University of Hagen

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FernUniversität in Hagen (University of Hagen) is the only state-funded distance education university in the German-speaking community that offers quality-assured, supervised distance teaching with Bachelor's and Master's programs, doctoral studies as well as numerous certificates and Open Access studies. Established in 1974 as a university of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it is today Germany's largest university in terms of student numbers, offering German-language study programs and flexible study options that can be adapted to the life situations of its diverse student body. All academic fields pursue both theoretical and applied research in the academic fields of its four faculties: Humanities and Social Sciences, Mathematics and Computer Science, Economics and Business Administration, as well as Law.
FernUniversität in Hagen is a member of the European University Association (EUA), the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU), the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE), the European University Continuing Education Network (EUCEN), Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD German Academic Exchange Service), Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG German Research Foundation) and the Hochschulrektorenkonferenz (HRK German Rectors' Conference).
The teaching concept developed at FernUniversität in Hagen is based on the Blended Learning method. It combines printed study materials with multimedia and Internet-assisted forms of teaching and learning and optional face-to-face seminars. Studies at FernUniversität can thus be organized according to individual life situations with full flexibility concerning time and location. The multi-faceted gateway for virtual student support is complemented by personal counseling and mentoring, student study groups, and seminars on-campus in Hagen or regional centers in Germany and abroad. FernUniversität's teaching Certificate offers extensive in-house training for staff, focusing on instructional design in e-learning and distance teaching.
Research at FernUniversität ranges from theoretical research to application-oriented research projects. Research is embedded in the traditions of the respective subject areas and these subject-specific projects; the range also includes interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary projects. Research at FernUniversität ranges from theoretical research to application-oriented research projects. Research is embedded in the traditions of the respective subject areas and these subject-specific projects; the range also includes interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary projects.
Research on distance education has, of course, been a major interdisciplinary field at FernUniversität since its founding. In 2017, the interdisciplinary focus "Digitalization, diversity, and lifelong learning" had been established. Other projects include Media Didactics and Research, Diversity Inclusion in Media-Assisted Distance Teaching, Cooperative Working and Learning in Virtual Organizations, and Technologies for the Knowledge Society.
Four faculties offer a wide range of subjects from humanities and social sciences, business administration and economics, mathematics and computer science, and legal studies. More than 20 German-language degree programs leading to internationally recognized Bachelor's and Master's degrees could be studied. Also, numerous Certificates and Open Access Studies in continuing and professional education, some of which are offered in English, complement career planning or build on academic qualifications already acquired. Students enroll in full or part-time, depending on their needs. Of course, opportunities for doctoral and postdoctoral studies are also available at FernUniversität. On the labor market, graduates of FernUniversität are appreciated for their proactiveness, organizational skills, and strength of purpose.
FernUniversität values diversity and is committed to equal opportunities in education. Students come with various educational biographies, originate from a wide range of cultural backgrounds, and pursue individual educational goals. FernUniversität provides people in regular employment and vocational training, with family responsibilities or physical handicap, individuals living abroad, top athletes, and highly gifted secondary school students with an opportunity to acquire academic qualifications. About 80 % of our students are in regular employment. FernUniversität has been one of the first universities to admit professionals with non-academic vocational qualifications. The university offers support to students with disabilities or chronic illnesses, such as audio and tactile processing of study materials. As a family-friendly distance education university, FernUniversität is committed to promoting the compatibility between family, employment, and studying.
The largest Faculty at FernUniversität investigates collective action and societal phenomena by looking at their emergence and development within specific historical, social, political, cultural, or psycho-social contexts.
Programs are offered in seven disciplines, including psychology, educational and political sciences, literary studies, sociology, history, and philosophy. Together, they cover a total of more than 30 subject areas.
Here, scientists are engaged in analyzing and explaining society's mechanisms of action, history, and knowledge from different perspectives. In this context, society can be understood as a place of diversity in values and standards, life situations, or cultural and social characteristics. The research findings are included in the teaching program and are used for further development of course contents.
This faculty practices connectivity between its subject-related cultures of Mathematics, Computer Sciences, and Electrical Engineering. The Faculty's subjects' common denominator consists of logical structures, formalisms, figures, formulae, and algorithms, i.e., mathematical expressions and ways of logical thinking. Researchers engage in detecting underlying structures in various contexts, identifying their patterns, and describing them in the form of abstract models. Inversely, computerized and technological systems are derived from abstract models and sequence descriptions.
For students, this means that not one of these subjects can be studied without including content from the others. Computer Science requires a basic knowledge of mathematics, while for Mathematics, some knowledge of computer science is also necessary. Due to the blurred borderlines between the disciplines, graduates may be found in various occupational fields. Studies in Mathematics may quite easily lead to a position in the software industry, while graduates in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering may find their place in the automotive industry.
The Faculty of Business Administration and Economics forms the nexus between science, industry, commerce, and society and qualifies students for a position in this complex decision-making environment.
Thanks to the cooperation between the three subject areas of Business Administration, Economics, and Business Informatics, the Faculty has an interdisciplinary program and offers a comprehensive scientific portfolio in its Bachelor's and Master's degree programs. In terms of student numbers, it ranks among the largest faculties of economic sciences nation-wide.
Thanks to the wide range of modules available, students can specialize at an early stage for their future occupation fields: from accountancy, organization/human resources, and logistics to marketing.
Besides subject-related research, the Faculty focuses on interdisciplinary and application-related research and research questions with social relevance. The portfolio of specialized research includes the analysis of computer-assisted corporate information processing, the investigation of behavior in service processes, and research on environmental economics, sports controlling, personnel management, investment theory, and fighting corruption. Jointly with the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, scientists explore ways to optimize decision-making processes with new software.

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