Dr. Matthias Wesseler - Obituary

Matthias Wesseler, born in 1941, worked at the department in the field of university didactics from 1975 to 2006. The memory of him must begin with his personality, which was characterized by a high degree of care, balance and tolerance. In teaching, consulting and research, he pursued his goals in his advocacy of a far-reaching reform of university education. In doing so, he was guided by the conviction that university teaching and teaching staff needed a profound change in content, methodology and role models if they were to do justice to the new realities and challenges in society and the environment. Anyone who knew Matthias Wesseler was able to experience the extent to which he combined these complementary qualities and skills in his personality and in his work. For him, teaching had the fundamental character of "lighting a candle", in complete contrast to the conventional understanding of "filling a barrel".

His work initially began in 1975 at the then Department of International Agricultural Economics as part of the international course for university didactics for scientists from the Global South. The higher education didactic approaches developed by Matthias Wesseler in this context became a key element in the subsequent "University Staff Development Program" (UNISTAFF), which he conceived and designed as an employee and managing director of the Institute for Socio-Cultural Studies (ISOS) from 1994 onwards. As part of this program, which was funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), he discussed and developed principles, concepts and practices of university teaching with over 300 university leaders from Latin America, Africa and Asia and supported their implementation on site. His particular focus was on Central America. This was also reflected in another project focusing on Central America, "UniCambio XXI", which was carried out from 2001 onwards. He also held numerous other lectures and seminars on higher education didactics around the world. Matthias Wesseler has made a decisive contribution to the extremely positive and lasting reputation of "Witzenhausen" in many universities in the Global South.

However, his work at the faculty was also directed inwards. As part of the "Model Experiment in Organic Farming in Higher Education" (1995 to 1999), he played a central role in the conception and implementation of teaching reforms in the new study focus "Organic Farming" (SPÖL) at the department. In 2000, the function of Dean of Studies was newly introduced by the Hessian state government. Matthias Wesseler was the first person in the department to hold this position from 2000 to 2006, and with his balanced skills he made a decisive contribution to the institutionalization of the department's ecological profile. Other important topics such as the implementation of the Bologna reform, the modularization of the diploma courses and the introduction of two new English-language Master's courses fell within his term of office.

Matthias Wesseler also left his own unmistakable mark on teaching. For many years, students dealt with the phenomenon of the "ecology of the mind", adding an important humanities dimension to their primarily agronomic view of ecology.

In Matthias Wesseler, the University of Kassel has lost a highly esteemed lecturer and scientist. The department will remember the deceased with dignity.