Bildung, Didaktik, and the pedagogy of higher education

This article focuses on the Bildung in higher education, by linking both its mission and its practice to each individual's development and opportunities to live a good life. If higher education is to have Bildung as a goal, a pedagogical foundation that runs deeper than the dominating pedagogical paradigms of the contemporary university needs to be formulated. This foundation can be derived from pedagogical philosophy and the tradition of Didaktik, which can help us to place Bildung, transformation and emancipation at the centre of university teaching. First, we discuss contemporary changes of the organization, understanding, and goals of higher education with a focus on the European context. Second, we present a conceptual framework from Klaus Mollenhauer, Bernt Gustavsson, and Hartmunt Rosa. Third, the ecological university is discussed in relation to the framework. Finally, we show how the concept of study is helpful when emphasizing Bildung in higher education teaching.