Jan Schiller

Dr. Jan Schiller serves as a Researcher at the Department of Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning, Helmut Schmidt University in Hamburg, where he has been employed since November 2016. His work bridges academic research and practical application in adult education policy and digital transformation.

He earned his doctorate with the dissertation Education for an Uncertain Future: Temporal Agendas in the Context of Continuing Education, which received the 2022 Dissertation Prize from the German Society for Academic Continuing Education and Distance Learning (DGWF). His educational background demonstrates deep engagement with the temporal dimensions of learning and educational policy frameworks.

Dr. Schiller's research centers on transformative digital competence in higher education, temporal agendas in education connected to sociology and philosophy of time, European/national educational policy, and academic continuing education formats. His work critically examines how time consciousness shapes educational responses to uncertainty and digital disruption, particularly in adult learning contexts. He investigates the interplay between policy frameworks, digital transformation, and the temporal experiences of learners in contemporary society.

Analysis of his 2021-2025 publications reveals three dominant trends: 1) Theoretical development of transformative digital competence frameworks for higher education, 2) Critical examination of temporal dimensions in educational policy and practice, and 3) Comparative analysis of international influences on adult education systems. His work consistently connects digital transformation with temporal consciousness, showing how educational institutions navigate uncertainty through temporal reorientation.

Scientific recognition includes:

• 2022 Dissertation Prize by the German Society for Academic Continuing Education and Distance Learning (DGWF)

Dr. Schiller has secured significant research funding through multiple projects including the ERASMUS+ initiatives INTALL and COMPALL (focusing on international comparative adult education and open education), and the current dtec.bw project DigiTaKS* on key digital competencies for academic careers. His grant work emphasizes practical implementation of research findings in university continuing education structures, particularly regarding non-traditional student access and digital competence development.

As core member of the Chair of Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning led by Prof. Dr. Sabine Schmidt-Lauff, he collaborates with a multidisciplinary team including Marie Rathmann and Therese Rosemann on advancing digital transformation in higher education through the DigiTaKS* project, while maintaining active participation in the German academic society for educational science.