Univ.-Prof. Dr. phil. Isabell van Ackeren-Mindl
Full Professor of Education System and School Development Research (W3)
Research Group on Educational Research (AG Bildungsforschung; Lead) Institute for Educational Science, Faculty of Educational Sciences
University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE)
Universitätsstr. 2
45141 Essen
Germany Phone +49 2011832233 (-2234)
isabell.van-ackeren@uni-due.de
Main Areas of Research
- Research on the Structure, Governance and Reform of Education Systems (focus on school systems)
- School Development Research (context-sensitive: schools serving disadvantaged communities; evidence-informed; network-based; in the digital context)
- Science-Practice-Collaboration
- Teacher Professionalization (Research and Development)
Focuses in Teaching
- Lectures, lecture series and seminars
- E-Learning, Hybrid and Blended Learning Concepts
- Topics, among others
⇒ School in historical perspective
⇒ Structure of School Systems (national and international)
⇒ Governance and Reform of School Systems
⇒ Current Trends in School Development (e.g. schools in challenging circumstances)
Qualifications and Career
| 04/2009–present | Full Professor (W3) of Education System and School Development Research, University of Duisburg-Essen |
| 2012 | Offer Head of Centre for Teacher Education / Professorship (W3) Educational Research and School Development Research, University of Cologne (declined) |
| 04/2007–03/2009 | Professor (W2) of Education Research, University of Mainz |
| 04/2006–03/2009 | Scientific Assistant, University of Duisburg-Essen |
| 04/2004–03/2006 | Interim Professorship for School Pedagogy at Duisburg-Essen |
| 10/2003–03/2004 | Scientific Assistant, University of Duisburg-Essen |
| 01/2000–09/2003 | Research Fellow, University of Essen |
| 6/2003 | Dr. phil., supervisors: Klaus Klemm, Wilfried Bos, Subject: “Evaluation, Feedback and School Development. Central Tests, Examinations and Inspections in England, France and the Netherlands”, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany (summa cum laude; awarded by the university) |
| 1997 | Scholarship of the EU-Programme SOCRATES / ERASMUS; Educatieve Faculteit Amsterdam;Teaching at the Katholieke Schoolengemeenschap Hoofdorp (German as a foreign language) |
| 10/1994–12/1999 | State Exam: Education Science, German Studies, Biology, University of Essen, Germany (awarded by the university) |
Scientific Engagement
Engagement in the Science System
| 2021–2023 | Member of the Local Organising Committee of the GEBF (Society for Empirical Educational Research, Germany) Conference “Education between uncertainty and evidence” 2023 at University of Duisburg-Essen |
| since 05/2021 | Appointed Member of the Standing Scientific Commission (SWK) of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder (KMK) |
| 08/2014–03/2022 | Vice Rector for Studies and Teaching, University of Duisburg-Essen |
| 05/2017–12/2022 | Deputy Chair of the Board of Directors: German Institute for Adult Education (DIE; Leibniz Centre for Lifelong Learning) |
| 2014–2021 | Member of the Advisory Board: Gutenberg Teaching Council (GTC), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz |
| since 2020 | Member of the Structure and Evaluation Commission of the Campus School Dresden |
| since 2019 | Member of the Advisory Board for the NRW State Competence Centre for Individual Advancement (lif NRW) |
| 2015– 2016, 2019 | Jury Member of the Ars Legendi Award for Excellent University Teaching "Diversity-Sensitive Teaching and Learning" (2015), "Digital Teaching and Learning" (Donors' Association for the Promotion of Sciences and Humanities in Germany and the German Rectors' Conference) and "Teaching as a Scientific Activity" (2019, Donors' Association) |
| 2018 | Member and Moderator of the Expert Group on Digitisation in Teacher Education by Invitation of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) |
| 2017–2018 | Appointed Member of the Commission of Experts on the Future of Higher Education in Rhineland-Palatinate |
| 2017–2018 | Member of the Ad-Hoc Working Group on Teacher Education and Digitisation of the Higher Education Forum on Digitisation (as a joint initiative of the Association for the Promotion of Sciences and Humanities in Germany with the CHE Centre for Higher Education and the German Rectors' Conference (HRK), funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, BMBF) |
| 2016–2018 | Member of the Local Organising Committee of the DGfE (German Educational Research Association) Congress “Movements” 2018 at University of Duisburg-Essen |
