Melissa Laufer, Dr.
Melissa Laufer was head of the Knowledge & Society research programme at the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG). With her interdisciplinary perspective, Melissa examined digitisation processes in the scientific system and in society.
Journal articles and conference proceedings (15)
Laufer, M., Kuper, F., Deacon, B., Sievering, M., & Schäfer, L. O. (2025). Strategic ambiguities: Exploring the role of digitalisation strategies in university teachers’ engagement with educational technology. European Journal of Higher Education, 1-19. DOI: 10.1080/21568235.2025.2486788 Publication details
Deacon, B., Laufer, M., Mende, M. A., Tschache, T., & Schäfer, L. O. (2025). Resisting digital change at the university: An exploration into triggers and organisational countermeasures. European Journal of Higher Education, 1–24. DOI: 10.1080/21568235.2025.2512735 Publication details
Laufer, M., Schäfer, L.O., Kuper, F., & Deacon, B. (2025). Building resilient and creative universities: Exploring the new normal for eight universities across Europe. Discover Education, 4, 1-14. DOI: 10.1007/s44217-025-00580-w Publication details
Laufer, M., Deacon, B., Mende, M.A., & Schaefer, L.O. (2024). Leading with Trust: How University Leaders can Foster Innovation with Educational Technology through Organizational Trust. Innovative Higher Education. DOI: 10.1007/s10755-024-09733-5 Publication details
Fecher, B., Hebing, M., Laufer, M., Pohle, J., Sofsky, F. (2023). Friend or foe? Exploring the implications of large language models on the science system. AI & Society, 38. DOI: 10.1007/s00146-023-01791-1 Publication details
Fecher, B., Hebing, M., Laufer, M., Pohle, J., & Sofsky, F. (2023). Friend or foe? Exploring the implications of large language models on the science system. AI & Soc. DOI: 10.1007/s00146-023-01791-1 Publication details
Timm, M., Deacon, B., Laufer, M, Schäfer, L. O. & Tschache, T. (2022). Atomisierung, Innovation und Organisation: Qualität der Lehre im ersten Digitalsemester. In M.Bigos, J. Hiebl, & I. Steinhardt (Eds.). Soziologische Betrachtungen zur Digitalisierung der Lehre (in der COVID-19-Pandemie) [Special issue] die hochschullehre, 8(28), 395-408. DOI: 10.3278/HSL2228W Publication details
Sabzalieva, E., El Masri, A., Joshi, A., Laufer, M., Trilokekar, R. & Haas, C. (2022). Ideal immigrants in name only? Shifting constructions and divergent discourses on the international student-immigration policy nexus in Australia, Canada, and Germany. Policy Reviews in Higher Education, 6(2), 178-204. DOI: 10.1080/23322969.2022.2096106 Publication details
Deacon, B., Laufer, M. & Schäfer, L. O. (2022). Infusing Educational Technologies in the Heart of the University – A Systematic Literature Review from an Organisational Perspective. British Journal of Educational Technology, 0(0), 1-26. DOI: 10.1111/bjet.13277 Publication details
Huisman, J., Vlegels, J., Daenekindt, S., Seeber, M. & Laufer, M. (2021). How satisfied are international students? The role of town, gown and motivations. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education. DOI: 10.1080/03057925.2020.1867826 Publication details
Laufer, M., Leiser, A., Deacon, B., Perrin de Brichambaut, P., Fecher, B., Kobsoda, C., & Hesse, F. (2021). Digital higher education: A divider or bridge builder? Leadership perspectives on EdTech in a COVID-19 reality. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 18(51). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239‐021‐00287‐6 Publication details
Elsholz, U., Fecher, B., Deacon, B., Schäfer, L.O., & Laufer, M. (2021). Implikationen der Covid-19-Pandemie für digitale Lehre: Organisierte Freiheit als Veränderungsparadigma. MedienPädagogik: Zeitschrift für Theorie Und Praxis Der Medienbildung, 40(CoViD-19), 472-86. DOI: 10.21240/mpaed/40/2021.11.29.X Publication details
Laufer, M. (2020). Crossing academic borders: exploring the role of social capital in academic hiring. Comparative Education, 56(3). DOI: 10.1080/03050068.2020.1782603 Publication details
Laufer, M. (2019). Spinning stories: Communicating internationalization through organizational storytelling. Journal of Studies in International Education, 1-15. DOI: 10.1177/1028315319893652 Publication details
Laufer, M. & Gorup, M. (2019). The invisible Others: stories of international doctoral student drop-out. Higher Education, 78(1), 165-181. DOI: 10.1007/s10734-018-0337-z Publication details
Book contributions and chapters (5)
Schäfer, L. O., Deacon, B. & Laufer, M. (2023). Die Rolle der Digitalisierungsstrategien bei der Implementierung digitaler Lehre. In Lorenz Mrohs, Julia Franz, Dominik Herrmann, Konstantin Lindner & Thorsten Staake (Eds.), Digitale Kulturen der Lehre entwickeln. Perspektiven der Hochschuldidaktik. Wiesbaden: Springer VS. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-43379-6_3 Publication details
Laufer, M. Deacon, B. & Schäfer, L. O. (2022). The Power of Informal Networks: How Middle Management, Central Leadership and Trust can Impact Innovation at the University. In F. W. Hesse, C. Kobsda & C. Schemmann, Digital Transformation of Higher Education—Global Learning Report 2022. (pp. 21-23). Berlin: Global Learning Council (GLC), Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst e.V. (DAAD), Times Higher Education (THE). DOI: 10.21241/ssoar.79627 Publication details
