Julia Gillen

Prof. Dr. Julia Gillen serves as Vice President for Education at Leibniz University Hannover while maintaining her professorship at the Institute of Vocational Education and Adult Education within the Faculty of Humanities. She holds multiple leadership positions including Chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission and active participation in various educational committees focused on vocational teacher training. Her institutional presence spans across multiple locations including Welfengarten 1 (Presidential Office), Im Moore 11B, and Schloßwender Straße 1 in Hannover.

Julia Gillen's research program centers on vocational education and teacher training with increasing emphasis on digital transformation in educational settings. Her recent work explores futures literacy frameworks for educators, examining how teachers can develop capacities to understand, anticipate, and shape multiple educational futures. She investigates reflective teaching practices that enhance professional competency and addresses critical challenges of diversity, inclusion, and health literacy within vocational educational contexts. Her scholarship bridges theoretical frameworks with practical implementation strategies for modern educational challenges.

Analysis of Gillen's recent publications reveals a clear trajectory toward integrating digital technologies with vocational pedagogy while maintaining focus on human-centered educational values. Her work increasingly addresses the systemic challenges of preparing educators for rapidly evolving professional landscapes, with particular attention to mental health considerations in educational settings. The consistent thread across her scholarship demonstrates how futures literacy concepts can be operationalized in concrete educational practices, particularly within vocational teacher education programs.

As Vice President for Education, Gillen oversees significant institutional resources and initiatives including the "Plattform Lehramt an berufsbildenden Schulen" (PLABS) and "Leibniz works 4.0" projects. These initiatives represent substantial investments in modernizing vocational teacher education through phase-crossing and subject-integrated approaches. Her leadership extends to advising multiple committees focused on educational quality, admission standards, and examination procedures for vocational teacher training programs.

Gillen leads the Institute of Vocational Education and Adult Education's executive structure and plays a central role in the "Leibniz works 4.0" project team dedicated to transforming vocational teacher education. Her chairmanship of the Equal Opportunities Commission demonstrates institutional commitment to diversity and inclusion across all educational programs. Through her various committee memberships, she shapes collaborative frameworks between schools and universities that strengthen the practical dimensions of teacher preparation while maintaining academic rigor.