL)

Angela Sommer

angela.sommer"AT"uni-hamburg.deNadia Blüthmann<a href="mailto:angela.sommer@uni-hamburg.de" /><a href="mailto:nadia.bluethmann@uni-hamburg.de">nadia.bluethmann@uni-hamburg.de(angela.sommer"AT"uni-hamburg.de)