Designing education to be lively and practice-oriented
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thorsten A. Kern is the new Vice President for Education at TU Hamburg
01.10.2025
As the new Vice President for Education, Prof. Kern aims to further develop teaching at TU Hamburg in a future-oriented way, with a particular focus on strengthening student orientation. Kern, who has been head of the Institute for Mechatronics in Mechanical Engineering since 2019, brings a broad expertise from both science and industry. After studying electrical engineering and information technology with a focus on electromechanics at the Technical University of Darmstadt, Kern also earned his doctorate there. He began his professional career at the startup PolyDimensions GmbH before moving to Continental Automotive GmbH, where he conducted research in the field of haptic and optical systems and most recently led the global product development for head-up displays. These diverse experiences shape his understanding of applied research and education.
"I want to create physical learning spaces"
As the new Vice President for Education, Prof. Kern places special emphasis on making the student experience in teaching lively and practice-oriented. "The more senses are addressed, the better we learn," he emphasizes. For him, it is crucial to create physical learning spaces where students can not only acquire theoretical knowledge but also experience and apply technology themselves. A personal key experience during his studies was, for example, the opportunity to operate a highly complex machine live and thus establish a direct connection between theory and practice. Prof. Kern is convinced that mere student numbers do not paint the whole picture. What is decisive is to successfully accompany as many first-semester students as possible through to graduation. Furthermore, he advocates interdisciplinary collaboration, as the engineering profession is increasingly developing in complex, cross-disciplinary contexts. In this regard, communication skills and the ability to adapt to different technical vocabularies are crucial for him. According to his vision, these skills should be more strongly integrated into curricula. Prof. Kern also works with great commitment on topics such as startups and interdisciplinary research. He intends to bring this expertise to his as Vice President for Education. For example, Thorsten Kern wants to ensure that all students are familiar with the basics of company formation. "This is of great importance in view of the dynamic labor market and the transformation of traditional industries," says Kern.
Interdisciplinary research
Prof. Kern is also involved in interdisciplinary research at the ligeti Center, a coalition of various Hamburg universities founded in 2023 that explores new ways of connecting art, technology, and medicine. This commitment reflects his conviction that the future of engineering sciences lies in close integration with other disciplines. With passion for innovative teaching and a clear strategic focus, Prof. Thorsten A. Kern looks forward to his new as Vice President for Teaching: "I strive to strengthen TU Hamburg as an attractive study location, inspire young people for technical degree programs, and prepare them as best as possible for their professional future." You can read a detailed interview with Prof. Thorsten Kern in the current issue of spektrum, published on October 9th.
TUHH - Public Relations Office
Ruediger Bendlin
E-Mail: bendlin@tuhh.de
Phone: +49 40 428 78 3330
