Starting in 2025, the Universities of Graz and Leipzig will jointly award funding prizes for cooperative teaching projects in which teaching practices at the BA/B.Sc. or MA/M.Sc. level are scientifically reflected upon, researched, and further developed together with peers. The unique feature of this funding prize is that peers work together in inter-university teams to achieve the project goals.
This page answers all questions related to the funding prize and teaching award.
If you still have questions, please contact Dr. Lisa Scheer (DW 5724).
Please submit your application to: zlk(at)uni-graz.at.
FAQs on the Funding for Teaching Projects
Each academic year, the Universities of Graz and Leipzig jointly fund up to two teaching projects for project initiatives in which teaching practices at the BA/B.Sc. or MA/M.Sc. level are scientifically reflected upon, researched, and further developed in collaboration with peers. Project findings must be shared with the scientific community.
Each project is funded €10,000, which may be used for both material and personnel costs. In addition, each project team will receive support through university pedagogical consultation and guidance throughout the project.
Project proposals must be submitted jointly by two or more instructors, at least one from the University of Graz and at least one from the University of Leipzig.
The award is granted to teaching projects that aim to revise or renew established practices at the BA/B.Sc., MA/M.Sc., or teacher training level, or to design and test something new and innovative in the field of teaching and learning. At the core of the teaching project is cross-university peer learning, which can take various forms (see "What roles can peers take on?"). This peer-learning process is directed toward a specific goal. Eligible for support are self-contained projects with a designated project lead and clearly defined start and end dates within the academic year.
Eligible teaching projects may pursue the following goals:
- Development and creation of one or more products to be shared with the wider teaching community,
- Design and refinement of a process that will subsequently be reported on publicly,
- Investigation of a research question and publication of scholarly findings,
- Practice-based reflection and further development of one's own teaching.
Thematic focuses for the teaching project may include:
- Disciplinary hurdles
- Research-oriented teaching and learning
- Integration and modular coordination
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Open Educational Resources (OER)
- Assessment formats
- Third Mission and knowledge transfer
The target group for the fund at the University of Graz includes Senior Lecturers, Assistant Professors, and Professors.
At the University of Leipzig, the fund is aimed at university instructors, including Junior Professors and Professors.
The project proposal must be submitted jointly by instructors from the University of Graz and the University of Leipzig. These applicants form the project leadership as well as the core peer group, within which the primary peer learning takes place.
In addition, further peers, i.e., external teaching scholars, may be integrated into the project.
Peer learning within the funded project can take various forms, with the specific design left to the project team. Possible formats include:
- Team Teaching: Joint planning, delivery, and reflection of teaching sessions
- Peer Observation / Collegial Class Visits: Planning of observations, classroom observation, and post-observation discussion
- Peer Coaching: Knowledge sharing and coaching between peers with different levels of expertise
- Lesson Study: A cyclical process of designing, delivering, observing, analyzing, and revising a teaching unit as a team (the delivery may be done by one person alone)
- Material Workshop: Joint, systematic analysis, discussion, and development of university teaching materials
The effects of peer exchange and peer learning, i.e., collaboration among teaching colleagues, reflection and discussion in teams, as well as joint design and delivery of courses are well-documented in the literature. Peer feedback, peer exchange, and learning from colleagues have been shown to positively influence teaching competence and attitudes toward teaching, thereby contributing significantly to the professional development of educators (e.g., Charles et al., 2022; Cutroni & Paladino, 2023; Demir et al., 2013; Georgiou et al., 2018; Miranda et al., 2021; Nkambule & Tang, 2023; Norton et al., 2011; Tynjälä et al., 2021; Vreekamp et al., 2023; Warr Pedersen, 2017; Weller, 2009).
The teaching projects will be presented publicly on the universities' websites. In addition, project results and findings must be made accessible to both the subject-specific and the broader teaching community. Possible formats include:
- Presentations at events, such as High Noon – Didaktik zu Mittag or Tag der Lehre
- Contributions to subject-specific didactic journals
- Contributions to higher education teaching journals (Neues Handbuch Hochschullehre, die hochschule, ZFHE, etc.)
- Conference contributions: papers, workshops, or posters (e.g., at the Future Education Conference, University Future Festival, or TURN Conference)
- Workshops within professional development programs (at universities, in university networks, or within subject-specific communities)
Project leads will receive internal support from their universities for dissemination activities.
