Anniversary Yearbook 2014

anniversary yearBooK
2014
gesellschaft der freunde der fernUniversität e.v.

CONtents
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4 introdUctory remarKs
6 The Rectorate
7 The University Board
8 FernUniversität yesterday and today
10 foUndation pHase
14 THE RIGHT UNIVERSITY AT THE RIGHT TIME
22 Our students
23 Testimonial
24 consolidation pHase
28 A PLACE IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
35 Three decades of gender equality promotion
36 Service: individual, virtual and in
regional study centres
37 Testimonial
38 virtUal University
42 SOLID FOUNDATIONS
50 Internationally recognized research
51 Testimonial
52 rise to Become germany’s
largest University
56 THE ONLY CONSTANT IS CHANGE
63 Internationalisation: distance learning has
no borders
65 Testimonial
66 facts and figUres 1975–2014
67 Testimonial
68 40 years – 4 rectors
70 partners and friends
71 A friendship for life
73 Testimonial
74 alUmni
Association of Graduates and local groups –
building bridges for FernUniversität in Hagen
77 Testimonial
78 facts and figUres 2014
84 contact details and pUBlisHing
information
CONTENTS
3

introdUctory
remarKs
It was a first, important step in the right direction:
the amendment to the German Basic Law, which was
passed by both houses of the German parliament at
the end of 2014. Article 91b regulates the funding
of science by the German federal and state governments.
According to the new legislation, the Federal
Government is now authorised to enter into longterm
financing of research and teaching at universities
alongside the state governments. We had repeatedly
advocated this amendment. It has raised great hopes
for the future of FernUniversität in Hagen.
dr. manfred scHolle
Chairman of the University Board
of FernUniversität in Hagen
As matters stand, our University receives its basic
financial support almost exclusively from the State of
North Rhine-Westphalia, while two thirds of our students
live, work and pay taxes in other states. Now
the other states and the Federal Government can also
contribute to permanent basic funding of FernUniversität
in Hagen. So we will endeavour to ensure that
FernUniversität receives its share of the benefit when
these newly created cooperation opportunities are
put into practice.
For the 40th anniversary of this University, which is
unique in Germany, this would certainly be a wonderful
token of appreciation for its accomplishments
for students everywhere in Germany and worldwide,
since FernUniversität in Hagen in particular has committed
itself to fulfilling the political promise of more
flexibility in the educational system by providing admission
to university for professionally qualified workers.
It has finally earned recognition for this commitment.
With its core competence in lifelong learning, it offers
its students a modern, research-based distance
learning programme in conjunction with employment
and other obligations. In this way, it makes a vital contribution
to the development of our society.
4
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

prof. dr.-ing. HelmUt Hoyer
Rector of FernUniversität in Hagen
It was a special event in my calendar. On the occasion
of our 40th anniversary, all previous rectors of Fern-
Universität in Hagen had been invited to a joint photo
session. Including Otto Peters, the founding rector of
the University, his successors Ulrich Battis and Günter
Fandel, and finally myself – and we reviewed 40
years of FernUni history together. It goes all the way
from the initial, somewhat sceptical treatment of the
University as an exotic specimen within the German
university scene, to today’s image as a high-profile
supplier of web-based study programmes and the
largest university in Germany.
This means 40 years of distance learning made in
Hagen. 40 years of experience in distance teaching
with interesting students with an immense variety of
biographies. But it also means great variance in the
requirements and general conditions imposed from
outside during the different stages of the University’s
development. Four rectors, in cooperation with the
members of FernUniversität in Hagen, have contributed
to shaping and promoting its history. We are all
proud that we have been allowed to play a part in it.
You will find many of our experiences, memories and
appraisals expressed in this anniversary yearbook,
whose main part is dedicated to the history and special
characteristics of this unique German university.
Moreover, we are offering you many occasions to
come to Hagen and celebrate the anniversary with us
throughout the year. Let me just mention the campus
festival in June and the Dies Academicus in November
as central anniversary celebration events. With an exhibition
featuring ten contemporary witnesses of the
initial years, we will commemorate the actual anniversary
day at the beginning of studies on 1 October
– 40 years after the beginning of a new era in the
German university landscape. We are convinced that
this is a good reason to celebrate.
franK Walter
Chairman of Gesellschaft der Freunde der
FernUniversität e.V. (Society of Friends/GdF)
Friendship is characterized by mutual sympathy and
trust. Both of these terms very aptly describe the relationship
between the Society of Friends (GdF) and
FernUniversität in Hagen. This friendship has grown
over 37 years, after several dedicated people from
the environment of FernUniversität, which was then
still young, took the initiative to establish the Society
of Friends in 1978. The Society, which invested time
and effort in promoting this special university in Hagen,
grew quickly.
The friendship grew over the years, too. Since it is
also based on joint activities and common interests.
The Society of Friends has supported the University
from the very beginning at scientific and cultural
events. We are glad to have contributed a highlight to
the celebrations planned for the anniversary year by
inviting Oliver Bierhoff to the general meeting of GdF.
The Manager of the German national football team
stands as an example for the graduates of FernUniversität
in Hagen. Many of them are now members
of the Society of Friends – a fine token of solidarity.
Supporting students has been a major concern for
the Society of Friends since its foundation, since the
Hagen-based University has outstanding students.
We wish to honour their commitment and motivation
for higher education. Therefore we are glad to
contribute to Deutschlandstipendium, the German
national scholarship scheme. It manifests the idea
of public-private partnership: state and society invest
jointly in education. The Society of Friends has
always regarded accepting responsibility as one of its
obligations. We can always be relied on. This is also a
characteristic of good friendship.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
5

tHe reCtOrAte
FernUniversität in Hagen is headed by the Rectorate of the University. In 2014, it consisted of Vice-rector Prof.
Dr. Rainer Olbrich, Chancellor Regina Zdebel, Vice-rector Prof. Dr. Ingrid Josephs and the Rector Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Helmut Hoyer (from left to right).
6
THE RECTORATE

tHe uNIVersItY bOArd
The University Board fulfils its task as the supervisory committee of FernUniversität in Hagen. It consists of five external and five internal members: Prof. Dr. Werner Kirsch, Dr. Manfred
Scholle (Chairman), Prof. Dr. Alfred Endres (front row, from left to right.), Prof. Dr. Katharina Gräfin von Schlieffen, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Prof. e. h. mult. Dr. h.c. mult. Hans-Jörg Bullinger,
Dr. Jürgen Ewert, Prof. Dr. Annette Elisabeth Töller, Gabi Ludwig, Andreas Meyer-Lauber (back row, from left to right) and Prof. Anja Oskamp PhD (not shown on the photo).
THE UNIVERSITY BOARD
7

FernUniversität
yesterday…
“On 1 December 1974, a distance teaching university shall be established as a comprehensive
university domiciled in Hagen”. This plain first sentence of the law authorising the foundation
of a distance teaching university in North Rhine-Westphalia – FUEG, dated 26 November
1974 – marks the official beginning of a success story which is unparalleled in the German
university landscape.
With the central anniversary “40 years of studies” on 1 October 2015 in view, this story will
be told in four contributions to this yearbook. The four rectors Prof. em. Dr. phil. Dr. h.c. mult.
Otto Peters, Prof. em. Dr. Dr. h.c. Ulrich Battis, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Günter Fandel and Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Helmut Hoyer have each contributed their memories of one decade of “FernUni history”.
8

… and today
• 77,000 students in Germany and abroad
• largest German university (in terms of student numbers)
• only distance teaching university in Germany
• research and teaching at
– the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
– the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science
– the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics
– the Faculty of Law
• modern web-based learning concept
• effective programme of studies with maximal flexibility in terms of location
and time schedule
• diversified research programme
Life at FernUniversität in 2014 and the latest facts and figures are shown in detail
under the key topics in “40 years of FernUniversität in Hagen” now following.
40 YEARS OF FERNUNIVERSITÄT IN HAGEN
9

1974
to
1984

fOuNdAtION PHAse
11

IT WAS A GREAT
era of pioneering spirit,
EVERYONE WAS FILLED WITH EN
AND OUR WORK WAS
croWned WitH sUccess!

THUSIASM,
FOUNDING RECTOR PROF. EM. DR. PHIL. DR. H.C. MULT. OTTO PETERS / THE FIRST DECADE
13

Prof. em. Dr. phil. Dr. h.c. mult. otto peters

1974–1984
Prof. em. Dr. phil.
Dr. h.c. mult.
otto peters
THE RIGHT UNIVERSITY
At tHe rIGHt tIme
The study programme started already on 1 October 1975 with 1,330 students – today their number is about
77,000. In the course of these 40 years, FernUniversität in Hagen has grown to become a renowned part of the
German university landscape, held in high esteem worldwide as a pioneer of media-assisted studies.
There could hardly have been a better time than the mid-1970s to establish
a distance teaching university in Germany. Masses of students
threatened to overcrowd the existing universities, for which relief had
to be found, and new didactic methods were called for as well to contribute
to academic reform. And there was a lack of scientific advanced
education programmes. Even then, Germany needed many more highly
qualified workers to remain internationally competitive. At the same
time, the clock of economic structural change was already ticking with its
far-reaching technological and social consequences.
was born in Berlin on 6 May
1926. He obtained his doctorate
degree in 1972 from
the University of tübingen,
where he had worked
at the German Institute for Distance Teaching Research since 1969.
In 1974, he was appointed Professor of Educational Science at Freie
Universität Berlin.
in 1974/75, peters was a member of the preparatory founding
committee and the founding committee of fernUniversität
in Hagen. On 17 April 1975, he was appointed to this
University’s Chair of Distance Teaching Methodology, and on 18
April, he became its Founding Rector. He continued to hold this
office until 27 August 1984. Peters retired in 1991.
otto peters received the title of a doctor Honoris causa four
times; for eight years he was Vice President of the International
Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE), whose Prize of
Excellence he was awarded in 1999. In 2008, he was received
into the international Hall of fame for adult education.
THE FIRST DECADE / 1974–1984
15

a federal distance
teacHing University?
Printed study letters have proved effective in distance
university teaching for many years. They still have
their place within the “blended learning” concept of
FernUniversität in Hagen.
For several reasons, discussions about the introduction of a
distance learning programme of studies had been under way
since the late 1960s. Especially the students and their organisations
desired radical reforms for university studies. They demanded
the use of technical media in teaching, more student
participation, and above
all the introduction of
distance learning.
In the 1970s, this idea
received widespread
support not only from
industry and commerce.
Universities, higher education
administrations
of the Federal States and
“Founding father” of FernUniversität in
television broadcasters
Hagen: Johannes Rau, NRW Minister of
Science and State Premier, later German
Federal President
all tried to establish a
joint Federal Distance
Teaching University. The
aim was “multimedia distance learning”. Prof. Dr. Otto Peters:
“Planning for this project was in progress for a long time. But
experts soon realised that the proposed new Federal Distance
Teaching University would be hard to manage and to finance
due to its dimensions. There was a high risk of failure.
The North Rhine-Westphalian Minister of Science Johannes Rau
also took a sceptical view of the planning for this project. It
was clear to him that this ambitious goal would probably not
be achieved, at least not in the foreseeable future. Therefore
he decided to establish a distance teaching university of North
Rhine-Westphalia. This was the start of the “secret operation
FernUniversität”. For Otto Peters, this was “a remarkable innovation
in education policy and university didactics. It must be valued
all the more highly and regarded as downright courageous
in view of the fact that most traditional universities still persisted
with their didactic ‘innovation phobia’”.
A good ten years later, Rau summed up his thoughts of that
time as follows: for a country with only few raw material resources
such as the Federal Republic of Germany, “education,
training and advanced education are and will always be the vital
basis for social existence and the necessary international competitiveness”.
His project outline of 9 October 1973 described
a distance teaching university owned by the State, which distinguished
itself from traditional universities only by its form of
teaching.
a Brilliant dUal strategy
A costly but politically brilliant dual strategy, Peters still thinks
today. Since when the state finance ministers said “no” to the
Federal Distance Teaching University for cost reasons in May
1975, the North Rhine-Westphalian Fernuni had already appointed
ten professors.
From May 1974 onwards, a Preparatory Founding Committee
consisting of 34 scientists and university teachers developed
the concept of the Minister of Science further. According to the
Committee, the distance teaching university was to be primarily
a university for advanced education for people in employment,
in particular to improve and update their knowledge in part-time
studies, says Peters. Its research-based, practice-oriented teaching
contents were to be disseminated by printed study letters, audio
and video cassettes and television. The concept also included supervision
of achievements and learning progress during studies
by computer-assisted tests, subject-related counselling and faceto-face
courses in study centres.
A vital issue for the Preparatory Founding Committee was
the quality of academic achievements and degrees. Therefore
the study materials and curricula were required to be on a
par with the educational programme of traditional universities,
and the transition of students from the distance teaching
university to other universities should be possible. Yet this
University was still regarded as a “bird of paradise” by some
parts of the scientific community, and many a politician even
saw it as a “socialist education experiment”.
Initiated by the teachers within the Preparatory Founding
Committee, “who knew how learning
should be spread out over life” (Otto
Peters), the UNESCO slogan of “lifelong
learning”, already known since 1962,
became a central point of reference for
FernUniversität in Hagen.
The original plans included a building of much
larger dimensions for FernUniversität than the
one actually realised. Here a model from 1980
is shown.
16
THE FIRST DECADE / 1974–1984

