The
Sign up for free.
The Wübben Stiftung Bildung is a private, operative educational foundation based in Düsseldorf[2]. It was founded in 2013 by Dr. Walter Wübben and employs a dedicated team of practitioners and academics with approximately 20 employees[2]. Under the management of Kerstin Lehner and Dr. Markus Warnke, the foundation has been consistently committed to fair educational opportunities for over ten years[2][4].
The central vision of the Wübben Stiftung Bildung is clearly defined: All children and young people should receive fair educational opportunities regardless of their origin[2]. The foundation has recognized that in Germany, the social and economic situation of parents is still decisive for educational success[4]. Therefore, it focuses its work on – schools with a particularly high proportion of socially and economically disadvantaged children and young people[4].
The Wübben Stiftung Bildung supports the education system through various approaches:
Consulting and Support: The foundation advises and supports actors in the education system in supporting and developing schools in challenging circumstances[1]. It works directly with the 16 education systems in Germany and offers those responsible for education at various levels opportunities to try out new things and question familiar ones[1].
Operative Programs: The foundation implements operative programs with federal states and municipalities[1]. Established programs include, for example, impakt schulleitung (for the professionalization of school leadership), the PerspektivSchul-Programm in Schleswig-Holstein, and S⁴: Schulen stärken, starke Schule! in Rhineland-Palatinate[1]. Programs for teachers at the start of their careers and the Lehramtsstipendium Ruhr scholarship program are also part of the portfolio[1].
impaktRad – Reflection Instrument: The impaktRad is a central instrument of the foundation that bundles the wealth of experience from ten years of working with schools in challenging circumstances[7]. It is based on a Golden Circle structure and identifies six levers for school development in challenging situations[7]. The foundation adapts the content in cooperation with federal states to regional needs and supports implementation through train-the-trainer programs[7].
Scientific Analyses: Through its scientific unit, the impaktlab, the foundation provides impulses into the education system based on scientific analyses and practical findings[1]. An innovation fund supports researchers in their work on schools in challenging circumstances[9].
Online Magazine: With SchuB, the foundation operates a free online magazine that specifically gives schools in challenging circumstances more visibility and recognizes their challenges and achievements[4].
The Wübben Stiftung Bildung pursues a systemic approach to have a sustainable impact[1]. Instead of isolated projects, it works in direct cooperation with state ministries, institutes, district governments, and municipalities[5]. As a result, good approaches are not only implemented selectively but are anchored in the system in the long term[5].
A key focus is on the professionalization of educational staff – especially school leaders and teachers at the start of their careers[1]. The foundation sees schools as central actors that can make a positive difference in equal opportunities[4].
In April 2023, the Wübben Stiftung Bildung was founded after the establishment of the sister foundation Wübben Stiftung Wissenschaft[3][5]. The Wübben Stiftung Wissenschaft, based in Berlin, focuses on strengthening Germany as an excellent science location and promotes international academics[6]. Both foundations operate independently of each other, although cooperation is possible[3].
The Wübben Stiftung Bildung positions itself as a strategic partner for fair opportunities in the education system. Through its combination of operative programs, scientific foundation, and systemic cooperation, it helps to ensure that schools in challenging circumstances not only overcome challenges but also become places of positive change. Their motto "We want to be loud for the quiet" summarizes their claim to amplify the voice of disadvantaged children and young people in the education system[4].