| 2011–2017 | Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the "Chancenspiegel"; lead: Institute for School Development Research at TU Dortmund University, Institute of Educational Science (W. Bos) at Friedrich Schiller University Jena (N. Berkemeyer); Bertelsmann Foundation |
| since 2016 | Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Quality Offensive Teacher Education Project "Biprofessional" at the Bielefeld School of Education (BiSEd); chair: M. Heinrich / Bielefeld |
| 2015– 2016 | Head (together with S. Herzig/University of Cologne and U. Wehrhöfer/Ministry for School and Further Education, NRW) of the Working Group for the State-Wide Evaluation of the “Praxissemester” in Teacher Education |
| 2013–2016 | Member of the Jury of the German Society for Educational Science for the Award of the “DGfE-Nachwuchspreis” 2014 and 2016 (Award for Excellent Work by Young Educational Scientists) |
| 2015 | Member of the Commission for the Evaluation of the Institute for Educational Quality Improvement (IQB) on behalf of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany (KMK) |
| 2003–2015 | Member of the DFG-Research Group and Graduate School “Teaching and Learning Science” (FOR 511; GRK 902) |
| 2011–2014 | Member of the Board of the Centre for Teacher Education at UDE |
| 2011–2014 | Deputy Head of the Office of the State Examination Office for First State Examinations for Teachers at Schools, Essen Office, for the University of Duisburg-Essen (appointed by the Ministry for Schools and Further Education of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia) |
| 2011–2014 | Spokesperson of the Project "Identities and Role Identification" in the University-Wide Project "Educational Equity in Focus" (Quality Pact for Teaching, BMBF) |
| 10/2010–8/2014 | Dean of Study Affairs, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Duisburg-Essen |
| 2009–2012 | Member of the Scientific Consortium Ruhr Education Report (2009 and 2011/12) |
| 2007–2009 | Collegial Director of the Centre for Teacher Education at the University of Mainz |
| 2008–2009 | Member of the Local Organising Committee of the DGfE (German Educational Research Association) Congress "Education in Democracy" 2010 in Mainz |
| 2007–2009 | Spokesperson of the Centre for Educational and Higher Educational Research, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz |
Scientific Journals and Series
| Member of the editorial board of “Die Deutsche Schule” – Open Access-Journal for Educational Science, Educational Policy and Educational Practice” (2003–2020); 08/2012 – 12/2020 Chair of the Editorial Board |
| Co-Editor of “Tertium Comparationis” – Journal for International and Intercultural Comparative Educational Science |
| Advisory Board of the Journal “Pädagogische Führung” (Pedagogical Leadership – Journal for School Leadership and School Counseling) |
| Co-Editor of the series “Schulentwicklungsforschung” (School Development Research) at Springer VS (together with H. Altrichter, B. Asbrand, M. Emmerich, T. Feldhoff, K. Maag Merki, F. Radisch) |
Further Engagement
| since 04/2022 | Member of the Advisory Board of the Academies of Education & Talent, the Federal and State Talent Promotion Centre "Bildung & Begabung” |
| 2014–2022 | Member of the Steering Committee and Steering Group of RuhrFutur (education initiative for the metropolis Ruhr; State NRW, municipalities and educational institutions) |
| 2015–2019 | Member of the Board of Trustees of the JeKits Foundation NRW (JeKits – For Every Child Instruments, Dancing, Singing) |
| 2015–2019 | Member of the Advisory Board of the Pedagogical State Institute Rhineland-Palatinate |
| 2010–2017 | Member of the Board of Trustees and the Federal Jury of the "Strong School" Competition of the Hertie Foundation |
| since 2014 | Member of the Board of Trustees of the Wübben Foundation for Education (Deputy Chair) |
| 2008–2009 | Member of the Advisory Board of the Agency for Quality Assurance, Evaluation and School Autonomy (AQS) Rhineland-Palatinate |
Reviewer Activities (Selection)
| Journals | Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft (ZfE), Zeitschrift für Pädagogik (ZfPäd), Journal for Educational Research Online (JERO), Tertium Comparationis (TC), Pädagogische Psychologie, Diagnostica, among others |
| Research funding | German Research Foundation (DFG) Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) |
Funded Research Projects (DFG, BMBF, State Ministries, Foundations)
| 02/2023–06/2026 | “Center for Digitization, Networks and Transfer in School Education”, with Universities of Potsdam, Wuppertal, Tübingen, Dortmund, München, Kassel; DIPF/FFM, DIE/Bonn, IPN/Kiel; lead applicant (together with M. Endberg); lead: K. Scheiter & D. Richter (Potsdam); BMBF (01JA23T01K) |
