The Power of the Network: Expand Your Teaching Skills in English – with No Travel Required

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Did you know that the Ruhr University Bochum is part of a well-established network of higher education institutions across North Rhine-Westphalia, all committed to improving university teaching? This NRW network includes 17 universities that jointly offer a broad qualification programme in university teaching.

Four thematic lines

This programme consists of a wide range of workshops, organised into several core modules, covering important aspects of academic teaching such as:
Teaching and learning

Student advising

Assessment and grading

Feedback and evaluation
These workshops are primarily held in German. RUB teaching staff can participate free of charge in workshops offered at RUB itself. But here’s the real advantage: thanks to the network, RUB lecturers can also attend workshops at other participating institutions – significantly expanding the available options.

Currently at RUB: HD01 – Our Flagship Workshop in English

“HD01 – Principles of Teaching and Learning” is an introductory, in-person workshop. It provides a comprehensive overview of essential didactic principles and is ideal for both new and experienced instructors. After the workshop participants will be able to implement measures for brain-friendly teaching and learning processes, they will be able to formulate suitable competence-oriented learning outcomes and use the principles of constructive alignment to plan a course that promotes learning.

Date: 07.11.2025
Location: RUB campus, FNO
Language: English
Cost: Free of charge for RUB teaching staff
Registration required: Starting 25.08.2025 via the Fortbildungsportal

Workshops by UNIC – Online workshops with international participants

Our European university network UNIC also offers short workshops for university teachers. They are offered online and are open to teaching staff from all 10 UNIC universities. Learn with people from Ireland, Poland, Spain, Belgium, Turkey and many more all over Europe, and discover cooperation and exchange with international colleagues.

UNIC offers the following online courses:

You can find detailed descriptions of the courses and the intended learning outcomes in the Fortbildungsportal. Just go to Fortbildungsportal and search for “UNIC”. You can also register there.

More English Workshops from the Network – Especially in Paderborn

Looking for more workshops in English? The University of Paderborn is offering a diverse and high-quality series of English-language workshops in the upcoming semester. These are ideal for international lecturers, native English speakers, and anyone teaching in English at RUB.
Thanks to the network, RUB lecturers can also attend workshops at other participating institutions – significantly expanding the available options in English.
Most courses take place online, which means no travel is necessary. However, a small participation fee applies for RUB staff:
€25 for half-day workshops

€50 for full-day workshops

University of Paderborn (Online unless stated otherwise)

25.09., 26.09.2025 & 13.02.2026: Design for How People Learn: Academic Teaching in Higher Education – Dr. Nerea Vöing, Judith Osthushenrich

09.10. & 16.10.2025: Diversity in Teaching: Gender- & Diversity-Sensitive Approaches – Muriel Aichberger

24.10.2025: Using AI Tools to Plan, Prepare, and Conduct Lessons – Dr. Sabrina Sontheimer

10.11.2025: Integrating AI into Teaching – Dr. Sabrina Sontheimer

24.11.2025: Dealing with AI in Exams – Dr. Sabrina Sontheimer

15.12.2025: Conveying the Message: Powerful and Engaging Presentations – Dipl.-Psych. Daniel Al-Kabbani (in person in Paderborn)
You can register using Paderborn’s workshop portal (navigate to the ‘workshop 2025’ section), complete the form and send it by e-mail to hochschuldidaktik@upb.de

Workshops offered by Hochschuldidaktik NRW (Online, free participation possible)

03.11.2025: Teaching and Learning (details tba)

10.11.2025: Examining and Assessing (details tba)

17.11.2025: Feedback (details tba)

24.11.2025: Guiding Students (details tba)
Detailed course descriptions are available here .
You can register via the network website starting on September 15th. Registration details are available on this website as well. If you want to be notified when registration becomes available, you can subscribe to our mailing list . We will publish a post about the news as soon as registration is live.

Recognition and Certification

All workshops listed above – including those offered outside RUB – can be counted towards the RUB teaching certificate ("Professional Teaching Competence for Universities"), as long as the topic fits the requirements of your certificate. If in doubt, feel free to ask us for guidance .
Whether you're a native English speaker, an international lecturer, or simply want to improve your teaching skills in English – these courses offer excellent opportunities to strengthen your didactic skills, connect with colleagues, and stay up to date on current trends like AI in higher education.
For questions, advice, or help choosing the right course, contact the Zentrum für Wissenschaftsdidaktik at RUB. We’re happy to support your teaching journey.
Find out more about our workshop programme:
Here you can find our workshop offers and register. If it is your first time using the Fortbildungsportal , you will have to create an account using your LoginID.

This blogpost offers insights into the current workshop progamme with course recommendations and information about available certificates.

Read our interview series with teaching staff about their experiences teaching at RUB and participating in our workshops. Unfortunately, this series is only available in German.

More general information about our offers is available on our website .
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Neuigkeiten aus dem ZfW per E-Mail erhalten

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Robin Matz
Dr. Robin Matz ist Mitarbeiter in der Hochschuldidaktik im ZfW. Er ist verantwortlich für die Planung und Organisation des Qualifizierungsprogramms und betreut Lehrende u.a. im Vertiefungsmodul.

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