Mission Statement
The teaching mission statement reflects the THD’s self-image and its university-wide standards for teaching. It serves as a guide for all members of the university community—including faculty, students, and academic and non-academic staff—regarding the type of teaching and learning that the THD embodies. The following principles clearly outline, in line with the university’s mission statement, the ideals of teaching that the THD stands for.
Your time as a student at THD is the best time of your life. We support our students in balancing their studies, work, and leisure time to achieve a healthy work-life balance and a high quality of life. To this end, we develop and test flexible and innovative program formats and utilize a wide range of teaching methods. Together with our students, we shape our campuses into places that invite both social learning and relaxation. In addition, we organize festivals and events and promote athletic and cultural activities with and for our students.
With students from over 100 countries, THD’s campuses are among the most international in Germany. We offer unique intercultural learning environments and prepare our students for the challenges of our global world through international degree programs, study groups, and modules. We place particular emphasis on ensuring that international students, as well as national and regional students, feel comfortable and welcome at THD. By expanding our team-building initiatives, we actively work to counteract exclusion and foster a sense of community. We guide, advise, and support our students from the moment they arrive at THD through to their successful job applications.
As a training partner in Eastern and Lower Bavaria, we are particularly committed to providing targeted training for businesses in our region. We view practical, needs-based training as our core mission. International students are introduced to local companies at an early stage through intensive language courses and dual degree programs, among other initiatives. This results in excellent employment opportunities for our students both in the region and far beyond.
Compared to other universities, THD stands out for its research strength as well as its impact and experience in the field of entrepreneurship. This profile is reflected in the courses and supplementary programs we offer our students. The master’s programs, in particular, are closely integrated with the research expertise of the Technology Campus and its research groups, offering excellent starting points for an academic career and a subsequent doctoral program. Students interested in entrepreneurship will find an environment geared toward starting a business, supported by course content and a wide range of supplementary programs and services.
THD is constantly working to further develop a unified understanding of quality in teaching. Through entrance exams, we admit the best possible applicants, who can then study at THD in an attractive and performance-oriented learning environment. All faculty members are involved in the process of continuous quality improvement. We regularly measure and evaluate the quality of our teaching and, based on these results, purposefully refine our teaching formats, content, and methods.
Innovative Teaching: Resources for Educators
ABTEILUNG INNOVATIVE LEHRE
The Innovative Teaching Department supports THD faculty in designing their courses to be up-to-date and effective. Whether it involves new teaching approaches, the use of digital tools, or technical implementation—we offer a wide range of resources and are here to provide guidance. Together, we further develop ideas and ensure that they have a lasting impact on teaching.
OUR CORE MISSIONS
(Media) pedagogical and technical consulting on the design, supervision, and implementation of innovative learning units, with the goal of supporting instructors in designing their courses in a successful and engaging manner.
OUR OFFERS
TEAM & KONTAKT
Digital Learning Resources & Tools for Students
iLEARN
iLearn is your learning platform at THD. Generally, each course has a course room here where you can find learning materials and the latest information. You can also organize group projects and discuss topics in the forum.
To access it, log in with your university account.
- Link to the learning platform: iLearn
- Getting started with iLearn: iLearn Video Tutorial
- Tips for students: Tips & Guides
- Program offerings: Link to https://th-deg.de/de/studierende
VIRTUELLE HOCHSCHULE BAYERN (vhb)
The Virtual University of Bavaria (vhb) offers you, as a student, high-quality virtual courses free of charge. So if you’d like to deepen or expand your knowledge in certain areas, it’s worth taking a look at the course catalog.
- Link to vhb: https://www.vhb.org/
- Course catalog: vhb course catalog
- Frequently asked questions and further information: vhb FAQ
- Contact for questions: vhb-kontakt@th-deg.de
teaching lab
Have you heard about the new Teaching Lab yet? This innovative seminar room at THD offers students a whole new learning experience. It’s a teaching space unlike any other in Germany.
Made in Bavaria: The smart seminar room was designed by the Innovative Teaching Department at THD.
