Julia Hufnagl

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Office: Kärntenstraße 7, Room: KÄ7/00.22, 96052 Bamberg
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E-Mail: julia.hufnagl(at)uni-bamberg.de
Phone: 49 (0) 951 863-2754
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Pillar 2: Educational and Social Inequality Across the Entire Life Course

Field: Business Education

Research Interests: Global Learning and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), Intersectional Disadvantages and Discriminatory Processes in Vocational Education and Training, International Comparison of Vocational Education and Training (Focus Europe and North America)
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+visit Julia's website at the Professorship of Economics and Business Education

// DISSERTATION PROJECT

Sustainability in Vocational Education and Training

In the context of socio-ecological transformation, there is a shift in the perception of good vocational education and training (VET), as its requirements are being reassessed in light of current social and ecological challenges. From an education policy perspective, VET is considered to play a key role in the transformation (e.g., BIBB & UBA, 2024; NAP BNE, 2017). This raises questions about the contribution of VET to addressing socio-political issues, particularly with regard to the roles, competence requirements, and design options that arise in this context for various actors in VET.

Educational governance theory systematically examines the interaction of several actors at different levels (Herbrechter & Schemmann, 2019). Following this approach, the cumulative dissertation aims to analyze the interaction between regulatory work, economic structure, companies, vocational schools, and individuals in order to cope with the socio-ecological transformation. The following questions guide this analysis: (1) How is the socio-ecological transformation addressed at the macro level of VET (economic structure and regulatory work)? (2) Within what framework conditions is the socio-ecological transformation being addressed at the meso level in learning environments? (3) How are individuals shaping the socio-ecological transformation at the micro level of VET? What skills are necessary to participate in shaping it?

The research project combines data analysis methods from critical rationalism and the qualitative-interpretative paradigm in a mixed-methods design for the empirical analysis of the research questions in order to analyze a representative quantitative company survey (n=2,756), interview data (n=40), focus groups (n=2), and continuing education regulations (n=17). At the macro level, it can be seen that the orientation toward continuing education in companies and the commitment to sustainability by and in companies are positively correlated (Baum et al., 2024). In addition, the analysis of continuing education regulations for higher-level VET shows that there is a lack of thematically relevant professional advancement training for trainers (Hufnagl & Annen, in press). It was found that company training staff have only limited knowledge of the relevant regulatory instruments (Hufnagl & Annen, in press). Furthermore, a lack of connection to the sustainability strategy in human resources management can be observed in company training practice (Hufnagl & Annen, 2024b). At the micro level, the results show that the required competence of company trainers to implement the respective corporate sustainability strategy is compatible with known structures of trainer competence (e.g., Merkel et al., 2017), but nevertheless has some specific features such as moral and ethical components (Hufnagl & Annen, 2024a).

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// ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

2022 – today
PhD Candidate at the Professorship of Business Education (Prof. Dr. Silvia Annen) at the University of Bamberg, GER

Research stays at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) (April - October 2024)
Research stay at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto, Canada (August 2024)
Job shadowing at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) (October 2022)

2020 - 2022
Business Education (Minor: English) (M. Sc.) at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Semester Abroad at the Karl-Franzens University Graz, AUT

2016 - 2020
Business and Human Resource Education (Minor: English) (B. A.) at the Georg-August University Göttingen, GER, Additional qualification „Interculturality and Multilingualism / German as a Second and Foreign Language“

2014 - 2015
Business Management (Transfer Degree) at Skagit Valley College, Mt. Vernon, WA, USA (under the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) for young professionals)

AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

since 2017
Scholarship // e-fellows

2023
First Prize for outstanding Master's theses // Käthe und Ulrich Pleiß Foundation

2023
Congress travel bursary for participation in the European Conference on Educational Research (ECER), Glasgow, Scotland // German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

2017 - 2022
Academic Study Sponsorship (Studienkolleg des Studienförderwerks Klaus Murmann) // Foundation of German Business

2021 - 2022
Scholarship for Studying Abroad at the Karl-Franzens-University Graz // Dr. Jutta Feldmeier Foundation

2021
DISCOVER – leadership training through arts Scholarship // "Kulturkreis der deutschen Wirtschaft im BDI e.V." in cooperation with the Karl Schlecht Foundation

2020
Certificate in International Affairs Certificate (Focus Area: Integration and Diversity) // Awarded by the Georg-August University Göttingen

2020
Lehramt.international Scholarship for an Internship abroad in Bristol (GB) // DAAD

2016 - 2017
Academic Study Sponsorship // Awarded by Georg-August University Göttingen and Santander Universities

