During the first round of the 'Excellence Initiative 2006' to identify Germany's best universities, the press lauded Bremen University (UniHB) for achieving such a high position in the rankings. At the end of the day, Bremen was confirmed as being among the top ten German universities. And not only in this respect does the University deserve to be included at the pinnacle of higher education. In the acquisition of third-party funding we are also among the ten most successful institutions in Germany. Founded in 1971, the University recently celebrated its 35th anniversary, having now nearly 20,000 students - of which 15 per cent come from other countries. Some of the ground-breaking educational concepts implemented in those early days have since become established features of modern university education all over Germany; for example interdisciplinary study and research, research-based teaching projects, or responsibility towards society. These have since been augmented by new aims like internationalisation, opportunities for junior scientists and scholars in structured post-graduate programmes, gender equality, and an added sense of purpose as a "learning institution". In the field of science the University of Bremen has a good name in different fields of environmental and maritime research, in life and material sciences. The University of Bremen also invests a lot into science education research and science teacher education. The Institute of the Didactics of Sciences (IDN) is internationally well known especially in the field of chemistry education. The biannual symposia on chemistry and science education jointly organized by the Universities of Bremen and Dortmund reached a fixed place in the international calendar of science education conferences. The chemistry education group is developing textbooks and teaching materials for German secondary schools in cooperation with different publishers. The researchers are working intensively on teachers’ professional development on the base of Participatory Action Research, but also research the learning of teachers and student teachers in authentic contexts. Concerning education on the tertiary level the IDN plays an active role in European Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Education Network (EC2E2N). The chemistry education group within the IDN is internationally well connected having research partners in the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Israel, Cyprus, or Australia.

Prof. Dr. Ingo Eilks is a full professor for the didactics of chemistry at the University of Bremen since 2004. From his background, he is a full trained grammar school teacher for chemistry and mathematics. He did his PhD and Habilitation in chemistry education and is now the head of the chemistry education group within the Institute of the Didactics of the Sciences (IDN). He was promoted a chair for chemistry education in 2005. His main research interests are the (1) development of Participatory Action Research for research and continuous professional development in science education, (2) cooperative learning in chemistry teaching, (3) the socio-critical and problem-oriented approach to chemistry teaching, (4) empirical research on science teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, and (5) the development of modern chemistry curricula, teaching materials and textbooks. Ingo Eilks has considerable experience in pre- and in-service science teacher training in Germany and beyond. He is member of different boards of national and international science education research journals and conferences.

Dr. Silivja Markic is a senior researcher for the didactics of chemistry at the University of Bremen since 2009. From her background, she is a full trained grammar school teacher for chemistry and mathematics. She did her PhD in chemistry education and is now doing research and teaching at the University of Bremen. Her main research interests are the (1) teachers’ cognition and beliefs, (2) teacher training, (3) cooperative learning in chemistry teaching, and (4) linguistic issues in science education, i.e. for students with migration backgrounds.

Dr. Dörte Ostersehlt is a lecturer for the didactics of biology at University of Bremen. From her background she is a full trained grammar school teacher. She earned her doctoral degree in Human Biology (Dr. rer. nat.). Before she started her teaching at the University of Bremen she worked for several years as teacher in Gütersloh, Germany. Her main research interests are the development of modern biology curricula and teaching materials.

Marc Stuckey did a B.Sc. and M.Ed. in the fields of chemistry and biology education at the University of Bremen. Since 2010 he is researcher at the Institute of the Didactics of the Sciences (IDN) at the University of Bremen. His research interest is curriculum development and research in the fields of student-active and societal-oriented science education. He is administrating the participation of the IDN within the EU projects PROFILES and TEMPUS-SALiS.

Nadja Belova did a B.Sc. and M.Ed. in the fields of chemistry and German language education at the University of Bremen. Since 2011 she is researcher at the Institute of the Didactics of the Sciences (IDN) at the University of Bremen. Her research interest is curriculum development and research in the fields of student-active and societal-oriented science education, which is implemented in the EU-Project PROFILES.

Moritz Krause did a B.Sc. and M.Ed. in the fields of chemistry and biology education at the University of Bremen. Since 2011 he is researcher at the Institute of the Didactics of the Sciences (IDN) at the University of Bremen. His research interest is curriculum development and research in the fields of student-active and societal-oriented science education, which is implemented in the EU-Project PROFILES.

Local website of the PROFILES group of the University of Bremen