Quality objectives in research

In order to further intensify the sharpening of its profile in the field of research, the University of Siegen is focusing on the promotion and expansion of the existing internationally visible research focal points. The aim is to give strong and successful researchers the necessary freedom and recognition (in the form of infrastructure, human and material resources) to carry out their excellent research and initiate new research Projects.

Complementarily building on a thematically broad-based individual research, the aim is to strengthen the networking of individual disciplines, along with increasing participation in interdisciplinary, coordinated research networks (eg DFG, EU) in current, but also dynamically developing research areas.

In line with its mission statement “Shaping a Humane Future”, the University of Siegen supports research activities that take up trendsetting ideas and help shape new fields of research. As a starting point for future innovative research, it supports new original project initiatives and smaller pilot projects in order to lay the foundation for innovative medium-sized research clusters. This creates research networks that lead to coordinated, large-scale research alliances.

The main objective of the University of Siegen is to create excellent career conditions for the qualification and profiling of young scientists. This is accompanied by a significant increase in the number of doctorates. Support and advisory services at doctoral and postdoctoral level are intended to point the way to scientific independence as early as possible. Postdocs and junior professors with special potential are to be identified and increasingly promoted with the aim of supporting them in their development into research personalities and preparing them to apply for programs such as Emmy Noether, Heisenberg, Humboldt, Marie-Curie or ERC Starting Grants.

The University of Siegen promotes the idea of the European Higher Education Area. Internationalization is therefore understood as a constant element that accompanies all university processes and developments and is constantly being promoted. It has a stimulating effect on all areas of the university. Research, in particular, is internationally oriented, whether through international research collaborations, support for the international mobility of scientists, or through internationally recognized publications.

The University of Siegen regards the continuous improvement of equal opportunities for women and men as well as professional diversity management as an essential prerequisite for its future viability and a central quality criterion for its development. It has taken numerous certified measures in the areas of reconciling family and career, career advancement for women and diversity and including universities, which are to be expanded and further developed in the future. Gender and diversity aspects are continuously taken into account as cross-cutting issues in all areas of research, teaching and management and are naturally incorporated into these areas.

The University of Siegen pursues a holistic transfer concept, which wants to transfer knowledge and insight into the economy as well as society, culture and politics and make them available. It explicitly considers social issues such as political opinion-forming, civic engagement, civil society, social issues of digitalization or inclusion. In the field of transfer and knowledge communication, it aims to further intensify cooperation between universities, business, culture and society, to increase invention, patent and exploitation activities and to create a “culture of independence” (entrepreneurship education). The implementation of these goals takes place in the course of a holistically developed transfer strategy.