Digitalization

The Covid-19 pandemic created a massive disruption across the higher education sector. In the wake of Corona-related lockdowns, university campuses stood closed, and face-to-face teaching and assessment shifted to an online format. We at the Brandt School also immediately moved to online education throughout the closure period. We undertook several digital learning scenarios, from completely online courses to hybrid learning environments. Nevertheless, what are the success criteria for undertaking online learning? How can the learning curve be measured without comprising Corona and screen-related stress? How can new and innovative online and hybrid learning formats be initiated? Similarly, can such online and hybrid teaching formats be applied to fostering international collaborations? Based on our students' and faculty's learnings, the Brandt School initiated a project on the Internationalization and Digitalization of Education in 2021.

The Internationalization and Digitization of Teaching (IDL) project builds on the solid foundation of the Brandt School to consolidate the University of Erfurt's overarching internationalization goals of strengthening international cooperation, increasing mobility and strengthening global networks and global interdependencies. The dual challenge of the coronavirus outbreak and climate change has provided a unique opportunity to rethink internationalization goals and make international collaborations more innovative and creative. The experience gained from the pandemic-related use of various digitalized forms of teaching and learning helps in the context of international cooperation to have a sustainable and global impact through accessible education.

Objectives

The IDL project aims to promote international and virtual mobility by establishing new and digital academic formats and innovative joint digital activities. The IDL project promotes new digital and hybrid learning formats by establishing international academic partnerships with educational institutions in both the Global South and the Global North. One of the main objectives of the IDL project is to test new digital learning formats with the Brandt School partners, to expand hybrid learning through joint teaching formats in professionalized contexts and to introduce innovative tools of collaboration within the MPP academic structure.