Research

Research is the cornerstone of a knowledge-based society. As a higher education institution that is fully authorised to confer doctoral and post-doctoral degrees, we engage in educational science and teaching methodology as well as in subject-specific research. Our focus is on exploring the foundations of education from early childhood education to school and adult education through to geragogics. 

We form an integral part of the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion where numerous universities and research institutions as well as businesses and public authorities closely work together to strengthen and promote the region as a hub for business, science and innovation. Our University also collaborates with partners from the fields of society, culture, education and politics.

Our unique profile is shaped by our focus on our profile areas

1. Education in a democratic society,
2. Educational Processes in the Digital World, and
3. STEM in a culture of sustainability​​​​​​​.

Researchers and teachers from various departments work together across disciplines.

Within the framework of multifaceted research projects, they investigate how teaching and learning work today, develop new concepts regarding significant current topics and thus shape the educational processes of the future. To closely link theory and practice and transfer research activities and results into teaching and continuing education is a key concern of our university. That is why we collaborate with numerous higher education institutions as well as regional, national and European cooperation partners.

A special highlight of our university are the numerous Teaching and Learning Labs (TLL, Lehr-Lern-Labore, LLL). These are learning environments outside the classroom for day-care children and pupils, where new educational services and teaching concepts for the STEM subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Informatics, Mathematics and Physics) are being developed, tested and scientifically evaluated within the context of the research we perform in didactics.

Since 2013, the volume of third-party funding we have raised has almost doubled. Besides our University Development Projects these include but are not limited to 

• the lighthouse project funded by the Ministry of Science, Research and Arts of Baden-Württemberg (Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst, MWK) MINT²KA,
• the interdisciplinary research and school development project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, BMBF) to promote high-achieving and particularly capable learners "Leistung macht Schule (LemaS)" (Promoting Excellence in School Education),
• the educational initiative  Bildungsinitiative L² - Fostering an active teaching and learning culture at the University of Education Karlsruhe, which is also funded by the BMBF and
• the InDiKo project, which  forms part of the "Qualitätsoffensive Lehrerbildung", an initiative launched by the Federal Government and the Länder to enhance the quality of teacher education, and is dedicated to the sustainable integration of subject-specific digital teaching and learning concepts.

The Research Department (Forschungsreferat) supports the researchers at our university in their efforts to acquire funding. In addition, the department develops and organises customised training and qualification programmes for researchers at all career stages.

The Graduate School (Graduiertenakademie der Pädagogischen Hochschulen, graph) is the joint graduate school of the Universities of Education in Baden-Württemberg that is dedicated to the promotion of early-stage researchers. The University of Education Karlsruhe is home to the branch office of the graduate school.

Please see the homepage of the Graduiertenakademie (in German language) for further information on the qualification programme offered by the graduate school.