Germany's Capital City: An Exploration of Berlin's History, Culture, and Attractions - Senate and universities team up for an ad campaign promoting teaching careers.
The Senate and four Berlin universities have launched a fresh advertising initiative to combat the scarcity of educators. Their objective, unveiled on Thursday, is to inspire more individuals to pursue studies in so-called MINT topics (Mathematics, Informatics, Natural Sciences, and Technology). In addition, they aim to discover fresh talent for technical education and artistic subjects, according to Science Senator Ina Czyborra (SPD).
"Berlin gives schools a boost" incorporates a host of elements, including digital billboards scattered throughout Berlin and on the U-Bahn, radio commercials, social media endeavors, and a comprehensive website overflowing with information on educator instruction. There's also an artistic project: A painter and an illustrator were entrusted with the responsibility of improving two Berlin secondary schools' bathrooms. The annual cost of this wide-ranging campaign is €500,000.
This initiative is primarily targeted at students, urging them to ponder a career in educator training upon graduation. It also aims to coax more youths to switch from vocational programs to educator instruction courses in the future. In addition, youths from less educated backgrounds and those with a migration history will be targeted.
The lack of teachers is especially notable in MINT subjects at Berlin schools, and the four Berlin universities responsible for educator instruction lack adequate graduates. In the previous year, 1190 students from these universities graduated with master's degrees in educator training. The ultimate objective of the red-red coalition is 2500 graduates per year.
For quite some time, the Senate and universities have been attempting to increase the number of educators through various measures. The number of available slots for first-year students has steadily increased from 2158 in 2016 to 3470 in 2023. Efforts are also being made to improve study conditions. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of first-year students: in 2023, 2889 freshmen enrolled in their bachelor's degree in teacher training, with 1813 continuing with master's degrees. A difficulty is that many students leave their educator training and redirect their focus.
"We still don't have enough graduates to coincide with the requirements of our schools," Czyborra stated. "This is where our campaign becomes pertinent." She, however, observes a favorable development considering the rise in available spots and graduates in recent years. "This indicates that our efforts are beginning to make progress." Berlin is also making significant headway in designing study programs that effectively prepare students for the demands of Berlin schools.
The Humboldt University, the Free University, the Technical University, and the University of Arts are responsible for training teachers in Berlin. All four consider educator instruction a significant undertaking, stated TU Vice President Christian Schroeder. "We take this very seriously." The purpose of the new initiative is to reach youths who have yet to be reached and are simply seeking novel opportunities.
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