The Ruhr District was hit particularly hard by the structural change, moving away
from the mining and steel industries in the Federal Republic of Germany. The
new, future-oriented industries required workers with top-class qualifications.
1974–1984
On 1 October 1974, even before the legislation to establish
the University was passed, the administration expert Rolf von
der Heyden and the scientist Dr. Bernd Sudeick used an office
at the university of applied sciences Fachhochschule Hagen
to start preparatory work for developing the future Distance
Teaching University – Comprehensive University in Hagen. On
1 December 1974, Ralf Bartz, a close associate of Rau, became
its first Chancellor.
a dangeroUs time for
tHe minister
In the search for a suitable site, the interests of the Minister
clashed with those of the Hagen members of the State Parliament
Dr. Dieter Haak, Karl-Heinz Nolzen (both SPD) and Willi Weyer
(FDP). Hagen had lost some 15,000 jobs due to the structural
change. But other municipalities – such as Gelsenkirchen, which
was also hard hit by the structural change – wanted to have the
Distance Teaching University too. At the University’s 25th anniversary,
Johannes Rau, then President of the Federal Republic,
recalled the dedication of several politicians from Hagen in his
ceremonial address: “It could be dangerous for the Minister of
Science to go to Düsseldorf in the morning. It could happen that
Dieter Haak stood at the entrance, and after he had been told
something positive and you turned the next corner, there was Willi
Weyer waiting”, the “Father of FernUniversität” reminisced. The
politicians had recognized the chance which a university offered
for Hagen: jobs, investments worth millions, additional sales and
transfer of research and technologies to the regional industry,
as well as the prestige of a place of education and research.
NRW Minister of Science Johannes Rau (2nd from the left) with Founding
Rector Prof. Otto Peters (3rd from the left), Chancellor Ralf Bartz (left) and
the municipal department heads Rolf von der Heyden (centre) and Gerd
Denkmann (2nd from the right) inspecting the future campus.
FernUniversität was originally established as Fernuniversität
– Gesamthochschule in Hagen. It combined
the attributes of a university with those of
a university of applied sciences. The spelling of
FernUniversität with a capital U was registered as
a trade mark in 1981. Today the University’s name
is FernUniversität in Hagen.
Copyright: Westfälische Rundschau, Hagen
The first visible evidence of FernUniversität in Hagen was the sign which
Chancellor Ralf Bartz (at the top) and Administration Department Head Rolf
von der Heyden (front) affixed at Villa Bechem.
THE FIRST DECADE / 1974–1984
17

The first professor, appointed on 1 April, was the commercial
law specialist Prof. Dr. Ulrich Eisenhardt. On the same day, the
first scientific assistant also started work at the University: Dr.
Christa Bast (at the Chair of Psychology).
Following the concept of the Founding Committee, FernUniverität in Hagen
always used modern media suitable for distance learning such as audio and
video cassettes. By 1978, its Centre of Distance Teaching Development had a
studio with state-of-the-art equipment.
… WHat distance learning
really involves
The first few years were marked by the constant arrival of new staff members.
1500 applications
On 5 December, Rau renamed the “Preparatory Founding
Committee” as the “Founding Committee” of FernUniversität
in Hagen. Prof. Dr. Hans-Jürgen Krupp was elected Chairman.
Then rapid progress was made. In response to a first nation-wide
advertisement of vacant positions at the end of November 1974,
1,500 job applications were received for the administrative department
alone. Qualities in demand were high motivation and
a certain eagerness to try something new. Fixed working hours?
Closing times? Free Saturdays? Nobody paid any attention to
such matters. Some of the first staff members remember how
their job interviews ended late at night with the statement: “You
can start tomorrow morning.” The administrative department
was developed under the leadership of Chancellor Ralf Bartz.
In the course of 1975, the data processing centre, the University
Library, the Central Institute for Distance Teaching
Research (ZIFF) and the Centre of Distance Teaching Development
(ZFE) were established.
The responsibility of ZIFF was to develop concepts for the
optimal structure of FernUniversität’s teaching and learning
system and to constantly adapt this structure to new general
conditions and scientific findings. This was the first time a university
carried out research on its own system of teaching. ZFE
was there to advise and support the individual subject areas in
preparing and developing the distance learning courses.
The commercial law specialist Dr. Ulrich Eisenhardt (left) was the first professor
appointed to FernUniversität in Hagen on 1 April 1975. As one of
its retired professors, he still keeps in close touch with the University today.
Also on 1 April 1975, Dr. Christa Bast (right) took up her duties at the
University as its first scientific assistant. She still works for FernUniversität.
A frequent and welcome visitor to Hagen: Johannes Rau (centre) came regularly
to gather the latest information – here from the Rector Prof. Otto
Peters (right) and Rolf von der Heyden (left) – about the development of the
University. Whenever he was in the vicinity, he liked to ring the doorbell at
Villa Bechem: “Do you have a coffee for me?”
On 18 April 1975, Minister Rau appointed Prof. Dr. Otto
Peters, who had been appointed to the Chair of Distance
Teaching Methodology the day before, Founding Rector of
the University. Prof. Peters was the only recognized distance
teaching expert on the Founding Committee: “After all, I had
been involved in distance teaching research since 1965, had
visited all relevant international conferences and was in close
contact with the British Open University and other distance
teaching institutions worldwide.”
18
THE FIRST DECADE / 1974–1984

As a consequence, work of a very special kind had to be accomplished
in addition to the traditional tasks of a founding
rector, ranging from setting up self-administration and the organisation
of the Senate, planning and development of new
subject areas all the way to participation in the West German
Conference of Rectors. All professors, who were socialized in
traditional universities, had to be familiarised with the totally
different requirements of distance teaching.
by the concept of undergraduate studies. Another responsibility
of Peters was to make FernUniversität in Hagen known within
the municipality and the surrounding region. For two years, the
legendary “fireside evenings” were held with personalities from
various areas of public life to serve this purpose.
1974–1984
“It was a great era of
pioneering spirit, everyone
was filled with enthusiasm –
and our work was crowned
with success!”
Peters’ “internal mission” was to help his colleagues to understand
what distance learning really involves. Teaching texts should
not only provide information but simultaneously teach and give
didactic assistance for private study. The most difficult part was
creating an understanding for the requirements of advanced scientific
education, since most of the professors preferred to abide
The first mailing of study materials took place from a rented flat in Hagen
in September 1975.
The Rector, the Chancellor and the professors presented their
work and discussed the further development. They were also
in contact with other universities on the international level.
The start of the new semester on 1 October 1975 marked the
beginning of university studies by distance learning in the Federal
Republic of Germany. FernUniversität in Hagen started to operate.
The first study materials in the subject areas of Educational Science,
Mathematics, and Business Administration and Economics had
been dispatched by mail to the 1,330 students on 26 September.
In 1983, FernUniversität in Hagen took part with websites of its own in the
introduction of interactive videotext to test its suitability for distance learning.
On the fireside evenings, Rector Otto Peters (back row, centre) and Chancellor Ralf Bartz (left)
presented FernUniversität to representatives of the municipalities, industry and commerce and
public authorities – here to the General Manager of the South Westphalian Chamber of Industry
and Commerce in Hagen, Runar Enwaldt (2nd from left), the head of the Department of
Schools and Culture of Hagen, Hans-Günther Toetemeyer (3rd from left), the Vice President of
the State Parliament Dr. Fritz Vogt from Lüdenscheid (2nd from right) and the Chief Municipal
Director of Lüdenscheid, Lothar Castner.
THE FIRST DECADE / 1974–1984
19

official opening ceremony at tHe tHeatre
The official opening ceremony of Fernuniversität – Gesamthochschule in Hagen with the
NRW State Premier Heinz Kühn and NRW Minister of Science Johannes Rau was held on 4
October at Stadttheater Hagen, the municipal theatre, for lack of a main lecture hall. In the
second academic year, the number of students rose to 5,002, in the academic year 1979/80
to 22,652. In 1979, the first graduates were able to celebrate receiving their degrees.
The University Library has been providing
scientists, students, staff members and the
general public with knowledge in print since
1984, and now also offers databases and
e-books.
In 1984, ten years after the University’s foundation, it already had six subject areas: Business Administration
and Economics, Law, Mathematics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and Educational and Social
Sciences and Humanities.
During the initial stages of its development, and for many years thereafter, FernUniversität was spread out among
many different locations in the city of Hagen, and several teaching as well as administrative departments even
operated from rented flats. In addition to an office at the university of applied sciences FH Hagen, it had at first
only a pavilion there. Its first building of its own – from 3 December 1974 – was Villa Bechem, where the Founding
Committee and later on the rectors and the various chancellors resided. In August 1975, the Ministry of Science
decided to establish study centres in 26
North Rhine-Westphalian cities – one
half of these centres already started to
operate in October and November.
The official opening ceremony of FernUniversität with NRW State Premier Heinz Kühn (top left) took place at the
municipal theatre. As representative of the Federal Ministry of Science, State Secretary Dr. Peter Glotz (top right)
held an inaugural speech.
The number of students increased dramatically.
In 1978, the winter semester started with an
opening event for the students held in Hagen’s
largest gymnasium.
20
THE FIRST DECADE / 1974–1984

1974–1984
eXcavations on tHe campUs
A green-field building site: the campus of FernUniversität in Hagen under
construction in 1979.
Since no progress could be seen on the university site for a long
time, the slogan “excavator to the campus” soon became very
popular in many quarters. On 10 September 1976, the groundbreaking
ceremony was held for the 6,000 square metre Development
and Disposition Centre (AVZ), which was inaugurated on
14 March 1981 by Johannes Rau, then NRW State Premier.
In 1979, shortly before its completion,
the AVZ represented contemporary
university architecture
at the time.
The end of the beginning: after ten years in office, the Founding Rector Prof.
Otto Peters (right) extended his best wishes to his successor, Prof. Ulrich Battis.
On 27 August 1984, Otto Peters’ term of office ended after
ten years. This was also the end of the foundation phase, “the
Ottonian period” according to the university magazine “Transparent”
published at the time, and Prof. Dr. Ulrich Battis took over.
in good spirits
In the course of these ten years, FernUniversität in Hagen had
become well established in the German scientific landscape
and reached the goals it had been set. Shortly before the end
of his term of office, Peters stated that the University’s special
significance in education lay in the fact that now many more
people could complete a course of university studies or advanced
scientific education. Concerning the academic reform,
FernUniversität in Hagen could point to its having developed,
tested and evaluated new forms and media of teaching. An
innovative, computer-controlled operating system to supervise
distance learning students had been established. The development,
application and consolidation of the new specific forms
of media-assisted academic teaching in distance learning
for complete degree programmes was a unique reform outcome
in the Federal Republic of Germany. The full extent to
which it revolutionised university didactics and education policy
had not yet become visible at the time. Peters sums this
up as follows: “In terms of education policy and university
didactics, we had taken an immense risk by establishing Fern-
Universität. However, its really incredible success shows how
richly our joint efforts in its development
have been rewarded.”
The research and teaching facilities for each
subject area, such as those for the subject
area of Electrical Engineering in 1981 shown
here, left nothing to be desired.
The conclusion drawn by the Founding Rector: “It was a great
era of pioneering spirit, everyone was filled with enthusiasm –
and our work was crowned with success!”
By 1980, computers had already established themselves in the form of computer
workstations in some parts of the University’s working environment – such as
here at the data processing centre.
THE FIRST DECADE / 1974–1984
21

Our
students
When the University started its programme of studies in 1975, 1,300 students
enrolled. All of them could not or did not want to enrol at a traditional
university. This has not changed until today. However, there are currently
77,000 students enrolled at FernUniversität in Hagen (s. Development of
student statistics, p. 76). Then as today, FernUni students belong to a very
special category: in particular, those who wish to acquire academic qualifications
while in employment have been coming to the Hagen University
all along. 80 per cent of its students are already employed. Others are in
a family phase – raising children or taking care of close relatives. Another
group, now large in numbers, are professional sportsmen and women, who
in addition to their commitment to sports are working on their future careers.
For example Oliver Bierhoff, former professional football player and
today’s manager of the German national football team. But also students
with disabilities or chronic illnesses and students who wish to study from
outside Germany gain personal freedom by distance learning. They all appreciate
the flexibility of this system of studies, which liberates them from
fixed time schedules and attendance obligations and can be adapted to all
situations in life. Students of FernUniversität in Hagen decide themselves
when, where and how fast they study.
So one thing has remained unchanged over the years: the diversity of the
students, their heterogeneity. Due to their great variety of biographies and
educational goals, they have made FernUniversität in Hagen a very special
university from the very beginning. Graduates now in leading positions
are living proof of the high quality of the academic education and good
general conditions in distance learning. They are appreciated on the labour
market because of their special competencies such as personal initiative,
determination and organisational talent.
Oliver Bierhoff received his diploma certificate in 2002.

Foto: Udo Kreikenbohm, Hattingen
patricK faBian
student of Business administration and economics,
professional football player
“I want to play football as long as I can and continue my education as well. FernUni
Hagen is simply the university with the best reputation in this area. Here, I get along
very well, since I am ambitious and able to study very flexibly. It is really super for me
to do something for my mind besides doing sports. Studying business
administration and economics opens up many different opportunities
for me. I find marketing and the conception of ideas for services particularly
interesting.”