2014 - 2015
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program (CBYX) for young professionals // Awarded by German Bundestag and US-Congress

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// PUBLICATIONS

Hufnagl, J. & Annen, S. (2024). Nachhaltigkeitsstrategieumsetzung in der betrieblichen Bildung – Entwicklung eines Analyserahmens für die kaufmännische Aus- und Weiterbildungspraxis (Sustainability strategy implementation in in-company training - development of an analytical framework for commercial training and further education practice). In M. Ebner von Eschenbach, B. Käpplinger, M. Kondratjuk, K. Kraus, M. Rohs, B. Schmidt-Hertha, K. J. Rott & V. Thalhammer (Hrsg.), Erwachsenenbildung und Nachhaltigkeit (S.203–220). Verlag Barbara Budrich. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3224/84742765

Hufnagl, J. (2024). Intersectional Discrimination in the Transition to Vocational Education and Training. Zeitschrift für Entwicklungspsychologie und Pädagogische Psychologie, 56(1-2), S.37–54. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1026/0049-8637/a000289

Hufnagl, J. & Larsen, Y. (2024). Projektwerkstätten des Wandels – Konzepte für eine nachhaltige Wirtschaft (Project workshops of change - concepts for a sustainable economy). In B. Dernbach & M. Klages (Hrsg.), Interdisziplinäre Lehre für nachhaltige Entwicklung. Beiträge zur ersten Fachkonferenz 2023 an der Technischen Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm (S.54–62). https://doi.org/10.34646/thn/ohmdok-1567

Hufnagl, J. & Annen, S. (2024). Nachhaltigkeit in der betrieblichen Ausbildung – Kompetenzanforderungen aus unternehmerischer Sichtweise (Sustainability in in-company training - competence requirements from an entrepreneurial perspective). bwp@Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik – online, 45, S.1–29. URL: https://www.bwpat.de/ausgabe45/hufnagl_annen_bwpat45.pdf

Hufnagl, J. (2024). National despite global? Perspectives of country comparisons on transformative education for sustainable development. In J. Scharfenberg, J. Hufnagl, A. Kroner, & M. Spiekenheuer (Hrsg.), Migration und Bildung in der globalisierten Welt—Migration and Education in a Globalised World. Perspektiven, Herausforderungen und Chancen in der Migrationsgesellschaft—Perspectives, Challenges, and Opportunities in the Migration Society (S. 155–168). Waxmann Verlag GmbH. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31244/9783830998419_12

Hufnagl, J., Kralik, L. & Annen, S. (2024). Ungenutztes Fachkräftepotenzial – Strategien zur Bindung von Mitarbeiterinnen in der Tech-Branche (Unutilised skilled labour potential - strategies for retaining female employees in the tech industry). In K.-H. Gerholz, S. Annen, R. Braches-Chyrek, J. Hufnagl & A. Wagner (Hrsg.), bwp@ Spezial HT2023: Hochschultage Berufliche Bildung 2023 (S.1–25). URL: https://www.bwpat.de/ht2023/hufnagl_etal_ht2023.pdf

Annen, S. & Hufnagl, J. (2024). Potenziale des Skills Ecosystem Approach für den Fachkräftemangel in Deutschland (Potential of the skills ecosystem approach for the skills shortage in Germany). In K.-H. Gerholz, S. Annen, R. Braches-Chyrek, J. Hufnagl & A. Wagner (Hrsg.), bwp@ Spezial HT2023: Hochschultage Berufliche Bildung 2023 (S.1–25). URL: https://www.bwpat.de/ht2023/annen_hufnagl_ht2023.pdf

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// CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS

2025

Hösel, F., Hufnagl, J., Haberzeth, E. & Bartl-Lassati, A.: “Perspektivverschränkend Widerstände aufdecken und Hemmnisse überwinden: Partizipatives Vorgehen für die Stärkung von Nachhaltigkeit in der Aus- und Weiterbildung der Textilindustrie”, Auftakttagung der DGfE-Arbeitsgemeinschaft „Nachhaltigkeit bzw. Nicht-Nachhaltigkeit und planetare Zukünfte“ (Erziehungswissenschaft und Nachhaltigkeit – Widerstände bearbeiten. Zukünfte gestalten.); Köln (Deutschland); 30.09.2025.

