STRategic EvolutiON: Fostering a New GEneration of Researchers

As laid out in our newly adopted University Development Plan 2024-2028, the University of Vechta has chosen to narrow its research focus on three key areas: teaching-learning research, profession and inclusivity research, and transformation research.

At present, however, Vechta's research efficiency, effectiveness, and visibility are impeded by limited human and financial resources, along with a comparatively low orientation toward external funding and international collaboration among its researchers, not least due to the high teaching demands of the last decade. Seeing as early career researchers and newly appointed professors at the University of Vechta are most engaged in securing external funding, we plan to promote an accelerated generational change through the "Strategic Development of Potential" funding program.

Our aim is to foster innovative research projects and strategically attract young researchers with high potential to the University by establishing a Post-Doctoral Programme and advancing the appointment of four key professorships via tenure-track positions. These measures will be flanked by the development of two strategic international partnerships – one in Italy and another in Japan – as well as investments into our digital research infrastructure to set up a university-wide Open Science Hub. Both actions will improve the overall framework conditions for our researchers, broaden our cooperation network, and enhance the visibility of our research output.