University Network for Social Responsibility

About

48 Member Universities

The goal of the University Network for Social Responsibility is to actively shape the social responsibility of universities, to enable partnerships between civil society organizations and universities, and to facilitate the mutual transfer of knowledge. We strengthen the civil society engagement and transfer activities of students, teachers and university staff. The university network sees itself as a competence and exchange platform for the promotion of innovative formats in the field of teaching and learning, transfer and research. This includes formats such as service learning, community research, social entrepreneurship education, camps-community partnerships, reallabs and education for sustainable development.

The University Network for Social Responsibility was founded in 2009 and is the largest German-speaking university network after the HRK. We currently reach 48 universities and 9 civil society organizations.

Video about the University Network for Social Responsibility

Learn more about the university network from Jörg Miller (1st speaker)

Annual Meeting 2023

Registration for the annual conference now open.

What we offer

Our mission

Responsibility for the future of our society


Universities make an essential contribution to the further development of our society, especially against the backdrop of drastic societal challenges such as digitization, climate change, sustainability and health. In research, teaching and transfer, the tasks of our universities go far beyond merely producing economically usable results, imparting skills and enabling students for the labor market. Universities are there to increase the knowledge and skills of a society in order to master current and future challenges in the technical, social and cultural sense, and to promote sustainable social participation for all.

Examples and forms of social responsibility at universities


Social responsibility of universities aims at two focal points: a societal focus and a focus on the common good, and the establishment of innovative cooperations between universities and civil society actors.

Download the memorandum

Projects

Resources

The Erasmus+-Projekt “Service Learning, Inclusion and Digital Empowerment” (SLIDE) has the following goals:

  • Enable universities to design digital teaching, e.g. by imparting knowledge in the use of new technologies.
  • Closing the knowledge gaps between assumed and actual competence of teachers. This includes raising awareness of less privileged and/or underrepresented groups and addressing current social issues.
  • All of this is to be done in conjunction with service learning approaches.

The SLIDE Manifesto addresses all relevant stakeholders in the field of service-learning. Its statements challenge current approaches to teaching and learning and encourage readers to think about a new paradigm in which online and offline components go hand in hand. The manifesto is intended as a platform for further debate and as a resource for stakeholders.

Download SLIDE Manifesto

The short lecture series Service Learning includes 15 videos on all aspects of service learning

The deck of cards helps implement service learning at universities and includes a total of 78 cards divided into seven categories. Successful patterns of good practice are presented and discussed on the cards. The documented patterns are an essential base of experiential knowledge on service learning and campus community partnerships. They enable teaching and learning related to community engagement to be successfully designed.

More information on the website of the card deck

Campus und Gesellschaft (2020)

Service Learning at German Universities. Positions and Perspectives

Service learning is widely regarded as a teaching-learning format that promotes students’ personalities and adds value to society. Service learning is often used as a projection screen for professions and hopes that are hardly reflected upon. The authors of this book come from both higher education and society. They have been instrumental in shaping the development of service learning. In their contributions, they discuss ambivalences and challenges of service learning beyond preconceived beliefs, draw a (self-)critical balance, provide new food for thought, and point out perspectives.

Further information on the publisher’s website

We expressly thank the supporters of the university network for their support so that universities can teach and assume social responsibility in all courses of study or research areas.

The Research Institute for Social Cohesion (FGZ) is an institute funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. It is located in ten different German states and thus also focuses on the regional diversity of social cohesion in Germany.

From 2007 to 2013, the Robert Bosch Stiftung funded the development and dissemination of the ‘Do it!’ program of the mehrwert Stuttgart agency. Around 25 universities in Germany have adopted and implemented the key competency-oriented service learning program to date. From 2014 to 2017, the Robert Bosch Stiftung supported the mehrwert agency in the conception and realization of the ‘Academy Education through Responsibility’, which was handed over to the university network in 2017.

Stiftung Mercator funded UNIAKTIV at the University of Duisburg-Essen from 2006 to 2009. In 2010, Stiftung Mercator also joined forces with the Stifterverband to launch the competition “More than research and teaching! Universities in Society,” in which the six winning universities were supported in their work over two years (2011 to 2013).

In 2010, the Donors’ Association for the Promotion of Sciences and Humanities in Germany (Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft) and the Mercator Foundation launched the competition “More than research and teaching! Universities in Society,” in which the six winning universities were supported in their work over a period of two years (2011 to 2013). In 2015, the “Campus & Community” funding program was launched.

Das Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend hat von 2013 bis 2015 das Projekt „Potentialförderung für Lernen durch bürgerschaftliches Engagement und gesellschaftliche Verantwortung an Hochschulen“ gefördert, das von einem Verbund von fünf deutschen Hochschulen (alle tragende Mitglieder des Hochschulnetzwerks) verantwortet wird und dessen Ergebnisse unter „Campus vor Ort“ zusammen getragen wurden.From 2013 to 2015, the German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth funded the project “Promoting Potential for Learning through Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility at Universities,” which is the responsibility of an association of five German universities (all supporting members of the university network) and whose results were compiled under “Campus vor Ort”.