1985
to
1994

CONsOLIdAtION PHAse
25

WE EMPHASIZED tHe cHa
and strengtHs OF FERN
IN HAGEN AS A University
stUdents in employme

acter
UNIVERSITÄT
for
nt.
RECTOR PROF. DR. DR. H. C. ULRICH BATTIS / SECOND DECADE
27

Rector Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Ulrich Battis

1985–1994
Prof. em. Dr. Dr. h.c.
Ulrich Battis
A PLACE IN THE
eduCAtION sYstem
“Even then, our main problem was that FernUniversität in Hagen was founded by the State of North Rhine-Westphalia”, declares
the former rector, Prof. em. Dr. Dr. h. c. Ulrich Battis, sitting in his office at the law firm Gleiss Lutz in Berlin. From the German
capital, the 70-year-old legal expert still keeps an eye on the latest development of FernUniversität in Hagen and expresses his
views: “In principle, the general situation has hardly changed. The constant struggle for solid basic funding by both the Federal
Government and the States is as much of a problem today as it was then.”
The education budgets of the federal and state governments had been significantly
reduced when Prof. Ulrich Battis took over the Rectorate from Prof. Otto Peters
some 30 years ago. From 1984 to 1993, he was responsible for the further development
of FernUniversität – Gesamthochschule in Hagen, as it was then called. It
was a time of consolidation and endurance. In spite of the general austerity policy
in the university sector, FernUniversität in Hagen was successful in strengthening
its position in the education system and building up its reputation both nationally
and internationally. This was aided by the beginnings of European integration and,
above all, the reunification of Germany.
The law expert Ulrich Battis
(born in 1944) was rector of
fernUniversität in Hagen
from 1984 to 1993. He studied
law and administration
in Münster, Berlin, Tübingen and Speyer. Ulrich Battis received his
habilitation in 1974 and was a professor at the University of Hamburg
from 1976, and subsequently at FernUniversität in Hagen from
1979. From 1993, he taught at the Humboldt University of Berlin.
Since 2009, he has been working as Of Counsel with the high-profile
international firm of business law Gleiss Lutz in Berlin.
Ulrich Battis is a specialist of european regional development,
as well as construction, planning and environmental law. His
specialties also include science law, civil service law and administrative
reform issues, in particular organisation and human resources.
Battis was honoured with the following distinctions: German
Construction Law Award in 1986, appointment chevalier de
l’ordre nationale du mérite by the president of the french
republic in 1993; Honorary Doctorate from the Law Faculty,
Panteion University of Athens in 2001.
Appointed and confirmed in office: Rector Ulrich Battis was responsible for the further development
of FernUniversität – Gesamthochschule in Hagen, as it was then called, from 1984 to 1993.
THE SECOND DECADE / 1985–1994
29

sHarpening tHe profile as
a University for stUdents
in employment
From this time on, FernUniversität in Hagen sharpened its profile
as a university for students in employment. While there
were about 25,000 students in the mid-1980s, the number of
students enrolled had increased to 56,000 by the mid-1990s.
This means that the Hagen University had more than doubled
the number of its students within ten years.
Numerous prominent personalities came to gather information about the
further development of FernUniversität in Hagen and the problems it was
facing during its consolidation phase. For example, the Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Hans-Dietrich Genscher, visited the data processing centre in 1987.
“We emphasized the character and strengths of FernUniverisät
in Hagen as a university for students in employment”, Ulrich Battis
remembers. “Many professors were not pleased about that. This
was still a taboo among universities then and generally practised
on a very limited scale to this day. Yet people who study alongside
their employment are particularly well qualified.”
stUdying WitHoUt aBitUr
or eQUivalent
“Studying at FernUniversität in Hagen now possible without
formal university entrance qualification.” With this and similar
headlines, the press as well as radio and television stations
commented on the decision announced by FernUniversität in
Hagen to start offering a placement examination. This variant
of admission opened up the opportunity to study for a diploma
or Master of Arts degree for prospective students with experience
in employment but without formal university entrance
qualifications, via a special university entrance test. Following
the announcement of this option, FernUniversität in Hagen was
flooded with 1,800 enquiries. Finally, 322 applications were received,
141 candidates were admitted to take the examination.
As required by law, the type and duration of employment were
the decisive criteria for assessment. Interest in the placement
examination remained very lively also in the following years, and
FernUniversität in Hagen received by far the largest number of
applications among NRW universities.
german reUnification
Apart from the increasing trend towards opening the University
for students in employment, the reunification of Germany led to
a sharp rise in the numbers of students during the early 1990s.
“That was a great time. The Berlin Wall had just fallen, reunification
was still taboo. But the first colleagues already drove
their Wartburg cars to Hagen”, Ulrich Battis recalls. “After all,
the universities in the GDR had a well-established tradition of
distance teaching”. FernUniversität in Hagen made use of that
Exchange between East and West: administration staff from the new East
German study centres came to Neuss for an exchange of experience in 1990.
tradition and opened its first study centres in the new Federal
States in June 1990 (in Halle, Rostock, Erfurt and East Berlin).
But in the original federal states, the supervision of students
close to their places of residence, which had been concentrated
primarily in North Rhine-Westphalia so far, was also further
extended. A tremendous effort was the development of study
centres in Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg, which, for example,
only succeeded in Nuremberg with assistance from the
Chamber of Industry and Commerce and private financial support.
The interest in FernUniversität in Hagen outside Germany
also increased.
“After all, the universities
in the GDR had a
well-established tradition
of distance teaching”
For example, the alliance of European distance teaching universities
by establishing the EADTU (European Association of
Distance Teaching Universities) in 1987 contributed to increasing
internationalisation. “By hard lobbying, we succeeded in
having the funding of distance teaching included in the Maastricht
Treaty, and consequently in the European Constitution of
that time”, Ulrich Battis emphasizes. At that time, he experienced
the foundation of EADTU and later became its President.
“We would never have been included in the Maastricht Treaty
by just a German initiative. This could only be accomplished by
a joint international effort.”
The international relations established via EADTU also paid dividends
in terms of cooperation agreements and the foundation of
study centres abroad, for example in Hungary and Switzerland.
When Günter Fandel became the third Rector of FernUniversität
in Hagen in summer 1993, the University had a total of 66 study
centres in Germany and neighbouring foreign countries.
30
THE SECOND DECADE / 1985–1994

1985–1994
1985: ground-breaking ceremony for the extension AVZ II: Minister Rolf
Krumsiek (centre) performed the work – Ulrich Battis and Minister Dieter
Haak (right) looked on.
space proBlems
The increasing interest in FernUniversität in Hagen and the
growing numbers of students led to accommodation problems
at the University’s domicile in Hagen, in spite of distance
teaching. Because contributions by the Federal Government
to university building construction were terminated in 1982,
only the extension building AVZ II (today: Eugen Schmalenbach
Building) was completed in the mid-1980s.
A milestone in solving the accommodation problems was
reached in 1993 with the inauguration of the new logistics
centre in Hagen’s industrial zone of the Lower Lenne Valley.
Within two decades, the shipping department of FernUniversität
in Hagen developed from modest beginnings into a highly
efficient logistics centre.
At the beginning of the 1990s, on average 8,000 parcels of
study materials were shipped on every day of dispatch, almost
one million consignments per academic year.
A milestone in solving the
accommodation problems was
reached in 1993 with the inauguration
of the new logistics centre.
fUrtHer development
of tHe degree programmes
and sUBJect areas
FernUniversität in Hagen responded to the great supra-regional
and international demand by further developing its degree
programmes, subjects and subject areas. By the end of the
decade, some 1,500 courses were available. Additional Master’s
degree programmes in arts subjects were started. New institutes
sprang up like mushrooms, which were intended to secure the
practical relevance of specialist disciplines, such as the Institute
of New Electrical Engineering Technologies or the Institute
of Applied Business Administration. New advanced education
packages were specially adapted to the target group of professionals
in employment, such as additional courses in business
administration and economics for lawyers, natural scientists
and engineers, advanced education in psychotherapy or various
programmes in computer science. Moreover, the programme of
teaching, studies and research was further extended by cooperation
agreements with other universities.
In view of the fragmentation into more than 20 different sites
in Hagen and Iserlohn, there was a great desire among staff
members to have all institutions of FernUniversität in Hagen
centrally located on the campus.
THE SECOND DECADE / 1985–1994
31

compUters are introdUced
In the mid-1980s, EDP, PCs and microcomputers were introduced
at FernUniversität in Hagen. The rapid development of
electronic data processing had its main effect on the organisation
of the administration during this period. For example,
the automatic HIS MBS financial management system had
gone live in 1987. The Central Institute for Distance Teaching
Research (ZIFF) and the Centre of Distance Teaching
Development (ZFE) carried out numerous model tests on
modern information and communication technologies such
as videotext, telefax and teletex. The use of computers in
distance teaching was also discussed and tested intensely. First
interactive teaching programmes for PCs were developed and
offered towards the end of the 1980s, for example a terminology
trainer to supplement bridging courses in English. Since
the 1980s, the Hagen University has also been present at the
CeBIT computer trade fair in Hanover.
Inside view of the mechanical workshop: at the end of the 1980s, the subject area of Electrical Engineering also benefited from the new jobs.
neW JoBs for compUter science, electrical engineering
and researcH transfer
The special role of FernUniversität in Hagen prevented a
cutback in the level of growth already reached during the
period of the NRW State Government’s austerity policy, and
in particular contributed to securing and extending the study
programme in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
In 1991, Computer Science became a subject area in its own
right. “In the course of consolidation, all universities had to
reduce jobs. At that time it was decided to close the university
of applied sciences in Hagen. Fortunately, this decision
was not finally implemented. Nevertheless we were granted
45 new jobs for the region of Hagen as a compensation
measure”, Ulrich Battis recalls. According to the budget law
passed on 19 December 1988, these were allocated primarily
to Computer Science, Electrical Engineering and research
transfer. “This was a signal for a fresh start. We also used the
additional jobs to expand teaching in IT”, says Ulrich Battis.
“Of course the computer scientists led the way in the acquisition
of technical equipment and in using the new media.
Learning with the help of video cassettes and floppy disks (1990): new media
were added to the traditional study letters.
32
THE SECOND DECADE / 1985–1994

1985–1994
At FernUniversität in Hagen, the computer age had begun. The first emails
were also written in the 1980s.
fernUniversitÄt in Hagen
on Wdr television
In the 1980s, television assumed a complementary function as
a teaching medium. Over many years, a group of scientifically
interested fans regularly watched the broadcasts of FernUniversität
in Hagen on WDR television in addition to the students.
“That was good advertising”, says Ulrich Battis. “Back then, for
example, I launched a series of presentations about ‘Women
in the Legal Profession’ together with Ulrike Schultz, which
we recorded. For this series, we contacted prominent women
such as Rita Süßmuth, Liselotte Funcke and Jutta Limbach.”
Another milestone in the widespread use of modern information
and communication technologies was the landmark
decision to develop the learning environment of a virtual university.
In 1994, FernUniversität in Hagen set up its own web
server and thus paved the way to reaching a new quality in
teaching by intensive use of the new media.
However, scientific teaching was still characterized by programmes
developed in the 1970s, combining printed media with
attendance courses. “Electronic communication was just a trickle
then. Our main teaching medium was the printed study letter.
“Instead of the uni in Mainz,
we should really be the ones
bearing the name
of Gutenberg University.”
Of course, our contact with students took place primarily via
attendance courses held at the study centres”, Ulrich Battis
reports. “Our Chancellor Ralf Bartz was right in reminding us
repeatedly that instead of the uni in Mainz, we should really
be the ones bearing the name of Gutenberg University, since
we were printing the largest quantities of paper.”
Videos for teaching and contributions for WDR
television broadcasts were created at the ZFE
video studio, which was acquired in 1987.
THE SECOND DECADE / 1985–1994
33

1985–1994
positive appointment record
However, by the quality of its research, FernUniversität in Hagen also refuted all scepticism
from some parts of the public which it had still encountered during its phase of consolidation
and endurance. “We had a very positive appointment record. Our lecturers enjoyed an
excellent reputation”, Ulrich Battis emphasizes. One of the best examples is the economist
Rüdiger Pohl, who was appointed to the German Council of Economic Advisers in 1986.
“This was an incredible prestige gain for us”, Battis underlines. “Thereafter, professors such
as Michael Bitz or Günter Fandel received numerous appointment offers, but stayed with us.
For a young university, that is extremely important.”
Ulrich Battis regarded the enhancement of FernUniversität in Hagen’s national and international
prestige as one of the vital challenges. So he remembers the massive criticism received
from the State Court of Audit as the low point in his term of office. “They criticized FernUniversität
in Hagen in 1987 for lack of numbers of graduates and demanded that the Hagen
University should be closed. This was extremely harsh and kept us in suspense for half a year”,
Battis recalls. “But we could explain the situation and reached a settlement via direct contact
with Johannes Rau, then NRW State Premier, and a hearing before the State Parliament.”
amBassadors
This was followed by a presentation held at the Bonn Science Centre in February 1988 with
the Federal Minister Jürgen Möllemann then in office, about the topic of “Advanced Education
– a task for universities and the scientific community”, which was taken up by the
media on a broad front. One of many events demonstrating the performance of the Hagen
University and its students. “FernUniversität in Hagen had the image of an SPD (Socialist)
university for NRW and a university for fringe groups. We changed this.
“I learnt a lot at
FernUniversität in Hagen.
Creating, building things,
accomplishing something ...”
Our core statement was: We have extremely capable, hardworking
students”, says Ulrich Battis. “Today, the CV of many
prominent personalities and successful entrepreneurs includes
a degree from FernUniversität in Hagen”.
Ulrich Battis still benefits in the German capital today from the
contacts he made during his time in Hagen. In 1993, the legal
expert accepted an appointment to the Humboldt University
in Berlin. “I learnt a lot at FernUniversität in Hagen. Creating,
building things, accomplishing something – this was what
appealed to me most”, says Ulrich Battis. “My time as Rector
in Hagen was a great period of fulfilment for me.”
Start into the virtual world: computer cables at the data processing
centre in the 1980s.
34
THE SECOND DECADE / 1985–1994

THREE DECADES OF
GeNder eQuALItY PrOmOtION
a great deal accomplisHed,
BUt tHe goal
not yet reacHed
German Basic Law, Article 3, Paragraph 2: Men and
women shall have equal rights. But has the equality
of men and women at FernUniversität in Hagen been
reached in the anniversary year 2015? “This issue is
a household word university-wide“, says the gender
equality representative Melanie Graf. “But unfortunately,
gender equality is not yet a matter of course.”
Women’s representatives / gender
eQUality representatives
of fernUniversitÄt in Hagen
Dr. Marianne Groten (1987–1989)
Irmingard Schewe-Gerigk (1989 as acting representative,
1990 –1992)
Dr. Ulrike Sattel (1992–1994 as acting representative)
Marita Dickenscheid (1994–1998, 1999 as acting representative)
Ulrike Schultz, Prof. Dr. Lenelis Kruse (1999–2000 as acting
representative)
Eva Engels (2000–2004)
Melanie Graf (since 2004)
28 years have passed since Dr. Marianne Groten started as the first women’s representative at FernUniversität in Hagen. In a newspaper
article of that time, the following comment appeared: “This new office, reporting directly to the Rector and a prime example of
the exorbitant waste of money in the civil service, is designed as a public instrument to bring strife into the men’s domain of FernUni.”
At the beginning, resistance was strong. But much has changed in just under 30 years of gender equality promotion. The original
women’s representative has become a gender equality representative who, thanks to the Higher Education Act and the NRW Equality
Act, has become considerably more influential than in the past.
Now it is a matter of course that the gender equality representative takes part in sessions of the Rectorate, the Senate, the Faculty
Councils, the Appointment Committees and other committees. Projects such as the supervision of children during school holidays or
a network of female doctoral candidates have been implemented. Emergency child care at the “MiniCampus” is to start shortly. Yet
there remains much more to be done. Women are still underrepresented in
many areas. Currently, intensive work on implementing the project of creating
a “family-friendly university” is under way at FernUniversität in Hagen.
Almost 30 years of gender equality promotion: at an official ceremony,
the former women’s and gender equality representatives exchanged
views with Chancellor Regina Zdebel (top right), Dr. Manfred Scholle,
Chairman of the University Board (top left) and the present gender
equality representative Melanie Graf (bottom left).
The general conditions for gender equality promotion are at present better
than ever before. FernUniversität in Hagen ranks at the top in the “female
professors’ programme” of the federal and state governments. The new
gender equality concept (2014 – 2017) has come into force. And Hochschulzukunftsgesetz,
the new law governing university development, will
ensure the enforcement of gender equality rates in future.
1985: Rector Battis appoints the first female professor Lenelis Kruse.

