Flexibilization of studies at the University of Design Offenbach am Main

At a glance

For: students

Topics: Flexibility, individual study design, design seminars, feedback formats

Location: Offenbach am Main University of Design

Space for individual artistic/design development

The HfG attaches great importance to enabling its students to study independently according to their interests and priorities, but also according to their personal life situation, and to give space for individual artistic/creative development. Great flexibility in studies has been systematically expanded in the design of the Bachelor/Master degree programs introduced in 2022. With the new elective areas, the HfG enables its students to organize courses of at least one semester each in a completely free and self-determined manner. Despite this appreciation, students can encounter material or organizational hurdles in their everyday study life. With the help of the QuiS program, these are systematically recorded and, if possible, addressed in the interests of constant further development. The waiver of formal requirements goes hand in hand with a special sense of personal responsibility on the part of the students. QuiS funding is therefore also used to enable students to actually exploit the possibilities of independent study through clear structures and processes, information materials, etc.

The students formulated three major concerns:

making options visible, especially at the interface between the two disciplines of art and design
student workspaces
Accessibility

At the suggestion of the students themselves, these concerns should be addressed in the form of design seminars in order to use the university's own skills and creative resources to solve the identified challenges. Additional funds are earmarked for StuPa projects.

Furthermore, feedback formats are designed and implemented using the QuiS funds in order to better understand the living and study situation of students and to assess student needs regarding flexibility. A coordination office supports the flexibilization of studies and their communication at the interface between teachers, students, department offices and various administrative employees.