The vision: Teaching should be personal, yet at the same time digital and flexible.
A “Wolpertinger,” so to speak. The perfect blend that didn’t exist until now. For those outside Bavaria: A Wolpertinger is a mythical creature that combines many of the strongest traits of the region’s wildlife—a hare with duck wings and deer antlers. The best of everything. And so the THD now has a real Wolpertinger for teaching: THE TEACHING LAB.
IN-PERSON CLASSES IN I002
The Teaching Lab can accommodate 30 students and is not only suitable for hybrid teaching—in-person instruction in room I002 also offers many advantages over a standard seminar room or lecture hall. The following tools make it easy to implement a wide range of innovative teaching concepts:
- Writeable magnetic wall: Together with the provided facilitation materials, you can work creatively with students in the room, gather ideas, and visualize and present results—all with complete flexibility and spontaneity.
- Flexible furniture layout: The tables can be easily rearranged into different configurations in no time at all—transforming a traditional lecture-style seating arrangement into a group work environment in the blink of an eye.
- Meeting booths: Here, multiple groups can engage in focused discussions and work undisturbed.
- Smartboard: The Smartboard’s touch function enables a zoom-in effect, easy navigation, and the addition of handwritten notes—for example, in a PowerPoint presentation.
IMPRESSIONS / EXPERIENCES
The THD study group for the part-time bachelor’s programs in “Education in Emergency Medical Services” and “Nursing Education” at the Center for Academic Continuing Education is already familiar with the Teaching Lab and reports:
“The Teaching Lab takes hybrid teaching to the next level. There has been nothing like it at the university so far.”
"I live over 700 km away from Deggendorf. High-quality hybrid instruction is crucial for me and a prerequisite for my part-time degree program.”
“My first impression was: The technology is seamlessly integrated into the room. It's unobtrusive—in a good way. It's never been so easy to include online participants.”
“The Teaching Lab offers a wide variety of possibilities: The large magnetic whiteboard and the meeting booths for group work with virtual participants are simply fantastic—even better than in-person sessions. Studying has never been easier. Discussions and exchanges during lectures are essential for our field of study. With the new space, all students can collaborate on an equal footing with high-quality video and audio, in a practical and personal way.”
Contact
Do you have questions about one of our offers? If so, please feel free to contact innovativelehre@th-deg.de
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN EDUCATION
THD & AI: Embracing Innovation. Shaping Education.
Whether in business, everyday life, or at universities, AI will shape key areas of our lives in the coming years. Teaching and learning are also on the verge of an exciting transformation—one that brings new opportunities for students, faculty, and the entire educational landscape.
At our university, we are seizing the opportunities offered by digital transformation to create innovative teaching formats, personalized learning paths, and a forward-looking education.
Strengthening AI Skills – Learning and Teaching Together
Developing competencies in working with artificial intelligence is a shared responsibility of faculty and students.
THD promotes an open, responsible attitude toward AI in teaching—with the goal of empowering students to engage with AI technologies in a critical, reflective, and creative manner. This fosters important meta-skills for the workplace of tomorrow.
More information on AI is available in these iLearn courses, for:
- Students
- Faculty & Departments
A strategy that grows with you
Developments in the field of artificial intelligence are advancing rapidly—and our strategy is evolving alongside them.
The AI strategy for teaching is based on the AI Guidelines for Higher Education and is part of Deggendorf University of Applied Sciences’ (TH Deggendorf) overall AI strategy.
At THD, the AI strategy for teaching is continuously being refined: through dialogue with faculty, in new formats for exchange, and under the guidance of the responsible AI committee. The AI strategy is therefore not a rigid concept, but an adaptable framework that grows dynamically alongside technological progress—always with the goal of making teaching and learning fit for the future.
Our Strategy: AI Strategy for Teaching at THD
COMPETENCY-BASED ASSESSMENT
THD operates innovative systems for conducting legally compliant, competency- and application-oriented digital exams. We support instructors in the technical and organizational implementation of exam systems.
- Introducing systems currently in use
- Moodle Exam Server
- Mahara Cloud