Quality in teaching
Success in teaching depends on quality assurance, constructive feedback, shared values and goals, and a culture of appreciation and support.
The University of Freiburg has therefore developed structures designed to promote excellence, development and innovation in teaching: through dialogue with lecturers, students and administrative staff, a comprehensive quality management system has been established that takes into account the experiences of all groups within the University.
Internal accreditation, a central evaluation service and regular surveys enable the continuous, evidence-based development of degree programmes.
Guidance is provided by the Mission Statement for learning and teaching , as well as jointly formulated quality objectives that embed skills-oriented, research-based and future-focussed teaching across all disciplines. The University Teaching Award recognises outstanding commitment and demonstrates that good teaching is valued at the University of Freiburg.
To continuously develop its teaching, the University promotes innovative teaching formats, particularly in the fields of artificial intelligence, digitalisation and interdisciplinarity. These incentives have already yielded a multitude of fundamental innovations – from AI-supported learning platforms to virtual laboratories that expand access to research infrastructures
Internal accreditation
The University of Freiburg’s quality assurance system has been assessed by the Accreditation Council of the German Federal States for Quality Assurance in Studies and Teaching at German Higher Education Institutions as being so reliable that it has held system accreditation since 2020.
This means that it has established appropriate structures and processes to take on the task of quality assurance and quality development for its degree programmes itself. The University of Freiburg is authorised to assess its own degree programmes and award them the Accreditation Council’s seal of approval.
Central evaluation service
Through its Central Evaluation Service (ZES), the University of Freiburg offers support to faculties in conducting course and module evaluations in a timely and (partially) automated manner.
The ZES coordinates course evaluations and enables lecturers to receive student feedback on their courses. The evaluation includes questions on general teaching skills, workload and learning outcomes, amongst other things.
Central surveys
The surveys of students and graduates enable a university-wide evaluation of study programmes and teaching, and are designed to support the faculties and departments in their own quality improvement initiatives in these areas. Students are asked to assess their own study experience in terms of the quality of their studies and the conditions under which they are undertaken. Graduates provide feedback on how well they are prepared for the labour market, how their transition into working life went, and which skills acquired during their studies are particularly relevant in their professional work. In addition, satisfaction with study conditions is assessed retrospectively.
Quality objectives for learning and teaching
The University of Freiburg’s quality objectives in the area of learning and teaching were developed with the involvement of all University staff and student groups and were implemented individually by each faculty. The Mission Statement for learning and teaching was then adopted on the basis of these faculty-specific quality objectives.
LEARNING. As a research university, the University of Freiburg aims to provide its students with scientific, disciplinary and personal skills that prepare them for the national and international job market.
TEACHING. The University is committed to ensuring and actively promoting high-quality, pedagogically informed teaching in order to enable students to acquire competencies at the highest level. Research-oriented teaching is of particular importance in this context.
FRAMEWORK. Through the sustainable use of resources, centralised support services, and a strong service culture, the University ensures favourable study conditions and promotes their ongoing development.
VALUES. The planning and delivery of learning and teaching are guided by a commitment to equal opportunities, an appreciation of diversity, the promotion of internationalisation, and the ongoing pursuit of quality development.
Mission Statement for Learning and Teaching
Through a multi-stage process involving students, teaching staff and administrative staff, the University of Freiburg has drawn up a Mission Statement for Learning and Teaching, which was last revised in 2025. The mission statement sets out the values and principles governing learning, teaching and study, and describes the culture of learning and teaching at the University of Freiburg. It has a significant influence on teaching and study and provides guidance for both staff and students.
University Teaching Award
Excellent teaching is recognised at the University of Freiburg: every year, the University Senate awards the University Teaching Award in recognition of innovative and outstanding teaching.
The prize is awarded to two individuals, each of whom receives €5,000 in prize money. They are free to use this money for teaching purposes at the University of Freiburg as they see fit.
Innovation in teaching
The University of Freiburg prepares students for the challenges of the future and uses technological advances to continuously develop its teaching.
Through funding schemes, the University creates spaces in which teaching and learning can be reimagined, new concepts tested and innovation fostered.
In particular, the University of Freiburg supports the integration of artificial intelligence into teaching, digital teaching, learning and assessment formats, and the development of interdisciplinary programmes.
