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Integrating (Digital) Wellbeing into Institutional Strategy: What German Universities can learn from the University of British Columbia

Integrating (Digital) Wellbeing into Institutional Strategy: What German Universities can learn from the University of British Columbia

Promoting wellbeing at universities is no longer a peripheral issue: it forms the foundation for successful (digital) teaching and learning environments and is increasingly being strategically embedded on an international level. Universities like the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada recognized this early on and integrated wellbeing deeply into their institutional strategy. For this blog article, Mandy MacRae, Wellbeing Engagement Strategist at UBC, provides insights into the history and significance of the wellbeing initiative and explains how challenges and successes have shaped UBC's journey toward becoming a health-promoting university.

Theresa Sommer

05.05.25

PURPOSE. POLICIES. PRACTICES: Relevant Aspects for Scaling Learning Space Innovations at Universities

PURPOSE. POLICIES. PRACTICES: Relevant Aspects for Scaling Learning Space Innovations at Universities

What insights can be gained from learning space innovations in other countries for the situation in Germany? In this blog post, Prof. Dr. Katja Ninnemann shares experiences and insights from her research stays in Sweden, Singapore and Australia, summarizing  them into concise hypotheses based on the constructive alignment model. It becomes clear that major changes require appropriate policy frameworks as a base and then often start with small initiatives. Thus, instead of waiting for perfect new buildings, new policy approaches as well as simple and local measures could provide the impetus for the next big learning space innovation Made in Germany.

Katja Ninnemann

05.05.25

ALT

ALT

Katja Ninnemann

30.04.25

Editor’s Pick: Five Highlights at the University:Future Festival 2025

Editor’s Pick: Five Highlights at the University:Future Festival 2025

Rasmus works at the Stifterverband and the European Digital Education Hub – and shares what he is particularly looking forward to at the University:Future Festival 2025. From AI in education to interoperability and setting the course for education policy: For him, there is plenty of future potential in the program – and the best conversations start during the coffee break.

Delegation trip to Estonia: Preliminary insights into modern educational approaches in cyber security and digital teaching

Delegation trip to Estonia: Preliminary insights into modern educational approaches in cyber security and digital teaching

How can universities prepare students for the challenges of cyber security in a practical way - and what can be learned from other countries? As part of a delegation trip to Estonia, Cyber Campus NRW is looking for international impulses for digital teaching, student participation and cooperative education models. The blog post highlights the expectations of the trip and its relevance for the German higher education landscape.

Empowering Learning Through Formative Peer- and Self-Assessment

Empowering Learning Through Formative Peer- and Self-Assessment

A common problem in traditional education is that students are passive recipients of feedback. Prof. Steve Joordens explains in this blog article how peer- and self-assessment can make students active participants in the evaluation process. This can turn assessments into an opportunity for reflection and skill development. It also helps students to develop critical thinking and self-awareness, ultimately leading to more meaningful learning.

Steve Joordens

10.04.25

Micro-credentials in Ireland: Lessons learned and recommendations for German Higher Education Institutions

Micro-credentials in Ireland: Lessons learned and recommendations for German Higher Education Institutions

In Ireland, the project MicroCreds provides a framework for distributing and establishing micro-credentials. Earlier this year, a delegation sponsored by Hochschulforum Digitalisierung visited three universities in Dublin and one in Waterford to learn more about their system and how standards for using micro-credentials could be established in Germany. This blog post showcases the insights gained during the delegation trip to Ireland on the topic of micro-credentials in January 2025, funded by HFD.

Malte Kneifel, Thu Van Le Thi, Matthias Spiegel, Leon Weber

03.04.25

European Digital Micro-Credentials – A Strategic Direction for German Higher Educational Institutions

European Digital Micro-Credentials – A Strategic Direction for German Higher Educational Institutions

Digital credentials in general, and micro-credentials more narrowly, are increasingly vital, trusted tools for higher education institutions as they adapt to the demands of life-long learners and the evolving labour market. Their implementation is proving to be advantageous in learning recognition, student mobility, employability, and institutional efficiency. To understand the terminology and state of play at a European level, and how European Digital Credentials for Learning (EDC) can provide a framework for enhancing educational offerings for German Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), we contacted Ildiko Mazar and Kia Likitalo from the European Learning Model (ELM) Support team.

Ildiko Mazar, Kia Likitalo

25.02.25

Digital and intellectual sovereignty in the age of AI: An assessment for the higher education sector

Digital and intellectual sovereignty in the age of AI: An assessment for the higher education sector

To what extent can universities still be considered digitally sovereign in the age of AI? How dependent are they on commercial AI providers, and what can they shape themselves? And: do universities also need to take language models into their own hands to ensure independent scientific thinking? Dr. Peter Salden from the Centre for Science Didactics at Ruhr University Bochum provides an overview and assesses the current situation. The text was written on the basis of his contribution to the expert hearing Digital Sovereignty, which was Hochschulforum Digitalisierung organized in Cologne in December 2024.

Dr. Peter Salden

06.02.25

Growing Risks: Digital Infrastructure Under Pressure

Growing Risks: Digital Infrastructure Under Pressure

Public institutions, including universities, are increasingly the focus of cyber attacks. University management is aware of this development. At the same time, however, there is a discrepancy between the perception of the general threat situation and the threat to their own institution. What do the data tell us, and what could be done to change this? Channa van der Brug speaks with Marian Burk, responsible for the recently published Hochschul-Barometer, who sheds light on the matter.

Channa van der Brug

07.01.25