Prof. Dr. Stefan Stürmer
Rector of FernUniversität in Hagen
Since March 1, 2025, he has served as Rector of the FernUniversität in Hagen, shaping the university’s strategic development, particularly in the areas of digital teaching, innovation, and diversity. Previously, as Vice-Rector for Teaching and Studies (2022–2025), he oversaw key transformation processes and, as founding Dean of the Faculty of Psychology and long-standing member of various governance bodies, contributed his expertise in research and higher education development. His research focuses on group and intergroup processes, diversity, and distance education—topics that are also central to the LEAD:FUH approach.
Prof. Dr. Claudia de Witt
Vice-Rector for Teaching, Learning, and AI in Educational Processes
She is Vice-Rector for Teaching, Studies, and AI in Educational Processes and Professor of Educational Theory and Media Pedagogy at the Distance University in Hagen. Her focus areas are digital higher education, media-didactic innovation, and AI-supported teaching and learning processes. In the LEAD project, she leads the subproject on Science and Ethics, contributing her extensive expertise in AI, pedagogy, and ethics.
Prof. Dr. Marcus Specht
Scientific Director at the CATALPA Research Center
He is Research Professor for Learning Sciences at the CATALPA Research Center of the Distance University in Hagen. Internationally recognized as a leading expert in technology-enhanced learning, he previously led, among others, the 4TU Centre for Engineering Education and the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Centre for Education and Learning. With his long-standing experience in learning technologies, innovation labs, and international research collaborations, he contributes key insights to the further development of digital teaching and learning processes in LEAD:FUH.
Dr. Annabell Bils
Executive Director of the Center for Learning and Innovation
She is Head of the Research Professorship in Learning Analytics at the FernUniversität in Hagen, investigating how data-driven feedback can support students in their learning. As a computer scientist specializing in learning in digital environments, she combines technical expertise with educational questions. Through her international research experience and her role in the Society for Learning Analytics Research (SoLAR), she contributes important insights for innovative, data-informed teaching and learning processes in LEAD:FUH.
Prof. Dr. Ioana Jivet
Research Professor of Learning Analytics
She is Head of the Research Professorship in Learning Analytics at FernUniversität in Hagen, researching how data-driven feedback can support students in their learning. As a computer scientist with a focus on learning in digital environments, she combines technical expertise with educational questions. Through her international research experience and her role in the Society for Learning Analytics Research (SoLAR), she contributes key insights for innovative, data-informed teaching and learning processes in LEAD:FUH.
Michael Hanses
Project Manager of the LEAD:FUH Project
He is the project leader of the LEAD:FUH project at the FernUniversität in Hagen, which is developing a university-wide data architecture for the implementation of learning analytics. His research focuses on how AI and learning analytics methods can improve higher education—particularly through automated feedback and visual analytics. In his doctoral project under Prof. Dr. Haake and Prof. Dr. Claudia de Witt, he investigates learning analytics infrastructure at both technical and strategic levels.
Lars van Rijn
Didactic Integration of AI and Learning Analytics Methods into Teaching and Learning Processes
He is an educational scientist and, as a research associate in the LEAD:FUH project, primarily responsible for designing and providing professional development programs as well as the didactic integration of AI and learning analytics methods into teaching and learning processes. His research focuses on the instructional design of AI and learning analytics and their impact on educational contexts. In particular, he examines the (partial) automation of feedback processes.
Jakub Kuzilek
Data Extraction and Processing for Machine Learning and Recommender Systems
He is a research software developer specializing in educational data and its AI applications. In the project, he focuses on data workflows for extracting key student- and study-related information and providing it for machine learning and recommendation systems.
Kirsten Gropengießer
Readiness Assessment, Stakeholdermanagement
She is a research associate in the LEAD:FUH project at the FernUniversität. Together with Franziska Wehrhahn, she is responsible for the topic of ‘Readiness Assessment.’ Her tasks include coordinating and facilitating exchanges between the stakeholders involved, as well as aligning and optimizing project-related administrative processes, including collaboration with the faculties.
Sohail Bayzaei
Software Engineering in the Field of Learning Analytics
He is a research associate and software developer specializing in data engineering for learning analytics at the Center for Learning and Innovation (ZLI). He works primarily on the LEAD:FUH project, which focuses on using educational data to support and further develop teaching and learning processes. His responsibilities include software development in the area of learning analytics, particularly the implementation and adaptation of piloted learning analytics methods, as well as the ongoing enhancement of the systems in use.
Geraldina Kola
Project Administrative Assistant
She is a political scientist and linguist, currently responsible for project assistance in LEAD:FUH. She ensures efficient organizational support, coordinated communication, and precise documentation to guarantee the smooth running of the project.
Elisabeth Böckle
Student Research Assistant in the Area of Institutional Readiness
She is an M.A. student in Educational Sciences with a focus on digital media at the Distance University. In the LEAD:FUH project, she supports the team as a student assistant in the area of Institutional Readiness, as well as in the development of professional development programs and the didactic integration of AI and learning analytics methods.
Celine Werner
Student Research Assistant in the Area of Learning Analytics Infrastructures
She supports the LEAD:FUH project team as a student assistant in the technical implementation of learning analytics infrastructures. This includes assisting with the setup of software and hardware, contributing to technical guidelines, and supporting quality assurance in ongoing technical operations.
Ekaterina Soroka
Learning Design, Learning Analytics, and Teaching Analytics
She is a research associate in the LEAD:FUH project at the Distance University. Her research focuses on how learning analytics methods can be effectively integrated into higher education teaching beyond pilot phases, particularly through combined analyses of learning design, learning analytics, and teaching analytics. In her doctoral project, she investigates how learning designs shape teaching and learning experiences, and how data-informed feedback and user-friendly digital tools can support both instructors and institutional actors in evidence-based decision-making.
