Working Together for Better Opportunities
The University of Mannheim is a key partner in the research consortium providing scientific support for the “Startchancen” program, a recent federal initiative aimed at improving equality of opportunity in education by supporting schools with a high proportion of underserved students. As part of this education initiative—the largest in German history—Mannheim professor Karina Karst will lead the Interdisciplinary Competence Center for “Data-Driven Quality Development” as well as a Transfer and Transformation Hub.
The goal of the research consortium is to ensure that participating schools, along with their governance and support structures, fully benefit from academic expertise.
Launched on August 1, 2024, the Startchancen program is backed by €20 billion in funding over ten years by Germany’s federal and state governments and takes a groundbreaking approach to breaking the link between educational outcomes and social background. Currently, students’ academic achievements in Germany remain strongly influenced by their parents’ socioeconomic status. By systematically supporting around 4,000 schools in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, the Startchancen program aims to promote greater educational equity. In Mannheim, 29 schools will receive funding under the new program.
Focus areas in Mannheim
The research consortium supporting the Startchancen program primarily focuses on strengthening the support structures for schools in socioeconomically challenging environments. These include school supervisory authorities, ministry administrations, state institutes, as well as municipalities and school owners and operators. By contributing evidence-based expertise, the consortium aims to integrate the needs, knowledge, and experience of all stakeholders to ensure a collaborative learning process. The goal is to create equal partnerships, fostering mutual learning and enabling all involved parties to benefit from the collaboration.
The University of Mannheim is pursuing two core areas within the consortium. First, it will develop and refine data-driven quality assurance strategies for schools and support systems based on academic research. Second, it will establish a Transfer and Transformation Hub at the University of Mannheim, designed as a bridging institution to provide systematic support and guidance for state-level actors involved in the Startchancen program—with a particular focus on effective network-building. The initiative is led by Karina Karst, apl. Professor of Professionalization and School Research.
Text: Yvonne Kaul / April 2025