SERVICE: INDIVIDUAL, VIRTUAL AND
IN reGIONAL studY CeNtres
fernUniversitÄt in Hagen is consistently eXpanding its services
“If students are unable to go to a university, the university must go to them”, said Johannes Rau, the founding father of Fern-
Universität in Hagen, in his ceremonial speech at the University’s 25th anniversary. Even before its programme of studies started
in autumn 1975, FernUniversität in Hagen was moving towards its students. Supervision of the students close to their place of
residence was a vital issue from the very beginning. So the Ministry of Science decided in August 1975 to establish study centres
in 26 North Rhine-Westphalian cities. Half of these
already started to operate in October and November of
the same year. Starting with NRW, the network of up to
66 study centres in Germany and neighbouring foreign
countries was developed.
With the foundation of 13 regional centres nationwide
between 2009 and 2012, FernUniversität in Hagen set
its course for the future. Most students are now supervised
close to their places of residence up to a maximum
distance of 75 km according to controlled quality standards
and uniform academic standards. “At the centres,
we offer personal information, counselling, subject-related
supervision, and we organise our regional service in
the best interest of our students – demand-oriented and
coordinated in terms of time schedules and content”,
explains the Department Head Kirsten Pinkvoss.
In the University’s system of studies, the regional study centres are a vital
element of the blended learning concept. To ensure optimal supervision
also for students living outside metropolitan areas and in particular students
in employment, the additional service via the Internet is further developed.
Tailored to meet the demands of each subject, the faculties organise
web-based supervision in the virtual learning environment of the degree
programmes. On the Internet, students use forums to exchange views and
meet to form online working groups. The core is the virtual university place,
where data and courses are organised and digital tools such as wikis and
blogs are accessed. Lecturers and students form networks via social software.
The increasing digitalisation of teaching enhances mobility, accelerates
communication and promotes new forms of cooperation.
“At the centres, we offer personal
information, counselling and
subject-related supervision ...”
Here, students have an opportunity for scientific exchange
and learning together. Attendance courses and examination
preparation programmes are particularly in demand.
Beyond the German borders, FernUniversität in Hagen
also offers support for successful studies by means of its
study centres and cooperation agreements with partner
universities. In this way, “studying without borders” has
become possible in Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, the
Russian Federation and Latvia.
Furthermore, the Service Center has been the central point of contact for
any questions concerning studies for ten years. Via the telephone number
+49 (0)2331 987-2444 the staff members answer 2,000 calls per week.
Added to this are 2,000 emails per month and face-to-face counselling on
the campus in Hagen.
A feedback management system is currently being developed, to be operated
jointly by the Service Center and the Central Student Advisory Office. “Every
piece of feedback is helpful. It can only help us to improve even further”, says
the Department Head Constanze Schick.

Photo: Hadley Hudson
diane HielscHer
graduate in political science,
radio presenter and mother of two children
“For a number of years I had been working as a journalist and presenter, and dealing
with issues of foreign and domestic politics. So I thought it would make sense for
me to also familiarise myself with the theoretical aspects of politics. Therefore I
acquired a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from FernUniversität in Hagen. In
this way, I was able to approach many topics about which I had already reported on
the radio and in online articles from a scientific angle and expand
my knowledge. As a mother, the only option I had was distance
learning, which left me enough time for my children besides my
job and my studies.”

1995
to
2004

VIrtuAL uNIVersItY
39

IT WAS THE rigHt decision
TO GIVE UP tHe varioUs l
of tHe University SCATT
ACROSS THE CITY ONE BY O
concentrate tHem on t

ocations
ERED
NE AND
He campUs.
RECTOR PROF. DR. DR. H.C. GÜNTER FANDEL / THIRD DECADE
41

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. günter fandel

1995–2004
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c.
günter fandel
SOLID fOuNdAtIONs
Those were tempestuous times in higher education policy, which Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Günter Fandel encountered as Rector in
the mid-1990s. He had been appointed Rector in 1993. At that time, the NRW State Parliament had just defined its political
goals for education: structural reform in higher education, individual responsibility and efficiency for universities and promotion
of research to preserve economic strength. Especially the efficiency audit presented Fandel with some challenges. “In the
year of my appointment, the Minister of Science then in office, Anke Brunn, intended to send a business consultancy firm
to FernUniversität in Hagen for an efficiency audit. The ultimate aim was probably to cut back between 80 and 90 jobs at
the University. We had these consultants already virtually on our doorstep. But I insisted on carrying out our own efficiency
audit of FernUniversität in Hagen with the staff of my Chair.” The result was that the business consultancy was kept out, and
Fandel published two expert opinions which met with a positive response from the State Chancellery – but: “The Minister’s
relationship with me was strained thereafter.”
The expert economist Prof. Dr.
Dr. h. c. Günter Fandel (born in
1943) was rector of fernUniversität
in Hagen from 1993
to 1997. At that time, Fandel
had already been Professor of Business Administration since 1976,
practically since the initial phase of FernUniversität in Hagen. The native
of the Rhineland studied economic and social sciences at the University
of Bonn from 1966 to 1970, where he subsequently also completed his
doctoral degree in 1972. the albert ludwig University in freiburg
i. Br. awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2007. In 2011, Fandel
retired from FernUniversität in Hagen.
Apart from his term of office as Rector, he was president of the
german society for operations research from 1981 to1982, and
from 1998 to 2004 chairman of the erich gutenberg society in
cologne. Since the mid-1980s, he has been continuously active as
a publisher of business administration magazines, for example the
“Zeitschrift für Betriebswirtschaft“ (today: Journal of Business Economics)
since 2001.
THE THIRD DECADE / 1995–2004
43

For the continuously growing Hagen university, the intended
reduction in jobs would have been “counterproductive”, Fandel
confirms his view taken at the time. The demand from students
was enormous, so that the third Rector saw himself faced with
a further important task: “At that time, I wanted to develop additional
degree programmes and expand the existing subjects.
One of my special concerns was to establish an undergraduate
degree programme in law. There was already a lively demand
for this subject in those days. Later on, after our cooperation
agreement with the University of Düsseldorf had been terminated,
it was actually established.” In addition to undergraduate
degree programmes, the focus was on scientific advanced
education programmes, for then, too, many students came to
FernUniversität in Hagen with a first academic degree already
completed. To support the students, supervision needed to be
intensified and the attendance phases expanded.
The foundations of the Philipp Reis Building, which was to become the home
of Electrical Engineering, were poured in 1994.
The campus grows together: both the Computer Science Centre of FernUniversität
in Hagen and the Technology and Start-up Centre of the Municipality
of Hagen were built in 1997.
fernUniversitÄt in Hagen
estaBlisHes itself
As matters stood, FernUniversität in Hagen had already grown
well beyond its original mission, and developed from a substitute
university into a supplementary university. However,
the development of the facilities did not keep pace with the
growth of the Hagen university – after 20 years, FernUniversität
in Hagen was still scattered across the municipality in 20
locations. And the accommodation programme planned at its
foundation, with a total area of 45,000 square metres, had not
yet been implemented. The Federal Government had terminated
its contributions to financing university buildings several
years before. Only at the beginning of the 1990s did the building
projects start to go ahead. The logistics centre in the Lenne
valley was inaugurated, and on the campus, the Philipp Reis
Building to house the subject area of Electrical Engineering and
the Technology and Start-up Centre (TGZ) with the integrated
Computer Science Centre followed soon afterwards. In 2001,
the University Library was extended by adding a transparent
new building with much glass, the refectory was in planning.
The Technology and Start-up Centre TGZ was a cooperation
project between the Municipality of Hagen, the Business
Development Corporation and the South Westphalian
Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Hagen. It had a signal
effect for the region: the structural change in the Ruhr District
was successful. The University became a hub of trend-setting
innovations. At the TGZ, start-up companies which were spinoffs
from FernUniversität in Hagen were granted rooms. Later
on, the NRW property administration office took over the
whole building – today it houses several disciplines and service
offices of FernUniversität in Hagen. “On the whole, I am very
pleased with this development. It was the right decision to
give up the various locations of the University scattered across
the city one by one and concentrate them on the campus.
“The extension was already then
welcomed by everyone:
teachers, administrative staff
and students alike.”
It makes a difference whether you are sitting in a flat rented
by FernUniversität in Hagen or on the University’s own campus.
The extension was already then welcomed by everyone:
teachers, administrative staff and students alike”, Fandel
sums up. Above all for the students, this meant having only
short distances to cover on site where necessary.
The University Library needed more space. In 2001, 650,000 books and
magazines were moved into the extension.
44
THE THIRD DECADE / 1995–2004

1995–2004
The physical concentration on the site next to Feithstrasse
was a clear statement: FernUniversität in Hagen had now also
found its place in industry and commerce, and in society. Another
indicator was the construction of Arcadeon as a “house
of science and advanced education”, initiated jointly with the
Society of Friends of FernUniversität (GdF) founded in 1978 –
a special form of public-private partnership.
Support from local industry and commerce was generous:
various companies donated the first endowment chairs to
FernUniversität in Hagen and cooperated with the University
to provide advanced education opportunities for their employees.
Within the GdF, the Association of Graduates established
itself over the years, where alumni of FernUniversität in
Hagen are active as important distance learning ambassadors.
In this way, they express their ties and identification with Fern-
Universität in Hagen, which generally paved the way for their
professional careers.
FernUniversität in Hagen, the Society of Friends and representatives of the municipality as well as industry and commerce working hand in hand: in 1997, they laid the
foundation stone for the conference hotel Arcadeon as a “house of science and advanced education”.
FernUniversität in Hagen becomes an integral part of the urban landscape.
The street around the campus was renamed Universitätsstrasse (University
Street) in 2002.
The University’s close ties with the local region was demonstrated, for example, by rising numbers of visitors at university festivals. After Fern-
Universität in Hagen was made visible for the first time in December 1974 by a sign in front of the Villa Bechem on Feithstrasse, the street
around the campus was renamed Universitätsstrasse (University Street) in 2002, and in 2010, the municipality of Hagen proudly added the
epithet “Stadt der FernUniversität” (city of FernUniversität) to its name on its town entry signs.
THE THIRD DECADE / 1995–2004
45

tHe virtUal University learning environment Becomes tHe campUs
In 1994, FernUniversität in Hagen started up its own web
server and thus ushered in a new era: the development of
the virtual university learning environment (LVU). All functions
in connection with studying were to be made available via
electronic communication networks. The previous approaches
had concentrated on distributing the study materials in digital
form as an alternative. Now the aim was to shift the entire
communication between students and lecturers, the learning
process itself, the interaction with fellow students and the
organisation and administration of the study programme to
the Internet.
This was a special challenge. The students of that time first had
to get used to the new electronic programmes. “Life punishes
those who come too early”, Fandel judges in retrospect.“Today’s
generation of students have grown up with this technology,
but in those days, it was different. That was why we did not
reach large numbers at first with our digital programmes.”
But the technical innovations still enhanced the communication
between lecturers and students. “This was certainly
an addition to the existing opportunities. Yet as soon as any
subject-related problems came up, there was an urgent wish
for individual counselling. But I always accepted that, because
not everything needs to be replaced”, explains Fandel from his
present perspective.
The traditional distance learning system using paper, pens and
physical transport by mail had been transformed into a combination
of digital and analogue media – the blended learning
concept. With a total volume of almost four million euros from
budget resources and an additional grant of just under two
million euros contributed by the NRW Ministry of Science from
the proceeds of UMTS licences sold, more than 120 individual
projects were financed.
46
THE THIRD DECADE / 1995–2004

1995–2004
top priorities were always didactic quality and technical stability,
since the web access figures were high from the beginning.
Any potential media were invariably tested concerning their
suitability for distance learning.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Helmut Hoyer was presented with his letter of appointment as Rector by
Assistant State Secretary Reinhard Fiege in 1997 and has continued in office until today.
With the virtual university learning environment, FernUniversität in Hagen
ushered in a new era in the mid-1990s. The study programme, including
teaching, learning and organisation shifted more and more towards the
web. FernUniversität in Hagen has consistently continued its development
as a media university ever since.
FernUniversität in Hagen’s path into the future became more
clearly defined. It sharpened its profile as a university playing
a leading part in the digitisation of teaching. The relevant
project was given a special boost by the fourth Rector of
FernUniversität in Hagen, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Helmut Hoyer, who
was elected in 1997 and is still in office today. “The aim is to
make a direct, cross-sectional contribution to all innovation
processes by providing efficient support to one central issue
of the new information and knowledge society: demand-oriented,
individualised, yet supervised learning with previously
unknown flexibility”, this is how Hoyer then forecast the
paradigm change from the teaching-centred to a learningoriented
university, for it enabled networking of students
with each other and accelerated communication with the
teachers. For instance, students were able to arrange meetings
for group work on the Internet. For everything new, the
In the subject area of Computer Science, the first complete
degree programme of the virtual university became possible
from the winter semester 1999/2000: the B.A. in Computer Science.
In the year 2000, the 25th anniversary year of FernUniversität
in Hagen, 14,000 students had an account with the virtual
university. “FernUniversität in Hagen is the leading online university”,
is how the German Federal President, Johannes Rau,
expressed his appreciation of the development, and the NRW
Minister of Science then in office, Gabriele Behler, conferred on
the Hagen University the title “University of the Future” during
the official anniversary ceremony, stating: “FernUniversität is a
good, powerful and future-oriented place of education, made
in NRW.” Only two years later, the number of students using the
option of virtual studying had already risen to 30,000.
For the 25th anniversary of FernUniversität in Hagen, the Rector Prof. Dr.-
Ing. Helmut Hoyer (right) welcomed the Lord Mayor of Hagen Wilfried Horn,
the German Federal President Dr. h. c. Johannes Rau and the NRW Minister
of Science Gabriele Behler at the official anniversary ceremony. Here, Behler
conferred the title “University of the Future” on FernUniversität in Hagen.
Via monitor and camera: in 2002, examiners carried out the 500th examination of
students by video conference.

