Training
Since it was founded, the Arnold Bergstraesser Institute has made a significant contribution to the University of Freiburg's overall teaching programme on developing countries, in particular in the field of political science. As part of this contribution, staff members have supervised masters and doctoral students. Research at the Institute has resulted in more than 10 habilitations (post-doctoral lecturing qualification), almost 100 doctoral dissertations and more than 200 masters and diploma theses on Third World topics.
For most of the young professional talent concerned, research work at the ABI has been the starting point for a university career or a career in government, development institutions or the private sector. The Institute has a relatively high turnover rate: every year some permanent and/or associated members move on to other positions.
Of a total of more than100 former members of the Institute, a third are professors at universities in Germany or abroad, 20 percent are active in other academic or scientific fields, another fifth work in institutions concerned with development policy and a good dozen are employed in federal or state government departments. In addition to a number of businessmen and -women, others hold various positions in the private sector or have become publicists or journalists. Twenty percent of the former members are non-German, and 25 percent are now working abroad.
Management and personnel gain the necessary qualifications for academic and practical work on and in developing countries in various ways:
- Research
A conventional university degree alone is a necessary but insufficient training for young academic and scientific talents hoping to work in development studies. They also need to complete a form of apprenticeship, and that can only be done by working on research projects. Accordingly, almost all ABI research projects include a training component.
- University teaching
Each semester Institute members – professors and part-time lecturers – offer courses or lectures on topics related to developing countries at the University of Freiburg. For the most recent information, please consult the list of lectures of the Political Science at the University of Freiburg.
- Seminars and lecture series
During the university semester, the ABI regularly offers weekly seminars and lectures for students and the general public (Thursday colloquium).
Another ABI focus group is development specialists. ABI members provide one-to-one consultancy run further and advanced training programmes and regularly lecture at training courses for the InWent (Capacity Building International, Germany), political foundations and the churches. Last but not least, they contribute to numerous events and lecture series organised as part of general adult education programmes, such as the Colloquium Politicum of the University of Freiburg.