Next alumni meeting/continuing optometric education (COE): September 20./21 2025…..September 26

Continuing Optometric Education (COE) events are organized every year by the Alumni Association, the Aalen Friends of Optometry, at the end of September. The monestry in Benediktbeuern offers the perfect setting for this event. Alumni meetings are the place to be for experienced optometrists and ODs to share their knowledge and for current students and alumni to gain valuable insight into the professional world and challenges in the latest research in optometry. All lectures are presented by internationally renowned experts in the field of optometry, some of whom travel all the way from the US just to share their knowledge at this event.

This Aalen Master Alumni event is a great example of how important it is in the field of optometry to share cases of all kinds unusual and innovative solutions. It has proven to be a valuable opportunity for the optometrist community to learn from experienced professionals and gain a deeper understanding of the evolving landscape of optometry and ophthalmology. Alumni continuing optometric education (COE) events foster a sense of unity and shared competencies within the optometry community.

Bulletin Board

24.07.2025 – PRO NEXT GENERATION: Berufs- & Fachschullehrer:innen treffen junge Talente

German version below

As part of opti 2026, the international trade fair for optics and design in Munich, we – Aalen University in cooperation with the Munich Training Center for Optometry and Optometry (BZAO) – cordially invite you to PRO NEXT GENERATION – Vocational and technical school teachers meet young talents, a new format for exchange, networking, and shaping the future in optometry:


Date/time:Sunday, January 18, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Location:opti trade fair in Munich, Hall C3 (booth number to be announced in due course)


In addition to a relaxed program, topics from your daily teaching practice will also be covered. We are also working on organizing and financing a small and informal get-together for Saturday evening, January 17, 2026.


An absolutely exciting and topical lecture followed by a discussion will make this meeting a highlight of opti:


“AI compact – crash course for teachers and learners”


Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing our everyday lives – and it doesn't stop at the classroom door. But what exactly can AI do? How can it be used effectively in everyday school life? How can AI be used effectively in everyday learning? And what do learners expect from it?


You will receive a compact and practical overview of the topic of AI in everyday school life:

  • What AI can already do today – from text and image generation to analysis and lesson planning
  • What you need to know as a teacher – opportunities, limitations, and practical applications, how AI can specifically reduce workload
  • The perspective and expectations of the next generation of opticians
  • Tips and examples for use in the classroom
  • Performance measurement and AI


The aim is to give you a quick overview of how you can use AI as a tool for your everyday school life in a targeted and effective way.
No prior knowledge is necessary – just an openness to new ideas!


About the speaker Susanne Jansen: She has been teaching at a high school in Baden-Württemberg for 18 years and has been involved in continuing education with a focus on digital media and artificial intelligence in everyday school life for 14 years. She shares her experience by supporting teachers and offering them practical ways to integrate digital tools and AI into their lessons in order to make their everyday work more digital (@digitale.bildungsreise).


In order to finalize our plans, we kindly ask all interested parties to send a short reply to augenoptik-optometrie@hs-aalen.de.


With kind regards

Prof. Dr. Anna Nagl, Volker Meyer, Torsten Dautzenberg, Zoe Zumkeller, and Lukas Jung (Aalen University) and Petra Hesse (BZAO Munich)

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Im Rahmen der opti 2026, der internationalen Fachmesse für Optik & Design in München laden wir – die Hochschule Aalen in Kooperation mit dem Bildungszentrum für Augenoptik und Optometrie München (BZAO) – herzlich ein zu PRO NEXT GENERATION – Berufs- und Fachschullehrer:innen treffen junge Talente, ein neues Format für Austausch, Vernetzung und Zukunftsgestaltung in der Augenoptik:


Datum/Uhrzeit:
Sonntag, 18. Januar 2026 von 11.00 – 14.00 Uhr
Ort:
opti Messe München in der Halle C3 (Stand wird rechtzeitig bekannt gegeben)


Neben einem lockeren Programm dürfen da Themen aus Ihrer täglichen Unterrichtspraxis nicht fehlen. Zusätzlich arbeiten wir daran, für den Samstagabend, 17. Januar 2026; ein kleines und unkompliziertes Get together organisiert und finanziert zu bekommen.


Ein absolut spannender und aktueller Vortrag mit anschließender Diskussion wird dieses Treffen zu einem Highlight der opti machen:


„KI kompakt – Crashkurs für Lehrkräfte und Lernende“


Künstliche Intelligenz (KI) verändert unseren Alltag – und macht auch vor dem Klassenzimmer nicht Halt. Doch was genau kann KI leisten? Wie lässt sie sich sinnvoll im Schulalltag nutzen? Wie lässt sich KI sinnvoll im Lernalltag einsetzen? Und was erwarten sich die Lernenden davon?


