A particular success for research at our faculty: Prof. Dr Björn Hermstein has been selected for the DFG Project Academy ‘Local Education Policy: Arenas, Actors and Target Groups’. Through this funding scheme, the German Research Foundation (DFG) supports female professors at universities of applied sciences (HAW) in developing and submitting a competitive DFG project proposal.
The selection was made through a nationwide competitive process. From numerous high-quality applications, only up to 20 professors are accepted. Decisive factors include the academic quality of the project outline, its theoretical foundation, the relevance of the research project and the potential for a successful DFG application.
The selection committee particularly highlighted the academic relevance of the submitted research project, the convincing theoretical basis of the research question, and the excellent alignment with the thematic focus of the Project Academy.
KEPIF research project investigates local education reforms
Prof. Dr Hermstein applied with the research project ‘Municipal Editing Processes in the Institutionalisation of Family Primary School Centres’ (KEPIF). As part of the Project Academy, he will further develop the project outline into a full DFG application and submit it to the German Research Foundation by 30 June 2027.
The project focuses on the question of how local authorities act as agents of institutional change when establishing family primary school centres. It examines how local stakeholders shape and develop educational reforms within the tension between overarching political guidelines and specific local needs.
“Being accepted into the DFG Project Academy is, for me, a great recognition of my research work to date and, at the same time, a valuable opportunity to further develop the KEPIF project together with experienced experts. I look forward to gaining new academic insights and refining the research project into a compelling DFG proposal. In the long term, I hope to contribute to a better understanding of local education reforms and how they are implemented in practice,” says Prof. Dr Björn Hermstein.
A qualitative mixed-methods design is planned to investigate local ‘editing processes’. This combines document analysis with expert interviews and is complemented by close collaboration with several case municipalities. Alongside the academic analysis, the focus is on practical development work. The aim is to gain an in-depth understanding of local government steering and change processes in education policy.
DFG Project Academy strengthens research at universities of applied sciences
The DFG Project Academy takes an interdisciplinary approach and is aimed at professors from the fields of education, social sciences, political science, public administration, social work and related disciplines. The aim is to strengthen research into local education policy in the long term and to support professors at universities of applied sciences in developing high-quality DFG research proposals.
Participants are guided by experienced researchers through a series of workshops and digital consultation sessions and receive targeted support in drafting their project proposals.
Selection for the DFG Project Academy highlights the faculty’s research strength
With its inclusion in the DFG Project Academy, the Faculty of Business and Social Work is represented in a highly competitive nationwide funding programme. Participation offers Prof. Dr Björn Hermstein the opportunity to further develop his research project into a fundable DFG proposal under the guidance of recognised experts, whilst also strengthening the faculty’s research profile in the field of local education and social policy.
We warmly congratulate Prof. Dr Björn Hermstein on this research achievement and wish him every success in the further development of the DFG application.
