Knowledge transfer

Research in educational science is conducted across a broad spectrum of education-related topics, with the resulting knowledge used in close collaboration with practitioners to provide solutions that can contribute to and effect change. The faculty’s academics contribute to knowledge transfer and educational innovations through long-term cooperation projects and other diverse projects with practitioners as well as others from society, politics, culture, and business. “Transfer” often refers to a joint (research) process bridging academia and application, which benefits all parties. Transfer also occurs via continuing education, development of testing and diagnostic instruments, evaluations, consultations, materials, workshops, symposia, handouts, projects, expert opinions, media work, and a variety of other formats.

Guiding Principles of Knowledge Exchange for the Faculty of Education

"Knowledge Exchange: Shaping scientifically sound, high-quality education together" - this is the claim of the Faculty for our activities and aims in the fields of knowledge transfer. Here you can find the guiding principles (what do we want to achieve, why and with whom?) in a short paper published in May 2023.

The most important areas for transfer activities are:

• knowledge transfer for educational professionals and teachers through continuing education, dialog, and practice-oriented publications
• academic advising and guidance to support further development of institutions (educational and other institutions, schools, associations, etc.)
• academic advising and guidance for educational policy makers and structures (educational administration, political decision makers, municipal authorities, professional associations, working groups, etc.)
• culture and society (projects with cultural institutions as well as science communication for the general public through projects, lectures, and digital formats)

Knowledge transfer and close cooperation with practitioners are also integrated into teaching. This approach takes the form of research workshops, seminars conducted in collaboration with practitioners, and other projects that combine teaching with research. The close link between academic study and practical training across all teacher training disciplines is an essential part of our “transfer across minds” approach, where knowledge is transferred by and between students.

Transfer formats and networks are continuously being developed.

Knowledge transfer between research and practice in education

Education fulfills a central role in society. The Faculty of Education has a responsibility to provide education practitioners with dialog-based support in the areas of professional orientation, specialist knowledge, and potential solutions. Many educational scientists spend extended periods of time on research projects conducted in close collaboration with practitioners. These projects result in varied, ever-developing transfer activities. Transfer must be planned and implemented with a long-term view: changes in institutional structures, curriculum content, interactions in education contexts, education systems, attitudes, and discourses are all long-term processes that take place in complex conditions. New social challenges require comprehensive and nuanced responses and answers. This includes new research topics and needs. Through lasting relationships with collaboration partners and third-sector players and networks, researchers can realize sustained knowledge transfer as a permanent contribution to society rather than limiting it to individual projects and ideas.

Regional network

Thanks to multiple partnerships that have been in place for many years, regional transfer in educational science is as firmly established as the interregional activities of the discipline. We maintain partnerships with many professionals from Hamburg’s schools (primary schools, secondary schools, and vocational schools), youth work institutions, players from the field of social work, cultural institutions, adult education facilities in Hamburg, childcare centers, foundations and associations, administrative organs, and advisory services. Projects that foster the skills of school students are an integral part of our core activities, and some of them are permanent fixtures of the participating institutions.

The following diagram provides an overview of the central pillars of transfer activities in educational science, including their topics, target groups, and formats (provisional systematization):

In 2019, the Faculty of Education initiated an intensive process to raise awareness of its existing transfer activities, sharpen its transfer profile, and improve its efforts in this field. This ongoing process involves: several workshops within the faculty, extended cooperation with the State Institute of Teacher Training and School Development (LI), increased submission of applications to transfer-related funding programs (ExStra funds, Call4Transfer, Wirkung hoch 100), workshop on science communication / knowledge transfer for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers at the facult, launch of new website (only in german) and various other activities.

Contact us if you have any questions about our existing transfer activities or are interested in collaboration:

Claus Krieger(ProdekanatForschung.ew"AT"uni-hamburg.de), vice dean for research, graduate education and internationalization
Bente Gießelmann(bente.giesselmann"AT"uni-hamburg.de), advisor on science communication and transfer

Our new podcast "Bildungsschnack" (education talk) gives insights into the social relevance of our current research projects.