- Initial Situation and Motivation: The application begins by outlining the observation, challenge, problem, and/or motivation that led to the project proposal.
- Project Goal: The objective pursued in the project is clearly defined and linked to the initial motivation.
- Thematic Focus: The thematic orientation is both coherent and well-founded, supported by relevant academic literature and findings. It aligns with the initial motivation and the project goal.
- Applicants: The applicants and their respective roles in the project are introduced.
- Peer Learning Format: A detailed description of the chosen peer learning format is provided.
- Visibility and Sustainability: The application explains how the visibility and sustainability of the project outcomes will be ensured.
- Project Plan: A detailed and realistic project timeline is included.
- Budget Overview: A clear and detailed outline of how the project funds will be used is provided.
- Overall Coherence: The entire project description is coherent and logically structured.
Describe your teaching project in the form and check whether you have met all the award criteria. Submit your application by 30 April 2025 at zlk(at)uni-graz.at.
All applications for the funding of peer learning projects will be evaluated by a jury based on how well they meet the established award criteria. The jury consists of three representatives each from the University of Graz and the University of Leipzig and is chaired by the Vice Rector for Studies and Teaching (Graz) and the Prorector for Talent Development: Studies and Teaching (Leipzig). The decision will be made by early June 2025. All applicants will be informed of the outcome after the jury meeting.
| Application deadline: | until April 30 |
| Jury decision and announcement: | by the beginning of June |
| Project start and realisation: | no later than Ocotober 1 |
| Project duration: | Maximum of 12 months |
| Project end date: | July 15 of the following year |
Service units at both universities may be contacted for support in the implementation phase of the project once the award has been granted. However, these service units do not provide assistance with drafting the application. Questions regarding the application process will, of course, be answered.
External experts may be involved at the applicants’ own expense to support both the application and implementation phases of the project.
You may apply for the funding project for peer learning projects more than once. However, the application must clearly demonstrate how the new teaching project differs from the one that previously received the award.
Charles, N./Moon, N./Dicks, A. P. (2022): Reflections on Pedagogical Practice and Development through Multidisciplinary Triadic Peer Mentorship. In: To Improve the Academy 41(2), pp. 186-211.
Cutroni, L./Paladino, A. (2023): Peer-ing in: A systematic review and framework of peer review of teaching in higher education. In: Teaching and Teacher Education 133 (104302), pp. 1-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2023.104302.
Demir, K./Czerniak, C. M./Hart, L. C. (2013): Implementing Japanese Lesson Study in a Higher Education Context. In: Journal of College Science Teaching 42(4), pp. 22-27.
Georgiou, H./Sharma, M./Ling, A. (2018): Peer review of teaching: What features matter? A case study within STEM faculties. In: Innovations in Education and Teaching International 55(2), pp. 190-200.
Miranda, J. P./Batista, M./Duarte, C./Sanches, T. (2021): Interdisciplinary Class Observation in Higher Education: Lessons Learned from the Professional Development Experience of Four Teachers. In: Education Sciences 11, pp. 1-14.
Nkambule, N. S./Tang, C. W. (2023): Building a case for communities of practice as drivers of innovative teaching in English medium instruction context. In: Higher Education 87, pp. 721-740.
Norton, C. L./Russell, A./Wisner, B./Uriarte, J. (2011): Reflective Teaching in Social Work Education: Findings from a Participatory Action Research Study. In: Social Work Education 30(4), pp. 392-407.
Tynjälä, P./Pennanen, M./Markkanen, I./Heikkinen, H. L. T. (2021): Finnish model of peer-group mentoring: review of research. In: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1483(1), pp. 208-223. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.14296.
Vreekamp, M./Gulikers, J./Runhaar, P./Den Brok, P. (2023): A systematic review to explore how characteristics of pedagogical development programmes in higher education are related to teacher development outcomes. In: International Journal for Academic Development 27. DOI: 10.1080/1360144X.2023.2233471.
Warr Pedersen, K. (2017): Supporting collaborative and continuing professional development in education for sustainability through a communities of practice approach. In: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 18(5), pp. 681-696.
Weller, S. (2009): What Does "Peer" Mean in Teaching Observation for the Professional Development of Higher Education Lecturers? In: International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education 21(1), pp. 25-35.