Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
At Fraunhofer, Learning & Transfer stands for a strategic and forward-looking approach to the further development of knowledge, expertise and collaboration. We view learning as a key to transferring research into application and knowledge into action. Our wraparound approach to education is all about empowering our employees — individually, with a focus on real-world practice and connections.
From professional and methodological development to personal growth, our learning options are tailored to the dynamic requirements of both our organization and the scientific environment. This creates a culture of learning founded on continuous growth, openness and future viability.
Learning as a strategic factor
At Fraunhofer, learning is more than just continuing education. It is a central factor in helping to safeguard our innovative strength, competitiveness and organizational knowledge. That’s why we view learning as a continuous, connected journey that transcends department lines and carries through across a lifetime, always aligned with the individual potential of our employees.
Our goal is to foster a modern culture of learning that recognizes diversity, bolsters personal responsibility and supports shared learning, regardless of the discipline in which a person works or their prior knowledge or background. After all, learning has the biggest impact if it is individually compatible and collectively effective.
Our corporate training program
Shaping the future means taking a strategic view of education, especially at an organization that combines applied research and innovation at the highest level. Our corporate training program lays a reliable and strategically focused foundation for continuous learning and personal growth and development.
The program is demand-driven, flexible and high in quality. It addresses current topics, sets the direction for individual development and at the same time helps with realizing overarching Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft objectives.
The Learning & Transfer team ensures that content is not only tailored but also effective and sustainable, in line with the needs of the Fraunhofer institutes in the context of the wider Fraunhofer strategy. This makes the training program an important part of the organization's future success.
Learning infrastructure — digital, connected, future-proof
A modern learning culture requires structures that enable learning not as an addition to everyday work but as a natural and integral part of it. Our learning management system (LMS) forms the basis for a continuous, easily accessible and individualized learning experience at Fraunhofer.
The system combines a wide range of learning formats and content into a single central platform. It allows employees to take charge of their own development, in alignment with their role, their goals and their personal learning style. This makes it possible to flexibly integrate learning into day-to-day work,
creating a learning environment that provides both guidance and freedom for individual growth and development — with a focus on the future and real-world practice, so people have a foundation to build on. Learning becomes not only more efficient but also more impactful, for each and every individual and for the organization as a whole.
Self-learning skills
Independent learning as a key prerequisite
Promoting self-learning skills goes hand in hand with our user-centric approach. In the context of professional development and career planning, proactive and self-driven learning is a key prerequisite for lasting success. Learning is not an isolated measure. Instead, it is an ongoing process with a strong link to employees’ individual career and development goals.
As a result, one of the key elements of our learning program is a targeted examination of people’s own objectives: What do you want to achieve? What skills would you like to hone or acquire? Where do you stand right now, and how can you get to where you want to be?
To support this process of reflection, we offer a wide range of synchronous and asynchronous learning formats such as e-learning courses, podcasts, webcasts and audiobooks. These offerings allow for self-directed, flexible continuing education, aligned to employees’ individual needs, time constraints and learning styles. Our goal is to support employees in developing true self-learning skills, not only acquiring knowledge but also actively shaping their own learning process.
Learning infrastructure
Innovation, adaptability and values-oriented conduct are central to our organizational culture. This is founded on our modern learning infrastructure, which promotes and supports continuous learning as an integral element of day-to-day work.
Our introduction of the SAP Learning Experience Platform (LxP) in late 2024 marks another milestone. The platform not only simplifies access to learning content but also enables a seamless, personalized learning experience that can be incorporated flexibly into daily working life.
It serves as the central point of contact for all learners and offers an interactive, user-centric learning environment where employees can shape their own individual professional development. The platform is a single holistic learning environment that combines various elements. Here are just a few of them:
- Seminars, training courses and advice — both virtually and in person
- Multimedia content on current and forward-looking topics
- Spaces for communication and collaboration, such as communities
This creates the foundations for experience-oriented, demand-driven and goal-focused learning that is tailored to individual requirements and professional objectives and always connected to the Fraunhofer institute.
We want all employees to have access to uncomplicated and effective continuing education so they can take charge of their own professional development.
Corporate training program
An organization that looks to the future needs to take a forward-looking view of education as well. Our corporate training program is a key basis for our employees’ continuous development and for safeguarding Fraunhofer’s expertise and ability to innovate in the long term.
Our program is demand-driven, multifaceted and versatile. It is deliberately geared toward our employees’ individual learning needs and is continuously expanded. This allows us to ensure that the learning options we offer meet the changing requirements of the work environment.
One key feature of our training program is its high standards for quality and relevance. Our corporate governance practices ensure that learning content is reviewed on an ongoing basis and follows our strategic alignment. With this approach, we make certain the program aligns not only with individual development needs but also with Fraunhofer’s overarching strategic objectives.
Our success is founded on a shared vision of training and education, which we continuously refine and develop. After all, only a program that is actively shaped and enjoys broad support can be effective and future-proof in the long term.
Learning analytics
We aim to identify areas where our learning options are in need of optimization and development at an early stage. To do this, we harness learning analytics to assure the quality of learning processes and identify areas with potential for improvement. We use various analytical methods to pick out patterns and trends in the data that allow us to identify success factors and obstacles in the learning process.
The insights gleaned in this way allow us to craft personalized learning paths and recommendations based on learners’ individual progress, preferences and needs.
The aim is to improve understanding of learning processes and make data-based decisions for designing learning environments and programs. This helps Fraunhofer to create an optimum learning environment and design employees’ continuing education effectively. Regular evaluations also guarantee continuous optimization of programs, maximizing their success and impact.
Communities and networks
A learning ecosystem should foster the development and maintenance of learning communities and networks and create opportunities for employees from different departments and levels to network with each other. An engaged, interactive community with easy ways to connect helps to optimize the transfer of knowledge and collaboration within the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Internal dialogue represents a valuable source of peer learning, mentoring and social support. This can be facilitated by forming thematic and interdisciplinary communities within the LxP and through the targeted use of technologies such as forums and chatrooms. Employees also receive support when creating and updating relevant content within these communities. Continuous user feedback allows for ongoing optimization of strategies. Fostering diversity and inclusion is especially key in order to incorporate a wide range of perspectives and experiences into the learning process.