"Together, a lot can be achieved for the teachers..."

He already knows his way around the University of Erfurt: Berger studied childhood education and physical education here in his Bachelor's degree and completed his Master of Education in Primary Schools. Since 2016, he has been an employee in the QUALITEACH subproject "Hochshcullernwerkstatt" (University Learning Workshop) and part of the working group "Didactics of Teacher Education" at the University of Erfurt, which was previously organised by Professor Sandra Tänzer - a task that Berger is now taking over. Since January 2021, he has also been one of the founders and speakers of the young talent network "Uni Erfurt Podcasters". Together with his training as a certified business trainer for team and personnel development, he brings exactly the profile that is needed in university didactics.

"I'm looking forward to the new task," says Berger, "and I already bring the interest and enthusiasm for (higher education) didactic issues from the Hochschullernwerkstatt." Within the framework of the new position, it is now his task to advise and support the teachers of all disciplines at the University of Erfurt in the design of their university teaching. One of his specific tasks will be to organise further education, training and coaching. And he is already in the thick of it: Berger is organising a workshop for members of the university for the winter semester 2022/23, which will initially focus on the basics of university didactics: What does innovative teaching mean and how do I design it? What tools do I have at my disposal and how do I inspire students for my seminars? The workshop will deal with these and other questions. In the medium term, of course, it's about more: Berger's task will be to develop and establish a modular qualification programme in higher education didactics for teachers, in which participants can also acquire a corresponding certificate. "And of course, my new job is also about networking - both within the university and beyond.

He is actually already very well networked: "The founding of the working group 'Didactics of Teacher Education' here at the University of Erfurt was already a first step towards joining forces, creating synergies and of course also using them and positioning ourselves broadly in this area," explains Marcus Berger. And so the expertise of colleagues from the Erfurt School of Education, the QUALITEACH project, the Staff Unit Quality Management in Studies and Teaching, the eTeach Network Thuringia and Academic Resources Development, which is currently located in the Staff Unit Research and Graduate Services, will also be closely intertwined with his work in the future. "We have a number of very committed players in the field of university didactics here at the university," Marcus Berger is pleased to say. "Together, I think we can achieve a lot for teachers. I look forward to accompanying and supporting the University of Erfurt on this path in the coming years."