The promotion of networking among researchers and the initiation of new as well as the deepening of existing cooperations form an important area of responsibility of the IZeF. The IZeF promotes cooperation between the participating research and teaching areas of educational research at the University of Cologne and beyond. A central concern is the exchange among those actively involved in the IZeF as well as opening it up to other interested parties.
Below you will find an overview of some exemplary collaborations with institutions at the University of Cologne and beyond:
The interdisciplinary Graduate School is an institution of the Faculty of Human Sciences at the University of Cologne. It integrates research topics that deal with social and individual challenges of social transformation processes. Together with the Graduate School, the IZeF carries out various measures to promote young researchers, such as joint methodological workshops. The Graduate School aims to improve the framework conditions for doctoral training at the faculty. In doing so, it pursues the following goals in particular:
the development of innovative and transdisciplinary perspectives on complex problems of social change
the optimal preparation for an academic or non-academic career
the intensification and quality assurance of doctoral supervision
the promotion of the internationalization of doctoral education
the rapid integration of young academics into the scientific community.
The Graduate School was established as a measure of the university-wide Institutional Strategy within the framework of the Excellence Initiative of the German federal and state governments and is funded by the Excellence Initiative until December 2018.
e.g. the joint methods consultation office for doctoral students, which has been in existence since April 2021
Graduate School for teacher education (GSLB)
Seit 2015 bietet die Graduiertenschule für LehrerInnenbildung (GSLB) allen Kandidat*innen mit dem Weiterbildungsziel Promotion ein strukturiertes Unterstützungsprogramm. Das IZeF kooperiert mit der Graduiertenschule für LehrerInnenbildung (GSLB), um den forschungsmethodischen Kompetenzerwerb von Doktorand*innen der Universität zu Köln im Lehramtsbereich zu fördern und zu verbessern. Im April 2021 wurde hierfür bspw. eine neue Methodenberatungsstelle eingerichtet. Die Kooperation von IZeF und GSLB zielt außerdem darauf, das methodische Arbeitsfeld in der Universität zu Köln weiter zu vernetzen und den inhaltlichen Austausch zu fördern.
e.g. the establishment of research cooperation (Topic: Heterogeneity in schools and classrooms, with a special focus on adaptivity with regard to students and teachers as well as the professional competencies of teachers.) with joint workshops, conference symposia as well as several third-party funded projects, since 2016.
Institute for Educational Research (IfB) of the University of Wuppertal (BUW)
The "Institute for Educational Research" (IfB) is part of the School of Education at the University of Wuppertal. The IfB has two tasks: conducting empirical school research and teaching in the educational science parts of the courses of study preparing for the teaching profession.
Establishment of a research cooperation
In 2016, the establishment of a research cooperation between the IZeF and the Institute for Educational Research (IfB) in the context of teacher education and inclusion was started. Since then, regular cooperation meetings have taken place, where research approaches and projects of both institutions are presented, so that an intensive exchange about joint research among the involved actors is stimulated. Specific areas of intersection, which are suitable for a profiling of the research cooperation, have been identified in the field of interdisciplinary research on heterogeneity in school and teaching, with special consideration of adaptivity with regard to student and teacher level as well as the professional competencies of teachers.
*Literature tip: Joint thematic issue "Adaptive Handling of Heterogeneity in the Classroom" of the Journal Classroom-Science, eds.: Cornelia Gräsel & Johannes König.
Approval of joint projects
In the meantime, the cooperation has resulted in two joint externally funded research projects. These include the project "PARTI - Participation and Recognition in Response-To-Intervention (BMBF funding)", as well as the project "Wibales - Professional Knowledge of Teachers, Teaching Quality and Learning Progress of Students in Basic Reading and Writing Classes (DFG funding). Several other projects are currently being planned and some of them are about to be submitted for funding. Cooperation meetings are held every six months. The goal is a long-term interdisciplinary cooperation of educational science, psychology and special education.
e.g. member of the network since 2019, news report in the newsletter
Network Inclusion
In order to address the process of change in the German school and education system towards more inclusion, the Inclusion Network was founded at the University of Cologne in 2016. A number of members and cooperations are organized in the Inclusion Network. The goal is to exchange information about the focus and interfaces of the various activities and to jointly shape inclusive education at the University of Cologne. Since 2019, IZeF has been involved as a cooperation partner of the Inclusion Network and reports regularly in the newsletter, for example.
e.g. the joint organization of projects and events for students and teachers
Center for Teacher Education (ZfL)
The "Center for Teacher Education" (ZfL) at the University of Cologne coordinates, moderates, and shapes the teacher training program as a central scientific institution across faculties and universities. The team advises and accompanies prospective teachers from the orientation internship in the first semester to graduation and during the doctoral phase. The ZfL and the IZeF cooperate with each other in various ways: joint projects are carried out, ZfL employees are active in the workshops and offerings of the IZeF, and joint events are held, for example for students or teachers.
Under one roof, the ZfL houses the joint examination office, the graduate school, the counseling center and coordination offices for future-oriented aspects of teacher education. The ZfL actively participates in the development and design of structural, conceptual and organizational framework conditions and maintains a dialogue with institutions of university and practical teacher education as well as with the responsible ministries. The ZfL deals with progressive topics around school and education, takes up current challenges and developments such as inclusion, internationalization and diversity in society, school and education with its projects and initiates possible future perspectives.
e.g. overall coordination of the action-field quality assurance integrated in the IZeF
Media Labs and ViLLA-Projects anchored in the IZeF
Future Strategy for Teacher Education Cologne (ZuS): Action-field Quality Assurance
In the second funding phase, the University of Cologne is also participating in the nationwide "Quality Offensive Teacher Education" funded by the BMBF with a site-specific project: The "Future Strategy Teacher Education Cologne: Shaping Inclusion and Heterogeneity" (ZuS) addresses the challenges of teacher education, in particular the requirements of inclusion and the specific framework conditions at the University of Cologne. The IZeF is responsible for the coordination of the field of action "Quality Assurance" and the sub-project "Media Labs".
