In a guest article “Universities please wake up: Fachkräftemangel – Warum Informatik-Absolventen trotzdem keinen Job finden” in the FAZ of 27 August 2025, Prof. Dr. Patrick Glauner notes that many university graduates are having difficulties starting their careers despite the shortage of skilled workers – and not because of the economic situation, but because many degree courses do not reflect the rapid changes in digitalization, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. He calls for universities to regularly modernize their curricula, strengthen the practical relevance and incorporate topics such as AI, cybersecurity and digital transformation into the core of education. Prof. Glauner believes that universities of applied sciences (HAW) are better positioned in this respect. His demands have already been implemented and are standard practice at Hof University of Applied Sciences. We spoke to Prof. Dr. Andrej Bachmann, Dean of the Faculty of Computer Science, to find out more about the changes in computer science teaching.
Prof. Bachmann, Prof. Glauner emphasizes that many future-oriented topics often only play a minor role in computer science courses. How has Hof University of Applied Sciences revised its computer science curriculum in order to keep up with the times and integrate them centrally?
“Of course, we make sure that our degree courses remain up-to-date. This starts with the individual modules. From my own experience, I can report that developments in the field of web technologies, for example, are so rapid that I regularly update my lecture materials. At degree course level, it is important to create a good compromise between updating and stable study conditions. For example, all of our computer science bachelor’s degree courses were comprehensively revised in 2021 and selectively updated in 2024.
Even before the AI boom – triggered by the release of ChatGPT version 3.5 – we included mandatory AI modules in all our degree programs, so it doesn’t matter whether you study computer science, media informatics, business informatics or mobile app development at Hof University of Applied Sciences.”
All students learn how AI systems work and in which scenarios which system can be used effectively. In addition to this, we also believe it is important that all computer science graduates are not only able to use AI, but are also aware of the social and security aspects. This is why digital ethics and IT security lectures are part of the curriculum of every computer science bachelor’s degree course at Hof University of Applied Sciences.”
Prof. Dr.. Andrej Bachmann
According to the article, universities of applied sciences are particularly in demand as they offer real practical relevance through mandatory practical semesters and final theses in cooperation with companies. In what form are practical projects, practical semesters or final theses promoted in Hof?
“At Hof University of Applied Sciences, practice has been part of the program since its foundation. We were pioneers in dual studies and all Bachelor students complete a mandatory practical semester and write their final theses in the company. In addition, we regularly organize individual projects in close cooperation with companies.
We promote networking with the business world through cooperation fairs, guest lectures and company projects, to which we actively bring entrepreneurs to campus. In this way, current practical experience flows directly into our teaching.
Our biggest difference to universities: Every professor must demonstrate at least five years of practical experience before being appointed. In this way, we guarantee that our students not only experience theory but, above all, pure practice – from regional SMEs to international corporations.”
The article also points out that university lecturers should regularly update their teaching content due to technical developments. Is this also the case at Hof University of Applied Sciences?
“Yes – Hof University of Applied Sciences has a diverse and active program for continuous professional development of teaching content and methods. Institutionally, this is supported by Bavarian higher education didactic institutions such as the DiZ as well as internal programs such as Go2Hof4ever. Professionally, we benefit from international exchange formats such as the International Teaching Week, during which lecturers from more than ten countries come to Hof every two years and provide valuable professional and didactic impetus with workshops and lectures. In addition, digital offerings from the Virtual University of Bavaria, modern e-learning platforms and technology-supported teaching tools expand the opportunities to keep our content up-to-date and practical. Overall, we see the continuous development of teaching as a natural part of our university culture.”
Image: Hof University of Applied Sciences;
How do you use AI technologies in teaching or examinations – for example for automation, supplementation or new forms of learning?
“The university’s internal AI tools Lisa and Luis, which are based on established open source language models, are available for both teaching and administrative processes. They are free to use and users retain control over their own data and queries. We encourage all students at our university to use these tools as part of the appropriate courses, to revise the lecture material and to prepare for exams. In computer science, we go one step further and teach our students to integrate these AI tools into their implementation as part of the solution approach.”
The FAZ cites strategies to alleviate the shortage of skilled workers through education policy, lateral entry, immigration or the inclusion of older workers. How do you position yourself here? Are there special offers for career changers or part-time degree courses?
“In terms of part-time courses, we specialize in the field of public administration and work hand in hand with the University of Applied Sciences for the Civil Service in Bavaria (HfÖD) to train administrative IT specialists for the Bavarian administration and thus counteract the shortage of skilled workers in this area. We are also committed to internationalization and offer a unique Computer Science course in which international students start their studies in English and at the same time learn German intensively so that they are able to attend their first German-language lectures from the third semester onwards. These students study in joint groups with students on the German-language Bachelor’s degree courses, which gives them the best possible qualifications for the local job market, which is dominated by SMEs.”
Glauner’s key finding is that graduates have difficulties finding jobs despite the high skills gap. What strategies does Hof University of Applied Sciences use to support the employability of its computer science students?
“One of the most important measures is the structure of our computer science courses at Bachelor level. The timing of the compulsory internship semester plays an important role in this. We have decided to place the internship semester at the end of the degree course. This means that our students are much more “mature” when they apply for the first time for an internship and/or Bachelor’s thesis position. They bring with them the complete theoretical background of their studies and practical experience from the advanced lectures. This helps the students to score points in the interview and to familiarize themselves more quickly with the task at hand. I am often impressed by the complexity of the tasks that are entrusted to our students by the companies during the practical phase and which are successfully completed.”
The FAZ calls for the regular review and modernization of the degree courses. How does Hof University of Applied Sciences plan to further develop the computer science courses in the coming years – for example in relation to new technologies or social requirements?
“First of all, I would like to emphasize that we have established cross-faculty processes at the university for reviewing degree courses, the implementation of which is monitored by our quality management department. In Computer Science, we have established an annual two-day closed meeting as part of the modernization process, in which all members of the faculty participate so that we can look at current developments from different perspectives. The next closed meeting will take place at the end of September 2025 and we will discuss specifically how the Master’s degree program in Computer Science can be revised by better adapting its content to the already updated Bachelor’s degree programs and adding a part-time component. This should enable prospective students in different life situations to complete a Master’s degree.”
Thank you very much for the detailed interview.
