FernUniversität Glossary

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An English-language guide for the FernUniversität: The University Board would like to support all members of the FernUniversität in Hagen who write English texts by providing the following glossary. It contains the most important university terms clearly arranged thematically. It is designed to assist everyone in their English-language communications while standardizing recurring terminology, such as office, faculty, and administrative designations.

Please remember that the official name of the FernUniversität is always “FernUniversität in Hagen” – even in English-language texts. For the sake of clear international visibility, the University Board asks that all university members use this designation exclusively.

You can search through the terms on this web page by using the key combination CTRL+F (note: if you have a German layout keyboard, this will be STRG+F). In cases where more than one alternative translation is provided, the preferred translation is listed first. The university uses American English in word selection and spelling. General terms are written in lower case, proper names in upper case: e.g., a faculty (general) vs. the Faculty of Law (the name of a specific faculty). This collection of terms is what we call a “living document.” That means it is updated continuously, but makes no claims to completeness. Feel free to make suggestions if you would like a term to be added!

For other questions relating to good style in English writing, please take a look at our FernUniversität style guide.

FernUniversität

German English
FernUniversität in Hagen FernUniversität in Hagen (abbreviation: FeU)

Note: The German spelling is used in all English-language texts.

University management

German English
Hochschulleitung University Management
Rektorat University Board
Rektor/in President
Prorektor/in Vice-President
Prorektor/in für Weiterbildung, Transfer und Internationalisierung Vice-President for Continuing Education, Knowledge Transfer and International Affairs
Prorektor/in für Forschung und Digitalisierung Vice-President for Research and Digitization
Prorektor/in für Lehre und Studium Vice-President for Teaching and Studies
Kanzler/in Head of Administration
Senat Senate
Hochschulrat University Council

Faculties

German English
Fakultät faculty
Fakultät für Kultur- und Sozialwissenschaften Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Fakultät für Mathematik und Informatik Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science
Fakultät für Psychologie Faculty of Psychology
Fakultät für Wirtschaftswissenschaft Faculty of Business Administration and Economics
Rechtswissenschaftliche Fakultät Faculty of Law
Institut institute
Lehrgebiet, Lehrstuhl chair (of)
Stiftungslehrstuhl endowed chair
Lehrstuhlvertretung acting chair
Dekanat dean’s office
Prüfungsamt examination office
Dekan/in dean
Prodekan/in vice-dean
Professor/in professor
Juniorprofessor/in junior professor(ship)
außerordentliche Professur adjunct professor
Privatdozent Privatdozent (provide explanation, if necessary: senior lecturer)
Lehrbeauftragte/r contract lecturer

Central Services, Commissioners and Representatives

German English
Zentrale Einrichtungen central services
Zentrum für Digitalisierung und IT (ZDI) Center for Digitalization and IT
Zentrum für Lernen und Innovation (ZLI) Center for Learning and Innovation
Universitätsbibliothek (UB) University Library
Zentrale Betriebseinheit für Campusstandorte Central Operating Unit for Campus Locations
Personalrat staff council
Datenschutzbeauftragte/r data protection officer
Gleichstellungsbeauftragte/r equal opportunities commissioner
Fakultätsgleichstellungsbeauftragte/r faculty equal opportunities commissioner
Schwerbehindertenvertretung representative for persons with disabilities
Koordination Gleichstellung (Gleichstellungsbüro) Equal Opportunities Coordination Office

Administration

German English
Verwaltung administration
Dezernat division
Abteilung department
Arbeitsteam team
Stabsstelle office
Referat office
Rektoratsstab University Board’s Strategic Office
Stabsstelle Kommunikation und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit (Office for) Communications and Public Relations
Stabsstelle Marketing und Veranstaltungsmanagement (Office for) Marketing and Event Management
Stabsstelle Datenschutz (Office for) Data Protection
Stabsstelle Arbeits- und Umweltschutz (Office for) Occupational Safety and Environmental Protection
Stabsstelle Gremien­bet­reu­ung und Wissen­schafts­orga­nisa­tionen (Office for) University Governing Body Support and Academic Organizations
Stabsstelle Koordinierungsstelle für hochschulübergreifende Fortbildung (HÜF-NRW) (Office for the) Coordination of Universities’ Staff Training
Referat Organisations- und Personalentwicklung (Office for) Organization and Staff Development
Referat Chancengerechtigkeit (Office for) Equal Opportunities
Referat Forschungs- und Graduiertenservice Research and Graduate Services
Referat für Transfer (Office for) Knowledge Transfer
Referat International Office International Office
Dezernat 1 – Hochschulmonitoring und Qualitätssicherung Division 1 – University Planning and Quality Assurance
Abteilung 1.1 – Akademisches Berichtswesen und Monitoring Department 1.1 – Academic Reporting and Monitoring
Abteilung 1.2 – Lehre und Akkreditierung Department 1.2 – Academic Affairs and Accreditation
Abteilung 1.3 – Qualitätssicherung und Evaluation Department 1.3 – Quality Assurance and Evaluation
Dezernat 2 – Studierendenservice Division 2 – Student Services
Abteilung 2.1 – Studierendensekretariat Department 2.1 – Student Registration
Abteilung 2.3 – Zentrale Studienberatung/Service-Center Department 2.3 – Student Advice Center/Service Center
Abteilung 2.4 – Justitiariat Department 2.4 – Legal Affairs
Dezernat 3 – Personal Division 3 – Human Resources
Abteilung 3.1 – Wissenschaftliches Tarifpersonal und nebenberuflich Beschäftigte Department 3.1 – Academic and Part-Time Staff
Abteilung 3.2 – Tarifpersonal in Technik und Verwaltung, Reisekosten und Recht Department 3.2 – Administrative and Technical Staff, Travel Expenses and Staff Law
Abteilung 3.4 – Personalwirtschaft Department 3.4 – Personnel Budget
Abteilung 3.5 – Berufungsmanagement, Professuren, Beamtinnen und Beamte Department 3.5 – Appointments, Professorships and Civil Servant Affairs
Dezernat 4 – Haushalt und Finanzen Division 4 – Budget and Finance
Abteilung 4.1 – Haushalt/Berichtswesen Department 4.1 – Budget and Financial Reporting
Abteilung 4.2 – Buchhaltung/Steuern Department 4.2 – Accounting and Taxes
Abteilung 4.3 – Beschaffung Department 4.3 – Procurement
Abteilung 4.4 – Drittmittel Department 4.4 – Third-Party Funds
Dezernat 5 – Technische Medienadministration Division 5 – Technical Media Administration
Abteilung 5.1 – Medienmanagement Department 5.1 – Media Management
Abteilung 5.2 – Medienproduktion Department 5.2 – Media Production
Abteilung 5.3 – Medienvertrieb Department 5.3 – Media Distribution
Dezernat 6 – Gebäudemanagement und Nachhaltigkeit Division 6 – Facility Management and Sustainability
Abteilung 6.1 – Gebäudemanagement und Bau Department 6.1 – Facility Management and Construction
Mitarbeiter/innen in Verwaltung und Technik administrative and technical staff