Laufer, M. (2017). Learning from Others, not about Others: investigating intercultural learning and intercultural competence in the university classroom. In R. Bettmann, V. Hinnenkamp, A. Satola & N. Schröer (Eds.), Die Hochschule als interkultureller Aushandlungsraum: Eine Bildungs-Exploration am Beispiel eines internationalen Studiengangs (pp. 181-199). Wiesbaden: Springer. Publication details
Bettmann, R., Hinnenkamp, V., Laufer, M. & Schröer, N. (2017). Interkulturelle Gruppenarbeit als Herausforderung. Vermeidungsstrategien und Chancen. In R. Bettmann, V. Hinnenkamp, A. Satola & N. Schröer (Eds.), Die Hochschule als interkultureller Aushandlungsraum: Eine Bildungs-Exploration am Beispiel eines internationalen Studiengangs (pp. 65-87). Wiesbaden: Springer VS. Publication details
Laufer, M. (2017). Breaking the code: exploring how academics secure employment abroad. In A. Woldegiyorgis, L. Rumbley & H. De Wit (Eds.), The Boston College Center for International Higher Education Year in Review, 2016 – 2017, 6 (pp. 25-27). Boston: Boston College Center for International Higher Education. Publication details
Other publications (10)
Deacon, B., & Laufer, M. (2024). Resistance to change: Challenges and opportunities in digital higher education. Digital society blog. Publication details
Laufer, M., Kuper, F., Mende, M. A., Schäfer, L. O., Tschache T., & Deacon, B. (2023). Organizing Digital Change at the University. The Practitioners’ Field Guide for Implementing Educational Technology. HIIG Impact Publication Series. Publication details
Fecher, B., Hebing, M., Laufer, M., Pohle, J., Sofsky, F. (2023). Friend or Foe? Exploring the Implications of Large Language Models on the Science System. Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society. Publication details
Laufer, M., Mende, M., & Sievering, M. (2023). EdTech: The secret to its implementation. Digital society blog. Publication details
Deacon, B., Laufer, M. & Sokolovska, N. (2022). Sharing knowledge: Impact of Covid-19 on digital teaching. Digital society blog. Publication details
Laufer, M. & Gorup, M. (2020). Transferring research to practice: Exploring post-publication possibilities. ECHER Blog. Publication details
Laufer, M. & Deacon, B. (2020). The rapid digital turn: How are universities faring? Digital Society Blog. Publication details
Laufer, M. & Gorup, M. (2019). The invisible Others: stories of international doctoral student dropout. Supervising PhDs. Publication details
Laufer, M. (2016). Narrative Turn. Thema Hoger Onderwijs, 23 (1), 111-112. Publication details
Huisman, J., Brockerhoff, L. & Laufer, M. (2015). Quality in higher education: A literature review. Scoping Report for the Dutch Education Council. Publication details
Lectures and presentations (25)
Framing the Digital Turn: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Resilience and EdTech Narratives in Higher Education
Rethinking Resilience: Institutional Pathways through Disruption in Higher Education
Ein Krisendiskurs über Resilienz und Bildungstechnologien an Hochschulen
Resisting Digital Change at Higher Education Institutions: Identifying Triggers and Countermeasures
Crisis Talk: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Resilience and Edtech at the University
Sensemaking and the future university: Exploring the role digitalization strategies play for university teachers’ engagement with EdTech
Ein Diskurs über Verantwortung – Krise, Resilienz und EdTech an Hochschulen
Paper Presentation
Talk at University:Future Festival 2023
Paper Presentation: Die Rolle der Digitalisierungsstrategie bei der Implementierung und dem Erhalt digitaler Lehre.
Paper Presentation: Leadership in Digital Change: An exploration of organizational trust and innovation in universities
Talk at APT – Conference 2022
Paper presentation: When Doctoral Advisors Become Adversaries: Doctoral Student Accounts of Relationships with Advisors Gone Wrong
Qualität in der digitalen Lehre: Eine Untersuchung von Einflussfaktoren
Enge und lose Kopplungen in der Hochschule – Die COVID-19 Pandemie und digitale Lehre
The Rapid Digital Turn: An Exploration into the Tight and Loose Coupling of University Structures [paper presentation]
Re-imagining higher education: Shifting gears and shifting visions
Lehren in der Krise, Lernen aus der Krise? Erfolg und Verstetigung digitaler Lehr- und Lerninnovationen
The changing academic profession: exploring hiring stories of academics
Balancing the global with the local: a study of internationalization at a Taiwanese university
The invisible others: stories of international doctoral student drop-out
Learning to swim in a new pond: Exploring academic job securement abroad
The power of stories: interpretations of internationalization in university cultures
The stories we tell: exploring how storytelling is used to legitimize internationalization at the university
Unravelling the internationalization tale: exploring the legitimizing power of internationalization stories within university cultures
Panels (1)
Conference Presentation
Moderation of workshops and panels (1)
Channeling institutional support for internationalization through storytelling
Position
Former Head of Research Programme: Knowledge & Society
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