Our history

KeBU was founded on April 15, 2010 as a network of scientists from University of Freiburg and the University of Education Freiburg. The network “brought together what belongs together”: in Baden-Württemberg, research in subject-matter teaching and learning is primarily located at Universities of Education and hardly represented at universities. However, teaching is an interdisciplinary object of research. It requires a combination of “general” educational and teaching research (educational sciences, psychology, sociology), research in subject-matter teaching and learning as well as profession-oriented subject sciences, which first establish the content reference. Only in cooperation between the disciplines can the theoretical significance and practical relevance of educational research be fully realized.

Founding members were Timo Leuders (speaker), Matthias Nückles (speaker), Alexander Renkl (co-speaker), Markus Wirtz (co-speaker), Andreas Eichler, Bernd Fitzenberger, Traudel Günnel, Lars Holzäpfel, Hans-Georg Kotthoff, Katja Maaß, Silke Mikelskis-Seifert, Elmar Stahl, Christoph Mischo, Josef Nerb, Aderonke Osikominu, Werner Rieß, Hans Spada, Albert Scherr, Antje von Suchodoletz and Stefan Wahl.

Starting with the inaugural event, many networking activities have taken place over the years. In addition to academic conferences, this also included exchanges with practitioners, from dialogue events to the joint co-construction of teaching units in research projects. With the founding of the School of Education FACE, the collaboration in Freiburg was further intensified and the circle of partners was expanded to include the Freiburg University of Music. In the School of Education FACE, KeBU now forms an important pillar in the field of action “educational research”.

Our goals

KeBU was founded to bundle and expand research and to support the development of emerging scholars in the field of empirical educational research at the two universities in Freiburg.

  • Strengthening excellent research

    Together we work on interdisciplinary issues. The exchange of ideas generates creative ideas and robust research results that contribute to scientific progress.

  • Empowering emerging scholars

    Our graduates pursue successful careers in academia, business and practice.

  • Bringing science and practice into exchange

    Use-inspired basic research takes up impulses from practice, develops scientific findings together with representatives of practice and offers sound bases for pedagogical decisions in everyday life.

  • Making Freiburg visible

    Educational research in Freiburg is carried out by more than seventy professors spread over various institutes and faculties of the University of Freiburg and the University of Education Freiburg.

  • Strengthening the collaboration between the universities

    In the School of Education FACE, KEBU forms an important pillar in the field of educational and teaching research.