Hufnagl, J.: “Teilhabe an der Nachhaltigkeitstransformation durch Partizipation? Eine empirische Analyse im Kontext der betrieblichen Ausbildung”, Jahrestagung 2025 der Sektion Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Erziehungswissenschaft (Zugang und Teilhabe in einer sich wandelnden Arbeitswelt); Darmstadt (Deutschland); 25.09.2025.

Schadt, C., Michaelis, C., Hufnagl, J., Annen, S.: “Subjektive Vorstellungen von Studierenden zu Nachhaltigkeit im Unternehmenskontext – Eine qualitative Analyse im Vergleich zwischen KI und Experteneinschätzung”, Jahrestagung 2025 der Sektion Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Erziehungswissenschaft (Zugang und Teilhabe in einer sich wandelnden Arbeitswelt); Darmstadt (Deutschland); 25.09.2025.

Kähler, A.-F., Hantsch, R., Casper, M., Kiepe, K., Hantke, H., Hufnagl, J., Heisler, D., Schütt-Sayed, S., Ansmann, M., Kohl, M., Thole, C., Ciołek, S., Diettrich, A., Dück, F., Haberzeth, E., Harm, S., Heitzhausen, S., Hösel, F., Kröhn, S., Loy, S., Müller, C., Porath, J., Pranger, J., Reißland, J., & Stoll, C.: "BBNE im Dialog: Gemeinsam für eine nachhaltige berufliche Bildung"; 23. Hochschultage Berufliche Bildung 2025 (Nachhaltig – Digital – Chancengerecht. Zukunftsszenarien von Arbeit, Bildung und Beruf); Paderborn (Deutschland); 18. & 19.03.2025.

Hufnagl, J. & Haslinger, J.: “Design Thinking in der Hochschulbildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung (HBNE): Handhabbarkeit und Kompetenzerwerb aus Sichtweise der Lernenden”, Fachtagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Hochschuldidaktik (dghd) 2025 (Schlüsselkompetenzen und Hochschuldidaktik: Bausteine für eine transformative Hochschullehre); Frankfurt am Main (Deutschland); 25.03.2025.

Hufnagl, J., Weber, S., & Annen, S.: “Ethnische Diskriminierung beim Zugang zur dualen Berufsausbildung: Eine systematische Analyse”, Symposium: Diversität in der beruflichen Bildung, Baden (Österreich) / online, 23.01.2025.

2024

Hochmuth, M., Hufnagl, J., Annen, S., Wolff, R., & St. Denis, X.: "Beyond the Degree: Detangling the Effect of Family Background on Overqualification in the UK and Germany"; 9th International NEPS Conference, Bamberg (Deutschland); 5.12.2024.

Hufnagl, J.: "Partizipation für nachhaltige Entwicklung? Freiräume und Möglichkeiten für (B)BNE in der beruflichen Bildung (Participation for sustainable development? Scope and opportunities for (ESD) in vocational education and training)"; Tagung der Gesellschaft für sozioökonomische Bildung und Wissenschaft (GSÖBW) (Nachhaltige Transformation der Wirtschaft - Herausforderung für sozioökonomische Forschung, Bildung und Lehre); Köln (Deutschland); 26.09.2024.

Hufnagl, J.; Baum, M.; Mohr, S. & Annen, S.: "Nachhaltigkeit in der Berufsbildung: Ziele sowie Hemmnisse und ihre Überwindung in der betrieblichen Praxis (Sustainability in vocational education and training: Goals as well as obstacles and how to overcome them in company practice)"; Tagung der Kommission Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung (BNE) der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Erziehungswissenschaft (DGfE) (Spannungsfelder von Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung und die zunehmende Ausdifferenzierung des Feldes); Bamberg (Deutschland); 19.09.2024.

Hufnagl, J.: "Nachhaltigkeitswissen in der betrieblichen Bildung – Spannungsfelder und Lösungsansätze (Sustainability knowledge in in-company training - areas of tension and solutions)"; 20. Tagung der Nachwuchsgruppe Umweltsoziologie (Umkämpftes Nachhaltigkeitswissen); Würzburg (Deutschland); 6.07.2024.

Hufnagl, J. & Annen, S.: "Entwicklungsrichtlinien und Potenziale der betrieblichen Bildung im Kontext der Nachhaltigkeitstransformation (Development guidelines and potentials of in-company training in the context of sustainability transformation)"; Berufsbildungsforschungskonferenz (BBFK) (Berufsbildung in Zeiten des Mangels - Handlungserfordernisse neu denken); Innsbruck (Österreich); 4.07.2024.

