Prof. Dr. Esther Winther

Prof. Dr. Esther Winther works as Professor of Vocational Education and Training at the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) since 2017. Her academic education and professional career have taken her through several national and international universities as well as educational and research institutions. Before joining UDE, she held a chair at the University of Paderborn in 2009. In 2013 she was appointed as professor of adult education at the UDE and at the same time took over the scientific direction of the German Institute for Adult Education (DIE) – Leibniz Center for Lifelong Learning e. V. in Bonn. She studied economics and economics education toward the Diplom degree and doctoral studies at the University of Göttingen. She has a postdoc and assistant professorship at Stanford University and at the University of California, Berkeley, USA. In 2010, Prof. Dr. Esther Winther was awarded the Habilitation (postdoctoral qualification) at Humboldt University of Berlin. Her area of specialization is measurement the competency of adults. Prof. Dr. Esther Winther primary research interest areas are: psychometric modelling of professional expertise and work-related decision-making processes using Item Response Theory; Institutional, organisational and political parameters of continuing education against the backdrop of empirical educational research; and, Construction and evaluation of educational arrangements for professional development and also within the framework of research on professionalism.