Sie erhalten einen kompakten und praxisnahen Rundumschlag zum Thema Kl im Schulalltag:

  • Das kann Kl schon heute – von Text- und Bildgenerierung bis hin zur Analyse und Unterrichtsplanung
  • Das müssen Sie als Lehrkraft wissen – Chancen, Grenzen und praxisnahe Einsatzmöglichkeiten, wie KI konkret entlastet
  • Sichtweise und Erwartungshaltung der nächsten augenoptischen Generation
  • Tipps und Beispiele für den Einsatz im Unterricht
  • Leistungsmessung und KI


Ziel ist es, Ihnen in kurzer Zeit einen Überblick zu geben, wie Sie Kl als Werkzeug für Ihren Schulalltag gezielt und effektiv einsetzen können.
Keine Vorkenntnisse nötig – nur Offenheit für neue Impulse!


Zur Referentin Susanne Jansen: sie unterrichtet seit 18 Jahren an einem Gymnasium in Baden-Württemberg und ist seit 14 Jahren in der Fortbildung mit dem Schwerpunkt digitale Medien und Künstliche Intelligenz im Schulalltag tätig. Sie teilt ihre Erfahrungen, indem sie Lehrkräfte unterstützt und ihnen praxisorientierte Angebote zur Integration von digitalen Tools und KI in ihren Unterricht macht, um ihren Arbeitsalltag digital zu gestalten (@digitale.bildungsreise).


Um unsere Planung zu konkretisieren, erbitten wir von allen Interessierten eine kurze Rückmeldung an augenoptik-optometrie@hs-aalen.de.


Mit freundlichen und kollegialen Grüßen

Prof. Dr. Anna Nagl, Volker Meyer, Torsten Dautzenberg, Zoe Zumkeller und Lukas Jung (Hochschule Aalen) und Petra Hesse (BZAO München)

News

The next highlight for master's students and graduates will take place on September 20 and 21, 2025, at the annual alumni event at the Center for Environment and Culture in Benediktbeuern. The chairman of the alumni association Aalen Friends of Optometry e.V., Georg Scheuerer, has once again invested a great deal of time in recent months in planning a continuing education event featuring high-ranking professors, including some from the USA. As can be seen from the conference program, the effort has paid off. Those interested in the latest research findings in the field of optometry can register until mid-September on the website of the alumni association Aalen Friends of Optometry e.V.

A great start to the new academic yearThe part-time master's program in Vision Science and Business at Aalen University has begun for 24 students.

Great atmosphere among the 24 new students of the part-time master's program in Vision Science and Business. Photo: © Aalen University

Th, 24. July 2025 Last week, the part-time master's program at Aalen University started the new academic year fully booked, as usual with the renowned, experienced Binocular Vision professors from the College of Optometry at Pacific University in Portland, USA: Karl Citek and Ryan Bulson. Together with the lab team Katja Schiborr, Oliver Buck, and Frank Tannek, 24 students started the new academic year.

Im Customer Center von ZEISS Vision Care: Die Vorstellung Geräte, Prozesse und Apps für Augenoptik, Refraktion und Untersuchung des Auges gibt einen guten Einblick in die Leistungen von ZEISS für Augenoptikpartner. Bildrechte: Lara Klaus, ZEISS Vision Care

Once again, students from Hochschule Aalen - Technik, Wirtschaft und Gesundheit were guests at ZEISS – a beautiful tradition for many years, guiding students through the world of ZEISS for a day. Of course, a tour through the Museum of Optics is a must – 800 years of optics history and the latest technologies from all ZEISS areas can be impressively experienced here.

For the first time on the program: a presentation of the new strategic business unit Photonics & Optics, where ZEISS bundles smaller, highly specialized businesses. This also includes Cinematography – with a tour through the assembly of cine lenses in Oberkochen, it becomes clear with what passion and precision innovative products are created at ZEISS. It is always a pleasure to introduce students to the innovations and areas, as well as the rich history of ZEISS, in addition to the many touch points that exist in everyday studies. Many thanks to Prof. Dr. Anna Nagl for the organization and accompaniment – and Josef Kohnle for the tour through the production of ZEISS cine lenses!

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Questions?

Please don't hesitate to contact us!

Dean of Studies:
Prof. Dr. Anna Nagl