The Hector Research Institute of Education Sciences and Psychology (HIB) is a research institute within the University of Tübingen. The institute focuses on individual, social and institutional determinants of learning and teaching processes. It takes an inter-disciplinary approach drawing from psychology, educational science and other disciplines. The Hector Research Institute is mainly funded by the Hector Foundation II. In addition, the state Baden-Württermberg funds the Tübingen Postdoctoral Academy for Research on Education (PACE).
Research at the institute can be grouped into the following six focus areas: (1) Educational Effectiveness, (2) Motivation, (3) Personality, (4) Potential Development and Giftedness, (5) Teaching Quality and Professional Competencies of Teachers as well as (6) Methodological Research. The institute played a leading role in the establishment of the LEAD Graduate School (Learning, Eduational Achievement and Life Course Development) which was funded by the Excellence Initiative via the German Research Foundation and has since developed into a flourishing research network.
Important work and services:
- The Hector Research Institute is responsible for the multi-cohort longitudinal studies TOSCA, which examines educational biographies of high school students, and TRAIN, which analyses effect of learning environments in lower tracks in secondary education. With Professor Hasselhorn (DIPF) the institute also runs the scientific evaluation of the Hector Children’s Academies.
- Regarding research on methods, the Hector Research Institute develops new statistical tools and strives to make them freely available as software (e.g. see here).
- Within the National Education Panel Study (NEPS), the Hector Research Institute coordinates the focus area „From Upper Gymnasium Level and Transition to Higher Education, Vocational Training, or the Labor Market“ together with Professor Maaz (DIPF).
