Rate My Professor Frank Unger

Prof. Dr. Frank Unger is Professor of Social and Administrative Management and Labor Economics in the Department of Social Work at Hochschule Fulda, a position he has held since 2013. He has served as program director of the B.A. Soziale Sicherung und Sozialverwaltungswirtschaft (BASS) since 2014 and chaired the Internship Committee for state recognition of social pedagogues from 2014 to 2021. Prior to his academic career, Unger amassed over ten years of leadership experience within the Federal Employment Agency, including roles as operational managing director of the Kassel Employment Agency, department head, and team leader. His academic qualifications include a Dr. phil. from the Faculty of Education Sciences at the University of Duisburg-Essen, where his dissertation examined the promotion of adult learning within individual learning and educational biographies. He studied labor market economics, education sciences, and administrative management at the Federal University of Public Administration in Mannheim, followed by adult education and personnel/organizational development at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern. Additional certifications encompass training in Self-Determination Theory from the University of Rochester, motivational interviewing from GK Quest Akademie, resilience training from Deutsche Psychologen Akademie, and leadership psychology from institutions such as Harvard Graduate School of Education, MIT, and Case Western Reserve University.

Unger's research specializations center on leadership and communication in social organizations, personnel and organizational development, motivational interviewing, and Self-Determination Theory applications in labor market policy and social management education. Key publications include Personalführung in Organisationen der Sozialwirtschaft: Ein Studienbuch (Springer, 2022, co-authored with Uli Sann), Promoting Self-Determination and Motivation as Leadership Skills: A Didactics to Strengthen Autonomy Support and the Importance of Role Models in Social Work Management Education (Springer, 2023), and contributions to volumes on leadership requirements and teamwork in the social economy (Nomos, 2022). Forthcoming works feature Führungskommunikation in Organisationen der Sozialwirtschaft (Springer, 2025) and evaluations of innovative labor market projects. As a trainer, coach, and speaker, he supports executive development in change management and health-promoting leadership practices. Unger also holds memberships in scientific advisory boards, such as the Frankfurt Future Council.