University Strategy Unit - focus on teaching
University Strategy Unit - focus on teaching
The Staff Unit University Strategy - Focus on Teaching supports the Presidential Board and the strategic development of the university through conceptual work on strategic issues, support for the strategic development of study programmes, coordination of third-party funding applications for strategically relevant teaching projects as well as management and monitoring of project implementation, support for digital transformation and further development of the Open University profile element.
Latest news
Call for participation: Testing digital teaching/learning tools in the InnoTools project
In the sub-project "Discovering, testing and providing innovative teaching/learning tools" (InnoTools) (joint project "Digital Teaching Hub Lower Saxony"), digital tools are systematically tested for their didactic, technical and legal suitability for university teaching and trialled in test phases. Teachers are being sought for the test phases who are interested in trying out selected tools in their own teaching and contributing their experience to the process. Teachers will receive needs-based support from the project team in counselling and feedback sessions. Interested teachers are cordially invited to join the study group "Tool tests with InnoTools" study group, where further information is provided.
Contact person: Verena Honkomp-Wilkens,
KIKO: Handout configurator ensures greater transparency in dealing with Generative AI (GKI)
Teachers are faced with the challenge of agreeing regulations on the use (or non-use) of CCIs with students in their courses and making them transparent. To support lecturers in this, the USL staff unit in co-operation with participate@UOL and in consultation with the Deans of Studies of all Schools, the GKI handout configurator "KIKO"was developed. KIKO enables lecturers to create a customised handout for their own course using a modular principle. KIKO will initially be available online for a pilot phase in winter semester 2025/26. The findings from this pilot phase will be analysed and incorporated directly into the further development of the service.
Contact person: Susanne Schorer,
New "Exam formats" working group dedicated to the development of AI-robust exam formats
The use of AI by students is calling many common examination formats into question. In co-operation with the joint project "Digital Teaching Hub Lower Saxony" (DLHN), the new "Exam formats" working group is dedicated to developing and trialling AI-robust examination formats and testing their suitability for everyday (university) use. If you are interested in participating or would like to share in the results, you can find more information in the study group "AG Prüfungsformate - Developing, discussing and testing AI-robust examination formats".
Contact persons: Susanne Schorer, and Dr Janine Horn,
WUOLKI - Welcome to the University of Oldenburg KI
Based on the development areas of the "Participate@UOL" project, the prototype AI chatbot "WUOLKI"(Welcometo the University of Oldenburg AI) was developed with the participation of the USL staff unit. As part of the project, the self-image was formulated to make access to the wide range of support services for students at the University of Oldenburg as low-threshold as possible. As students are increasingly using various AI tools in their day-to-day studies, but these do not yet reflect the university-specific support services, the idea was born to develop a dedicated AI system tailored to the university. WUOLKI is intended to help promote student participation and support students in actively shaping university learning and experience spaces (Link: WUOLKI // University of Oldenburg).
Contact persons: Peter England and Edison Blakcori
Launch of the new certificate programme: "Certificate in Education Critical of Anti-Semitism in Lower Saxony in the Context of Schools" (ZABIN)
In the winter semester 2025/2026, under the coordination of the USL staff unit the new state-wide extracurricular "Certificate in Education Critical of Antisemitism in Lower Saxony in the Context of Schools" (ZABIN). Student teachers of all subjects and school types from all over Lower Saxony can register for the programme. In a total of three modules totalling 15 CP/CP, participants critically examine different forms of anti-Semitism - both direct and structural anti-Semitism - and reflect on society's involvement in it. Last but not least, they will acquire and develop skills to counter anti-Semitism in the school context.
Contact: Dr Carina Branković and Friederike Henjes,
SOUVER@N General Meeting 2025 at the UOL
Under the overarching motto "Sustainability and reuse of results achieved in other contexts", the joint project "SOUVER@N - Digital Teaching and Learning in Lower Saxony", which is currently in the project completion phase, focused on the long-term safeguarding and possibilities for (re-)use of the products, achievements and experiences gained in the project at the overall meeting on 23 and 24 June 2025. A detailed report and access to results and products can be found on the SOUVER@N website.
Contact person: Dr Norbert Kleinefeld
Establishment of the "Digital Teaching" working group
One measure for implementing the digitalisation strategy is the "consolidation and coordination of the development of qualification offers for lecturers and students on digital teaching". On 19 August 2025, the USL staff unit met with employees from the BIS - Library and Information System, the Department for Study Affairs (University Didactics), Division 1 - Human Resources/Organisation and the Central Study and Career Counselling Service (ZSKB) and the "Digital Teaching" working group was set up. The aim is to coordinate and network as well as to record and visualise existing qualification offers for lecturers and students on digital teaching at the UOL. These should then also be mapped/linked on the interactive platform for digitalisation and AI in teaching and learning. The "Digital Teaching" working group will meet again in autumn 2025 to discuss further goals and steps.
Contact person: Dr Katrin Brinkmann
Development of an interactive platform on digitalisation and AI in studies and teaching
As part of the measures to implement the digitalisation strategy, the USL staff unit is currently working on the development of an interactive platform for digitalisation and AI in studying and teaching. Prototyping is currently being carried out in Stud.IP to map possible functions. This is based on initial surveys on the needs of teaching staff in all School departments. Here, uncomplicated networking and exchange, also against the background of different levels of experience and intensity of use, were concerns expressed across faculties. This will be taken up prominently in the further development and design of the platform and the formats developed will be tested for manageability and usefulness in everyday teaching.
Contact person: Anastasia Selischew