Kore Nordmann
Full Stack Developer, Leading Architect for the LA Backbone
He is a software architect in the LEAD:FUH project, focusing on the further development of the Moodle platform as a central interaction point for students and instructors. With over 20 years of experience in software development and as a former CTO of several successful companies, he brings extensive expertise in cloud architectures, infrastructure, and scalable systems to the project. His technical contributions extend beyond Moodle development to include architecture and hosting aspects of the learning analytics infrastructure.
Franziska Wehrhahn
Readiness Assessment, Stakeholdermanagement
is a research associate in the LEAD:FUH project, focusing on institutional readiness for learning analytics—the preparedness of universities and stakeholders (e.g., instructors, students, and support services) to implement and continuously evaluate learning analytics.
She serves as a faculty contact for evaluating institutional readiness and supports the dissemination of LEAD:FUH by coordinating dissemination activities, sustainability measures, and scientific publications. In doing so, she strengthens the visibility of the project and supports academic publications and conference participation.
She also contributes expertise in feedback and self-monitoring to the development of needs-based and goal-oriented learning analytics approaches.
She serves as a faculty contact for evaluating institutional readiness and supports the dissemination of LEAD:FUH by coordinating dissemination activities, sustainability measures, and scientific publications. In doing so, she strengthens the visibility of the project and supports academic publications and conference participation.
She also contributes expertise in feedback and self-monitoring to the development of needs-based and goal-oriented learning analytics approaches.
Heike Karolyi
Specialist in AI-Supported Feedback Applications and Adaptive Learning Systems
As an educational scientist with experience in the design, development, and institution-wide implementation of AI-supported feedback applications and adaptive learning systems at the FernUniversität in Hagen, Heike Karolyi advises the LEAD:FUH project on didactics, change management, and institutional framework conditions during the rollout.
Dr. Kamila Misiejuk
Expert in Educational Technologies with a Focus on Learning Analytics, Educational Data Mining, and AI-Supported Teaching and Learning Processes
She is a research associate at the research professorship “Learning Analytics in Higher Education” at CATALPA, FernUniversität in Hagen. As a postdoctoral researcher in the field of learning analytics, she investigates how educational data can be meaningfully analyzed to gain well-founded insights into learning processes.
Her work particularly focuses on advancing innovative data analysis techniques and developing practice-oriented learning analytics solutions for instructors and students that support effective feedback processes. She supports the LEAD:FUH project in the development, implementation, and evaluation of learning analytics initiatives.
Her work particularly focuses on advancing innovative data analysis techniques and developing practice-oriented learning analytics solutions for instructors and students that support effective feedback processes. She supports the LEAD:FUH project in the development, implementation, and evaluation of learning analytics initiatives.
Dr. Niels Seidel
Expert in Educational Technologies with a Focus on Learning Analytics, Educational Data Mining, and AI-Supported Teaching and Learning Processes
He is a Senior Researcher at CATALPA. His research focuses on the development and evaluation of educational technologies, with an emphasis on learning analytics, educational data mining, and AI-supported teaching and learning processes.
In his work, he integrates participatory design methods, user-centered software engineering, and the analysis and modeling of multimodal data. In LEAD:FUH, he contributes proven learning applications and learning analytics tools from the CATALPA real-world lab, designed for cross-disciplinary and scalable use.
In his work, he integrates participatory design methods, user-centered software engineering, and the analysis and modeling of multimodal data. In LEAD:FUH, he contributes proven learning applications and learning analytics tools from the CATALPA real-world lab, designed for cross-disciplinary and scalable use.
Prof. Dr. Marcus Specht
Scientific Director at the CATALPA Research Center
He is Research Professor for Learning Sciences at the CATALPA Research Center of the Distance University in Hagen. Internationally recognized as a leading expert in technology-enhanced learning, he previously led, among others, the 4TU Centre for Engineering Education and the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Centre for Education and Learning. With his long-standing experience in learning technologies, innovation labs, and international research collaborations, he contributes key insights to the further development of digital teaching and learning processes in LEAD:FUH.
Dr. Annabell Bils
Executive Director of the Center for Learning and Innovation
She is Head of the Research Professorship in Learning Analytics at the FernUniversität in Hagen, investigating how data-driven feedback can support students in their learning. As a computer scientist specializing in learning in digital environments, she combines technical expertise with educational questions. Through her international research experience and her role in the Society for Learning Analytics Research (SoLAR), she contributes important insights for innovative, data-informed teaching and learning processes in LEAD:FUH.
Prof. Dr. Ioana Jivet
Research Professor of Learning Analytics
She is Head of the Research Professorship in Learning Analytics at FernUniversität in Hagen, researching how data-driven feedback can support students in their learning. As a computer scientist with a focus on learning in digital environments, she combines technical expertise with educational questions. Through her international research experience and her role in the Society for Learning Analytics Research (SoLAR), she contributes key insights for innovative, data-informed teaching and learning processes in LEAD:FUH.
Michael Hanses
Project Manager of the LEAD:FUH Project
He is the project leader of the LEAD:FUH project at the FernUniversität in Hagen, which is developing a university-wide data architecture for the implementation of learning analytics. His research focuses on how AI and learning analytics methods can improve higher education—particularly through automated feedback and visual analytics. In his doctoral project under Prof. Dr. Haake and Prof. Dr. Claudia de Witt, he investigates learning analytics infrastructure at both technical and strategic levels.
