Faculty of Social Science

Since the summer term of 2007 students have to pay tuition fees. For greater transparency here is some information on their use.

Tuition Fee Law

In March 2006 the North Rhine-Westphalian parliament passed the “Gesetz zur Sicherung der Finanzierungsgerechtigkeit im Hochschulwesen“ (HFGG) [act on safeguarding financial justice in higher education]. This has allowed the colleges/universities in North Rhine-Westphalia to charge tuition fees of a maximum of 500 Euros per term for first-term students from winter term 2006/2007 and from summer term 2007 for all students. The so-called tuition fee law came into force on April 1st 2006.

How much goes to the RUB?

77 percent of the tuition fees go the universities, 23 percent go to a state-wide deficiency fund which is used to make this law socially acceptable by for instance paying back the tuition fee loans for graduates without sufficient income.
The senate of the Ruhr-Universität voted for the charging of tuition fees on September 18th 2006. According to the statutes on the use of the tuition fees at the Ruhr-Uni the university has been charging a tuition fee of € 500 per term from every student since the summer term of 2007. Students who are enrolled in several degree courses at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum only pay one tuition fee. Students who are bringing up minors, are doing a term abroad or are representatives e.g. in the senate, the students’ parliament or a student body as well as doctorate students are completely or temporarily exempt from the obligation to pay. The obligation to pay the tuition fees arises with the enrolment or the re-registration, the tuition fees have to be paid additionally to the social contribution.

Use at the RUB

Universities are obliged by law to use the income from the tuition fees exclusively for the improvement of the teaching and studying conditions. The tuition fee statutes of the Ruhr-Universität say explicitly that the fees are exclusively for that purpose. They must not be used for energy or rental costs or building and maintenance measures. The funds remaining after paying in to the deficiency fund go to two thirds to the faculties for their own distribution and one third goes to the rector’s office for the financing of central measures for the improvement of teaching. The distribution to the faculties is effected according to the number of enrolled students obliged to pay in that term.
The principles of the use within a faculty are determined in the faculty council. Among others the funds are not to be used against the unanimous vote of the students represented in this council. Following measures qualify for financing:

• Improvement of the tutorial system
• Improvement of the work in small groups
• Extension of the study guidance
• Improvement of the library equipment and the textbook stock
• Multimedia equipment

Where is my money going? – On the use of the tuition fees at the Faculty of Social Science.

Many of you will ask themselves what is happening with your money. The funds from the tuition fees must be used exclusively for the improvement of teaching and studying conditions. Therefore the faculties at the universities have to provide evidence of the correct use to the rector’s office.
A workgroup was established at the Faculty of Social Science as early as the winter term 2006/07 to develop proposals for the use of the funds. This workgroup consists of university teachers, scientific staff, the Dean’s office and members of the Student Union as representatives of the students. The workgroup developed a concept for the use in the summer term 2007, which resulted in an improvement of the studying conditions. This concept has been developed further for the following terms.

Smaller groups

Bursting lectures and seminars are an imposition for students and teaching staff. Therefore some over-attended courses are offered several times and in numerous events small groups are established by advanced students, all out of tuition fee funds. These measures benefit all students.

Additional offers

In order to extend the teaching offer by additional new teaching events eight new lecturers were appointed during the last terms. Due to this additional teaching staff the range of offers was extended by some interesting seminars and at the same time the size of seminars was reduced and so an improvement of the service was achieved.
Beside the extension of the teaching offer there will also be more promotion of the next generation of scientists that are to be qualified for teaching.

Model projects forms of learning

The Faculty members are asked to make proposals for the improvement of the teaching. Tuition fee funds are therefore provided for the promotion of special projects in the teaching field, so that new possibilities are opening up in the field of teaching, by for instance the inclusion of international experts or the concept of new forms of teaching and learning. An extensive project in the field of e-learning has, for example, been promoted.

Individual events

An express students’ wish is being carried out by the provision of funds for individual lectures by selected scientists since last winter term. The selection is made on the basis of proposals by students and teaching staff.

Support and guidance

Good studying conditions do not only include a wide qualified teaching range and an adequate support service but also the support by special guidance facilities. Therefore the tutorial programme Social Science as a central guidance institution for all BA students and the transition from basic to main studies in the diploma course was developed from the tuition fees. Also a study guidance assistant was appointed for the Master sector, who will support you as a mentor in all specific questions about your studies. Means from the tuition fees will also be provided for guidance in the expiring diploma course in order to intensify the support.
Owing to the growing importance of internationalisation of studying and teaching a coordinator was appointed who is developing the existing contacts to international universities, will create new ones and support the students of the Faculty in the organisation of terms abroad. The internship adviser will also be supported by tuition fees.

Library

The library at the Faculty of Social Sciences also benefits from the tuition fees: the magazine stock has already been largely extended, numerous new textbooks have been bought and the opening hours have been extended. Additionally the technical equipment was improved, the possibilities of Internet access in the Social Science library have been expanded and lockers have been purchased. This summer term further tuition fees will be used to finance new magazines, books and for keeping up the extended opening hours. The purchase of transport boxes for books, notebooks etc. as well as more lockers for the reading room of the library have been applied for this term. There are some books that should be available in the Social Science library? Of course you can propose books to be purchased for the library.

Multimedia

Innovative teaching and successful learning require modern technical equipment. The Faculty of Social Science has applied successfully for the financing of W-LAN work places out of central tuition fee funds from the rector’s office, so that the students can use their free periods for their studies. Seminar rooms will be equipped with beamers and screens from these means too.

Transparency & feedback

It is the students‘ money, therefore the use must be transparent. All measures are therefore made public. In order to fulfil the demands and requirements of the students the Faculty needs feedback. The Student Council Social Science and the Coordination Tuition Fees are the right contact for criticism of the use, enthusiasm or disappointment in measures or proposals as to what could be improved.