Research at School II

TheSchool of Education, Architecture and the Arts organizes its research activities into three clearly defined profile clusters based on its key research areas. These clusters are shaped by existing collaborative projects, established centers, and clear prospects for future development. The clusters form the core of the faculty’s strategic profile development and serve as a framework for the further development of larger-scale research initiatives.

School Profile Clusters

Social Inequality, Social Control, and Participation

"Social Inequality, Social Control, and Participation" brings together research from the social sciences, educational sciences, and interdisciplinary fields on the institutional, normative, and economic conditions of social participation.

To the Profile Cluster

Transformations of Culture, Space, and the Public Sphere

"Transformations of Culture, Space, and the Public Sphere" brings together humanities-, culture-, and space-related research perspectives from architecture, art, music, and cultural studies. This is based on Faculty II’s participation in the SFB “
: Transformations of the Popular” as well as in the SFB “Media of Cooperation.”
A defining feature of this cluster is the combination of theoretical analysis with
creative, aesthetic, and performative research approaches.

To the Profile Cluster

Health, Well-being, and Social Justice

"Health, Well-being, and Social Justice" focuses on interdisciplinary research into mental and physical health in the context of social inequality. This research focus is supported in particular by the
Department of Psychology in close cooperation with the Center for Innovative
Health Research Siegen (ZiGS).

To the Profile Cluster

Scientific Institutions

Research Centers

Centers

Doctoral degrees awarded last year

About the thesis defenses and doctoral degrees

> 3.5 million euros

Third-Party Funded Projects -
Total Funding Amounts

Research Updates

In progress

Campus Life

+ 1 more

13.08.2026

Students from the Department of Architecture on the “Stuttgarter Radionauten” podcast

As part of the exhibition “N_AS – Neue Architekturschule Siegen,” which is on view at the Galerie am Weissenhof, Stuttgart from July 23 to October 18, 2026, offering insights into the transformation of the former printing house in downtown Siegen into a teaching, learning, and studio facility, students Can Suvermez, Maximilian Mesch, and Aileen Kothe appeared as guests on the “Stuttgarter Radionauten” podcast.

10.08.2026

"It's not normal to be depressed in old age" – the Siegener Zeitung reports on a research project on depression in older adults

The Siegener Zeitung reports on a research project at the University of Siegen focused on the early detection of depression in older adults. The project centers on the DiA-S Pantomime app, which is currently undergoing scientific evaluation.

Teaching

06.08.2026

On July 22, 2026, a structural failure test was conducted with students in the BA 11.2 – Structural Engineering module.

During the last lecture of the summer semester of 2026, the Department of Structural Engineering held its traditional beam breaking test.

Dozentin erklärt vor einem Kunstobjekt, Studierende hören zu

04.08.2026

Launch of the bachelor's degree program in "Art History and Art Education" in the 2026/27 winter semester

New Degree Program: Bachelor’s in Art History and Art Education

Theory Meets Practice: Starting in the 2026–2027 winter semester, the University of Siegen will launch an innovative bachelor’s degree program for anyone who wants not only to understand art but also to bring it to life.

Menschen stehen vor Gemälden an einer weißen Wand und diskutieren darüber.

General Public

+ 1 more

30.07.2026

“Rundgang 2026”: Art Students Showcase New Perspectives

Creative, bold, and diverse: At the annual “Rundgang” exhibition organized by the Institute for Art, Art History, and Art Education, students from the University of Siegen presented selected works from two semesters. Three prizes were awarded for outstanding achievements.

Die Teilnehmenden der Summer School bei einer gemeinsamen Diskussion.

Research

29.07.2026

Psychology in Action: DGPs Summer School Brings Young Researchers to Siegen

More than 70 early-career researchers gathered at the University of Siegen to discuss the social responsibility of psychological research. The three-day summer school organized by the German Psychological Society provided new ideas for academia, policy, and practice.

Veröffentlichung - Zur Symmetrie des Witzes

Research

29.07.2026

New Publication: On the Symmetry of the Joke

Philosophical and Historical Perspectives on Architectural Humor
Julian Jachmann / Petra Lohmann (eds.)

Beschäftigte

+ 2 more

28.07.2026

Prof. Wiebke Schlüter

We are pleased to welcome Wiebke Schlüter as the new professor in the Department of Design Methodology and Design, starting in September 2026!

23.07.2026

New: Publication on the Architectural History of the Paul-Bonatz-Straße Campus

The fifth volume of the Frieder & Henner series was recently published; it focuses on the State School of Civil Engineering in Siegen—now known as Campus PB.

Projects and Facilities

GRK 2493 - Researching the Effects of Social Assistance

Social assistance programs aim to achieve a great deal—but what impact do they actually have? Between inclusion, education, and reintegration into society, consequences unfold that often go beyond what was intended: ambivalent, unexpected, and closely intertwined with the lived realities of the recipients. The Research Training Group GRK 2493 focuses precisely on these tensions and examines how social assistance programs operate in different fields—and how their diverse consequences can be studied at all.

Center for Interdisciplinary Crime Studies (CiCS)

The Center for Interdisciplinary Crime Studies (CiCS) at the University of Siegen examines crime, social control, and criminalization from an interdisciplinary perspective. The focus is on how “crime” emerges, is interpreted, and is transformed in society, the media, and culture—beyond purely legal definitions. The center combines approaches from sociology, education, sociology of law, and literary and cultural studies to explore the social, historical, and cultural dimensions of crime.