Establishing New Study Programs
In order to be accredited, degree programs must meet the following criteria:
- The program fits the profile of the University of Bremen and the development goals of the Faculty.
- There is a corresponding research background at the University.
- Availability of the requisite resources.
- Opportunities for cooperation within the University and with other universities have been examined and acted on in a meaningful way.
- There is a need for the academic or profession-oriented qualification in question.
- The program fits in with the science planning of Bremen.
- The legal framework is adhered to.
Study Program Concept
The basis for the development of every degree program is a coherent concept.
When planning a program, the respetive coordinator uses a standard form to structure the idea. The outline plan clarifies the most important substantive and structural questions as well as the involvement of all relevant actors. The Faculty decides internally about the planning. Once this has been done, the completed outline plan is submitted to the Staff Unit Teaching and Learning.
In consultation with the persons responsible, the Staff Unit Teaching and Learning presents the new program concept to the University Executive Board.
The University Executive Board decides whether further planning should go ahead and a possible start date for the new program. In individual cases, the establishment of a new program may be refused, particularly if it is foreseeable that it does not fit into the profile or is insufficiently financed in terms of expected capacity.
The Documents for Establishing a New Program
The procedure for establishing new programs is based on standardized documents. Templates can be found in the download area of the QM portal.
The dean's office of the respective department takes care of coordinating the contents of the documents for the new degree program. The establishment of new teacher training programs will be coordinated by the Center for Teacher Training (ZfL) in consultation with the Faculties.
In the case of an interdisciplinary degree program in which various Faculties are involved, a joint committee (GbA) is already to be established at the outset of planning the new study program. This committee addresses all the substantive questions that will then be decided on in the Faculty Councils. In the case of teacher training programs, the ZfL performs this coordinating function.
The Staff Unit Teaching and Learning supports the persons responsible for the study program in implementing the requirements and consults with the Department of Student Affairs. The corresponding templates can be found in the QM portal.
External review
On completion of the overall concept, the Faculty will collect feedback from at least four external experts on the basis of the available documents: two university professors, a practicing member of the respective profession, and a student representative. The Faculty is to ensure that the program content is appropriately assessed by the field.
The assessment can be organized procedurally or ensured by a permanent advisory board installed at the institute or Faculty level. The external review process is organized by the Faculty, which also coordinates the preparation of the report and consultation with the experts.
In the case of teacher training programs, the Senate Department of Education must be involved. The Office of the dean then conducts a final evaluation; the Faculty Council approves the establishment of the study program.
Accreditation, Establishment of New Programs and Approval
The Staff Unit Academics draws up a proposal for the University Leadership based on the submitted documents and the report. This proposal also serves as a basis for the subsequent publication of the accreditation information in the QM portal.
The University Leadership accredits the program, if necessary with conditions. In the case of teacher training programs, the Staff Unit Academics obtains the approval of the Senate for Children and Education for accreditation.
The application for establishment of a new degree program will then be submitted to the Academic Senate for approval. Following this, the Senate for Science, Health and Consumer Protection will be notified and approval of the program will be requested.
It is only after the approval has been obtained that student applications and enrolment can take place. The entire process can take at least one and a half years, depending on the status of the preliminary work.