University wins prize from the Stifterverband

At the grand final in Berlin, Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg and four other finalists prevailed against 105 competitors from universities and universities of applied sciences. HBRS-StartGut will thus be funded with up to 250,000 euros.

The aim of the Stifterverband was clear: the association wants to support universities in developing an entry system that addresses the special requirements of an increasingly diverse student body, increases academic success and improves the quality of teaching. And it is precisely these goals that HBRS-StartGut is pursuing: the project identifies the need for support for students with their respective educational biographies and offers them individualised and needs-oriented support. The support is provided both in terms of personal development and in the subject area. In the first step, the project will be implemented as a pilot in the Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Technical Journalism department and then transferred to other departments

Another special feature of HBRS StartGut is that the university actively approaches students who are at an increased risk of dropping out. Two study entry routes are offered: For applicants who want to enter the funding programme directly, this is done in an assessment with subsequent counselling before the start of the course. In the case of indirect entry, students in their first semester who show weaknesses or no longer appear are approached by the university in order to explain the options available to them for support towards academic success.

HBRS StartGut will work closely with existing programmes such as Pro-MINT-us; the project coordinator is Professor Jürgen Apfelbeck from the Department of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Technical Journalism

Photo: © David Außerhofer/ Stifterverband