Hufnagl, J.: "Betriebliche Bildung im Kontext der Nachhaltigkeitstransformation (Company training in the context of sustainability transformation)"; Young Scholars Workshop zur Jahrestagung der Deutschen Vereinigung für sozialwissenschaftliche Arbeitsmarktforschung (Lost in Transformation? Arbeitsmarktpolitik für eine nachhaltige Arbeitsgesellschaft); Bamberg (Deutschland); 12.06.2024.

Hufnagl, J.: "Education for sustainable development in the corporate context"; Journée d'Étude; Amiens (Frankreich); 5.06.2024.

Hufnagl, J.: "Nachhaltigkeit in der Berufsbildung (Sustainability in vocational training)"; PROM3THEUS-Tagung (Die Bedeutung von Theorie für die Empirische Bildungsforschung); Frankfurt am Main (Deutschland); 04.03.2024.

2023

Hufnagl, J.: "Sustainability meets VET – Transformation in Education"; Winter School 2023 der Sektion Interkulturelle und International Vergleichende Erziehungswissenschaft (DGfE); Frankfurt (Deutschland); 30.11.2023.

Hufnagl, J.: "National Despite Global: Perspectives of Country Comparisons on Transformative Education for Sustainable Development"; Forschungsnetzwerk der Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg; Bamberg (Deutschland); 23.11.2023.

Hufnagl, J., Costa, J. & Annen, S.: "Overcoming the Limitations of Quantitative (Large-Scale-) Research: Discrimination in Transition to VET"; International Conference Mixed Methods Research in Education; Hannover (Deutschland); 16.11.2023.

Hufnagl, J. & Annen, S.: "Corporate Education for a Sustainable Future - Vocational Competencies in the Context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)"; Annual Conference of the DGfE Section Adult Education 2023 (Adult Education and Sustainability); Munich (Germany); 11-09-2023.

Hufnagl, J.: "Education for Sustainable Development in Companies"; Annual Conference 2023 of the Vocational and Business Education Section of the German Society for Educational Science (Freedom - Vocational Education - Responsibility) (Young Researcher); Flensburg (Germany); 06-09-2023.

Hufnagl, J.: "Perceptions of Discrimination by Migrants in Transition to VET - Differences by Origin Group and Gender"; The European Conference on Educational Research (ECER); Glasgow (UK); 25-08-2023.

Hufnagl, J.: "Global Learning in the Workplace - Companies' Response to Globalization"; EERA Emerging Researchers' Conference (ERC); Glasgow (UK); 22-08-2023.

Annen, S., Hufnagl, J., Murdoch, J., & Joseph, O.: "Returns to Education focusing on ICT skills - Empirical Results beyond pay Inequality"; 15th International Conference & 75th Anniversary of the JVET Journal; Oxford (UK); 15-07-2023.

Hufnagl, J., & Larsen, Y.: "Transformative Skills for Sustainability - Interdisciplinary Professionalization for a Sustainable Economy", Conference Interdisciplinary Teaching for Sustainable Development; Nuremberg (Germany); 15-06-2023.

Hufnagl, J.: "Gender Dynamics and Discrimination among Migrant Youth in the Vocational Training Market", Student Night of Gender Sensitive Research; Bamberg (Germany); 22-05-2023.

Hufnagl, J.: "Perceptions of Discrimination in the Transition to Vocational Education and Training from an Intersectional Perspective - An Exploration of the Limits of Quantitative Research," BIBB Colloquium; Bonn (Germany); 17-05-2023.

Hufnagl, J.: "Demands on Vocational Education Personnel as "Global Citizens" - Global Citizenship Education from a Business Education Perspective", 10th GEBF Conference (Young Scientists Conference) (Education between Uncertainty and Evidence); Essen (Germany); 27-02-2023.

Annen, S., St Denis, X., & Hufnagl, J.: "Family background and exits from overqualification in the UK and Germany", 7th International NEPS Conference; online; 06-12-2022.

Hufnagl, J.: "Perceived discrimination in transition to VET - an intersectional approach", 7th International NEPS Conference; online; 05-12-2022.

Hufnagl, J.: "Origin-specific differences in discrimination perceptions of migrant youth in access to VET", World Education Leadership Symposium (WELS) (School and Leadership between Revolution, Tradition and Exhaustion); online; 29-09-2022.

Hufnagl, J.: "Origin-specific Differences in Discrimination Perceptions of Adolescents with Migration Backgrounds in Access to Vocational Training", ÖFEB Pre-Conference (Educational Research in and for Times of Change); Graz (Austria); 20-09-2022.

