Claus H. Carstensen

Prof. Dr. Claus H. Carstensen is a full professor at the Faculty of Human Sciences, Otto-Friedrich University of Bamberg, holding the Professorship for Psychological Methods of Empirical Educational Research. His work focuses on educational assessment methodologies, particularly in longitudinal studies and large-scale educational surveys.

• Professional Background:
  • Professor at University of Bamberg (2008–present)
  • Junior Professor at Kiel University (2002–2008)
  • Research roles at IPN Kiel and Australian Council for Educational Research
• Academic Leadership:
  • Scientific Director of Scaling and Test Design at LIfBi (2014–present)
  • Interim Head of Department at LIfBi (2016–2017)
  • Member of National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) Network Committee

Research Interests center on psychological methodology and empirical educational research, with specific expertise in:

• Item Response Theory (IRT) applications
• Longitudinal modeling of educational trajectories
• Competence diagnostics across the lifespan
• Large-scale assessment design and analysis
• International comparative research in education

Publication Trends demonstrate sustained focus on educational measurement through:

• Developing cross-classified multilevel IRT models
• Advancing plausible value estimation with missing data
• Addressing response style analysis in cross-cultural assessments
• Refining test scaling and linking methods
• Improving assessment for special educational needs
• Contributing to PISA and NEPS technical frameworks

Academic Contributions include:

• Co-editing Multivariate and Mixture Distribution Rasch Models (Springer, 2007)
• Co-developing MULTIRA software for multidimensional Rasch models
• Technical leadership in NEPS (National Educational Panel Study)
• Editorial roles in Psychological Methods and Studies in Educational Evaluation
• Membership in DGPs (German Psychological Society) and Psychometric Society

Current organizational roles encompass:

• Dean of Faculty of Human Sciences (2023–2025)
• Chair of Examination Committees for M.Sc. programs
• Conflict Commission Chair at University of Bamberg
• IT Security Team member