University contract 2023-2027

Strategy and success of Coburg University of Applied Sciences

Our agreements for 2023-2027

The university contract defines the strategic goals and achievements of Coburg University of Applied Sciences in a binding manner. It describes the fields of action for profile development, setting priorities and quality assurance and regulates how progress is measured and reported. In this way, we create transparency and orientation – for the university and its partners.

University contract and framework agreement

Interim status of the university contract

Study and teaching, further education

Attractiveness and quality of studies and teaching

  • Development and implementation of measures to increase the mix parameter, e.g. through the InternationalNOW project group, the study program portfolio and the "Program Life Cycle".
    • Development of additional target groups through the introduction of five English-language Bachelor's degree courses in the winter semester 2025/26.
    • Introduction of the orientation semester (for summer semester 2023) leads to an increase in students
    • Successful establishment of the "Program Life Cycle" for setting up new degree programs.
    • Development of a strategic instrument for the analysis and target-oriented alignment of the existing and future study program portfolio with the needs of the students.
  • Establishment of the "Student Life Cycle" project group with a focus on "Student Success".
  • Ensuring the employability of national and international graduates through regular application workshops.
  • Promotion of interculturality, e.g. in the "GastFREUNDschaft" project or through participation in the "Sprachcafe".

Expansion of innovative teaching formats

  • Expansion of innovative teaching formats as part of the IMPACT teaching and learning festival, which focuses on project-centered and transfer-oriented teaching as an integral part of Studium Generale.
  • Since 2021, the university has been involved in the cooperative project "ii:oo – Digital Competence-Oriented Examination" (08/2021 – 12/2025, funded by the funding line Strengthening Higher Education through Digitalization of the Foundation Innovation in Higher Education), focusing on the development of digitally supported examinations in the field of computer science, among other things.
  • Development of the teaching mission statement.
  • Creation of a best-practice pool in the context of a university-specific setting for digitally supported teaching.

Expansion of further training and qualification programs in the sense of lifelong learning

  • Promoting flexible educational pathways by offering educational opportunities for people with different academic and professional experience.
  • Intensification of measures to promote and increase the national visibility of Bachelor's and Master's degree programs through extensive advertising campaigns, especially in social media.

Research

Expansion of research success

  • The Research and External Funding Service (FDS) supports the establishment of basic funding in the research area by systematically recording requirements (e.g. via third-party funding announcements or discussions with researchers).
  • Development of a research fund.
  • Establishment of the Research Strategy and Quality Management (FSQM) unit in August 2024.
  • Conception and planned establishment of a synchronized research data management system under the direction of the FSQM department with the participation of the library and IT services.
  • Conception and organization of an annual qualification program for all groups of doctoral candidates.

Further strengthening of research reputation

Impact on society and transfer

Expansion of start-up activities

  • Exceeding the status quo through new start-ups: In 2024, two start-ups were initiated in the areas of life coaching and social and childcare; three non-knowledge or research-based start-ups were already established in 2023 (future design/design, business administration, association for the promotion of sustainable development).
  • Development of a strategic concept for the expansion of start-up activities via entrepreneurship governance.
  • Establishment (04/2024) of a central contact point for people interested in starting a business via the start-up coordination.

Expansion of science communication

  • Creation of alanding pageon the university website for institutions interested in cooperation and transfer.
  • Establishment of key account management at executive committee level.
  • Establishment of a free university app.
  • Redesign of a responsive university website as a central communication platform.
  • Implementation of relevant knowledge transfer events that promote dialog and the transfer of ideas, knowledge and technologies with the various stakeholders in the region (e.g. Gender and Diversityday, IMPACT – The Innovation and Learning Festival, presentation of the CREAPOLIS Award, 3×3 – panel discussion and networking evening with bayme/vbm).

University staff, promotion of young and talented people

Attractiveness as an employer

  • Support for the doctorate through a wide range of personnel development programs.
  • Creation of attractive doctoral positions with strategic cooperation partnerships for a jointly supported doctoral project through the Tandem Offensive(IMPETUS).

Equality, equal opportunities, inclusion

Promoting diversity

  • Appointment of inclusion officers who support the inclusion of employees with disabilities by providing appropriate advice.
  • Establishment of an interdisciplinary project group "Diversity Strategy".
  • Implementation of the Gender and Diversity Day, where diversity and equality were discussed and information was provided.
  • Publication of press articles on the German Journalist Service and organization of relevant events with the aim of increasing the attractiveness as an employer for women in research, e.g. Praxistag 2024).
  • Advisory function in appointment procedures by IMPETUS, which draws attention to gender-sensitive language in job advertisements.
  • Increasing the research activities of female professors through various offers bundled by the Research and External Funding Service (FDS).

