New Perspectives in Science Education
Integrating Artistic Research into German University of Applied Sciences Curricula: A New Paradigm in Science Education
Tobias Schmohl, OWL technical university of applied sciences & arts (Germany)
Sebastian Grobler, OWL Technical University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Dean of the Media Production Department) (Germany)
Abstract
This paper presents a pioneering approach to integrating artistic research into the curriculum of German universities of applied sciences (UAS). Recognizing the unique challenges and opportunities presented by artistic disciplines in higher education, we have developed modules for a master's program that blend epistemological content with the fundamentals of artistic research. This initiative addresses the current disparity in qualification opportunities for artistic disciplines at the UAS level, where artistic achievements are legally equated with scientific accomplishments, yet opportunities for higher qualification in these fields are limited.
The discourse on artistic research, as highlighted by Matcham (2013), Williams (2019), Vanlee (2021), and Liinamaa (2017), emphasizes the need for inclusive perspectives in research and the recognition of diverse methodologies and outcomes. Our effort is a step towards valuing the unique methodologies and scientific contributions of artistic disciplines, paving the way for new qualification paths for their graduates, right up to the doctoral level.
Our approach is anchored in the belief that artistic research, a field that challenges traditional research paradigms by valuing artful knowledge alongside scientific knowledge, deserves a structured and recognized pathway within the academic system. Drawing from relevant legal texts and documents that equate artistic and scientific qualifications of personnel, we argue for the integration of artistic research into the curriculum as a step towards rectifying the existing imbalance and underrepresentation of artistic disciplines in higher education.
Furthermore, we are in the process of establishing a new degree program targeted at working professionals. This program aims to address the discrepancy between artistic and scientific fields by providing qualification paths extending to doctoral studies. Following the successful implementation of the master's modules, we plan to establish a specialized group within a doctoral college. This initiative comes in the wake of receiving the right to award doctoral degrees as part of a university of applied sciences consortium, a significant milestone granted by the German Science Council.
References
Liinamaa, S. (2017). Negotiating a ‘radically ambiguous world’: planning for the future of research at the art and design university. International Journal of Art & Design Education, 37(3), 426-437.
Matcham, D. (2013). Practices of legitimacy and the problem of artistic research.. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education, 13(3), 276-281.
Vanlee, F. (2021). Discourses on artistic research in flanders: non-scholarly perspectives on re-search in the arts. Artnodes, (27).
Williams, K. (2019). Disclosing and evaluating artistic research. Journal of Data and Information Science, 4(3), 35-54.
