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Progress in teacher training: Senftenberg workshop enthusiastic!
The BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg promotes exchanges on teacher training with the Senftenberg workshop. Future-oriented developments for the dual master's program begin.
Progress in teacher training: Senftenberg workshop enthusiastic!
On April 9, 2025, the 7th Senftenberg workshop took place on the university campus in Senftenberg. This event offers a platform for the exchange and further development of the Senftenberg model for teacher training, which has been implemented at the Brandenburg Technical University Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) since 2022. The aim of the series is to further develop the dual master's degree program in primary school teaching, which is expected to start in the winter semester of 2026/27. A thematic focus of the workshop was on the participatory design of this course of study, in which higher education is to be closely linked to school practice.
The event included plenary discussions and working groups designed to promote thought and exchange. Representatives of the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture (MWFK), the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MBJS) and the State Institute for Schools and Teacher Training (LIBRA) were among the participants. Teachers from the BTU, students of the primary school teaching bachelor's degree program, the Cottbus Pedagogical Center and representatives from primary schools in the region were also present. Mayor Andreas Pfeiffer also supported the event, which is seen as key to the design of the dual teacher training course.
Importance of exchange
Prof. Dr. Peer Schmidt from the BTU emphasized the central role of the Senftenberg workshop in the innovative further development of teacher training. He and Prof. Dr. Juliane Noack Napoles emphasized that exchange and collaboration between different stakeholders is crucial for identifying key challenges and developing solutions. Toni Scharkowski, headmaster of a primary school, and Juliane Hohlfeld, student, expressed themselves positively about the organization and the inclusion of students in the planning processes of the dual master's degree.
The positive feedback that the participants in the Senftenberg workshop gave is considered an indicator of progress in teacher training in Brandenburg. Prof. Dr. Juliane Noack Napoles is available as a contact person for further information. The exchange during this workshop is not only an important step for the BTU and its partners, but also for the entire educational landscape in Brandenburg, which depends on high-quality teacher training.
Expansion of teacher training in Brandenburg
In parallel to the developments at the BTU, teacher training in Brandenburg is also being expanded overall. Science Minister Dr. Manja Schüle and Education Minister Britta Ernst have presented a new teacher training program in Senftenberg. The first teacher training students for the subject combination of German and mathematics will begin their studies in the winter semester of 2023/24. This measure is part of a larger initiative to educate and train teachers. Significant expansions in the range of courses and study places are planned in the coming years, for which around 5.21 million euros will be available in 2023 and even 7.1 million euros in 2024.
The ministry expects an increased need for teachers, and the number of first-year student places at the University of Potsdam has increased from 650 to almost 1,100 since 2019, the highest number since the state was founded. The financial support is intended to promote the development of teacher training in Senftenberg and promote the acceptance of the dual system.
The introduction of dual teacher training courses, also in other federal states, aims to make access to the teaching profession more flexible and easier. The Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) has proposed various models. These are not intended to replace traditional teacher training, but rather to offer additional opportunities for future teachers. The participants in the Senftenberg workshop in particular see potential in these models for improving teacher training in Germany.
The discussion about the recognition of degrees between the federal states is another important aspect that needs to be addressed in the coming months. KMK President Christine Streichert-Clivot emphasizes the need to create mobility for applications in all federal states in order to overcome the challenges in the education system.