Signed the first target agreements between
FernUniversität in Hagen and the NRW Ministry
of Science in 2002: (from the left) Secretary of
State Hartmut Krebs and Rector Hoyer.
Dr. Jörn Kreke (centre), then Chairman of the Society of Friends and
President and CEO of Douglas Holding AG, is granted an honorary
doctorate from FernUniversität in Hagen in 2000. Among the congratulators
were the NRW Minister of Science, Gabriele Behler, and
the Rector Prof. Dr.-Ing. Helmut Hoyer (2nd from the right), as well
as Prof. Dr. Dr. Heinz Abels (left) and Prof. Dr. Uwe Schimank (right).
University development: mission statement,
target agreements and university concept of 2010
With the further development of multimedia and
communication technologies, FernUniversität in Hagen
also accepted the challenges of university policies it
was presented with from outside. With the European
Bologna process, the revision of the German Higher
Education Framework Act (1998) and the North Rhine-
Westphalian Quality Pact (1999), systematic restructuring
of the university landscape had begun on all levels.
This included modularisation of the courses of study,
increasing internationalisation and more permeability
and professional relevance through the introduction of
staggered Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes.
In NRW, the university reform was already implemented
at the end of the 1990s, primarily under the guiding
concepts of profiling, modernisation and internal control
mechanisms of the universities, and controlled, in
addition to quality pacts, via instruments such as target
agreements and global budgeting in the course of the
years. The processes set in motion at FernUniversität in
Hagen were mainly initiated as a result of the “expert
inspection”. The council of experts was a committee
appointed by the Ministry of Science to judge the universities
by the criteria of profile development, programme
of studies and efficiency.
THE CONSEQUENCES FOR
FERNUNIVERSITÄT IN HAGEN
The subject area of Educational and Social Sciences
and Humanities became the Faculty of Humanities and
Social Sciences, the Faculty of Law introduced the
degrees of Bachelor and Master of Laws, and the
further development of media-assisted teaching was
decided as well. FernUniversität in Hagen as a whole
gave itself a mission statement, in which it confirmed
its position as a supplier of undergraduate degree programmes
as well as profession- and demand-oriented
advanced scientific education programmes.
These plans were also included in the first target
agreements with the NRW Ministry of Science in 2002:
a new side of North Rhine-Westphalian university policy.
Moreover, a number of additional interdisciplinary
topics were introduced, such as internationalisation
and promotion of women. Another novelty was the
introduction of an accreditation system for new degree
programmes in all federal states. These changes were
also implemented in response to the Study Account
and Financing Act (StKFG) passed in 2003, which
caused a massive reduction in the number of students,
for the tuition fees which became due from then on
particularly affected the target group of FernUniversität
in Hagen.
FernUniversität in Hagen responded with restructuring
and reorganisation of subject areas, and introduced
a three-step model. In addition to the regular system
of studies with Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes,
the discontinued Diploma and “Magister”
degree programmes and the advanced scientific
education programmes, it developed a programme of
academy studies, which is comparable to extra-mural

1995–2004
Chancellor Regina Zdebel, who had succeeded the founding chancellor Ralf Bartz in 2001, had already
started to implement management guidelines and developed FernUniversität in Hagen further in this area,
even before the government passed its decision to that effect.
Günter Fandel continued to take a hand in these processes even after his term of office as Rector expired –
and he remains active beyond his retirement in 2011. “I am deeply connected with FernUniversität in Hagen
and wish to continue to take part in shaping the University’s framework conditions as one of its members.
I find it desirable to think of the institution’s success as my own personal success.”
Regina Zdebel succeeded Ralf Bartz (left) as Chancellor, who retired in 2001 after
26 years in office. Rolf von der Heyden acted for both as their deputy.
In 2004, the Service Center started to operate as a central point of contact and advisory office of FernUniversität in Hagen.
studies at traditional universities. From this point onwards, individual courses and modules could be
studied “on demand”. Moreover, the academy study programme provided access to the University even
for students without Abitur or equivalent formal university entrance qualification. This permeability in the
education system was taken up as a political issue only several years later.
One part of the austerity programme was the merger of the subject areas Mathematics, Computer Science
and Electrical Engineering into the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science. “This was the right decision
at the time. Only by means of internal re-distribution of the subject areas could we prevent Electrical
Engineering from being terminated altogether”, Hoyer sums up today.
Parallel to the further development of its scientific operations, FernUniversität in Hagen mastered the
modernisation of its administration, just as the red-green State Government had decided by way of
quality pacts and target agreements. Performance orientation was incorporated in civil service law: it
was introduced into Human Resources (e.g. appraisal interviews, selection of staff), Controlling (e.g. cost
and performance accounting, budgeting), Organisation (e.g. “eGovernment”, change management) and
Quality (e.g. quality assurance and management systems).
THE THIRD DECADE / 1995–2004
49

INTERNATIONALLY
reCOGNIZed reseArCH
40 years of research have made FernUniversität in Hagen a
respected member of the scientific community. Its theoretical
and application-related research programme ensures
the up-to-dateness of its teaching content. In June 1997,
the German Research Foundation accepted FernUniversität
in Hagen as a member on the grounds of the continuously
excellent research carried out by its scientists. Many
of them are highly respected by their colleagues and the
general public.
FernUniversität in Hagen supports its researchers in many
different ways. A particular focus is on funding young scientific
talents – in particular women engaged in doctoral and
postdoctoral studies – and on international research projects.
The University’s research profile is largely based on ideas
from the working world and social life, brought in by partner
institutions, industry and commerce, and students in employment.
For example, the list of research projects includes a
pupil-oriented model of teaching – the first third-party funded
project granted to FernUniversität in Hagen in 1975, as
well as R&D projects for dynamic goals (1982), shortening
of queues at traffic lights (1998) and football as an economic
A central subject of research is advanced education. In 1981, a symposium
was held on this topic in the AVZ foyer.
factor (2004), right up to claims of ownership in the
Gurlitt case and formal errors in the preparation of
legal psychology expert opinions (2014).
Quite apart from this, hardly any other university has
cultivated in a similar way the use of new media in
teaching and learning as a main topic of research
for 40 years. With its Central Institute for Distance
Teaching Research (ZIFF) established in 1975, it was
the first university to carry out research on its own
system of teaching. Since 2006, the Institute for
Educational Science and Media Research has been
in charge of this well-organised work. After all, the
“virtual university learning environment”, which has
model character worldwide, emerged from research
and development of two subject areas at FernUniversität
in Hagen. This learning environment inaugurated
the era of university teaching and learning on
the Internet.
Today, FernUniversität in Hagen is recognized as
one of the top institutions worldwide engaged in
research on the use of new media in teaching. The
significance of distance teaching research is also
reflected in its current main fields of research. It focuses
on media didactics and media research, diversity
inclusion in media-assisted distance teaching, cooperative
working and learning in virtual organisations,
and technologies for the knowledge society.
Inter-faculty cooperation agreements have been established
in three research clusters: “Change Management”
(Business Administration and Economics and
others), “Intelligent Systems for Decision Support”
Autonomous electrical driving in 2005: a running robot from FernUniversität in Hagen finds its
own way through a labyrinth.
and “Company Valuation and Corporate Governance” (Business Administration
and Economics with Mathematics and Computer Science). Not to
forget the joint sponsorship of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
and the Faculty of Law of the Dimitris Tsatsos Institute for European Constitutional
Sciences, which was established in 2003, and numerous internal
cooperation partnerships on subject area level.
Research in Hagen is also well networked both nationally and internationally
beyond the boundaries of its own University; cooperation agreements
exist with research and development partners around the world. Industry
and commerce, and society in general benefit from the potential of the
University’s research and its experts. Scientific advanced education study
programmes are developed jointly with companies, associations of interest
groups and scientific institutions, and are therefore designed to combine
theory with practice. The business world has expressed its esteem for Fern-
Universität in Hagen by a total of four endowment chairs and one junior
endowment professorship.
Since 2012, FernUniversität in Hagen has been communicating research findings
via presentations, inaugural lectures and symposia within the University
and to the general public under the label of “Hagen Research Dialogue”. With
“mind-to-mind transfer of research findings”, the circuit between research
and distance teaching, between theory and practice is completed.

Photo: Atelier für Fotografie Golz, Hamm
dr. andreas sommer
degree in Business administration and economics
including doctoral studies, today a member of the
management Board of volksbank Hellweg eg
“Studying at FernUni has definitely paved the way for my professional career. I wanted
to remain in control of my career as much as possible. So I already began to study
during my vocational training to become a bank clerk, and subsequently acquired
a doctoral degree. My doctoral thesis was an empirical publication about the bank.
Studying parallel to employment has strengthened my loyalty to my
employers. I received a great deal of support both privately and at my
workplace. The attendance courses at the study centres were also of
great value. Without my studies at FernUniversität in Hagen, I would
not be holding my position on the Management Board today.”

2005
to
2014

ise to Become
GermANY’s
LArGest uNIVersItY
53

WE WANTED TO MAKE
fernUniversitÄt IN H
KNOWN AS A leading
OF modern distance

AGEN WELLsUpplier
learning.
RECTOR PROF. DR.-ING. HELMUT HOYER / FOURTH DECADE
55

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Helmut Hoyer

2005–2014
Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Helmut Hoyer
THE ONLY CONSTANT
Is CHANGe
It is the predominant feeling of an era. “The only constant in my term of office is change”, says
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Helmut Hoyer. The present Rector of FernUniversität in Hagen can look back on
17 years as head of the University, and has shaped its policies over four terms of office. And
several decisive development processes during the latest decade of FernUniversität in Hagen’s
history have roots reaching far back into earlier years. When Rector Hoyer already wrote about
a “process of continuous and increasingly accelerating university development” at the beginning
of this decade, he certainly had the rapidly changing framework conditions in mind, which
concerned all universities in North Rhine-Westphalia, for the implementation of the Bologna
reform in terms of restructuring the study courses, as well as the new Study Account and
Financing Act, presented all universities with major challenges. After all, these reforms were
tied in with other regulations and new legislation which required a process of fundamental
rethinking on the part of the universities.
since 1997, prof. dr.-ing. Helmut Hoyer (born in 1950)
has been rector of fernUniversität in Hagen, currently
in his fourth term of office. He started working here in 1979,
at first as a scientific assistant at the Chair of Automation
Technology and Information Technology in the subject area of
Electrical Engineering. After three years as Head of the research group “Control and Multi-robot
Systems” at the Robotics Research Institute (IRF) of TU Dortmund, he returned to FernUniversität
in Hagen as Professor of “Process Control and Control Systems Engineering” in 1988. His main
fields of research are in the areas of robotics and supporting technologies for persons of
advanced age and persons with disabilities.
as rector, Hoyer was acting president of the international council for open and distance
education (icde) from 1999 to 2008 and Chairman of the State Rectors’ Conference of North
Rhine-Westphalia from 2001 to 2002.
Since 2002, he has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental,
Safety and Energy Technology (UMSICHT); in 2012 he was appointed to the Advisory
Board of the Fraunhofer Technology Academy. From 2007 to 2012, he was also a member of the
University Board of Otto Friedrich University in Bamberg. for his outstanding achievements
in developing the “virtual university” and his commitment for the disabled, prof. Hoyer
was presented with the federal cross of merit in 2005. The ICDE granted him the “Prize of
Excellence” for his great dedication to the establishment and dissemination of distance teaching.
THE FOURTH DECADE / 2005–2014
57

estrUctUring in science
and administration
“Universities as businesses?” This question was discussed by the panel on University Day on the 30th anniversary. The guests present at this event included the Minister of
Science Pinkwart (4th from the right) and University Association President Kempken (4th from the left).
Chancellor Regina Zdebel in her capacity as the Head of Administration
and in cooperation with the Rectorate succeeded
not only in implementing the demanded job retrenchments,
but also in reorganising the Central University Administration.
Service-oriented, cost-efficient and responding flexibly to
the changing requirements, this is how the departments were
shaped in the following years. Today, they present themselves
as a modern university administration system, which has also
mastered the transition from fiscal accounting to business
accounting; as a service for the students and for science.
FernUniversität in Hagen had expressed this process of rethinking
in the form of a question for its Dies Academicus on its
30th anniversary. “Universities as businesses?” was the title of
the panel discussion with the North Rhine-Westphalian Minister
of Science Prof. Dr. Andreas Pinkwart. After all, the Minister’s
financially motivated approach to university structures had
thrown spanners in the works of the university landscape for
some time, and FernUniversität in Hagen was no exception.
What about the freedom
of research and teaching?
These questions were topics of heated discussion also at Fern-
Universität in Hagen. At that time, the University depended
heavily on publicising its special programme of studies for
people in employment and the structure of its courses tailored
to the needs of precisely this target group, for the Study Account
and Financing Act passed by the State Government had
led to a dramatic 20% drop in student numbers.
The consequences could be clearly felt in this decade too: a
mere 44,000 students studied at FernUniversität in Hagen in
2005, and the University incurred heavy financial losses due
to the lower income from material subscription fees paid by
the students.
Simultaneously, the Rectorate initiated a process of positioning
FernUniversität in Hagen within the German university
landscape. “We wanted to demonstrate our special distance
teaching profile for our particular target group of prospective
students, in order to win new students”, says Rector Hoyer.
Will the humanistic approach to education be sacrificed? Are
universities acting as entrepreneurs able to position themselves
more clearly and with more charisma? What about the
freedom of research and teaching?
A major step forward: the first graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Cultural Sciences,
Gerd Marmitt, was presented with his Certificate by the Dean, Prof. Dr.
Martin Huber (right) and Dr. Bernhard Sudeick, Head of the Examination Office.
58
THE FOURTH DECADE / 2005–2014