Improving participation

Internationalization

Strengthening international exchange

  • Coburg University of Applied Sciences is in a dynamic phase of internationalization, in which the importance of international students, global research cooperation and worldwide networking is continuously increasing.
  • Ongoing further development of the university's international orientation in order to successfully meet demographic challenges, among other things.
  • Development of additional target groups through the introduction of five English-language Bachelor's degree courses in the winter semester 2025/26 (InternationalNOW project group).

Cooperation and alliances

Strengthening cooperation with each other and with other research, art and educational institutions

  • Conceptual development of a strategy to strengthen strategic research partnerships. The Research and External Funding Service Unit and the Transfer and Entrepreneurship Unit are already actively supporting and promoting such collaborations.
  • Support for researchers in the initiation of consortia and the organization of networking events by the Research and External Funding Service Unit and the Transfer and Entrepreneurship Unit.
  • Regular participation of researchers in the BayIntAn funding guideline of the Bavarian Research Alliance.
  • Strategic partnership management in the research sector with the following cooperations: TAO (University of Bamberg, University of Bayreuth, University of Applied Sciences Hof), Doctoral Center NISys (TH Würzburg-Schweinfurt + TH Aschaffenburg), Cooperative Technology Transfer Center Upper Franconia (TH Nuremberg), FADZ Lichtenfels, BayWISS (Joint Colleges Health, Economics and Business, Energy, Social Change), Cooperative Institute Man and Aesthetics (University of Bamberg), BayFIS Consortium, Coburg University of Applied Sciences Design Forum.
  • Further new school collaborations were successfully concluded(overview of school collaborations).
  • Start of the cooperative Master's degree program "Applied Theatre: Theatre as Social Work" in the winter semester 2023/24.
  • Successful application and approval of the joint doctoral center "Sustainable and Intelligent Systems" (NISys) with the Technical University of Würzburg-Schweinfurt and the Technical University of Aschaffenburg.
  • Creation of alanding pageon the university website for institutions interested in cooperation and transfer.
  • Establishment of key account management at executive committee level.

Digital transformation, digitalization in science, teaching and administration

Digitization as a guiding principle in teaching, research and administration

  • Establishment of the Research Strategy and Quality Management Unit in August 2024.
  • Complete digitalization and optimization of processes in the area of the "Student Life Cycle".
  • Digitization of processes in the faculty/staff area as well as in digital deputation management, in the digital administration of teaching applications and other digital applications (e.g. applications for leave of absence).
  • Permanent and structured continuation and optimization of tasks in the PRIMUSS network.

Strengthening IT security

  • Measures implemented to design, test and establish a university information security system (HISP) are in line with the planned schedule.
  • As part of the ISMS introduction, the roles of ISB (Information Security Officer), ITSB (IT Security Officer) and BCB (Business Continuity Officer) were assigned.
  • Comprehensive introduction of multi-factor authentication.
  • Mandatory participation of all employees in annual data protection and IT security training.

Sustainability, climate protection

Sustainability in all performance dimensions

Climate neutrality

  • Greenhouse gas balancing of the entire Coburg University of Applied Sciences has been completed for 2023.
  • Annual update of the greenhouse gas balance planned.
  • Climate protection concept and its updating are running within the defined planning horizon. Targets are met on schedule.
  • Implementation of certificate courses on "Green Supply Network Management" to promote the expansion of economically and ecologically sustainable supply networks in companies. (Key topics include GHG accounting, sustainability reporting and risk management).
  • Implementation of curricular and extracurricular offers on the topic of "Sustainable Thinking and Business" as part of the third-party funded project ERIC "Entrepreneurship Track for Regional Impact on Global Challenges" (03/2022-02/2026, funded by the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts).

Quality assurance in research, teaching and administration

Regular review of strategic priorities

  • Quality assurance measures for the accreditation procedure were reviewed in the area of teaching. Necessary measures were derived for the evaluation of courses and the monitoring of degree programs and have largely been implemented.
  • Evaluation of the research priorities was carried out on 31.03.2025 according to the criteria of the HRK research map and resulted in complete fulfillment of the criteria.
  • The structures, processes and culture of the administration are analyzed and improved holistically.
  • Establishment and university-wide introduction of the "Program Life Cycle" control process.
  • All degree programs are or will be accredited in due time after their introduction.

Transparent use of resources and proper management

  • Successful filling of the "Internal Audit" position.
  • Concept (incl. guidelines) was created in version 0.3.

The website of Coburg University of Applied Sciences was translated using translation software provided by a third-party provider such as DeepL. The official text is the German version of the website. No liability is assumed, either explicitly or implicitly, for the accuracy, reliability, or correctness of the translations into another language.