At a glance
For: Prospective students, students, teachers, student advisors
Topics: Permeability, student success, internationalization, advice, digitalization, flexibility
Location: University of Kassel
Study Just in Time (Mechanical Engineering)
During their studies, students are often confronted with standardized study plans and rigid timetables. In fact, curricula are usually based on the assumption that students are freely available in terms of time and space. This is particularly true for engineering courses, which have remained heavily schooled even after the introduction of modular teaching. However, these requirements ignore the reality of life for many (potential) students. Student surveys show that the proportion of students who can fully devote themselves to studying is lower than is often assumed. Many students have to work part-time to finance their studies, have family obligations, are limited by chronic illnesses or disabilities, or would like to enrich their studies with additional professional internships or stays abroad. Surveys by the University of Kassel show that around 40% of all students are affected by such restrictions. This can prevent you from starting a course of study or lead to an extension of your period of study or dropping out of your course. This is where the “Study just in time” project in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Kassel comes in with a comprehensive package of measures.
Various measures are intended to make the course of study more flexible, e.g. B. through
- Advance timetables for at least two semesters to improve planning security
- Individual study plans that are developed individually as part of comprehensive educational coaching
- Establishment of flexible examination formats including testing of exams “on demand”
- Introduction of hybrid course formats
- Expansion of the range of parallel courses, e.g. B. at off-peak times or in block form
- Expansion of the range of asynchronous online courses
Against the background of a course of study that has been made more flexible through the measures, the aim is to specifically address prospective students who have not previously seen the possibility of taking up a course of study due to time, space or other restrictions, supported by intensive student marketing that takes these new opportunities into account.
Contact person
Lena Lukas , University of Kassel
