About us
About us
Office for University and Trade Union Co-operation
The Cooperation Centre organises and moderates the dialogue between academia and the world of work. With a wide range of event formats and co-operation projects, we create lively spaces for exchange and networking between universities, trade unions and an interested public. Our aim is to make scientific findings accessible and usable for the world of work and to bring the interests, practical knowledge and problems of employees into the university. Through our work, we aim to contribute to the improvement of working and living conditions and to a socially and ecologically fairer, diversity-orientated society.
We work on various socially relevant topics. These include
- Change in work and shaping good work
- Socio-ecological transformation and sustainability
- Social inequality, anti-discrimination and diversity
- Equal opportunities and educational equity
- Social, structural and housing policy
- Regional economic and social structures
- Anti-fascism and strengthening democracy
Offers of the cooperation centre
- Communication and transfer of findings from science and the world of work
- Organisation of (regional) events such as conferences, lectures and workshops
- Participation in research work and practical projects
for academics & students
- Arranging contacts with trade unions and interest groups at regional companies and institutions
- Participation in projects and research related to the world of work
- Participation in the application for and realisation of third-party funded projects
- Developing and collaborating on teaching formats on labour and socio-political topics
- Support with questions about part-time jobs and internships at the campus office(www.uol.de/saw)
For trade unionists & Works and Staff Councils
- Arranging contacts with academics, e.g. for expert advice, expert opinions and as speakers
- Offering conferences and further training events
- Initiating and participating in studies on regional economic and social structures
- Placement as practice representatives in research and teaching
Are you interested in our services or do you have ideas for new co-operation projects? We look forward to hearing and reading from you!
History and structure
When the University of Oldenburg was founded in 1974, the university, the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) and the educational association "Arbeit und Leben" (Work and Life) concluded a cooperation agreement for the first time in Germany. This cooperation is coordinated by a team of experts: the Cooperation Centre, which has been a permanent institution of the University of Oldenburg since 1987. The work of the cooperation centre is supervised by a committee with equal representation from the trade unions and the university. The standard equipment is financed from state funds, all other activities are implemented with the support of the trade unions, the Hans Böckler Foundation and other third-party donors. The Oldenburg Cooperation Centre is a member of the Federal Working Group of Cooperation Centres and the Network of Cooperation Centres for Universities and Trade Unions in Lower Saxony and Bremen (see Networks).
References for further reading
Brodauf, Silke-Katharina (1985): Co-operation between universities and trade unions in Oldenburg (Schriftenreihe Kooperation Gewerkschaften-Hochschulen, No. 5), Oldenburg.
Büsing, Harald; Schencke, Hardo (ed.) (2016): Cooperation paths science - society. 40 years of co-operation agreement between universities and trade unions in Oldenburg. Oldenburg: BIS-Verlag der Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg.
HRK University Rectors' Conference (2017): Transfer and co-operation as tasks of universities. Resolution of the 23rd General Assembly of the HRK on 14 November 2017 in Potsdam. Berlin, Bonn.(https://www.hrk.de/fileadmin/redaktion/hrk/02-Dokumente/02-01-Beschluesse/Entschliessung_Transfer_und_Kooperation_14112017.pdf).
Kröcher, Uwe; Klöpper, Manfred; Czycholl, Claudia (2024): University and trade unions - 50 years of co-operation between two worlds. In: Jürgen Lüthje and Dietmar Schütz (eds.): 50 years of the University of Oldenburg: a stroke of luck for the city and region. Oldenburg: Isensee Verlag
Landfried, Klaus (2003): Foreword. In: Färber, Christiane et al. (eds.): Kooperation Wissenschaft Arbeitswelt. History, theory and practice of cooperation centres. Münster.
Mußmann, Frank (2021): The institutionalised form of cooperation between universities and the world of work. In: Denk-doch-Mal.de 02/2021: Science and trade unions.
Uechtritz, Michael (1983): Cooperation associations between universities and social organisations. The agreements of the universities of the employee organisations in Bremen, Oldenburg, Bochum, and Saarbrücken. Berlin.
Vetter, Heinz Oskar (1979): What do the trade unions expect from the universities? Speech on the occasion of the 450th anniversary celebrations at the University of Marburg on 29 June 1977. In: Bamberg, Hans-Dieter; Kröger, Hans Jürgen; Kuhlmann, Reinhard (eds.): Hochschulen und Gewerkschaften. Experiences, analyses and perspectives of trade union cooperation practice. Cologne.
German Council of Science and Humanities (2020): Application orientation in research. Position paper. Berlin.(https://www.wissenschaftsrat.de/download/2020/8289-20.html)
Co-operation Committee
The work of the cooperation centre is supported by a cooperation committee. This committee decides on work priorities and projects; ideas for cooperation topics are discussed.
The committee is made up of representatives from the university, the university of applied sciences and the trade unions.
Members of the cooperation committee
Chair: Dorothee Koch, DGB Oldenburg-Ostfriesland region
Deputy Chair: Prof. Dr Christiane Brors, University of Oldenburg
Other full members
- Dr Eva Clasen, DGB District Lower Saxony/Saxony-Anhalt
- Kornelia Haustermann, ver.di Weser-Ems district
- Johanna Waldeck, NGG Oldenburg/Ostfriesland region (currently on parental leave)
- Franka Helmerichs, IG Metall Emden
- Jürgen Faber, GEW Weser-Ems district
- Dr Björn Allmendinger, Work and Life Lower Saxony
- Alexander Oyen, IG BCE Oldenburg
- Prof Dr Christiane Brors, University of Oldenburg (group of university lecturers)
- Nikolaj Schulte-Wörmann, University of Oldenburg (group of academic staff)
- Dr Ulrike Langemann, University of Oldenburg (group of research assistants)
- Stefanie Lefherz, University of Oldenburg (MTV group)
- Carsten Bauer, University of Oldenburg (MTV group)
- Johannes Streicher, University of Oldenburg (student group)
- Bastian Göbbels, University of Oldenburg (student group)
Deputy members
- Martina Bruse, IGM Oldenburg-Wilhelmshaven
- Thomas Gelder, IG Metall Leer Papenburg
- Henning Wieben, ver.di Weser-Ems district
- Tammo Grabbert, Work and Life Lower Saxony
- John Matthies, DGB Oldenburg-Ostfriesland region
- Katharina Lenuck, ver.di Lower Saxony Bremen district
- Wencke Hlynsdóttir, GEW Weser-Ems
- Olaf Damerow, IG Bau District Association Northwest Lower Saxony
- Prof Dr Gregor Theilmeier, University of Oldenburg (group of university lecturers)
- Prof Dr Bernd Siebenhüner, University of Oldenburg (group of university lecturers)
- Dr Mareike Daeglau, University of Oldenburg (group of academic staff)
- Dr Sven Rößler, University of Oldenburg (group of academic staff)
- Christa Weers, University of Oldenburg (MTV group)
- Timm Behrendt, University of Oldenburg (MTV group)
- Kristina Hudjakov, University of Oldenburg (student group)
- Leonard Willen, University of Oldenburg (student group)