The Leibniz University Hannover (LUH) has been awarded €80,000 in funding from the Fonds der Chemischen Industrie (FCI) to modernise its chemistry degree programmes. The project “Promoting the Integration of Data Science into Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Education at Universities” is fundamentally reforming the Bachelor’s degree programme in Chemistry at LUH – with a focus on data management, data analysis and the use of digital tools.
The initiative is coordinated by Prof. Dr. Carolin König and an interdisciplinary team from the Faculty of Natural Sciences. The reform represents a key step in aligning the chemistry curriculum with the demands of modern research and industry, equipping the next generation of chemists with essential digital competencies.
Objectives: Embedding Data Science in Chemistry Education
The planned transformation aims to provide students with the following core skills:
- Application of the FAIR data principles (findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable)
- Use of electronic laboratory journals such as eLabFTW
- Programming skills in Python and their application in
- Digital data analysis, visualisation and secure data handling
In this era of rapidly advancing digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI), chemistry is increasingly becoming a data-driven science. To prepare graduates for these challenges, all students in the Bachelor’s degree programme in Chemistry – regardless of their specialisation – are to acquire core skills in digital research practice.
The comprehensive curriculum reform affects several mandatory modules of the bachelor's programme, including compulsory practical training in all areas of chemistry as well as the teacher training programme. As part of this, traditional paper-based records are being replaced by digital formats, modern software and devices (tablets, PCs) will be provided in the practical training rooms, and instructional videos and digital lecture notes are being developed.
As the funding body of the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI), the FCI has supported chemistry education in schools, early-career researchers and fundamental research in chemistry and related disciplines since 1950.
