The Faculty of Natural Sciences introduces a new, forward-looking additional qualification for students from the summer semester 2026. Through short programmes that can be taken alongside their studies, students can gain additional skills in a flexible and practice-oriented way. So-called micro-credentials and micro-degrees implement a European Union recommendation aimed at strengthening flexible learning pathways. A micro-credential is a short, self-contained learning module worth 2 to 3 ECTS credits. Several coordinated micro-credentials can be combined into a micro-degree. The first micro-degree programme offered by the Faculty of Natural Sciences comprises a total of 10 ECTS credits.
Student's needs are inspiring new formats
The new formats respond to the 2024 student survey: Many students expressed a desire for stronger practical relevance, more application-oriented teaching formats, and a closer link between theory and practice. The first offering, launched in April 2026, is a new elective module entitled “Sustainability Research at the Faculty of Natural Sciences”. It can be taken as part of a degree programme or independently as a micro-credential and is open to all interested participants. It was created in direct response to a specific request – the students wanted sustainability to be more firmly integrated into their course.
A further programme, the micro-degree “Mass Spectrometry from an Interdisciplinary Perspective for Diverse Applications”, also starts in the summer semester 2026. It showcases the wide range of applications of the method in both research and practice and consists of four coordinated modules from chemistry, plant sciences, geosciences and applied research. Registration is open until August 2026, but places are limited. Further information on content and registration is available online.
With these new short-term courses, the faculty is increasing the flexibility of its programmes and opening up new opportunities for a variety of target groups. At the same time, it underlines the importance of student feedback in the ongoing development of teaching. ‘Micro-credentials and micro-degrees offer a targeted way to acquire compact skill sets for future careers. The Faculty of Natural Sciences plans to expand these formats further, particularly at the transition to employment,’ says Prof. Dr. Jutta Papenbrock, Dean of Studies of the Faculty.
The programme was developed as part of the Teaching Enhancement funding scheme at Leibniz University Hannover.
Upskill now: Discover short-term units
