Heidelberg University awards Baden-Württemberg certificates for university didactics

At a ceremonial event, Heidelberg University’s Vice-Rector for Study and Teaching, Prof. Dr. Silke Hertel, presented this year’s Baden-Württemberg certificates for university didactics. To earn these certificates, teaching staff complete an extensive, modular qualification program offered by the heiSKILLS – Lehren und Lernen department.  

Prof. Hertel emphasized the importance of recognizing those who are committed to advancing innovative teaching at Ruperto Carola. She said the awards support building communities of practice, strengthening exchange about teaching across disciplines and status groups, and pursuing new paths in teaching and learning together. For this reason, five additional teaching projects were also honored this year for having secured funding for teaching innovation in the past year.  

In her speech, Silke Hertel highlighted the role of the Lehren & Lernen division of the heiSKILLS Competence and Language Centre, which provides didactic qualification and advice to Heidelberg’s teaching staff and acts as a central driver for developing didactic concepts and offerings. The goal is to create space to experiment with innovative educational concepts to equip university teaching for the future. Key themes include using AI in teaching, developing open educational resources, digital exams, sustainability and global challenges, and diversity awareness and accessibility in study and teaching.  

This year, 28 certificates were awarded, demonstrating the special environment at Heidelberg University that enables joint reflection on teaching and learning. Since the program’s launch in 2003, 3,003 certificates have been awarded statewide, 958 of them to Heidelberg teaching staff. 

The Vice-Rector thanked the graduates on behalf of the entire rectorate for their dedication and creativity in teaching, which is reflected only partly in the roughly 200 hours of didactic qualification. She expressed confidence that the newly certified lecturers will continue to enrich teaching at the university and act as multipliers for the certification program within their faculties, remaining connected to the community of practice in the long term.  

The ceremony concluded with a glass of sparkling wine and lively discussions about the further development of teaching at Heidelberg University.