Communication
Assessment
RESearch
Successfull in the professional future. Promote communication, Examine competencies.


Who we are
As non-profit cooperation partner of the Heidelberg University Hospital, we work closely together with many institutions to support them in all steps of the assessment workflow from preparation, over implementation to evaluation. Within the scope of communication, we concentrate on the research of scientific basics regarding the understanding of communication processes and the development of cross-faculty and cross-institution curricula and training measures. Collective cooperation, mutual support and the sharing of resources are our key principles and match our motto “together everyone achieves more“.
Our mission
Our mission is to support lectures and examiners in their day-to-day work. At a time when demands concerning teaching and assessment are rapidly changing, the needs of educational establishments require understanding. Thus, new challenges have to be mastered collectively. Thereby, we never lose sight of our goal to offer ideal support, in order that you can use your resources optimally in your professional life.
The goals are
- Strengthen our leadership as a non-profit academic network for the science-based development of competency-based exams
- to build a cross-professional and cross-institutional research center to assess the performance and development of communication literacy
- to facilitate cooperation and long-term exchange between faculties and institutions

Our key activities
In today’s age of rapid change, it is becoming increasingly difficult to determine what a person needs to bring along in order to succeed professionally in the future. Competence-based learning and assessing is therefore becoming increasingly important nationally as well as internationally in training and further education. And in view of this fact competence-based learning and assessing gained a central and new status.
Communication
- Development of communication curricula in education and training
- Development of inter-faculty and institution-wide training programs for the improvement of communication skills in education and training
- Development, implementation and evaluation of innovative exam formats for performance measurement of communication skills and interprofessional actions
- Researching the scientific basis for understanding communication processes
Assessment
- Collective research and development in the area of competence-based exams
- Development of innovative assessment programs and formats
- Networking and exchange of information in the field of assessments
- Development, implementation and evaluation of assessment standards
- Development of technical tools to support E-Assessment
- Common quality assurance and workflow optimisation
Activities
Touchstone Institute delivers its first virtual OSCE with tOSCE App
We would like to draw your attention to a very interesting blog post by our Canadian partners, the Touchstone Institute. In cooperation with UCAN, the exam of the “Internationally Educated Nurses Competency Assessment Program (IENCAP)” was digitized. The written part of the exam was administered using the ProgressTest wrapper, for which UCAN implemented an interface to an external proctoring provider to ensure a secure exam. The OSCE exam took place via Zoom with a custom dashboard. The examiners performed the assessment from their locations using the tOSCE app, thus the complete test was carried out digitally without media discontinuity.
> Read ArticleCooperation in the project “ProNet Handwerk”
The InnoVET-“ProNet Handwerk” project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, is developing modular, cross-trade blended learning training courses “Smart Living and Working” with Bachelor Professional and Master Professional degrees, an e-campus including examination software for digitally supported module and final examinations, and further training courses for training staff. The aim is to increase the overall attractiveness of vocational training in the skilled trades. In order to adequately prepare the skilled trades for future challenges, the innovation project is developing new concepts that are intended to create sustainable added value for the skilled trades. These include modern advanced training professions to promote digital innovations, the development of new business fields, the facilitation of new career paths in the companies and on the construction site, and an image gain for the entire skilled crafts sector.
> Read ArticleFirst virtual examiner training on creating good MC questions
On 26.01.2021, the first virtual training on the topic of “Creating good multiple-choice questions” took place with 34 participants and IMS authors from the Medical Faculty of Otto von Guerike University Magdeburg.
> Read ArticleChristmas greetings 2020
A very eventful year is coming to an end. Corona has turned many things upside down and has had a lasting impact on all areas of our private lives. Politics, business, the legal and health care systems, and education have also felt the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic. For you, it meant implementing the challenges and requirements in teaching and testing at your university as quickly as possible in order to be able to continue to provide a good education to your students. Now it is finally time to sit back and rejoice in what we have achieved. We wish you a peaceful, reflective Christmas and a good start in a hopefully less exciting 2021!
> Read ArticleActivities
Touchstone Institute delivers its first virtual OSCE with tOSCE App
We would like to draw your attention to a very interesting blog post by our Canadian partners, the Touchstone Institute. In cooperation with UCAN, the exam of the “Internationally Educated Nurses Competency Assessment Program (IENCAP)” was digitized. The written part of the exam was administered using the ProgressTest wrapper, for which UCAN implemented an interface to an external proctoring provider to ensure a secure exam. The OSCE exam took place via Zoom with a custom dashboard. The examiners performed the assessment from their locations using the tOSCE app, thus the complete test was carried out digitally without media discontinuity.
> Read ArticleCooperation in the project “ProNet Handwerk”
The InnoVET-“ProNet Handwerk” project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, is developing modular, cross-trade blended learning training courses “Smart Living and Working” with Bachelor Professional and Master Professional degrees, an e-campus including examination software for digitally supported module and final examinations, and further training courses for training staff. The aim is to increase the overall attractiveness of vocational training in the skilled trades. In order to adequately prepare the skilled trades for future challenges, the innovation project is developing new concepts that are intended to create sustainable added value for the skilled trades. These include modern advanced training professions to promote digital innovations, the development of new business fields, the facilitation of new career paths in the companies and on the construction site, and an image gain for the entire skilled crafts sector.
> Read ArticleFirst virtual examiner training on creating good MC questions
On 26.01.2021, the first virtual training on the topic of “Creating good multiple-choice questions” took place with 34 participants and IMS authors from the Medical Faculty of Otto von Guerike University Magdeburg.
> Read ArticleChristmas greetings 2020
A very eventful year is coming to an end. Corona has turned many things upside down and has had a lasting impact on all areas of our private lives. Politics, business, the legal and health care systems, and education have also felt the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic. For you, it meant implementing the challenges and requirements in teaching and testing at your university as quickly as possible in order to be able to continue to provide a good education to your students. Now it is finally time to sit back and rejoice in what we have achieved. We wish you a peaceful, reflective Christmas and a good start in a hopefully less exciting 2021!
> Read Article> All Aktivities
Corporate structure

Contact
Are you having questions regarding our institute or would you like further information regarding specific projects or activities? We look forward to your call or message.
Institute for Communication and Assessment Research
Institut für Kommunikations und
Prüfungsforschung gGmbH
Wieblinger Weg 92A +49 (0)6221 186 7490
69123 Heidelberg info [at] cares [dot] institute
Contact
Are you having questions regarding our institute or would you like further information regarding specific projects or activities? We look forward to your call or message.
Institute for Communication and Assessment Research
Institut für Kommunikations und
Prüfungsforschung gGmbH
Wieblinger Weg 92A
69123 Heidelberg
+49 (0)6221 186 7490
info [at] cares [dot] institute
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