“Freiraum” at 1,100 metres above sea level
Freiburg, 01/04/2025
The Foundation Innovation in Higher Education promotes student concept developments for the use of the University building on the Schauinsland.
Few University buildings have a view rivalling that of the Uni-Haus on the Schauinsland. It was built by the University of Freiburg in 1934 in the characteristic Black Forest style. Generations of alumni remember seminars and cabin weekends in the former student house. Operations have been at a standstill since 2021 and a new utilisation concept has been lacking so far.
Uni-Haus Freiburg – a Co-Creation-LernLabor
From April 2025, the Foundation Innovation in Higher Education will support the project “Uni-Haus Freiburg – a Co-Creation-LernLabor” (Co-Creation Learning Lab) for two years with approx. 370,000 euros as part of the “Freiraum 2025” programme. In a two-stage process, it convinced the project selection committee with its innovative interdisciplinary teaching concept. The project was acquired by Sabine Wieland-Poscher, the chancellor’s advisor for special construction projects. It combines theory and practice in teaching and offers the prospect of the building being used again by the University of Freiburg. The project is assigned to the Business Unit of Teaching and Learning.
“In teaching, we are always very grateful when students can apply their theoretical knowledge to specific projects. I am very excited to see the students’ applying concepts for the University building”
Prof. Dr. Michael Schwarze
Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, University of Freiburg
Students are addressing the question of what role the Uni-Haus can play for the University of Freiburg
The Co-Creation Learning Lab will be set up for four semesters. After a needs assessment in the 2025 summer semester, students from the Institute for Cultural Analysis / European Ethnology (Prof. Dr. Markus Tauschek), the Institute for Finance, Controlling and Entrepreneurship (Prof. Dr. Stephan Lengsfeld) and the Institute for Sustainable Systems Engineering (Prof. Dr. Holger Neuhaus) will spend two semesters working on the house from their respective professional perspectives.
The historical context of its creation will be examined, as will the possibility of future economically, ecologically sustainable and energy-autonomous use of the building, for example for teaching and research. The Co-Creation Learning Lab is the unifying element for the disciplines to find out how, for example, innovative teaching-learning concepts can be structurally incorporated into the revitalisation of the building.
The Centre for Key Qualifications, the student body and the University’s alumni will be included in the considerations. A history workshop is being considered, through which the personal experiences of alumni will be incorporated into the project. In the final summer semester of 2027, the results will then be presented in various formats, also developed by the participants. The plan is to carry out the entire project in close dialogue with the University community.
Further Information
The Foundation Innovation in Higher Education (StIL) is funding 153 projects for innovative teaching. The projects were selected from the applications for the “Freiraum 2025” call for proposals. Teaching staff can use this funding to develop and test new ideas; there is no thematic focus. The total funding volume for the selected projects is around 50 million euros. The projects will start on April 1, 2025. The Foundation Innovation in Higher Education has been committed to innovation in teaching and learning throughout Germany since 2021.