| 01/2021–12/2025 | “Schule macht stark”; with Universities Berlin, Bochum, Dortmund, Heidelberg, Köln, Mannheim, Potsdam, Tübingen; DIPF/Frankfurt, DJI/München, IQB/Berlin, IPN/Kiel; lead applicant; lead: K. Maaz (DIPF/Frankfurt a.M.); BMBF (FKZ SMS21010) |
| 01/2020–12/2023 | “Communities of Practice for Innovative Teacher Education NRW (Comeln)”; with universities Aachen, Bielefeld, Bochum, Bonn, Dortmund, Köln, Münster, Paderborn, Siegen, Wuppertal; lead applicant (responsible until 4/2022 as vice-rector for teaching and learning); BMBF (FKZ 01JA2033 A-L); project leader |
| 01/2016–12/2023 | “Professionalization for Diversity” (ProViel I+II); lead applicant (responsible until 4/2022 as vice-rector for teaching and learning); BMBF (FKZ 01JA1910); project leader |
| 09/2018–08/2023 | „Training and Support Systems for School Development in the Context of Digitization“; lead; BMBF (FK 01JD1818; BMBF) |
| 5/2020–4/2023 | „Development of Classroom Teaching in Secondary Education Digital and Inclusive through Research Learning Communities (UDIN)“; with K. Racherbäumer (Siegen, lead) and Anke Liegmann (UDE, lead); co-lead; BMBF (FKZ 01JD1909A/B) |
| 10/2018–09/2021 | „Digital School Development in Networks“; with M. Kerres (UDE); co-lead; BMBF (01JD181) |
| 2014–2019 | “Developing Potentials–Strengthening Schools”; with H.G. Holtappels (TU Dortmund); co-lead; Stiftung Mercator |
| 2013–2016 | “Language-Sensitive School Development”; lead applicant; Stiftung Mercator |
| 2013–2015 | „The Rhineland-Palatinate State Pedagogical Institute between Centralised Control and Decentralised Demand“; with F. Choi, U. Schmidt/Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz; co-lead; Ministry of Education, Science, Further Education and Culture of Rhineland-Palatinate |
| 2009–2015 | “Conditions and Tasks of Decentralized and Centralized Final Exams in Science Education”; lead; DFG (project 5470327 / FOR 511: “Science Education”; lead: H. Fischer, K. Klemm, D. Leutner, E. Sumfleth / UDE) |
| 2012–2013 | „Scientific Monitoring and Evaluation of the School Contest ‚Starke Schule. Deutschlands beste Schulen, die zur Ausbildungsreife führen‘“ (Germany's Best Schools Leading to Apprenticeship Readiness) in Cooperation with the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz; lead; Hertie Foundation |
| 2011–2013 | „Abitur after 12 or 13 School Years, Scientific Acompanying Research of the Pilot Project in North Rhine-Westphalia“; co-lead (with G. Bellenberg / Ruhr University Bochum); Ministry of School and Further Education North Rhine-Westphalia |
| 2010–2013 | „Strategies for Quality Development of Schools in Difficult Circumstances“; co-lead (with K. Racherbäumer / UDE); BMBF (01JG1008) |
| 2010–2013 | „Evidence-Based Action in the Multi-Level System of Schools - Conditions, Processes and Effects“ (EviS); co-lead, together wirth M. Clausen; BMBF (lead: O. Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia / Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz) |
| 2010–2012 | „Scientific Evaluation of the Elements of the Network ‚Strong Schools‘“; co-lead (with U. Schmidt / Mainz); Hertie Foundation |
| 2010–2011 | „Ruhr Education Monitoring Report“; lead: W. Bos/Institute for School Development Research (IFS) at the TU Dortmund; co-lead; commissioned by the Ruhr Regional Association (RVR); Mercator Foundation |
| 2009–2011 | „External Evaluation of a Grammar School for Gifted Students“; co-lead (with F. Choi, F. Hamburger, U. Schmidt, H. Ulrich / Mainz); Ministry of Education (MBWJK) Rhineland-Palatinate |
| 2009–2010 | „Scientific Ealuation of the Educational Science Components of the ‘Studienseminar‘ Programmes in NRW“; lead; Ministry of School and Further Education NRW |
| 2008–2010 | „Scientific Monitoring of the Project ‘Starke Schule. Germany's Best Schools Leading to Apprenticeship Entry Maturity‘“; lead; Hertie Stiftung |
| 2009 | „Educational Reporting for the Metropolis Ruhr; lead: Institute for School Development Research“, W. Bos / TU Dortmund; co-lead, on behalf of Wirtschaftsförderung metropoleruhr GmbH |
| 2008–2009 | „Scientific External Evaluation of the Boarding School Schloss Hansenberg“; co-lead; with H. Ulrich, F. Hamburger, M., U. Schmidt / Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz |
| 2007–2008 | "Strong Schools - Germany's Best Schools Leading to Apprenticeship Entry Maturity"; co-lead; with Centre for Research on Education and Higher Education (ZBH, University Mainz) |
| 2003–2006 | „School System and Culture of the Individual School as Context of Science Learning in Secondary Schools“, Research Group 'Science Education' (FOR 511); lead: K. Klemm; scientific assistant; German Research Foundation, DFG |
| 2002–2006 | „Project Contest Schools and Enterprises“; lead: K. Klemm / UDE; scientific assistant; Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation |
