At the kickoff event for our strategic planning process, participants started around 20 focus groups, each aimed at working on a specific topic of their choice related to teaching and education. The topics had to relate to two fundamental aspects of the process: the creation of a mission statement for teaching and learning, and objectives and measures that could form part of an education strategy.

The outcomes from the focus groups in relation to the mission statement were published in the Freie Universität wiki and were discussed in forums open to all university members during Wrap-up Phase I. This initial phase culminated at the first wrap-up event. Around 140 members of the university attended the event to discuss the outcomes from phase 1.

After the wrap-up phase, the strategy process team developed an initial draft version of the mission statement for teaching and learning based on the results of previous discussions and fulfills the concepts outlined by the focus groups. This draft statement was open to comments and discussion from all members of the university during the feedback phase.

Timeline - Wrap-up Phase I

March 8–22, 2021: Wrap-up Phase I: Opening Up the Conversation

Prior to the first wrap-up event, the outcomes from the focus group were made available to all members of the university via the Freie Universität wiki. Members were able to explore this content and submit comments via the website for two weeks.

For those who were not able to participate in the focus groups, this offered a chance to contribute and a great opportunity for the focus groups to gather more ideas and incorporate them into the process.

March 22, 2021: Wrap-up Event I, 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

The results from the focus groups in relation to the mission statement for teaching and learning were presented and jointly discussed at the first wrap-up event. 

The program for this event combined short presentations from the focus groups with plenary and “fishbowl” discussions in order to incorporate as many views and ideas as possible.

March 23-31, 2021: Conclusion to Wrap-up Phase I

The papers were available on the Freie Universität wiki for a week after the wrap-up event.