Research topics

A scientific research self-portrait

Two major research areas are central to our research:

1. Organizational Studies

Fundamental to organizational research is the recursive relationship between organizational structures (formal and informal) and the actions of its members. The aim is to explain, rather than simply describe, how actors change organizational structures or how organizational structures influence the actions of members. To analyze this interrelationship and the many issues derived from it, theory-based empirical research is conducted, usually quantitative in nature, but sometimes qualitative. Different types of organizations are examined: from companies, to hospitals, to football clubs, to fine dining restaurants, to universities as knowledge-intensive organizations. Mainly, the questions are focused on specific aspects of this interrelationship, such as knowledge transfer. It can also be shown in this case that the transfer of knowledge between organizational members or units depends on the formal and informal structures and the action strategies and motivation of the members and is mutually dependent.

2. Higher Education Research

Also in the case of universities as knowledge-intensive organizations, many analyses can ultimately be traced to the basal relationship between institutional structures, organizational structures, and the actions of members. However, in this case, two types of members exist: students and professors/academic staff. Theory-based research questions on both types are addressed in the predominantly quantitative, but also qualitative study. Academic teaching, non-traditional students, and continuing higher education are topics on which the basic problem has been variably analyzed. The example of academic teaching can be used to illustrate that different organizational structures and forms of governance generate different perceptions of the situation among the actors. Different strategies for action by stakeholders can in turn lead to different outputs in academic teaching. Likewise, in the borderline between university and science research, the mostly invisible support of the faculty team on the research output is analyzed.

In addition, research on didactics of engineering education takes place. The focus is on laboratory didactics, the materiality and mediality of laboratories in university teaching, creativity and creativity promotion, as well as innovative teaching development at the interfaces of people, technology and media.

Results on our research fields can be found in the Publications menu, where downloads of many articles are also available.

Uwe Wilkesmann and Maximiliane Wilkesmann also conduct research on the organization of fine-dining restaurants and top gastronomy and football research. Publications on this are partly in the mode of Public Sociology.

Location & approach

By car

The campus of TU Dortmund University is located close to interstate junction Dortmund West, where the Sauerlandlinie A 45 (Frankfurt-Dortmund) crosses the Ruhrschnellweg B 1 / A 40. The best interstate exit to take from A 45 is “Dortmund-Eichlinghofen” (closer to South Campus), and from B 1 / A 40 “Dortmund-Dorstfeld” (closer to North Campus). Signs for the university are located at both exits. Also, there is a new exit before you pass over the B 1-bridge leading into Dortmund.

To get from North Campus to South Campus by car, there is the connection via Vogelpothsweg/Baroper Straße. We recommend you leave your car on one of the parking lots at North Campus and use the H-Bahn (suspended monorail system), which conveniently connects the two campuses.

By train

TU Dortmund University has its own train station (“Dortmund Universität”). From there, suburban trains (S-Bahn) leave for Dortmund main station (“Dortmund Hauptbahnhof”) and Düsseldorf main station via the “Düsseldorf Airport Train Station” (take S-Bahn number 1, which leaves every 15 or 30 minutes). The university is easily reached from Bochum, Essen, Mülheim an der Ruhr and Duisburg.

You can also take the bus or subway train from Dortmund city to the university: From Dortmund main station, you can take any train bound for the Station “Stadtgarten”, usually lines U41, U45, U 47 and U49. At “Stadtgarten” you switch trains and get on line U42 towards “Hombruch”. Look out for the Station “An der Palmweide”. From the bus stop just across the road, busses bound for TU Dortmund University leave every ten minutes (445, 447 and 462). Another option is to take the subway routes U41, U45, U47 and U49 from Dortmund main station to the stop “Dortmund Kampstraße”. From there, take U43 or U44 to the stop “Dortmund Wittener Straße”. Switch to bus line 447 and get off at “Dortmund Universität S”.

By plane

The AirportExpress is a fast and convenient means of transport from Dortmund Airport (DTM) to Dortmund Central Station, taking you there in little more than 20 minutes. From Dortmund Central Station, you can continue to the university campus by interurban railway (S-Bahn). A larger range of international flight connections is offered at Düsseldorf Airport (DUS), which is about 60 kilometres away and can be directly reached by S-Bahn from the university station.

The H-Bahn (Suspended Monorail System)

The H-Bahn is one of the hallmarks of TU Dortmund University. There are two stations on North Campus. One (“Dortmund Universität S”) is directly located at the suburban train stop, which connects the university directly with the city of Dortmund and the rest of the Ruhr Area. Also from this station, there are connections to the “Technologiepark” and (via South Campus) Eichlinghofen. The other station is located at the dining hall at North Campus and offers a direct connection to South Campus every five minutes.

Map

The facilities of TU Dortmund University are spread over two campuses, the larger Campus North and the smaller Campus South. Additionally, some areas of the university are located in the adjacent “Technologiepark”.

Site Map of TU Dortmund University (Second Page in English).