The board of the network

Joerg-Miller

Jörg Miller


Erster Sprecher des Hochschulnetzwerks (Uni Duisburg-Essen)

First speaker of the university network (Uni Duisburg-Essen)

Karl-Heinz-Gerholz

Prof. Dr. Karl-Heinz Gerholz


Zweiter Sprecher (Uni Bamberg)

Second speaker / University of Bamberg

Julia-Derkau

Julia Derkau


Schatzmeisterin (Uni Mannheim)

Treasurer (Uni Mannheim)

5219_04_09_e-345x500-1

Assoz. Prof. Mag. Dr. Peter Slepcevic-Zach


Schriftführer (Uni Graz)

Secretary (Uni Graz)

Portrait_print_Heike-Walk

Prof. Dr. Heike Walk


Beisitzerin (HNEE)

Assessor (HNEE)

Susanne-Koch-scaled

Prof. Dr. Susanne Koch


Beisitzerin (FRA-UAS)

Assessor (FRA-UAS)

Advisory board:

Prof._Dr._Gabriele_Gien

Prof. Dr. Gabriele Gien


Präsidentin Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt

Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt

buehrmann

Prof. Dr. Andrea D. Bührmann


Direktorin des Göttinger Instituts für Diversitätsforschung

Director of the Göttingen Institute for Diversity Research

BM_Martin Polaschek

ao. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Martin Polaschek


Österreichischer Bundesminister für Bildung, Wissenschaft und Forschung

Austrian Federal Minister for Education, Science and Research

csm_JKormann

Prof. Dr. Julia Kormann


Vizepräsidentin für Studium und Lehre, Nachhaltigkeit Hochschule Neu-Ulm

Vice President for Studies and Teaching, Sustainability Hochschule Neu-Ulm

Prof-Barabara-Buchenaugeaendert

Prof. Dr. Barbara Buchenau


Universität Duisburg-Essen

University Duisburg-Essen

Office:

Foto Ich

Tim Sydlik, M.A.


Geschäftsführer

Managing Director

petra stegmann

Petra Stegmann


Finanzen / Universität Kassel

Finance / University of Kassel

The network

Our members

RZ_AKADUniversity_Logo_RGB (3)
ASH
CAU
Donau-Uni-Krems
EBS
fh-dortmund
fh-kaernten
folkwang
fra-uas-logo
georg-august-uni-goettingen
goethe-uni
HHU
HS-biberach-1
14 hs esslingen
hawk
HS-Augsburg
18 hne
19 htw-Berlin
20 HNU
21 HS Rhein Main
22 HS Ruhr West
23 Hochschule Trier
24 KIT
25 KU
26 Leuphana
27 MLU
29 PH_OOE
30 PH Stefan zweig salzburg
31 TH Nürnberg Ohm
32 TU Berlin
33 Uni Bamberg
34 Uni-Bonn
35 UDE
36 Universitaet_Erfurt
37 Uni Graz
39 Uni Hamburg
40 Uni Hildesheim
41 Logo_Uni_Kassel
42 Uni Leipzig
43 Uni mannheim
44 universitaet-osnabrueck
45 Uni Potsdam
46 Uni Witten-Herdecke
47 Uni zu Köln
Uni_Vec_RGB_2023
48 Zeppelin_Universität

Participation in the network

Membership

The members of the university network consist of universities and associate members.

All universities in German-speaking countries that share and actively pursue the goals of the association can apply for membership. Non-profit organizations with supra-regional intermediary functions and individuals can also join the network as Associate Members, but do not receive voting rights. They pay a reduced membership fee.

You are a representative of a university in the German-speaking area that shares the goals of the association and would like to become a member?

Your complete application consists of the following documents:

  • Completed and signed membership application for universities
  • Commitment to the memorandum on social responsibility at universities as part of the application for membership
  • Informal letter of motivation in which you list your commitment in the area of social responsibility and what goals you are striving for in terms of further anchoring and strengthening social responsibility.

Please note that joining the university network must be applied for and ratified by the respective university management.

The annual membership fee for universities is 900 euros.

Are you a representative of a non-profit organization with supra-regional mediating functions? Then you can join the university network as an associate member, but you will not have voting rights.

Your complete application consists of the following documents:

  • Completed and signed application for membership as an associate member
  • Commitment to the memorandum on social responsibility at universities as part of the application for membership
  • Informal letter of motivation in which you list your commitment in the area of social responsibility and what goals you are striving for in terms of further anchoring and strengthening social responsibility

You pay a membership fee of 150 euros.

You are an individual and are involved in the area of social responsibility or are interested in the topics of the university network? Then you can also join Hochschulnetzwerk as an associate member, but you will not have voting rights.

Your complete application consists of the following documents:

  • Completed and signed application for membership as an individual
  • Commitment to the memorandum on social responsibility at universities as part of the application for membership.
  • Informal letter of motivation in which you list your commitment in the area of social responsibility and what goals you are striving for in terms of further anchoring and strengthening social responsibility.

You pay a membership fee of 90 euros.

Please send your complete application for membership by e-mail to the office of the university network. The entire board of directors decides on the application.

Hochschulnetzwerk Bildung durch Verantwortung e.V.
Universitätsplatz 12
34109 Kassel

Newsletter registration

The University Network for Social Responsibility offers a regularly published newsletter, which informs among other things about news in the field of service learning and social engagement of universities.

Unsubscribing is possible at any time via the newsletter.
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You want your article in the newsletter?

Please summarize your text to a maximum of 500 characters (including spaces and headline), provide a web link for further information, and email a photo with copyright notice for the article by the 10th of each month.

The newsletter editors reserve the right to decide on publication and on changes. The University Network does not conduct its own research and only publishes information that has been provided by the organizers for publication in the newsletter.

Here you will find the editorial standards of the newsletter

Newsletter archive

Contact

Contact the office

If you have questions about the university network or are interested in one of the events, want to contribute something to the network or want to become a member …

Hochschulnetzwerk Bildung durch Verantwortung e.V.

Universitätsplatz 12, 34109 Kassel
+49 (0)176 73550172