Before moving to Hanover, Prof. Dr. Denise Demski was a research associate in a school research group at Ruhr University Bochum, and from 2019 to 2021 she served as acting W3 professor of educational science, specializing in research on educational systems and school development, at the University of Koblenz-Landau. She earned her doctorate in 2016 at the University of Duisburg-Essen with a dissertation titled on an empirical analysis of a governance paradigm with special consideration of individual school culture.
She will now contribute significantly to the Center for Empirical Educational Research in Lower Saxony (ZEB, founded in 2026), by applying her long-standing interest in linking university-based school development research with practical educational aspects and knowledge transfer initiatives. This university consortium between Leuphana University of Lüneburg and Leibniz University Hannover in the field of empirical educational research aims to promote data-driven, innovative developments in Lower Saxony’s education system. The ZEB’s goal is to responsibly integrate scientific findings into the education system and to support systemic changes through science communication and cooperation with educational administration, education policy, and educational practice. The ZEB focuses on research in the areas of educational measurement, monitoring, innovation & change, as well as trajectories and equity. Furthermore, as part of the Research Alliance for Intervention, Implementation, and Transfer Research (FI²T), the professorship collaborates closely with colleagues at the Technical University of Braunschweig and the University of Hildesheim. Together, the goal here is also to generate evidence for improving the quality of educational processes and to strengthen empirical educational research in Lower Saxony. The insights gained within these research networks are also incorporated into the university teaching programs at the participating campuses, with a particular focus on further developing teacher education.
The leadership of the Faculty of Humanities is very much looking forward to collaborating with Prof. Dr. Denise Demski and to her scholarly contributions at the Institute of Education and within the research consortia.
Two Questions for Prof. Dr. Denise Demski
My current research topics in three sentences:
I am particularly interested in the governance of the education system as well as opportunities for quality improvement, cooperation, and targeted support—for example, through needs-based resource allocation, quality frameworks, the use of data from standardized assessments, school inspections, or the implementation of collegial teaching development initiatives. In this work, I often focus on schools in disadvantaged areas and current challenges facing the education system, such as breaking down educational barriers or addressing the teacher shortage. Teaching and learning in a digital culture is another key focus of my work.
In my teaching, the following is particularly important to me:
Through my teaching, I aim to contribute to the integration of academic theories and research findings with their concrete application in schools and classrooms. I want my students to develop an inquiring mindset, learn to reflect on their own and others’ practices, and cultivate curiosity regarding the findings of empirical educational research and quality improvement in the education system. A positive culture of error tolerance and a respectful approach are particularly important to me in my courses.