With “Change it!”, a portal went online on the Hof University of Applied Sciences website at the end of last year where students can submit concrete suggestions for improvement on specific topics and thus participate directly in the change management of their university. The best suggestions are then awarded prizes by the university management. From the ideas submitted in the winter semester 2021/22 and summer semester 2022, one idea has now been awarded a prize.
In winter semester 2021/22 and summer semester 2022, the initial focus was on the major topic of “Digitalization of processes in student administration”. In this regard, Simon Kolb, a student in the master’s program in mechanical engineering, submitted the following suggestion, which has now received an award: “The process of registering a bachelor’s thesis no longer seems up to date to me. The registration via the Primuss program surprised me positively at first. However, it is not really clear to me why one has to print out an additional form, fill it out by hand and then hand it in at the study office. A digital form for the second form – if it is necessary – would be very nice.” For this suggestion, Simon Kolb now received a certificate of thanks and a book voucher from the hands of university president Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jürgen Lehmann.
As a further point in connection with the final thesis, the final graduate survey was taken up. The quality of the PDF was very poor and the question arose as to whether it would not be easier to replace the PDF, which had to be filled out by hand, with a simple online survey.
Martina Schmid, responsible for the improvement management projects at Hof University, commented on this
Both suggestions could be taken up. The topic of a digital form is being pursued as part of a master’s thesis and the implementation of the suggestion is planned. Also, the survey of graduates is to be conducted purely online in the future.”
Martina Schmid, Improvement Management
Suggestions for improvement from the summer semester, which has now ended, are also being implemented as quickly as possible: for example, one input complained that there was a wifi dead zone in front of the library and between the A and B buildings, which was particularly annoying in the summer when people could work outside. After a review, wifi enhancements for those areas have now been scheduled for the summer 2023 semester.
All proposals will be implemented
“Even though some issues have not yet been fully implemented, they are firmly planned and work is already underway,” says Prof. Dr. Dietmar Wolff, vice president for teaching at Hof University of Applied Sciences. He adds
I think this is a huge success for Change it-Stud! Also, the way of prescribing one special topic per semester and thus concentrating attention on it has proven successful.”
Prof. Dr. Dietmar Wolff
New topic to be decided soon
Meanwhile, the topic for which improvements will be sought in the winter semester 2022/23 has not yet been determined. “However, it will be published in good time on our Change-it-Stud platform and then we will again be pleased to receive many constructive suggestions,” say the organizers.
