Having each student complete an entire research cycle at least once besides their final thesis – this is the goal pursued by the University of Oldenburg with its forschen@studium programme and hallmark research-based learning approach.

To achieve this, the quality assurance component of the FLiF+ project aimed to ensure the long-term implementation of research-based learning in university-wide but also school-specific processes, procedures and mechanisms.

In terms of its development, quality assurance operated on several levels.

Quality assurance in classes:

• Workshops on teaching in higher education for lecturers
• Course evaluation with questions about research-based learning
• Reports on courses involving research-based learning for a compilation of good-practice examples and for other purposes

Quality assurance in degree programmes:

Identifying research-based courses by analysing module descriptions

Quality assurance in projects:

• External monitoring of the project by the Central Evaluation and Accreditation Agency (Zentrale Evaluations- und Akkreditierungsagentur; ZEvA)
• Regular submission of reports to project leaders and funders
• Regular reporting on progress and checking against project goals

The FoL+ project was funded by the university. In addition to classes with research-based learning formats, this project focused on research. Early career researchers were encouraged to integrate their own research into teaching, enabling students to be involved in ongoing research.

Teams from both projects jointly developed research-based learning formats and actively worked on implementing the principles of the forschen@studium programme into study programmes across all schools at the University. This process was supported by joint networking activities and various forms of exchange.

The FLiF+ and FoL+ projects were carried out by staff from all six schools. The Vice President for Studying, Teaching and International Affairs and the Department for Studying and Teaching were responsible for project management and coordination.