2005–2014
Quality assurance in teaching, a model for subject-related supervision
in the new Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes,
research funding – these were issues to be incorporated into the
preparation of the University Concept 2010 to make FernUniversität
in Hagen more attractive for students. Hoyer comments:
“We wanted to make it more widely known and establish it as a
leading supplier of modern distance learning.”
This process did not come easy to FernUniversität in Hagen,
since, as a consequence of the State Government’s comprehensive
restructuring programme, the University was still suffering
from the latter‘s effects such as the introduction of the
faculties. Simultaneously, the Bachelor’s degree programme of
Psychology started on a straight road to success at the Faculty
of Humanities and Social Sciences in the winter semester
2008/09. In 2006, the Faculty of Business Administration and
Economics had added the Bachelor’s degree programmes of
Business Administration and Economics and Business Informatics
to its modular degree programmes and continued to
have large numbers of students.
At that time, the North Rhine-Westphalian State Government
released the universities and universities of applied sciences
into a new state of freedom by passing the Higher Education
Autonomy Act (HFG), which came into force on 1 January
2007. It was a great challenge for the university management
bodies, for now they were suddenly responsible for the
finances and human resources of their institutions, unlike in
the past, when the Ministry had still been in charge. For the
rectorates, this autonomy came at the exact moment when
the underfunding of the universities became obvious. “We
were left with the job of deficit management”, says Hoyer
in retrospect.
And by January 2008, they were given new supervisory committees
in the form of university boards, which were to contribute
ideas to university strategy from external members coming from
industry, commerce and society. At FernUniversität in Hagen, the
various committees have settled down to play their respective
parts and cooperate well with each other. A fruitful exchange of
views takes place between the University Board and the Rectorate.
“We have made good use of the scope for action provided
by the Higher Education Autonomy Act”, Hoyer sums up.
The financial autonomy was used in a responsible way to make
FernUniversität in Hagen secure and fit for the future.
The members of the first University Board of
FernUniversität in Hagen were presented with
their letters of appointment by the North Rhine-
Westphalian Minister of Science, Prof. Andreas
Pinkwart (3rd from the right).
THE FOURTH DECADE / 2005–2014
59

development of
tHe stUdy programme
The staggered Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes were
met with a very positive response in the following years. Thanks
to their shorter periods of study, they are ideally suited for the
special group of students at FernUniversität in Hagen, enabling
them to successfully complete a degree within a reasonable
period of time alongside their employment, family or other
obligations. The academy studies have developed into another
successful element in the programme of studies of FernUniversität
in Hagen. They were of particular interest for prospective
students without Abitur or equivalent, because they opened up
admission to tertiary education without first having to acquire
a conventional university entrance qualification.
Demand-oriented degree programmes and the opening of the
universities in particular to prospective students qualified by vocational
training and experience led to an enormous upsurge
of interest in FernUniversität in Hagen in the following years.
Within just a few years, its number of students rose to 88,000
in the winter semester 2012/13. In terms of student numbers,
FernUniversität in Hagen grew to become by far the largest
university in Germany. The societal need for an opportunity of
this nature was obvious. Furthermore, by far the largest number
of skilled workers nation-wide were enrolled as students at
FernUniversität in Hagen. This is not surprising, since the mediaassisted
programme of studies from Hagen is specially tailored
to meet the needs of this target group. FernUniversität in Hagen
is the best place to combine studying with employment.
Broadening of
tHe financial Basis
Political information event in Berlin with prominent advocates: the Hungarian
ambassador, the NRW Secretary of State Mr Stückradt, the former Federal
Minister of Science Ms Buhlman, as well as the Rector Prof. Hoyer, the Chairman
of the University Board Dr. Kreke and Mr Gröhe, Minister of State in the
Federal Chancellery, were all convinced of the important role of FernUniversität
in Hagen within the German education system.
Despite the growing numbers of students, however, basic public funding of the University still remained unchanged, which brought Fern-
Universität in Hagen to the limits of its capacity and led to a structural financial deficit. Another aspect is the distribution of students among
the Federal States. Only one third of the students lived and still lives in North Rhine-Westphalia, the home of FernUniversität in Hagen. The
other two thirds have their places of residence in other federal states. They work there, pay taxes there, and their home region will be the
place to benefit from their studies. “Is that fair?” asks Helmut Hoyer.
The students met and still meet today for attendance courses on the campus
in Hagen and in the regional centres everywhere in Germany.
He canvassed for a parliamentary advisory council, which was formed in 2011, consisting of MPs from all political parties, to ensure that
the awareness of the nation-wide significance of FernUniversität in Hagen for the academic qualification of major parts of society would
be present and continue to grow in the political thinking of the MPs. The advisory council also promotes the view that FernUniversität in
Hagen should benefit on a long-term basis as well from the lifting of the ban on cooperation between the Federal Government and the
state governments in university funding.
60
THE FOURTH DECADE / 2005–2014

2005–2014
fernUni on tHe campUs
It was a long-cherished dream of the founding chancellor Ralf
Bartz and his closest associate Rolf von der Heyden to have
the faculties and administration of FernUniversität in Hagen
concentrated on a campus on Feithstrasse. At the beginning,
the men of the start-up team certainly had no clear idea of
when this dream could become reality. An enormous amount
of persuasion was required – first from Rolf von der Heyden
and later on from Chancellor Regina Zdebel, until all relevant
decision-makers in the Science and Finance Ministries could
be won over. Over the years, the University had already constructed
buildings on the campus, one by one. In autumn
2006, the refectory was inaugurated too.
to carry out the necessary renovation work on its first buildings,
such as the AVZ. The former State Environmental Office
located on the campus site was also taken over by FernUniversität
in Hagen and completely modernised. In the course of
an extensive removal project, the rented premises in the city
were vacated.
A distance teaching university, too, can have a full campus, for example when
students come to its Literature Week.
With a large key presented to the Dean by NRW Minister of Science Svenja
Schulze, the new building for the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
with an adjacent wing for seminars was officially opened.
Presentations, seminars and conventions such as the social psychology symposium
are evidence of lively scientific activity at FernUniversität in Hagen.
Freshly cooked in a wok by the chef – students and staff members alike savoured
their meals in the new refectory right from the start.
Soon after, FernUniversität in Hagen moved into the former
TGZ building, which had been constructed for the Hagen
Technology and Start-up Centre. When FernUniversität in Hagen
was granted a substantial amount (10.9 million euros)
from the University Modernisation Fund in 2009, it was able
With the addition of a separate building for the Faculty of
Humanities and Social Sciences and an adjacent wing for seminars
to be used by the entire University, the campus was
completed in 2012. Both scientists and students are making
use of the new opportunities they have been offered in this
way: seminars, symposia, presentations, readings and cultural
events are being held on the campus on evenings and on every
weekend. A spirit of scientific but also cultural cooperation
has developed on the campus.

2005–2014
digitisation of teacHing
The most recent decade of FernUniversität in Hagen was the decade
of digitisation of teaching, encompassing not only the virtual university
learning environment, but also a wide range of new, web-based forms of
teaching and learning, such as MOOCs, which stands for “Massive Open
Online Courses”.
Hoyer: “I knew right from the start that this would involve hard work.” In daily
practice, a balancing act was needed to reconcile the individual professors’
freedom of teaching with optimal benefit for the students and the University
as a whole. This was not always an easy task, but universities are complex
organisations, where many different interests need to be taken into account.
As a result, teaching and studying at FernUniversität in Hagen underwent
fundamental changes in the subsequent period. Hoyer: “We soon recognized
the need to develop a new infrastructure.” In Hagen, students and
teachers alike became familiar with media-assisted learning and teaching.
Alternatives and supplements to the traditional study letter were developed,
web-based technologies for collaboration in virtual environments
became more and more widespread.
Today, an online seminar not only
requires well-trained supervisors.
The students also familiarise themselves
with the new technology
and start off by introducing themselves
to their fellow students with
a photo.
“Learning means understanding and appropriating
the content. This process cannot be replaced by the
media and technology”, says Hoyer. “But it can be
facilitated.” Students emphasize that web-based
information and communication are especially important
to them, including the time saved by the new
system of practice seminars and the introduction of
web-based feedback systems.
When was the breakthrough accomplished? “When
colleagues complained during a ZMI staff meeting”,
Hoyer recalls an incident some six years ago, “that
the Moodle learning platform was being overrun
by students. Then I knew that it had become daily
routine!”
In recent years, the web-based programme of studies
has once again moved into a new stage of development.
Laptops, tablets and smartphones are increasingly
replacing stationary PCs. The mobile devices
make new learning scenarios possible and require a
revision of the University’s programmes. Memorising
formulae via a mobile phone? Reading texts on a
tablet? For many students of FernUniversität in
Hagen, this has long become a daily routine.
“Not only the technical possibilities
will enhance the further development
of the system of studies”, says
Helmut Hoyer, thinking, for example,
of the great variety of integrated
applications such as computers that
can be worn on the body (wearables).
Legal recognition of new forms of
learning such as open educational
resources (OER) and informal and
non-formal learning are becoming at
least as important. Learning content
is freely available for use on the Internet.
Only when the content becomes Online supervisor Claudia Grüner with
her most important tools: laptop and
a subject in examinations, when certificates
are to be acquired, does the
telephone, to contact the students
and give them feedback about their
University come into play as a binding
authority, and quality standards
questions.
are needed. Helmut Hoyer is the current leader of the “Curriculum Design
and Quality Management” group of experts in the national university forum
for digitisation, where he deals with precisely these issues.
At present, FernUniversität in Hagen is involved in a strategic process leading
up to a decision as to what direction it will take in future and how it
plans to continue the further development of its system of studies. Keywords
such as increasing heterogeneity of the students, new ideas about
the structure of studies or better visibility of research dominate the current
round of internal discussions at the University. The overriding principle is
the determination of FernUniversität in Hagen to continue its further development
in teaching and research.
62
THE FOURTH DECADE / 2005–2014
Just take a look! Tablets and mobile phones accompany the students in virtually every minute,
during learning sessions and during breaks on the campus.

1976: the Rectorate of the British Open University visits
FernUniversität in Hagen – and the Rector Prof. Peters
has many questions to ask his experienced colleagues.
Nevertheless, FernUniversität in Hagen followed its own path within the community, which
was essentially determined by the German-language programme of studies. It soon found
partners in other German-speaking countries. In 1980, a treaty was concluded between the
State of NRW and the Republic of Austria to lay the foundation for the establishment of
study centres in the neighbouring country. In 1981, the study centre in Bregenz was opened,
in 1982 the one in Vienna, and in 1985 one in Klagenfurt. More centres followed in the 1990s,
for example in Linz, Steyr and Graz. In 1994, a partnership agreement with the Johannes
Kepler University in Linz strengthened the cooperation.
In 1991, the first Swiss study centres were opened in Brig and Pfäffikon in cooperation with
a distance learning foundation.
INTERNATIONALISATION:
dIstANCe LeArNING
HAs NO bOrders
Kati Cysarek works at a school for street children in India – and studies at FernUniversität in Hagen.
Mathias Lin is establishing a business in Hong Kong – and simultaneously completing his Business Informatics
degree in Hagen. Distance learning is without borders today – as it was already 40 years ago. From
its foundation, FernUniversität in Hagen relied on previous experience of international distance teaching
universities. Visits to the Open University in Britain (OUUK) and later on to the University of South Africa
(UNISA) and the Spanish national distance teaching university Universidad de Educación a Distancia (UNED)
served to exchange experience and simultaneously established a network, which led to the foundation
of the European Association for Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU) in 1987. In 1997, FernUniversität
in Hagen joined the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE). Rector Hoyer headed
the ICDE from 1999 to 2008 as its Acting President and organised two world conferences with his team.
2001: Rector Hoyer and his team were responsible for the scientific planning and organisation of the ICDE conference.

fication of German language teachers was the first
accredited degree programme of FernUniversität in
Hagen in accordance with the Bologna reform.
From cooperation agreements with other universities,
such as the Russian University of Economics
in St. Petersburg (formerly FINEC) since the winter
semester 1999/2000, and the renowned Hungarian
Pécs University since 2001, highly successful dual
degree programmes in Business Administration and
Economics have been resulting to this day.
In order to offer the internationalisation of studies
also to students in Germany, cooperation projects of
the faculties with foreign partner universities such as
virtual studies abroad, international summer schools
or internationally oriented programmes of doctoral
The opening of the Berlin Wall and increasing political interest
in the Central and Eastern European countries brought about
an orientation towards the East for FernUniversität, too. As
the first study centre in a non-German-speaking country, the
distance learning centre in Budapest was opened as part of a
project funded by the EU.
The Federal Ministry of Education and Research simultaneously
promoted the positioning of the University as a
German-speaking distance-learning university in the world
and supported the establishment of information and study
centres in Central and Eastern European countries such as
Belarus, Poland, Russia, the Czech Republic and the Ukraine,
later on also in the Baltic countries, where FernUniversität
in Hagen offered its programme of studies for the German-speaking
minorities. The Master’s degree programme
“Deutschlandstudien” (German Studies) for further quali-
Almost 25 years in Hungary: the distance learning centre in Budapest moved into new, larger
facilities in 2014 and is now able to provide even better support to students.
studies play a major part in teaching today. Internationalisation has become
an integral part of university strategy as an interdisciplinary topic.
As a logical consequence, the first annual EADTU conference is being held
in Hagen in the anniversary year 2015. A wonderful confirmation for the
international network of which FernUniversität in Hagen is a part.
international anniversaries 2014/2015
• 15 years St. Petersburg (1999/2000): first dual
degree programme
• 20 years cooperation agreement with JKU Linz
(1994)
• 25 years of FernUni in Hungary
(Start: EU-TEMPUS-PHARE project 1990–1993)
• 35 years distance learning treaty between NRW
and Austria
25 years of study centre in Bregenz: the anniversary celebration in Austria in 2006 was simultaneously an occasion to honour graduates, with Rector Hoyer and
Vice Rector Kalb of the Linz University (5th and 4th from the left) taking part.
• 2015: first annual EADTU conference in Hagen

Photo: Dr. Karsten Schilling, Berlin
maJa adena
studied to acquire a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics
and computer science, deutschlandstipendium
recipient, post-doc and mother of two children
“I enjoy the flexibility at FernUni: the freedom to set up my own time schedule for
studying. I am not tied down to a plan of lectures and am free to learn the content
myself from the study letters. Moreover, the trips to uni are dispensed with. On
the whole, the hours I spend studying are invariably productive for me. And I have
no alternative, since apart from my intensive scientific work, which means a lot to
me, I have two wonderful small daughters. By the way, FernUni is contagious. My
husband now also studies Computer Science in Hagen. That is great – we can learn
together and exchange views.”
INTERNATIONAL ANERKANNTE FORSCHUNG
27

AND
1975–2014
figures
Numbers of students 1975–2014
100,000
80,000
60,000
40,000
20,000
1975/76
1980/81
1985/86
1990/91
1995/96
2000/01
2005/06
2010/11
2014/15
Extra-mural and advanced education students
Students of degree programmes
Total number of students

dominic scHnettler
Bachelor’s degree in cultural sciences, currently
studying for a master’s degree in sociology
(blind from the age of 7)
“FernUniversität in Hagen offered me an opportunity of almost barrier-free access to
university studies, as the study materials for Cultural Sciences were available in Braille,
and papers, even written examinations, can be completed at home under supervision
without any problems. The reliable supply of materials by FernUniversität in Hagen
makes it possible for me to use my personal abilities. After completing
my Bachelor’s degree at FernUni, I have now started a Master’s
degree course in Sociology. I intend to make use of my studies for
professional work: I am interested in journalism, and in creating
board games with cultural science content.”