Research

German English
Forschung research
(akademisches) Personal (academic) staff
Wissenschaftler/in researcher, scholar, in certain cases, also: lecturer
wiss. Mitarbeiter/in academic staff member, research assistant
Wissenschaftliche Hilfskraft (WHK) academic assistant
Studentische Hilfskraft (SHK) student assistant
Nachwuchswissenschaftler/in early career researcher, early stage researcher, young researcher/scholar
Habilitand/in postdoc, postdoctoral researcher
Doktorand/in, Promovend/in doctoral candidate
Gastwissenschaftler/in visiting scholar
Forschungskooperation research cooperation
Forschung und Entwicklung (FuE) Research and Development (R&D)
Drittmittel third-party funds
Stipendium scholarship, grant
Rektoratsausschuss Forschung und Nachwuchsförderung University Committee for Research and Early Stage Scholars
Promotionsausschuss doctoral committee
Forschungsschwerpunkt E/U/N
Energie, Umwelt & Nachhaltigkeit
E/E/S Research Center
Energy, Environment & Sustainability
CATALPA – Center of Advanced Technology for Assisted Learning and Predictive Analytics CATALPA – Center of Advanced Technology for Assisted Learning and Predictive Analytics

(Distance) Teaching

German English
Fernlehre distance learning, distance education
Virtueller Studienplatz virtual study environment
Blended Learning blended learning
frei verfügbare, kostenlose Lehrmaterialien Open Educational Resources (OER)
Studienbrief printed study material
Präsenzveranstaltung on-campus seminar, face-to-face session
Studienzentrum, Regionalzentrum study center, regional center
Studienangebot course offerings
Studiengang degree program
Akademiestudium Open Access Studies
Weiterbildung(sstudiengang) continuing education, further education program
duales Studium dual course of study (explain if necessary: a combination of study and on-the-job training)
Fach subject, discipline
Pflichtmodul/-kurs required module/course
Wahlpflichtmodul/-kurs compulsory elective, required option
Anerkennung (von Studienleistungen) recognition (of credits), transfer (of credits)
Note grade
(Abschluss-)Zeugnis degree certificate
(Abschluss-)Urkunde diploma
Zertifikat (Weiterbildung) certificate (of completion)
Hochschulzugangsberechtigung, Abitur(-zeugnis) German higher education entrance qualification
Kenntnisse der deutschen Sprache German language skills
Zulassung admission (to studies)
Einschreibung enrollment, registration
zulassungsbeschränkt restricted-entry program, restricted admission
Rückmeldung re-registration
Studienmaterialbezugsgebühren study material fees
Studiengebühren tuition fees
BAföG federal student loan
Allgemeiner Studierendenausschuss (AStA) General Student Committee
Studierende/r student
Lehrende/r lecturer, teacher
Hochschuldozent lecturer, university lecturer
Betreuer/in supervisor
Mentor/in, Tutor/in advisor, mentor
Absolvent/in graduate
Beruflich Qualifizierte/r (BQ) professionals with non-academic vocational qualifications
Vollzeitstudierende/r full-time student
Teilzeitstudierende/r part-time student
berufsbegleitend studying while working
berufstätig working, employed
Semester semester
Auslandsaufenthalt stay abroad
Präsenzuniversität on-campus university, traditional university
Universität, die Präsenz- und Fernlehre anbietet dual mode university, mixed-mode university
Universität, die keinen höheren Schulabschluss als Voraussetzung für eine Einschreibung ins Studium verlangt (note: this does not include the FernUni) open university (e.g., Open Universiteit Nederland; The Open University, UK)
Fernuniversität distance-learning university

If you have any suggestions for additions or corrections, please contact:

Nicholas Quaintmere

Email: nicholas.quaintmere

Phone: +49 2331 987 - 4256

International | 26.06.2024