The university certificate programme “Professionalism in the Teaching Profession” (German abbreviation ProFiL) qualifies teachers to manage the internal moderation and control of school development and quality development processes. It is a combination of personal continuing education and organisational transformation. Producing three reflective papers and one final paper, participants work on projects and initiatives carried out in their own respective school. The programme rests on the following principles:

• Instructional and school development are linked to each other.
• The starting points used are the previous experiences, the competencies and interests of the participants, who are practicing teachers, as well as current developments at schools and in the Austrian school system.
• Participants are expected to largely steer their learning process themselves, by introducing formulated questions and by selecting and organising key focus areas of their work in line with development processes at their respective school.
• Equal emphasis is placed on a sound theoretical-methodological foundation and on experience learning from personal practice as well as case study examples.
• Interconnection of instructional and school initiatives and innovations.

The programme has a total duration of eight semesters. It builds upon the programmes PFL and BINE. The offer consists of the second stage, lasting four semesters. (The first four semesters are formally recognised for graduates who have successfully completed one of the PFL programmes, or the BINE programme, or have gained an equivalent qualification.)

Cooperation Partners

The Master’s level programme ProFiL is run by the Institute of Instructional and School Development at the AAU Klagenfurt in cooperation with the Carinthian University College of Teacher Education and the Upper Austrian University College of Teacher Education.

Target Group

The programme is geared towards teachers representing all school types and all subjects.

Degree

The academic degree “Master of Arts in Education (Instructional and School Development) – MA”, is conferred upon graduates completing this programme.