984–1993
1997–tOdAY
Prof. em. Dr. Dr. h.c. Ulrich Battis
1997–tOdAY
1
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Helmut Hoyer

975–1984
1993–1997
Prof. em. Dr. phil. Dr. h.c. mult. otto peters
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. günter fandel
40 YeArs – 4 reCtOrs
4 RECTORS
69

DR. DR. H. C. JÖRN KREKE, HONORARY CHAIRMAN OF THE SUPERVISORY BOARD OF DOUGLAS AG,
HAGEN, AND OF THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS OF FERNUNIVERSITÄT

AND
Gesellschaft der Freunde
der FernUniversität e.V.
A FRIENDSHIP
fOr LIfe
The Society of Friends of FernUniversität (GdF) has been supporting
the University since 1978 in scientific, social and cultural areas. Its
first Chairman Dr. Fritz Vogt (1978–1990) was succeeded by Dr.
Jörn Kreke (1990–2007), Klaus Hacker (2007–2012) and Frank
Walter (since 2012). In an interview with FernUniversität in Hagen,
Dr. Dr. h. c. Jörn Kreke, Honorary Chairman of the Society of Friends
since 2007, explains why he actively promotes FernUniversität in
Hagen to this day.
fernUniversitÄt: How did the Society’s members see their
commitment during the initial phase?
dr. dr. H. c. JÖrn KreKe: The main goal of this commitment was to establish a public awareness of
FernUniversität in Hagen. Therefore a group of people coming from various social backgrounds was already
a valuable asset at the time. So a network was formed which included personalities from industry and
commerce, the scientific and political scenes and society in general. After only a short time, we found it
increasingly easy to promote the University and publicise it. And I am pleased to note that the Society of
Friends continues to grow. The majority of its present members have studied at FernUniversität in Hagen
themselves. The basic goals of the Society have not changed much over the years.
When I was asked by Rector Prof. Ulrich Battis whether I would
like to become active in the Society of Friends, I answered on
the spot with yes. Prof. Battis had quickly convinced me of the
concept behind FernUniversität in Hagen. The University offered
people an opportunity to study who would otherwise have
had no chance to do so. This educational task fascinated me. I
wanted to promote it, commit myself to furthering the interests
of FernUniversität in Hagen and support its mission.
fernUniversitÄt: Your company, Douglas Holding AG,
established the first endowment chair. What is your view of the
cooperation between FernUniversität in Hagen and the business
world?
dr. dr. H. c. JÖrn KreKe: When I got to know FernUniversität
in Hagen, I saw some striking similarities to my own company
there: advanced education for workers in employment has always
been a means of securing the personal future and simultaneously
that of the national economy. Therefore the Society of Friends
has committed itself to this day to strengthening the role of Fern-
Universität in Hagen in the area of advanced education. Lifelong
learning must become a matter of course. Companies ought to
support educational projects. After all, they are the ones who
benefit from this. Education is a strategic investment. It secures
a company’s market position in the long term and enhances the
corporate image. Therefore we at Douglas Holding were glad to
establish the first endowment chair in the Faculty of Business Administration
and Economics. This gave the impulse we had hoped
for, today FernUniversität in Hagen has several endowment chairs.
PARTNERS AND FRIENDS
71

AND
fernUniversitÄt: Which were the most important projects of the Society
of Friends, and what impulses come from the GdF today?
dr. dr. H. c. JÖrn KreKe: The Society of Friends has seen itself as a
partner of FernUniversität in Hagen from the very beginning and provided
both financial and ideational support to the University. We are interested
in promoting scientific conferences and events. We have primarily young
academic talents in mind and honour outstanding achievements in study,
including doctoral studies, with prizes on a regular basis. At the first Dies
Academicus held at Stadttheater Hagen (the municipal theatre) in 1982,
GdF awarded a University Medal for the first time.
gdf facts and figUres
foundation: 20 October 1978
chairman: Frank Walter, Chairman of the Management Board of Sparkasse Hagen
Honorary chairman: Dr. Dr. h. c. Jörn Kreke, former Chairman of the Supervisory
Board of Douglas Holding AG, Hagen
deputy chairman: Bernd Pederzani, former Managing Director of EUROPART
Holding
managing director: Dr. h. c. Hans-Peter Rapp-Frick, Managing Director of the
South Westphalian Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Hagen
treasurer: Dr. Kai Wilke, Managing Director of Risse + Wilke Kaltband GmbH & Co. KG
other board members: Prof. Dr.- Ing. Helmut Hoyer, Rector of FernUniversität in
Hagen; Regina Zdebel, Chancellor of FernUniversität in Hagen; Erik O. Schulz, Lord
Mayor of the City of Hagen; Harald Rutenbeck, President of the South Westphalian
Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Hagen; Klaus Hacker, former Chairman of
the Management Board of Sparkasse Hagen; Christoph Abels, AStA Chairman;
Angelika Quiring-Perl, Municipality of Neuss; Ivo Grünhagen, Management Board
Spokesman of ENERVIE – Südwestfalen Energie und Wasser AG; Dr. Marcus Schölling,
Federal Network Agency; Robert Sindermann, Spokesman of the Association of
Graduates.
Membership (as of December 2014): 1,232 (94 institutions and companies,
22 municipalities, 1,116 private persons, of whom 881 are graduates of the
University)
Total sponsorship volume since 1978: approx. 2,000,000 euros
contact:
Gesellschaft der Freunde der FernUniversität e.V.
Geschäftsstelle
58084 Hagen / Germany
E-mail: freunde@fernuni-hagen.de
Web: http://e.feu.de/freunde
The largest project so far was the construction of the conference hotel
Arcadeon in Hagen. With this move, the Society of Friends underlined its
ties to the local region and simultaneously demonstrated the nature of its
function: playing a vital part in a public-private partnership cooperation to
promote FernUniversität in Hagen. Another major project was supporting
the activities of FernUniversität in Hagen in Central and Eastern Europe. As
an example, I would like to mention the “Foundation for the German-language
Distance Learning Centre in Budapest”, which has been providing an
opportunity for parallel studies in Germany to Hungarian students since
2004. The idea of public-private partnership continues to be alive. The Society
of Friends makes a special contribution to the Deutschlandstipendium national
scholarship scheme as its main sponsor. Sponsoring circles of the Society
of Friends have also been established at several regional study centres. This
all helps to consolidate FernUniversität in Hagen as an integral part of the
regional education system and fix the presence of the Hagen university with
its study programme in people’s minds.
72
PARTNERS UND FRIENDS

lUKas WascHat
young entrepreneur, studying for a B. sc. in psychology
“Jointly with my business partner, I recently won the business plan contest of the Hasso
Plattner Institute. We are now establishing our own business. I owe it primarily to FernUni
that all this has been achieved. For, thanks to flexible distance learning, I had enough time
to work for a market research institute simultaneously. And with my
knowledge from studying psychology, I noticed that current methods
of market research are insufficient. On this basis, we developed our
business plan. We will soon offer our own market research solutions.
FernUniversität in Hagen has had a major share in this success.”
Photo: Kay Herschelmann, Berlin

what about the time after graduation? “Our aim is to keep in contact and integrate the graduates into
networks” says Robert Sindermann, recently elected Spokesman of the Association of Graduates. In this
office, he succeeded Simone Stuers, who successfully led this association within the Society of Friends of
FernUniversität for four years. “We want to build bridges”, Sindermann emphasizes. “Not only between
science, working life and private life, but also between our members, students and prospective students.”
“Our aim is to keep in contact and integrate
the graduates into networks.”
AssOCIAtION Of GrAduAtes ANd
LOCAL GrOuPs – buILdING brIdGes
fOr ferNuNIVersItÄt IN HAGeN
Hardly anybody is more familiar with the challenges of studying at FernUniversität in
Hagen than the distance learning students themselves. They are characterised by perseverance,
personal responsibility and determination. Therefore there can be hardly
any better ambassadors for FernUniversität in Hagen than its alumni. They can join
the networks of the Association of Graduates and its local groups.
While the four local groups currently in existence are located at the regional centres
in Berlin, Hamburg and Coesfeld and at the distance learning centre in Budapest,
and active in their respective environments, the orientation of the Association of
Graduates is “without borders”. It integrates its members and groups into national,
European and global networks, more recently also into the Xing business network.
The students of FernUniversität in Hagen come together at attendance courses, virtually
on Moodle or in the online seminar room. They chat and exchange emails. And
from Hagen to tHe regions
The Association of Graduates was established by FernUniversität in Hagen and its Society of Friends in 1997.
It now has more than 870 members in Germany and abroad. It has developed its own “WWW”, a World
Wide Web between all of its members and it simultaneously connects them to FernUniversität in Hagen.
For a number of years, graduates of FernUniversität in Hagen have more and more strongly expressed
their desire to meet and exchange views with other alumni living close to them. This has led to four local
groups of the Association of Graduates being established so far.
According to the Association’s Spokesman Robert Sindermann, membership in the Association of Graduates
is worth considering for several reasons: “We can return some of what we have received from FernUniversität
in Hagen. We promote it as its ambassadors. We remain in contact with each other and with FernUniversität
in Hagen. Our members benefit from the experience of others. We also offer workshops for our members.”
Moreover, the members are invited to events organised by FernUniversität in Hagen and the Society of
Friends; the university magazine “Perspektive” and the “Yearbook” keep them informed about research,
teaching and university development.
More events such as excursions and workshops are also organised by the local groups. For example, the
Berlin group organised a visit to the main ARD studio. These are further opportunities to form networks.
Robert Sindermann, who already studied Business Administration and Economics at FernUniversität in
Hagen during his national community service, also successfully completed his distance learning studies
after he had graduated with a diploma in business administration. Today, he works in the controlling
department of the Municipality of Dortmund. The members of the Association of Graduates now
benefit from his wealth of experience. One project is particularly close to his heart: “Establishing a local
group in Hagen”.

ROBERT SINDERMANN, SPOKESMAN OF THE ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES
75

NUMBERS OF GRADUATES*
Congratulations! 2,938 students successfully completed their studies at FernUniversität in Hagen in 2014.
Their university certificates are more than just written evidence of their academic qualifications. The majority
have mastered their distance learning courses of studies in addition to employment, family duties or other
obligations. Their academic degree is therefore also the best possible proof of great ambition, a high degree
of motivation and strong perseverance.
GrAduAtes 2002–2014
WS
SS
Total:
2,938
1,500
Total:
2,390
Total:
1,996
Total:
2,090
1,000
500
Total:
928
Total:
983
Total:
1,187
Total:
1,161
Total:
1,364
Total:
1,525
Total:
1,735
Total:
1,327
Total:
1,807
0
458 470 513 470 584 603 578 583 713 651 780 745 776 959 899 1.097 520 807 901 906 967 1,123 1,102 1,288 1,598 1,340
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
*including advanced education Master‘s degrees

Photo: Design Studio Biedermannn, Langelsheim
micHaela meyer
graduate in law, bank clerk
“After 16 years in employment, my desire to study was great – even without Abitur (the
formal university entrance qualification in Germany). Through working in the legal department
of a bank I was constantly faced with legal questions and wanted to gain more
insight into these matters. But even more important for me than the expert knowledge is
the ability to acquire new knowledge by autonomous learning. In this
way, it is possible to respond flexibly to the changes in the working
world. FernUniversität in Hagen offers the best possible training in this
respect. Students learn the basics by autonomous studying. The final
touch is applied in the numerous mentoring sessions.”

