In addition to teaching, research is an important field of activity for the Department of Vocational and Business Education. Four research focuses characterise the research profile: epistemological beliefs, vocational education for sustainable development, learning tasks and the assessment and development of competences.

The following list of past and current projects provides an overview of our research activities:

• Sustainability in the transport and logistics industry(NaTuL)

• Sustainable management in the food trade - additional qualification for apprentices in the bakery and confectionery trade(NaWiL) (DBU; 07.019 - 12.2021)
• Promotion of (self-)reflection competence to link theory and practice in teacher training - An intervention study with student teachers(SeReKo) (BMBF; 03.2020 - 02.2023)
• Discourses on the futureSustainable management between society, economy and education - Transdisciplinary discourse arenas for modelling a sustainable economic order (MWK; 08.2018-10.2019)
• Business model and competence development for sustainable management(GeKoNaWi) (BMBF; 04.2016-03.2019)
• Innovation projects and innovation competence for sustainable development(InnoNE)(BMBF; 05.2016-04.2019)
• Development, implementation and evaluation of the advanced training programme for "Fachwirt/in - Erneuerbare Energien und Energieeffizienz (HWK)" (FEE) (BMBF; 11.2010-12.2013)
• Energy education competences for a sustainable school culture(ekonas) (MW; 11.2008-10.2011)
• Epistemological convictions of prospective commercial teachers regarding their own knowledge acquisition and the assumed knowledge acquisition of pupils (DFG; 11.2008-10.2010)
• Competence acquisition through learning tasks - didactic perspectives(KLee) (MWK; 07.2009-12.2009)
• Sustainability in the further training of trainers and skilled workers in the tourism industry(NA-FAU-MUS) (ESF; 08.2006-12.2007)
• Virtual Qualification Coach(Vico) (BMBF; 06.2003-06.2006)
• Environmental Communication & Employee Qualification (UK & MO) (DBU; 01.2002-04.2005)
• Environmentally sound vocational training in the new Federal States. Measures to promote the quality of academic environmental education