| 2004–2005 | „In-depth Comparison of the Education Systems of Canada and Germany“; lead: German Institute for International Educational Research (DIPF; E. Klieme); scientific assistant; Federal Ministry of Education and Research, BMBF |
| 2002–2003 | „Comparison of the Educational Systems in Selected Countries: Understanding the Inter-National Variation of PISA-Results; lead: German Institute for International Educational Research, DIPF (E. Klieme); scientific researcher; Federal Ministry of Education and Research, BMBF |
| 2002–2003 | „Indicators of the ‚Forum Bildung‘ recommendations within the project ‘Bildung Plus‘“; lead: K. Klemm / UDE; scientific assistant; BMBF |
| 2001–2002 | „The Use of Large-Scale Testing for School Development. Experiences in England, France and the Netherlands; lead applicant; Federal Ministry of Education and Research, BMBF |
Supervision of Researchers in Early Career Phases
| Achtelik, Inka Elena | 2023 | Educational Origin and Migration-Specific Selection Processes in the Entrance to University – The Relationship Between Social Identification, Social and Academic Integration and the Intention to Drop out of University |
| Franziska Sophie Proskawetz | 2022 | A Qualitative-Reconstructive Study of Teachers' Guiding Orientation when Selecting Students for Scholarship Programmes (Using the Example of the ‘RuhrTalente’ Scholarship Programme) |
| Stefanie Kötter-Mathes | 2019 | Performance Assessment in Centralized Examinations. Teachers' Perceptions of Assessment Practice with Special Regard to State Specified Horizons of Expectation |
| René Breiwe | 2019 | Conditions for Diversity-Reflective Education in the German School System – A Systematic Analysis of State-Specific School Legislation Under Special Consideration of Difference and Discrimination-Critical Aspects |
| Jörg Weingarten | 2018 | How do Prospective Teachers Plan their Lessons? An Empirical Analysis of Written Lesson Plans under Special Consideration of a Competence-Oriented Design of Learning Opportunities |
| Otto, Stephan | 2017 | Initiation into School Practice: The Initial Interview between Students and Their Mentors |
| Demski, Denise | 2016 | Evidence-Based School Development? Empirical Analysis of a Governance Paradigm with Special Consideration of the the Individual School‘s Culture |
| Blumentritt, Lena | 2015 | Changed School Time – Changed Leisure Time? Leisure Time Constructions of Children Using the Example of School Time Reduction at Grammar Schools. (PhD Award of the University of Duisburg-Essen 2016) |
| Ferchow, Jasmin | 2015 | Evidence-Based Teacher Education? An Empirical Analysis of the Integration of Science and Research in Teacher Education in North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Hahn, Jörn | 2014 | Steering Effects of Central Comparative Tests on Teaching. Test Coaching Using the Example of ‘Lernstand8‘ Assessment |
| Krüger, Mirko | 2014 | Task Culture in Central Final Examinations. Exploration and Description of Science Tasks in International Comparison |
| Klein, Esther Dominique | 2012 | Statewide Exit Exams as Governance and School Development Instrument. An International Comparative Analysis of State Intentions and School Implementation in Diverging Governance Contexts. (Science Award of the Sparkasse Essen 2014) |
| Strunck (now Farwick), Susanne | 2011 | School Development by Competitions. Processes and Effects of Participation in Best Practice School Competitions (PhD Award of the University of Duisburg-Essen 2012) |
| Kühn, Svenja Mareike | 2009 | A-Level Tasks in Centralised and Decentralised Examination Procedures. Analyses of the Governance Effect of Administrative Specifications (Award of the University of Duisburg-Essen 2010) |
Recent Publications
van-Ackeren-Mindl, I. van, Klemm, K. & Schmid-Kühn, S. (2024). Entstehung, Struktur und Steuerung des deutschen Schulsystems. Eine Einführung. 4., grundlegend überarbeitete Auflage. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.
Mehr lesen
Proskawetz, F., Kottmann, M., Ackeren-Mindl, I. van, Klein, E. D. (2023). Bedeutung und Stärkung einer ressourcenorientierten Schulkultur von Schulen an sozialräumlich benachteiligten Standorten. Erprobung von Unterstützungsmöglichkeiten im Projekt ‚Schule macht stark' (SchuMaS). In: Matthias Forell et al. (Hrsg.): Schule als Sozialraum im Sozialraum – Theoretische und empirische Erkundungen sozialräumlicher Dimensionen von Schule (S. 107–120). Münster: Waxmann.
Mehr lesenAcademic Distinctions
- Best Dissertation Award / Educational Sciences, University of Duisburg-Essen (2003)
- Award for "outstanding academic success" by the Rectorate of the University of Essen (1999)