Hagen and FernUni: Together for education and innovative projects!

Hagen and FernUni: Together for education and innovative projects!

The new website www.stadt-der-fernuni.de was launched on October 7, 2025. This platform aims to increase the visibility of the cooperation between the city of Hagen and the FernUniversität in Hagen. The website offers comprehensive information on joint projects, current collaborations and the people involved. Personal statements and pictures of the people involved are also available.

Prof. Dr. Stefan Stuermer, the rector of the FernUniversität, emphasizes the university's responsibility for the city and the region. He is supported collegially by Prof. Dr. Osman Isfen, the vice-rector, who sees the website as a showcase for existing collaborations and as a source of inspiration for new ideas. This is particularly important because the FernUniversität in Hagen has maintained close ties to the city administration since it was founded in 1974.

Importance of collaboration

Mayor Erik O. Schulz emphasizes the importance of this collaboration for science and education. Martina Soddemann, head of the education department, describes the website as a central platform for information and exchange. This joint initiative is intended to help support future projects in the areas of education, sustainability, the future of work, administration and digitalization.

The city of Hagen was given the nickname “City of the FernUniversität” in 2012. The commitment of both institutions has been demonstrated in the creation of joint initiatives, such as the Hagen Education Conference. Since 2024, there has been a consultation group for the organizational perpetuation of the cooperation, which enables regular meetings to promote corresponding projects.

The FernUniversität in numbers

When it opened on October 4, 1975, the FernUniversität in Hagen became the largest state university in Germany. Today around 70,000 students are enrolled at the country's only state distance learning university. Its range of courses includes a variety of bachelor's and master's degrees in various disciplines such as cultural and social sciences, law and computer science, as well as psychology and economics.

• Einzige staatliche Fernuniversität in Deutschland
• Studienangebote: Bachelor- und Masterabschlüsse sowie Zertifikate und Promotionen
• Hohe Anforderungen: Selbstdisziplin, eigenständige Zeiteinteilung, Motivation
• Übersicht der Lehrmethoden: Simulationen, Virtual Reality und interaktives Lernen

In the early years of the university, VHS and audio cassettes as well as printed course letters were the main form of educational delivery. A comprehensive range of online seminars has been available since 2002, enabling students to further their training digitally. Face-to-face events are still possible in Germany if the field of study requires it.

The FernUniversität is particularly aimed at people who have not considered studying after school, working people, single parents and people with disabilities. What is interesting is that no Abitur grades are required upon admission, which makes access to higher education easier. Nevertheless, the psychological demands on students are high, and the dropout rate for distance learning courses is above average; Almost every third distance learning student ends their studies without a qualification. Professor Michael Herres emphasizes that the quality of learning does not primarily depend on the medium, but on the activation of the learners.

The new website not only offers information, but also a valuable interface that makes the commitment of the city of Hagen and the FernUniversität in Hagen to education and science visible. At a time when digital education is becoming increasingly important, this platform is a significant step towards active, sustainable cooperation.

The information comes from FernUniversität Hagen, Deutschlandfunk and other relevant sources.