AND
2014
figures
NUMBERS OF
STUDENTS
69,657 students in degree programmes
STUDENTS
69,657 students in degree programmes
In the winter semester 2014/2015, 77,395 students were enrolled at Fern-
Universität in Hagen. 3,818 In academy terms of students numbers, in degree this makes programmes it the largest
university in Germany.
3,818 academy students in degree programmes
2,781 advanced education students
2,781 advanced education students
1,139 students on leave of absence
1,139 students on leave of absence
0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 0 70,00010,000 80,00020,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 70,000 80,000
Total number of students 77,395
To

studeNts ACCOrdING tO fACuLtIes ANd GeNder*
4,000
3,500
AGe struCture Of studeNts Ws 2014/15
25,000
3,000
2,500
Master: 13,592
20,000
2,000
4,000
Bachelor: 53,127
1,500
3,500
15,000
1,000
3,000
500
2,500
Master: 13,592
10,000
2,000
Bachelor: 53,12
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
1,500
5,000
1,000
500
0
8,608 1,899 10,689 20,119 4,767 3,905 16,232 9,750
Mathematics
and Computer
Science
Humanities and
Social Sciences
Law
Business
Administration
and Economics
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
Total: 10,507
Total: 30,808 Total: 8,672 Total: 25,982
*Not all students are assigned to a faculty.
79

AND
Teaching staff
all faculties
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL
SCIENCES
Prof. Dr. Theo Bastiaens
Mediendidaktik
Prof. Dr. Thomas Bedorf
Philosophie III, Praktische Philosophie: Technik, Geschichte,
Gesellschaft
Prof. Dr. Hubertus Busche
Philosophie I
Prof. Dr. Uwe Elsholz
Lebenslanges Lernen
Prof. Dr. Frank Hillebrandt
Soziologie I, Allgemeine Soziologie und Soziologische
Theorie
2014
figures
Prof. Dr. Viktoria Kaina
Politikwissenschaft I: Staat und Regieren
Prof. Dr. Bernd Marcus
Arbeits- und Organisationspsychologie
Prof. Dr. Michael Niehaus
Neuere deutsche Literaturwissenschaft und Medienästhetik
Prof. Dr. Anette Rohmann
Community Psychology
Prof. Dr. Armin Schäfer
Neuere deutsche Literaturwissenschaft und Geschichte der
Medienkulturen
Prof. Dr. Christel Salewski
Gesundheitspsychologie
Prof. Dr. Felicitas Schmieder
Geschichte und Gegenwart Alteuropas
Prof. Dr. Uwe Steiner
Neuere deutsche Literaturwissenschaft und Medientheorie
Prof. Dr. Michael Stoiber
Politikwissenschaft V: Vergleichende Politikwissenschaft
Prof. Dr. Sylvia Wilz
Soziologie III, Organisationssoziologie und qualitative
Methoden
Prof. Dr. Claudia de Witt
Bildungstheorie und Medienpädagogik
N.N. / Dr. Claudia Equit
Allgemeine Bildungswissenschaft
N.N. / Dr. Oliver Christ
Psychologische Methodenlehre, Diagnostik und Evaluation
N.N. / Dr. Rainer Jansen
Internationalisierung von Bildungsprozessen
N.N. / Apl. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Kruse
Neuere Deutsche und Europäische Geschichte
N.N. / Dr. Sylwia Neidhardt
Bildungspsychologie
N.N. / Dr. Angela Oels
Politikwissenschaft II: Internationale Politik
N.N. / PD Dr. Tilo Strobach
Allgemeine Psychologie: Urteilen, Entscheiden, Handeln
N.N. / Dr. Sebastian Vogt
Allgemeine Bildungswissenschaft
JUNIOR PROFESSOR
Jun.-Prof. Dr. Dorett Funcke
Ernsting‘s family-Junior-Stiftungsprofessur für Soziologie familialer
Lebensformen, Netzwerke und Gemeinschaften
Prof. Dr. Thomas Sören Hoffmann
Philosophie II, Praktische Philosophie: Ethik, Recht, Ökonomie
Prof. Dr. Lars Holtkamp
Politikwissenschaft IV: Politik und Verwaltung
Prof. Dr. Kathrin Jonkmann
Bildungspsychologie
Prof. Dr. Ingrid Josephs
Psychologie des Erwachsenenalters
Prof. Dr. Stefan Stürmer
Sozialpsychologie
Prof. Dr. Annette Elisabeth Töller
Politikwissenschaft III: Politikfeldanalyse
Prof. Dr. Uwe Vormbusch
Soziologie II, Soziologische Gegenwartsdiagnosen
Prof. Dr. Reinhard Wendt
Neuere Europäische und Außereuropäische Geschichte
ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS
Apl. Prof. Dr. Arthur Schlegelmilch
Historisches Institut
Apl. Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schödlbauer
Institut für neuere deutsche und europäische Literatur
Apl. Prof. Dr. Thomas Sokoll
Historisches Institut

facUlty of matHematics and
compUter science
Prof. Dr. Christoph Beierle
Wissensbasierte Systeme
Prof. Dr. Jörg Desel
Softwaretechnik und Theorie der Programmierung
Prof. Dr. Ralf Hartmut Güting
Datenbanksysteme für neue Anwendungen
Prof. Dr. Jörg M. Haake
Kooperative Systeme
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Detlev Hackstein
Elektrische Energietechnik
Prof. Dr. Dr. Wolfgang A. Halang
Informationstechnik
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Hemmje
Multimedia und Internetanwendungen
Prof. Dr. Winfried Hochstättler
Diskrete Mathematik und Optimierung
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Helmut Hoyer (Rektor) / Apl. Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Michael Gerke
Prozesssteuerung und Regelungstechnik
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Jahns
Mikro- und Nanophotonik
Prof. Dr. Jörg Keller
Parallelität und VLSI
Prof. Dr. Werner Kirsch
Stochastik
Prof. Dr. Torsten Linß
Numerische Mathematik
Prof. Dr. Lars Mönch
Unternehmensweite Softwaresysteme
Prof. Dr. Gabriele Peters
Mensch-Computer-Interaktion
Prof. Dr. Wolfram Schiffmann
Rechnerarchitektur
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Spitzer
Angewandte Stochastik
Prof. Dr. Friedrich Steimann
Programmiersysteme
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Herwig Unger
Kommunikationsnetze
Prof. Dr. Luise Unger
Algebra
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jochen Warschat
Technologie und Innovationsmanagement
N.N. / Apl. Prof. Dr. Bernhard Heinemann
Algorithmen und Komplexität
otHer aUtHorised lectUrers
Prof. Dr. Andrei Duma (em.)
ehemals: Komplexe Analysis
PD Dr.-Ing. Stefan Helfert
Mikro- und Nanophotonik
Apl. Prof. Dr. Christian Icking
Algorithmische Geometrie – Arbeitsgebiet des Lehrgebiets
Kooperative Systeme
Apl. Prof. Dr. Zhong Li
Eingebettete Systeme
PD Dr. Robert Rettinger
Algorithmen und Komplexität
Apl. Prof. Dr. M. Skrzipek
Numerische Mathematik
Prof. Dr. Delio Mugnolo
Analysis
81

AND
2014
figures
FACULTY OF LAW
Prof. Dr. Andreas Bergmann
Bürgerliches Recht, Privatrechtsgeschichte sowie Handels- und
Gesellschaftsrecht
Prof. Dr. Andreas Haratsch
Deutsches und Europäisches Verfassungs- und Verwaltungsrecht
sowie Völkerrecht
Teaching staff
all faculties
FACULTY OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
AND ECONOMICS
Prof. Dr. Rainer Baule
Bank- und Finanzwirtschaft
Prof. Dr. Ulrike Baumöl
Informationsmanagement
Prof. Dr. Gerrit Brösel
Wirtschaftsprüfung
Prof. Dr. Thomas Eichner
Finanzwissenschaft
Prof. Dr. Alfred Endres
Wirtschaftstheorie
Prof. Dr. Sabine Fließ
Douglas-Stiftungslehrstuhl für Dienstleistungsmanagement
Prof. Dr. Joachim Grosser
Wirtschaftspolitik
Prof. Dr. Thomas Hering
Investitionstheorie und Unternehmensbewertung
Prof. Dr. Andreas Kleine
Quantitative Methoden und Wirtschaftsmathematik
Prof. Dr. Jörn Littkemann
Unternehmensrechnung und Controlling
Prof. Dr. Stephan Meyering
Betriebswirtschaftliche Steuerlehre
Prof. Dr. Rainer Olbrich
Marketing
Prof. Dr. Ewald Scherm
Organisation und Planung
Prof. Dr. Hermann Singer
Angewandte Statistik und Methoden der empirischen
Sozialforschung
Prof. Dr. Stefan Smolnik
Betriebliche Anwendungssysteme
Prof. Dr. Stefan Strecker
Entwicklung von Informationssystemen
Prof. Dr. Helmut Wagner
Makroökonomik
Prof. Dr. Thomas Volling
Produktion und Logistik
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Weibler
Personalführung und Organisation
Prof. Dr. Sebastian Kubis, LL.M. (Illinois)
Wilhelm Peter Radt Stiftungslehrstuhl für Bürgerliches Recht,
Gewerblichen Rechtsschutz, Internationales Privat- und Zivilprozessrecht
Prof. Dr. Karl August Prinz von Sachsen Gessaphe
Bürgerliches Recht, Zivilprozessrecht, Internationales Privatrecht
und Rechtsvergleichung
Prof. Dr. Katharina Gräfin von Schlieffen
Öffentliches Recht, juristische Rhetorik und Rechtsphilosophie
Prof. Dr. Stephan Stübinger
Strafrecht und Strafrechtsgeschichte
Prof. Dr. Kerstin Tillmanns
Bürgerliches Recht, Arbeitsrecht und Rechtsvergleichung
Prof. Dr. Barbara Völzmann-Stickelbrock
Bürgerliches Recht, Wirtschaftsrecht, Gewerblicher Rechtsschutz,
Urheberrecht und Zivilprozessrecht
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Wackerbarth
Bürgerliches Recht, Unternehmensrecht und Rechtsvergleichung
N.N. / PD Dr. Marcus Schladebach, LL.M.
Verwaltungsrecht, insb. Wirtschaftsverwaltungsrecht sowie
Allgemeine Staatslehre
ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS
Apl. Prof. Dr. Gabriele Zwiehoff
Arbeitsbereich für Strafrecht und Strafprozessrecht

THE STUDY PROGRAMME OF FERNUNIVERSITÄT IN HAGEN
bACHeLOr’s deGree PrOGrAmmes
mAster’s deGree PrOGrAmmes
AdVANCed eduCAtION COurses
Bildungswissenschaft
Kulturwissenschaften mit Fachschwerpunkt Geschichte,
Literaturwissenschaft, Philosophie
Politikwissenschaft, Verwaltungswissenschaft, Soziologie
Psychologie
Informatik
Mathematik
Rechtswissenschaft – Bachelor of Laws
Wirtschaftsinformatik
Wirtschaftswissenschaft
Bildung und Medien – eEducation
Europäische Moderne – Geschichte und Literatur
Governance
Philosophie – Philosophie im europäischen Kontext
Psychologie
Informatik
Praktische Informatik
Mathematik
Rechtswissenschaft – Master of Laws
Wirtschaftswissenschaft
Wirtschaftsinformatik
Volkswirtschaftslehre
Medizinische Ethik
Einführung in den Anwaltsberuf
Fachanwaltsausbildung Strafrecht
Steuerstrafrecht
Sportrecht
Recht für Patentanwältinnen und Patentanwälte
Examinatorium Europaeum
Weiterbildendes Studium Mediation
Weiterbildendes Studium Mediation Kompakt
Einführung in das japanische Recht
Hagener Zertifikatsstudium Management
Weiterbildende Kurse Informatik
Weiterbildender Kurs Projektmanagement
AdVANCed eduCAtION mAster’s
deGree PrOGrAmmes
ACAdemY studIes
Interdisziplinäres Fernstudium Umweltwissenschaften –
infernum
Europäischer Gewerblicher Rechtsschutz
Weiterbildender Masterstudiengang Mediation
Hagener Masterstudium Management
Masterstudium Anwaltsrecht und Anwaltspraxis
The undergraduate courses of study at FernUniversität in Hagen
are also available to interested persons in the form of academy
studies. Academy studies at FernUniversität in Hagen are equivalent
to extra-mural studies at traditional universities. A formal
higher school certificate is not required for academy studies,
since the students are not enrolled on a degree programme and
consequently they acquire no academic degree. Academy studies
are open to all who are interested.
83

AND
publishing
Rectorate
University Board
FACULTIES*
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Helmut Hoyer, Rector
Prof. Dr. Ingrid E. Josephs, Vice-Rector
Prof. Dr. Rainer Olbrich, Vice-Rector
Regina Zdebel, Chancellor
Contact: Cornelia Katke
Phone: +49 2331 987-2401
E-mail: rektorbuero@fernuni-hagen.de
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Prof. e.h. mult. Dr. h.c. mult.
Hans-Jörg Bullinger
Prof. Dr. Alfred Endres
Dr. Jürgen Ewert
Prof. Dr. Werner Kirsch
Gabi Ludwig
Andreas Meyer-Lauber
Prof. Anja Oskamp PhD
Prof. Dr. Katharina Gräfin von Schlieffen
Dr. Manfred Scholle (Chairman)
Prof. Dr. Annette Elisabeth Töller
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Dean: Prof. Dr. Armin Schäfer
E-mail: ksw.dekanat@fernuni-hagen.de
Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science
Dean: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Detlev Hackstein
E-mail: dekanat.mathinf@fernuni-hagen.de
Faculty of Business Administration and Economics
Dean: Prof. Dr. Hermann Singer
E-mail: wiwi.dekanat@fernuni-hagen.de
Contact: Anna Lena Möcker
Phone: +49 2331 987-4773
hochschulrat@fernuni-hagen.de
Faculty of Law
Dean: Prof. Dr. Karl August
Prinz von Sachsen Gessaphe
E-mail: dekanat.rewi@fernuni-hagen.de
*as of 31 December 2014

service center
pUBlisHed By
artWorK
Universitätsstrasse 11
58084 Hagen
Phone: +49 2331 987-2444
E-mail: info@fernuni-hagen.de
University Strategy and
Communication Department
Universitätsstrasse 47
58084 Hagen
Phone: +49 2331 987-2392
E-mail: presse@fernuni-hagen.de
The Rector, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Helmut Hoyer
The Chairman of Gesellschaft der Freunde
der FernUniversität e.V., Frank Walter
contriBUtors to tHis issUe
A team from the University Strategy and
Communication Department
Carolin Annemüller
Susanne Bossemeyer
Gerd Dapprich
Matthias Fejes
Gabriele Lübke
Anja Wetter
editor
Tilman Mühlenberg
T.W.O Agentur für Werbung und Markenprofil,
Düsseldorf
pHotos
Dirk Matull, Essen (cover photo)
Veit Mette, Bielefeld
Jakob Studnar, Hilden
University Strategy and Communication
Department of FernUniversität in Hagen
Archives of FernUniversität in Hagen
translation
bmf text+ Birgit M. Floss
circUlation
1,000 copies
85

Photo: Horst Pierdolla

40 YEARS
FernUniversität in Hagen

09993 – 2 – 02 – JE1
*002476533*
002 476 533 (10/15)
www.fernuni-hagen.de