The University of Cologne, a UNAI member institution, is a leading university in teacher education. More than 10,000 future teachers are trained here for careers in the educational sector. The university works together with an extensive network of schools to ensure a symbolic transfer of cutting-edge research and real-world experiences. Their prospective teachers are equipped to become teacher scientists and change makers who craft lessons using quality and future-proofed scientific tools. The university's vision is to enhance teacher well-being through excellent research, studies, and innovation. The University of Cologne Teacher Education Hub, a new and innovative platform, unites stakeholders in teacher education for research, teaching, innovation, and civic engagement.
Their diverse offerings encompass various aspects of the educator lifecycle. Some of these include:
- Open Educational Resources (OER) are available at both the national and international levels across various subject areas, making them accessible to the general public;
- Participation in and the shaping of (inter)national “communities of practices” are encouraged, including initiatives through their European University Alliance EUniWell.
- Professional development and innovative opportunities, such as Makerspaces and Educathons, are integral to the Erasmus+ Teacher Academy program "Teacher Education for a Future in Flux.
- Competence Labs offers stimulating environments for innovative research and science-based experiences that current and prospective teachers can apply in their professional lives;
- Research is conducted at established institutes including the Interdisciplinary Center for Empirical Teacher and Teaching Research, the Interdisciplinary Research Center for Didactics in the Humanities, and the Mercator Institute for Literacy and Language Education. These projects address critical topics such as inclusion, digitalization, Environmental Sustainable Development, and multilingualism;
- Membership in a Graduate School for Teacher Education supports young researchers starting from the master's phase.
All of these programs are guided by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Teacher Education at the University of Cologne is particularly driven by the SDG 4: Quality Education, which intersects with various societal needs addressed by other SDGs (e.g. SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 10: Reduced Inequality). Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is an interdisciplinary concept that emphasizes the connections between the economy, society, and ecology, while fostering the active creation of a sustainable future. This approach interacts with multiple SDGs and include pratical implementations, such as the joint development of an ESD curriculum, interdisciplinary lecture series, and an internationally designed digital learning course under the TEFF initiative.
The university's mission is to promote well-being within educational context at individual, societal and international level. They collaborate with various educational and civic stakeholders to advance this mission. EUniWell has been playing a key role through their Teacher Education Arena and their network of 12 partner and cooperating universities, including Teachers College, Columbia University.
Equipping teachers for the future requires a holistic approach. At the University of Cologne, they strive to achieve this through scientific method and collaboration with schools, research institutions, and international partnerships. Most importantly, they prioritize the well-being of their educators, future educators, and the societies they will serve. By doing so, they aim to cultivate compassionate and vibrant school communities, create enriching learning environments, and develop teaching methodologies that serves as a societal vanguard for our democratic values and the heritage of Europe's future.
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