The further development of teaching and studies is done at four levels in the Faculty of Arts: the level of the Faculty in general, the study programs, the modules, and the courses. The people responsible for further development at each respective level rely on analyses of surveys and university statistics to develop strategic quality goals, coordinate measures for attaining these objectives, and assessing progress towards these targets.

The Faculty’s Commission for Teaching and Study (CTS) works from the University’s quality objectives and degree program monitoring reports to develop quality targets for the Faculty, as well as measures for their implementation. The CTS then proposes these goals and measures to the Faculty Council, which then decides whether to adopt the objectives. In a period of time that is appropriate for the goals and measures, the CTS assesses the efficacy of the measures using the aforementioned sources for determining targets and modifies them as necessary. If the review of target attainment finds that sufficient progress has been made, then new goals are developed.

The Dean of Studies reports on an annual basis about the Faculty’s further development of studies and teaching to the Faculty Council and the Senate’s Commission for Teaching and Studies.

The Study Commission uses the Faculty’s quality goals, the degree program monitoring reports, the Examining Board’s reports, and reports from curriculum planning, to create quality targets for the further development of modules in its degree programs, as well as measures for their implementation. In a period of time that is appropriate for the goals and measures, the CTS assesses the efficacy of the measures using the aforementioned sources for determining targets and modifies them as necessary. If the review of target attainment finds that sufficient progress has been made, then new goals are developed.

The Chairman of the Study Commission, as the position responsible for the degree program, reports about the further development of degree programs every six years in the course of an internal accreditation.

For more information, see

Section 6 of the Statute for Conducting Evaluations of Teaching and Studies in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Potsdam, dated January 21, 2015

Section 7 of the second revised version of the Statute for the Evaluation of Teaching and Study at the University of Potsdam (Evaluation Statute), dated February 27, 2013

The further development of modules takes place in the course of curriculum planning by teachers and Study Program Representatives. Working from various information sources – such as discussions with students, feedback from teachers (from surveys in their courses, for instance), or problems that arise within curriculum planning – we ascertain whether there is a possible need for change or further development in the modules currently on offer, and if so, then improvement measures are developed. If improvement measures cannot be implemented within the curriculum planning, then the Study Program Representative reports to the Study Commission and asks them if necessary to revise the course regulations.

For more information, see

Section 5 of the Statute for Conducting Evaluations of Teaching and Studies in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Potsdam, dated January 21, 2015

Section 6 of the second revised version of the Statute for the Evaluation of Teaching and Study at the University of Potsdam (Evaluation Statute), dated February 27, 2013

Teachers are responsible for the further development of their courses. Instructors conducts student surveys in at least half of their courses, apply other feedback methods, or take advantage of colleague advising. Quantitative help with student surveys is available at the Potsdam Evaluation Portal, or teachers can use their own survey forms or hold discussions. Instructors then use the survey results to create measures to improve their teaching. 

Instructors discuss the survey results and derived measures with their course participants. Teachers report about problems that go beyond their own classrooms in the course of curriculum planning.

Each year, the instructor with the best course is awarded the teaching prize of the Faculty of Arts. Furthermore, the teachers with the ten best-evaluated courses are considered in performance-based funding distribution.

For more information, see

Section 4 of the Statute for Conducting Evaluations of Teaching and Studies in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Potsdam, dated January 21, 2015

Section 5 of the second revised version of the Statute for the Evaluation of Teaching and Study at the University of Potsdam (Evaluation Statute), dated February 27, 2013

Tips for teachers in the Potsdam Evaluation Portal