COIL4all @HWR Berlin project
Expanding collaborative online teaching formats and integrating them into the curriculum of all five departments at the HWR Berlin - that is the aim of ‘COIL4all @HWR Berlin’. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has provided two years of financing for the project at the HWR Berlin as part of the HAW.International programme.
What is COIL4all @HWR Berlin?
COIL stands for Collaborative Online International Learning. COILs are a teaching format which can be integrated into existing courses. COIL formats enable students and teachers from different countries and cultures to work together virtually in internationally mixed teams and thereby acquire intercultural skills.
In the ‘COIL4all @HWR Berlin’ project, we will continue to share experiences and best practices from past COIL projects throughout the university, test them in as many degree programmes as possible and integrate them into the curriculum.
COIL formats also offers students for whom, for example, a traditional semester abroad is not possible, the opportunity to gain international experience. Students who are not yet confident enough to spend time abroad can build up their confidence through virtual international collaboration and students are also prepared for the increasingly digitalised modern working world and its challenges. The project will also provide students with more comprehensive information about short-term exchange programmes at international partner universities.
Key goals of the COIL4all @HWR Berlin project
- Development and integration of COIL/Virtual Exchange into the curriculum of all departments
- Strengthening and expanding international partnerships
- Further training for lecturers on the topic of COIL/Virtual Exchange
- Expanding the range of short-term mobility programmes on offer to students
Projects in COIL4all@HWR Berlin
This project currently involves the departments of Business & Economics, Cooperative Studies and Public Administration.
Various blended mobility formats are being designed and tested in these departments.
The following projects are currently planned:
Prof. Dr. Brand from the Department of Business and Economics will carry out a project with the University of Belgrade, Serbia, on the topic of ‘Data Analytics in Finance and Marketing’. The focus is on general data analytics methods, pattern recognition and modern statistical methods from the field of machine learning.
Prof. Dr. Faustino Bauer from the Department of Business and Economics will be working with students from various Business Administration courses on a project with the University of Fortaleza, Brazil, on the topic of ‘CODAS - Comparative Data-Analysis on Sustainability’. The focus is on the question of which types of data from companies and public institutions are particularly well suited to promoting comparative analyses of sustainability (sustainable use of resources). The project is for business administration students across different subjects/disciplines, and allows them to develop an overarching understanding of sustainability issues and basic data analysis skills.
Prof. Dr. Berit Adam from the Department of Public Administration will be carrying out a project in the Public and Nonprofit Management degree programme with the Athens University of Economics and Business, Greece, on the topic of ‘Sustainability reporting: starting points for harmonised sustainability reporting at municipal level in Europe’. The students will gather information on the status of national and European standards for sustainability reporting and analyse current practices in the participating countries. Based on the current national status, they will develop starting points for a Europe-wide standardisation of sustainability information at the local authority level.
Prof. Dr. Busch from the Department of Public Administration will conduct a project with the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland, on the topic of ‘Towards a Diverse and Socially Sustainable Public Sector in Germany and Switzerland’. The central questions here are ‘What concepts are used to implement diversity in the public sector in Germany and Switzerland?’, ‘What can both countries learn from each other?’, ‘What does social sustainability mean for the public sector from an international perspective?’ and ‘What best practices are there in Germany, Switzerland and internationally?’
Prof. Dr. Sebastian Schlesinger will be conducting a project on ‘Digital Innovation and Cyber Security’ at the Department of Cooperation Studies in Information Systems with Coventry University Scarborough, UK. The focus will be on process automation, data analytics along the value chain, process mining, artificial intelligence and intelligent algorithms and cyber security.
Prof. Dr. Sabine Baumann from the Department of Business and Economics will be carrying out a project on the topic of ‘Digital Business’ in the International Digital Business degree programme. The focus will be on teaching the basics of digital business (digital technologies, data analysis, digital business models and strategies, digital marketing and the effects of digitalisation on traditional business processes) and applying them in a project. A suitable project partner is currently being identified.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Gert Faustmann and Prof. Dr. Sebastian Fischer from the Department of Cooperative Studies will be carrying out a project on the topic of ‘Data Analytics’ in the Business Informatics degree programme with the University of Belgrade, Serbia, at Faculty 2. The students will focus on analysing real data sets and learning various methods of analysis. The data will be provided by Serbian cooperation partners from the fields of software development, e.g. SAGA Company and others.
Prof. Dr. von Saucken and Prof. Dr. Steinmann from the Department of Cooperative Studies will carry out a project in the Mechanical Engineering and Business Informatics degree programme with the Sorbonne Nord in Paris, France, on the topic of ‘Future is Now - HWR Engineers and Computer Scientists visit European Pioneers of Industry 4.0 & 5.0’. The project focuses on the importance of digitalisation efforts in an international context and highlights prevailing international, interdisciplinary and cross-industry development trends.
The aim is to integrate the above projects into the curriculum once they have been successfully completed and to offer them to more students in the future. If you are also interested in integrating COILs your courses, you are welcome to contact the people named here.
The International Short Term Mobilities Infopoint - IST HWR Berlin
The IST - International Short Term Mobilities Infopoint will be set up in the newly opened Student Info Point. There, students will be able to obtain information on various short-term exchange formats such as summer or winter schools or COIL programmes with short stays abroad.
This service will be open to students from all faculties. More detailed information will be published soon.
To view an overview of all the exciting short-term mobility options, please join our Moodle course "International Office FB 1". The options are aimed at students from all faculties.
Predecessor project Toolip - Toolbox for digital global learning
Our project "Toolip - Toolbox for Global International Learning" has already gathered a wealth of experience over a funding period of almost four years. You can gain an insight into the project by reading these testimonies.