Prof. Dr. habil. Michael Opielka

Professional Career

Before and during my studies, I was involved in (Catholic) youth work, including chairing the Stadtjugendring Tübingen. Worked in a psychosocial community centre (Tübinger Hilfsgemeinschaft e.V.). Pedagogue at the child psychiatric ward of the University Nervous Clinic Tübingen (Director: Prof. Dr. Reinhard Lempp). Honorary work as a family helper at the Tübingen District Youth Welfare Office. Regular tutorial work at the Institute for Educational Sciences at the University of Tübingen.

• 1983-1987 Research assistant for general social policy in the parliamentary group of the Green Party, Bonn.
• 1987-1991 Managing director of the non-profit "Institute for Social Ecology" in Hennef. Research projects and policy counselling, especially in the field of social policy and social science environmental research. Subsequently honorary management of the Institute.
• 1991 Scientific employee at the University of Tübingen, Institute for Educational Sciences I, Social Education Department. Worked on a research project funded by the German Research Association (DFG) on "Social Pedagogy and Community".
• 1991-92 Research assistant at the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Institute of Social Sciences, Chair of Prof. Dr. Richard Münch.
• 1991-93 scientific assistance at the "Institute for Social Science Analysis and Consultation (ISAB)" in Cologne in the framework of accompanying research of two model programmes of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs and Senior Citizens on "Self-help promotion (through self-help contact points)" in the old and new federal states (project management: Prof. Dr. Christian von Ferber, Prof. Dr. Helmut Klages). Coordinator of the accompanying research of the model program "Senior Citizens' Office" of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs and Senior Citizens (ISAB Cologne-Leipzig, Head: Prof. Dr. Helmut Klages, University of Public Administration, Speyer).
• 1994-96 Evaluation of the model project "Active Early Retirement through Educational Measures" of the Catholic Federal Association for Adult Education and the Federal Ministry of Education and Science (project management at the "Institute for Social Ecology" with Prof. Dr. Thomas Olk, Martin Luther University Halle).
• 1994-95 Karl Kuebel Foundation for Child and Family (Bensheim), divisional director/board member for the three educational institutes for personal pedagogy of the foundation (Odenwald Institute, Osterberg Institute) as well as the pedagogical work of the subsidiary "das familiengerechte Heim".
• 1995-96 Head of the department "Evaluation and Program Development" at the State Institute for Family Research at the University of Bamberg (ifb).
• 1997-98 Head of the project "Erziehungsgehalt 2000" at the Institute for Social Ecology (ISÖ) in Bonn.
• 1997- Lecturer at the Institute of Sociology at the University of Bonn and at the Faculty of Education at the University of Bielefeld.
• 1997-2000 Rector and Managing Director of Alanus University Alfter (near Bonn). Lecturer in "Cultural Education" and "Sociology of Art". Coordination of quality assurance/quality development at the university. Responsible for the procedure for state recognition as a university of the arts according to the Kunsthochschulgesetz NRW.
• Since 9/2000 Professor for Social Policy at the University of Applied Sciences Jena, Department of Social Work.