JACOBS UNIVERSITY BREMEN

German Science Council re-accredits Jacobs University:
"Successful Innovation in German higher education”

   

On January 28, the German Science Council announced Jacobs University’s re-accreditation for another 10 years. The council especially praised the realization of the university’s ambitious and distinct profile as a campus-research university with a broad range of internationally attractive Bachelor programs, excellent student tutoring and supervision, and an accomplished fusion of education and academic training. The research development was rated to be remarkable for the short period of time since the university’s founding; the council supports the thematic focussing of the research activities already set into motion.

[ Jan 28, 2008]  As a quality safeguard for students as well as future employers the German Science Council, which is the German government’s official counselling board in science and education matters, examines whether higher education institutions perform research and teaching according to recognized scientific standards. Whereas the concept for Jacobs University’s implementation had been the object of the first accreditation in 2001 (then as International University Bremen), the council concentrated on the following aspects during the re-accreditation procedure in 2007:

- Success in the teaching activities (such as graduate numbers and follow-up careers, final theses, and the students’ teaching evaluations)
- Research achievements (such as results of research projects, publications, doctoral degrees, third party funding, patents and patent applications, and awards)
- Results of quality control measures (such as evaluations, accreditations of study programs, and graduate surveys)

“Jacobs University’s stunning development since the first accreditation has been most convincing,” says Peter Strohschneider, Chair of the German Science Council, about the council’s positive vote.

Joachim Treusch, President of Jacobs University, commented: “To make a success of Jacobs University in just over six years was only possible because of the extraordinary commitment of all the numerous persons involved. The council’s highly positive assessment of most of our activities and the renewed accreditation for the maximum period of 10 years is a recognition the whole university can be very proud of. It is encouraging, that the council’s recommendations to a great extend match our own concepts and plans for our future development.”

In its statement the council describes Jacobs University’s profile as an international research university that blends U.S-American and European elements of higher education as “ambitious but according to its present achievements plausible.” The university’s rapid expansion from 131 students and 25 professors in 2001 to more than 1100 students and 100 professors today is rated as ample proof for the successful implementation of an internationally attractive Bachelor education with progressive curricula in a broad range of fields from engineering, the natural, social, and behavioural sciences as well as the humanities. The student tutoring and supervision was rated to be “excellent”. In terms of graduate education the council recommends to keep the current ratio of 1:2 (graduates to undergraduates) in order not to draw too many resources from the “outstanding” undergraduate education. The council in general declared the transfer of an American college type education into the German higher education system as a “successful innovation.”

The council described the development of the university’s research activities in terms of scope and results as “in many areas remarkable – especially considering the short period since the university’s founding.” The council sees the concentration on the university’s five new research foci “bio-geo-marine resources”, “modelling of complex systems”, “transformations of societies, cultures, and institutions”, “Asia and Europe” as well as “productive adult development” as a fitting measure to further promote the university’s aim of becoming an internationally recognized research institution. Within its regional scientific and business environment however, the council recognizes Jacobs University already as “impressively well-connected” with much strategic collaboration.

Jacobs University’s financial situation has been considerably consolidated since 2001, especially by the 200-million-euro commitment of the Jacobs Foundation in fall 2006. Moreover, the council sees the university’s financial planning as satisfactorily secured for the whole re-accreditation period. Additional efforts in third party fundraising however, as well as fundraising in general, remain to be among the chief tasks the university should manage over the coming years.

 


Author: Kristin Beck. Last updated on 29.01.2008. © 2008 Jacobs University Bremen, Campus Ring 1, 28759 Bremen. All rights reserved. No unauthorized reproduction. http://www.jacobs-university.de. For all general inquiries, please call the university at +49 421 200-40 or mail to info@jacobs-university.de.