Rethinking School Together
At the signing of the cooperation agreement: Prof. Dr. Stefanie Reese (Rector of the University of Siegen), Tristan Vitt (Mayor of the university city of Siegen), Uta Diers (Head of the Education Department at the Arnsberg District Government) and Florian Kraft (Principal of the Am Rosterberg Comprehensive School) (from left)
How can schools be designed so that young people acquire academic knowledge, become independent, and feel comfortable? How can scientific findings improve teaching? And conversely, how can science benefit from practical experience? The University of Siegen and the Am Rosterberg Comprehensive School have been addressing questions like these since the school’s founding in 2023. On November 5, 2026, the University of Siegen, the city of Siegen (as the school’s governing body), the Am Rosterberg Comprehensive School, and the Arnsberg District Government secured their long-term collaboration with a cooperation agreement. This provides the collaboration that has developed over time with a binding framework designed to bring individual projects together and enable their continued development over the years.
“Through the Research-Practice Partnership, the University of Siegen, together with the university city of Siegen, is assuming responsibility for the educational region,” says Prof. Dr. Stefanie Reese, Rector of the University of Siegen. The term can be translated as a partnership between research and practice in the context of a university-affiliated school. It refers to a collaboration in which academia and schools not only implement time-limited projects but also jointly examine general questions of teaching and learning, interpret the results, and derive changes and new approaches from them.
The partnership also holds strategic importance for the city. “Education is a crucial location factor for the university city of Siegen,” says Tristan Vitt, mayor of the university city of Siegen. Through this agreement, the city is investing “in the skilled workers of tomorrow” and in its appeal to families and young people. The collaboration is thus intended not only to strengthen individual schools but also to support the development of the entire educational region.
Research Becomes Part of Everyday School Life, and Everyday School Life Becomes Part of Research
Several specific initiatives already demonstrate how this works in practice. Since 2023, a learning and research workshop has been bringing together university teaching, academic research, and everyday school life right on site. Students and teachers also work together in joint seminars on pedagogical and subject-specific issues. Bachelor’s and master’s theses examine teaching directly at the school and combine theoretical considerations with practical experience.
New teaching formats are also part of this initiative. During FREIDAY, students work on their own interdisciplinary projects. The planned JUGENDSCHULE is intended to facilitate youth-oriented learning at the “Schön & Gut” experiential learning center run by the “Demokratie im Alltag” foundation. The focus will be on collaborative, hands-on work on projects in areas such as gardening and landscaping, woodworking and metalworking, and agriculture—with the goal of helping young people develop a sense of self-efficacy and gain career orientation. The school adoption model is also unique: in this program, student teachers temporarily take on responsibility for teaching and other school-related tasks. Meanwhile, teachers can participate in professional development programs and work on school development strategies at the university. As of now, this format is unique in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Prof. Dr. Kathrin Racherbäumer of the University of Siegen emphasizes the long-term nature of the collaboration: “What makes the Research-Practice Partnership special is that the University of Siegen and Gesamtschule Am Rosterberg are not merely carrying out individual projects together, but are working collaboratively on issues related to schools and education on an ongoing basis.” Research, teacher education, and school practice are thus intended to reinforce one another rather than operate in isolation. Dr. Barbara Müller-Naendrup, Prorector for Teacher Training, Further Education and Sustainability, adds: “The University of Siegen is committed to Shaping a Humane Future. This partnership brings that vision to life in a concrete setting.” Uta Diers, Head of the School Department at the Arnsberg District Government, explains: “I see this partnership as much more than an organizational agreement between different institutions. I see it as a shared responsibility for the next generation of teachers.”
New Impulses for Schools and the Region
In the future, the collaboration is intended to extend beyond the field of educational sciences. Disciplines such as architecture, psychology, and social work can also contribute their perspectives. There is already one example: architecture students worked together with parents, teachers, and students to develop ideas for the school building and the schoolyard. Future joint projects will be guided by the questions that arise in everyday school life.
The collaboration benefits multiple parties. Students have the opportunity to try out new ways of learning and receive more individualized support. Teachers can apply scientific findings to classroom instruction and school development. Students gain practical experience with modern concepts early on, while researchers align their work more closely with the real-world challenges of schools. At the same time, this presents the university town of Siegen with an opportunity to highlight its role as a university town in the day-to-day reality of education.
For the Am Rosterberg Comprehensive School, the focus is on the concrete benefits for the children and young people. Principal Florian Kraft says: “What matters most to us is that this collaboration creates very concrete opportunities for our children and young people—for independent learning, teamwork, and democratic participation.”
The collaboration is also part of a broader network extending beyond the region. The University of Siegen and the Am Rosterberg Comprehensive School are part of the nationwide Network of University and Experimental Schools, established in 2020, which brings together similar partnerships in Germany and Austria. Through this network, insights from other school models are incorporated into the work on the ground. At the same time, Siegen can contribute its own findings to the national and international discussion on the further development of schools and instruction.
