Research-Based Learning in Germany: Approaches to Turn a Teaching and Learning Concept into a Living Format in Higher Education

Research-based learning (RBL) has been discussed in German higher education teaching and learning since the end of 1960s, having found a revival in the 2000s with considerable federal funding which enabled a creation of a variety of RBL-formats at many universities across disciplines. Within this dynamic development, both the Standing Group on RBL (Arbeitsgruppe Forschendes Lernen; AG FL) and the annual student research conferences (Konferenz für Studentische Forschung; StuFos) play crucial roles. The AG FL supports actors of the teaching community in connecting various within the area with regard to exchanging knowledge and experiences, creating materials on RBL-teaching, fostering critical discussions on the members’ research, publishing, and providing a professional network. The StuFos allow students to visualize their research, exchanging ideas with others and thus familiarizing themselves with scientific practice within the academic community. These two entities provide that the given impetus turned into and remains a common endeavor within a community of practice with the students’ work becoming visible and applicable as well as sustainably published.