More digital teaching and learning in international programmes

The German government wants to boost digitisation in international programmes to make courses more competitive. The German Academic Exchange Service, DAAD, will be provided with funding to support a new IP Digital scheme.

“The corona pandemic has highlighted the significance of digital teaching and learning at all education institutions. This applies in particular to universities,” says Education and Research Minister Anja Karliczek.

“With our IP Digital programme, I am providing exactly the right impetus to ensure that we will continue to count among the leaders in international higher education competition in the future.”

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research or BMBF is providing DAAD with nearly €5 million (US$5.9) for the next two years to support universities in digitising existing international masters degree programmes.

So far, international programmes have centred on face-to-face studying, although DAAD notes that institutions have recently seen a considerable increase in digitisation.

It stresses that digital media, innovative teaching and learning tools and the use of virtual platforms to share data boosts interaction between students. Moreover, DAAD argues, linking on-site activities with digital formats holds considerable potential for new forms of intercultural exchange.

“With its excellent degree programmes, Germany has attained a peak position in international competition as a place to study and do research,” says DAAD President Joybrato Mukherjee. “If this is to stay so, we need a wide range of digital study programmes which are internationally attractive.”

Mukherjee believes that digital programmes will continue to play a much bigger role for students when the coronavirus crisis is over, with quality standards being of utmost importance.

“In future, internationalisation will be inconceivable without digitisation. This represents a challenge for our institutions, and we want to help cope with it with the IP Digital programme.”

In order to support digitisation strategies at universities, DAAD already launched an International Mobility and Cooperation through Digitalisation programme in 2019.

And in response to rapidly changing mobility flows and international collaborative relations, it recently started an International Virtual Academic Collaboration or IVAC programme. IVAC supports internationally networked teaching activities.

However, DAAD stresses, study stays, summer schools and practical training will continue to play a role in academic cooperation.

Michael Gardner Email: michael.gardner@uw-news.com