Establishing digital teaching and learning structures across universities

The digital transformation is increasingly connecting universities across borders. In spring 2025, eight representatives from Hochschule Niederrhein and Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg will travel to Estonia to investigate the digital transformation in teaching and learning. The aim is to understand the processes and opportunities of digitalization at Estonian universities and to find out how a genuine university alliance can be created in the area of joint course development and implementation. The organizational, didactic, legal and technical requirements for the implementation of such a network in the Cyber Campus NRW will be examined.

The trip includes the following destinations:

• University of Tartu and Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), with study programs comparable to the Cyber Campus NRW
• Tallinna Tehnika Kõrgkool (partner university of HSNR) and Tallinn University (partner university of H-BRS)
• e-Estonia, the Estonian government project

The focus is on examples of best practice, which are supplemented by discussions with learners, teachers and those responsible. A reflection phase to answer the following key questions concludes the visit:

• Which findings are transferable and feasible – even outside the Cyber Campus NRW?
• Which impressions are particularly noteworthy?
• What would not suit the universities in Germany?

Delegation team

The delegation team is made up of the following representatives:

Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences

• Prof. Dr. Kathleen Diener, Vice President for Research and Digitalization (from September 2024)
• Prof. Dr. Gael Pentag, Chair of Cyber Security Management, Faculty of Business and Economics
• Dr. Sylvia Ruschin, Head of University Didactics
• Dennis Schallenberg, student, Cyber Security Management

Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences

• Prof. Dr. Marion Halfmann, President of H-BRS (from November 2024); still a professor at the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences at the time of application / Internationalization Officer (coordination)
• Prof. Dr. Marco Winzker, Vice President for Studies, Teaching and Digitalization
• Angela Fischer, Chancellor
• N.N., student, computer science student council, AStA or StuPa