SCALE-UP: Where Ideas Learn to Fly and Teams Create Great Things

SCALE-UP rooms (Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies) are revolutionising university teaching by focusing on active learning and collaboration. Instead of passively following lectures, students in these innovative rooms work in small teams on real-life issues.

Focus on students: The scale-up room invites students to work creatively and independently (Photo: THI).

Didactic all-rounders: The individual work areas can be used for different practical tasks (Photo: THI).

Puzzle work for the parquet layers: The floor of the room is designed according to a special concept (Photo: THI).

Room K111 at Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences is an outstanding example of this learning environment. It is primarily used by the Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management, which fully utilises the SCALE-UP concept here: theory and practice are seamlessly intertwined. Knowledge is not only imparted but also directly applied and deepened. Teachers act as coaches who provide targeted support and individualised feedback. This creates a dynamic learning environment that stimulates creativity, strengthens analytical thinking, and promotes solving complex problems. This approach is precious in interdisciplinary projects where students from different subject areas work together on innovative solutions.

The implementation of the didactic and design concept for room K111 was largely driven by Professor Bernhard Rothbucher. Project manager Professor Ulrich Schlickewei and foreman Daniel Bittl made a decisive contribution to the technical realisation and furnishing. Together they have created an environment that is optimised to meet the requirements of modern university teaching.

An example from the field of technical design shows just how versatile the room can be: students are given the task of developing a sustainable product - such as an energy-efficient household appliance. They first analyse the basics of energy saving, create initial prototypes with the help of design software and present their results directly on the interactive displays in the room. This iterative process enables the teams to develop and continuously pursue innovative concepts. At the same time, students learn to combine technical expertise with ecological and design considerations - an invaluable advantage in an increasingly interdisciplinary world.

‘SCALE-UP spaces offer students a perfect platform to be creative, work in teams, and translate theory directly into tangible solutions,’ explains Bernhard Rothbucher. ‘The combination of design and technology in particular opens up completely new possibilities.’

This turns room K111 into a lively laboratory that actively involves students and challenges them to perform at their best. The modern equipment invites students to visualise ideas, test models and discuss results together. This hands-on approach not only sharpens technical skills - SCALE-UP optimally prepares students for the working world of tomorrow, in which creativity, collaboration, and technological expertise are indispensable.

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