Cologne training region
Since 2012, the University of Cologne is part of the Cologne training region. This includes its cooperating universities, six Centers for Practical Teacher Training (ZfsL Cologne, Siegburg, Leverkusen, Engelskirchen, Jülich, and Düren) and more than 800 associated schools.
This network ensures stable cross-phase cooperation between the first phase (university and degree programme) and the second phase (practical training and teacher traineeship) of teacher education.
During the Master of Education programme, student teachers in their practical semester benefit from a close interlinking of learning locations. This, in turn, supports them in theory-based reflecting on typical pedagogical and subject-related situations in everyday professional life. Through this experience, students gain confidence for their future careers as teachers.
The large size of the training region makes it possible to assign almost all Master’s students to one of their preferred schools for the practical semester.
There are an extensive range of additional possibilities for organizing practical internships throughout the entire teacher education degree programme.
The Cologne training region also provides a structure for the transfer of research innovations from the university to the schools as well as an exchange between schools and the university.