Press release
July 2024
"In times when the world seems to be drifting apart": VIEL project sets a benchmark for intercultural sensitivity
In July 2024, the sixth round of the successful VIEL project, a collaboration between Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, the University of Limerick (Ireland), and Pwani University (Kenya), concluded with a short-term stay in Germany. "Virtual International Exchange and Learning (VIEL) Kenya-Ireland-Germany” is part of the Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM for University Students – BWS plus, a programme of the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung. The project runs for four years and is financed with an amount of 145.000€.
Successful sixth round of the VIEL
project
In March 2024, the sixth round of the VIEL project kicked off with the start of a new virtual semester that brought together students from Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HKA), the University of Limerick (UL) and Pwani University (PU). The innovative hybrid concept of the project enables a total of six students from the three partner universities Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HKA), University of Limerick (UL) and Pwani University (PU) to spend a semester together virtually and then get to know each other in person during a short-term stay at the end.
Virtual semester and intercultural
workshops
Over the course of the semester, the VIEL students took part in four different workshops dealing with technical communication topics. Each of these workshops was prepared and conducted by one of the three participating universities. The students not only learned theoretical knowledge, but also applied it in joint tasks, which strengthened their intercultural cooperation and promoted exchange. In addition to the VIEL students, students from the sixth semester of the bachelor’s degree course in Communication and Media Management (KMM) also took part. They collaborated with Kenyan Bachelor students from various disciplines and created joint podcasts, among other things.
|
Workshop topic |
Date |
Lecturer |
|
How to make a podcast |
04. April 2024 |
Dr. Yvonne Cleary |
|
Intercultural aspects in communication |
02. May 2024 |
Dr. Rukiya Swaleh |
|
Visualisation basics |
23.
May 2024 |
Belinda
Oechsler |
|
Video editing |
27. June 2024 |
Alicia
Rieger |
Focusing on personal relationships
In addition to professional exchange, the VIEL project emphasizes the promotion of personal relationships. A central contact person supports the students in intensifying personal contact. The participants actively communicated in a WhatsApp group and met weekly for virtual Zoom meetings. These meetings offered the opportunity to exchange their everyday lives and cultures and to get to know each other on a personal level.
Highlight
of the semester: Short-term stay in Germany
The highlight of the semester was the VIEL short-term stay, which took place in Germany from July 18 to 24, 2024. The German HKA students had the opportunity to show their Irish and Kenyan fellow students places in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria in Germany. A special highlight was the visit to the festival "Das Fest" in Karlsruhe, which took place at the same time. The students spent intense days together, got to know each other better and quickly grew closer. After the virtual semester, many felt as if they had known each other forever. The crowning glory of the stay and the end of the semester was the official presentation of the certificates in the presence of all project members from the three universities.
Strengthening cultural
sensitivity
The VIEL program has once again shown how valuable intercultural cooperation
and the exchange of knowledge and experience are. The participants were able to
grow not only professionally but also personally and make new friends across
continents. The intensive stay together also strengthened the cultural
sensitivity of the participants. Paul from the University of Limerick aptly
sums up the significance of the project: „The world these days seems to be
pulling everybody away from each other, whether it's sociological, religious or
political differences. So programs like this are so important because they
bring people together from different communities that wouldn't track otherwise.
“
VIEL will go on for another year
"Virtual International Exchange and Learning (VIEL)
Kenya-Ireland-Germany" is a trinational project initiated by Prof. Sissi
Closs from Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences in cooperation with Pwani
University in Kenya and the University of Limerick in Ireland. The aim of the
project is to facilitate a cultural and professional exchange for students in a
future-oriented, virtual setting. Students acquire important skills in the
field of technical communication and gain valuable experience in intercultural
exchange. The project started in October 2021 and was originally scheduled to
end in September 2024.
However, costs were saved during project
implementation, as coronavirus was still preventing travel and physical
meetings at the start of the project and a cyberattack on the HKA in October
2023 severely restricted administration, in particular staff recruitment was
not possible.
Due to the success of the project, it was possible to extend the project for a
further year without incurring any costs. Students of the KMM course at HKA
therefore still have the opportunity to take part in this unique and innovative
project. Applications are now open.
All further information about the application and the VIEL project can also be
found on the karlifi.org-platform and Instagram. The experience reports of VIEL students can also be read on the joint
exchange platform karlifi.org.
Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM
The Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM
supports the international exchange of students and vocationally qualified
people. Since 2001, it has enabled more than 28,000 young people from
Baden-Württemberg to gain experience abroad and allowed scholarship holders
from other countries to visit Baden-Württemberg. Approximately 1,500 young
people receive a Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM
each year.
Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM for University Students – BWS plus
With the Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM for University Students – BWS plus, the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung supports innovative joint projects between universities from Baden-Württemberg and their international partners. The programme is endowed with approximately 1.2 million euros annually. Since 2011, more than 130 BWS plus projects have been supported at universities in Baden-Württemberg.
The Baden-Württemberg Stiftung
advocates a vital
Baden-Württemberg with a high quality of life for all its residents. It helps
pave the way for advanced technological progress, high quality education, and a
responsible relationship with fellow human beings. The Baden-Württemberg
Stiftung is one of the major foundations in Germany. It is the only foundation
which exclusively and above party lines invests in the future of the state of
Baden-Württemberg – and thus in the future of its citizens.