Hufnagl, J.: "Origin-specific differences in the perception of discrimination of young people with a migration background in access to vocational training", Junior Researcher and Networking Day "Teacher education research" of the Universities of Augsburg, Bamberg and Regensburg (Professionalism in dealing with digitalisation and heterogeneity); Bamberg (Germany); 15-07-2022.

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// EXPERIENCE

TEACHING EXPIERIENCE

Winter Semester 2024/2025

Professionalization of Vocational Education Personnel (seminar, course A)

Summer Semester 2024

Professionalisation of Vocational Education Personnel (seminar, courses A and B)
Research Methods in Business Education (practice, courses A and B)

Winter Semester 2023/2024

Professionalization of Vocational Education Personnel (seminar, courses A und B)

Research Questions in Business Education (seminar)

Summer Semester 2023

Professionalization of Vocational Education Personnel (Courses A and B)
Research Methods in Business Education (Courses A and B)

Winter Semester 2022/2023

Professionalization of Vocational Education Personnel (Courses A and B)

Summer Semester 2022

Professionalization of Vocational Education Personnel (Courses A and B)
Management of Educational Processes (Course C)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2024 - 2025
Research Associate in the NIBTEX project at the Chair of Adult Education and Continuing Education (Prof. Dr Erik Haberzeth) at the Institute of Education at Chemnitz University of Technology, GER

since 2022
Doctoral Research Fellow at the Professorship of Business Education (Prof. Dr. Silvia Annen) at the University of Bamberg, GER

2021 - 2022
Student Research Assistant at the Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories (LIfBi), Bamberg, GER

2021 - 2022
Student Assistant at the Professorship of Business Education (Prof. Dr. Nicole Kimmelmann) at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, GER

2021 - 2021
Student Assistant at the Chair of Sociology, especially Social Structural Analysis (Prof. Dr. Cornelia Kristen) at the Otto-Friedrich-University Bamberg, GER

2017 - 2020
Student Assistant at the Chair of Production and Logistics (Prof. Dr. Matthias Klumpp) and at the Chairs of Statistics and Econometrics (Prof. Dr. Thomas Kneib) at the Georg-August University of Göttingen, GER

2019 - 2019
Intern at the Chair of German Language and Culture (Prof. Dr. P.L.M. Paul Sars) at Radboud University Nijmegen, NL

2015 - 2015
Member of the Student Life Team at Skagit Valley College, Mt. Vernon, WA, USA

2014 - 2014
Service employee at Sparkasse Aichach-Schrobenhausen, GER

2011 - 2014
Vocational Training as a Bank Clerk at Sparkasse Aichach-Schrobenhausen, GER

VOLUNTARY EXPERIENCE

since 2020
Member of the Board of PPP Alumni e.V.

since 2020
Teamer for intercultural trainings (Cultural Vistas / GIZ)

2023
Member of the Organizing Team of the Transatlantic Alumni Conference 2023

2023
Member of the Organizing Team of the Wissenschaftstage 2023 of the "Studienförderwerk Klaus Murmann" of the Foundation of German Business

2022
Student Representation in the Accreditation Process of the Master's Program in Business Education, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (2022)

2020 - 2022
Member of the Quality Circle of the Master's Degree Program in Business Education, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg

2019 - 2020
Teaching Support at a Vocational School in the "Sprachförderprojekt für Geflüchtete" at the Professorship of Business Education, Georg-August University Göttingen

2019
Participation in the INTERREG Project "Nachbarsprache & buurcultuur" at the Chair of German Language and Culture, in particular German Studies, Radboud University of Nijmegen (Netherlands)

ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

seit 2024
Vertreterin der Sektion Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik im Arbeitskreis „Nicht-Nachhaltigkeit und planetare Zukünfte“ der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Erziehungswissenschaft (DGfE)

seit 2024
Stellvertretende Beauftragte der SoWi-Fakultät für die Gleichstellung von Frauen in Wissenschaft und Kunst

2023
Reviewer at Hochschultage Berufliche Bildung 2023

2023
Reviewer at 27. JURE 2023 Pre-Conference

2023
Deputy Managing Director of the Hochschultage Berufliche Bildung 2023

2022
Technical Support at the 9th GEBF Conference 2022

Review Activities

International Journal of Inclusive Education
International Journal of Training and Development
German Journal of Developmental and Educational Psychology
Reihe "Gemeinsam Schule gestalten" (Waxmann-Verlag)

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