Germany – Research and development consultancy services – Evaluation des BMFTR-Projektes „Hochschulforum Digitalisierung“ [Förderphasen 1-4]

The Hochschulforum Digitalisierung (HFD) is a consortium project that has existed since 2014, involving the Stifterverband, the Hochschulrektorenkonferenz (HRK) and the Centrum für Hochschulentwicklung (CHE). As a nationwide network of experts, the project brings together actors from universities, politics, industry and society to promote the digital transformation process in German higher education. In the first three project phases (2014-2016, 2017-2021, 2021-2025), the HFD was established, made visible, networked and its reach was expanded. The current fourth funding phase (2026-2029) aims to further develop the HFD into a transfer-oriented competence centre. In total, approximately 45 million euros have been or will be available to the project within the four project phases. As part of this contract, the HFD project is to be evaluated on the basis of the funding measures carried out since the start of the project in the approved funding phases (since 2014). The evaluation is to contribute to the success control according to § 7 Abs. 2 of the Federal Budget Code (BHO) in conjunction with VV-BHO No. 2.2 to § 7 BHO. The achievement of objectives, effectiveness and efficiency of the project are to be systematically recorded and evaluated using quantitative and qualitative indicators. In addition, the evaluation is to deal with the HFD as a whole and examine all performance areas of the HFD, its organisational structure, its systemic role and its contribution to the digital transformation of the German higher education system. The aim is to check to what extent the HFD has fulfilled the tasks described in the project and what systemic effect it has developed and potentially can still develop in the context of the digital transformation in the German higher education system. The present evaluation serves as a basis for the decision on the future of the project.