Teaching with Society

Funding is available for courses at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin that work in a transdisciplinary or participatory way and include elements of exchange with society or public engagemen:

• One-semester B.A. or M.A. courses at HU Berlin (funds are managed at the Zentrum für Kulturtechnik)
• Seminars that take place in the space Objektlabor at the Zentrum für Kulturtechnik on Campus Nord or are held elsewhere but show a thematic link to topics covered by the Zentrum für Kulturtechnik 

The following examples may serve as participatory course elements or elements of public engagement:   

• Collaboration with societal actors or organisations
• Collaborations for organisation or presentation of course content, through co-teaching or the use of other methods aimed at incorporating expertise from outside academia
• Course design incorporating aspects of community-based research/learning
• Collaborations with societal groups or organisations for the presentation, communication or display of course results
• Courses that combine material practices, collection work, object- or body-centered approaches in teaching with external collaborations

• Funding of up to 1,000 euros per course for materials, guest lectures or workshops as in-kind expenses spent according to HU regulations (Sachmittel); Please note: this is additional funding for existing or planned courses by HU-teachers; the funds are not suitable for semester-long teaching assignments
• Use of the space Objektlabor on Campus Nord, including flexible room equipment
• Occasional eventassistance with courses, by arrangement
• Support and advice from the Knowledge Exchange with Society team (approx. 2 hours per week)

Lecturers and teachers at Humboldt-Universität are invited to apply with a course proposal or an existing course. 

The programme is usually advertised in December/January for the following summer term and in May for the following winter term. 

Please note that the funding programme will be suspended during the 2026/27 winter semester. 

When applications open, HU-teachers and seminar instructors are invited to send an inquiry to wissensaustausch.zfk@hu-berlin.de, including the following documents:

1. A brief course description,
2. Motivation for collaboration and a description of the transdisciplinary/participatory cooperation with external social actors/organisations,
3. Brief budget outline with estimated expenses or requirements,
4. Outline of the support required for the course or events