Topic outline
- General
- Press release
Press release
"The VIEL project has shaped me for the future" - Second round of the trinational project completed successfully
With a joint visit to the IEEE ProComm Conference 2022 at the University of Limerick in Ireland in July 2022, the second exchange round of the trinational project VIEL of Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences in cooperation with Pwani University Kilifi and the University of Limerick in Ireland was successfully finished. "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 from October 2021 until September 2024 and is financed with an amount of 145.000€.
Complete a semester with experience abroad, make new friends and get to know cultures, while gaining important skills in the field of communication and media, and all this without having to interrupt or have to neglect your own studies. This is made possible by the VIEL - Virtual International Exchange and Learning project, which was launched in October 2021 by Prof. Sissi Closs from Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HKA) in cooperation with Pwani University (PU) in Kenya and the University of Limerick (UL) in Ireland. The aim of the project is to create a cultural and professional exchange for students from the three universities in a future-oriented, virtual setting. Every semester, two students from each of the universities have the opportunity to participate in an exchange round. The second round of the project was successfully completed in July 2022.
Workshops with up to 70 participants
For the summer semester 2022, four VIEL students were selected for the project and were able to participate in the offered workshops out of the field of communication and media:
Topic
Date/Time
Lecturer
How to make a podcast
01. April 2022
11:00am GMT, 12:00pm CET, 01:00pm EATDr Yvonne Cleary
Intercultural aspects in communication
04. April 2022
11:00am GMT, 12:00pm CET, 01:00pm EATDr Rukiya Swaleh
Alexander MuthangaVideo editing
14. April 2022
11:00am GMT, 12:00pm CET, 01:00pm EATFarina Ebel
Visualisation basics
28. April 2022
11:00am GMT, 12:00pm CET, 01:00pm EATBelinda Oechsler
Edith MianoAs a special highlight, Bachelor students from the Communication and Media programme (HKA) also participated in the workshops as part of the course "Intercultural Communication", as well as Bachelor students from various disciplines at PU. In joint projects, the students were able to directly apply both the professional and intercultural competences and benefit from the exchange. Everyone was enthusiastic about both the group work and the results. The production of their own podcast and the video production about the events and traditions surrounding Easter in the respective cultures were particularly well received.
Private exchange through regular "VIEL ladies' nights"
In addition to the professional exchange, the second VIEL round also promoted private exchange and held weekly meetings. Because the student round this semester happened to consist only of female students, the weekly "regulars' tables" quickly turned into more virtual " ladies' nights". Men, weddings, the latest trends and the next upcoming party - every Wednesday, the four VIEL female students exchanged their experiences of the past week, daily topics and weekend plans. In addition to the virtual meetings, there was also a lively exchange in the WhatsApp group. For example, there was a spontaneous call for a drink and a virtual "Cheers" when Annie Bossa handed in her Master's thesis. In a "What-I-eat-in-a-day" food challenge, each student posted her daily meals. Without having met each other in real life before, the girls got to know each other's lifestyles and cultures and a deep friendship developed.
Joint stay and project closure in Ireland
To crown the end of the semester, the VIEL team met live at the University of Limerick in Ireland as part of the IEEE ProComm conference from 17-21 July 2022. It was especially exciting for the students to see each other live for the first time after the virtual semester. "I was so happy to finally meet everyone in real life and spend time together. Getting to know different cultures and different perspectives is the best thing you can do because everyone can learn from each other," said VIEL student and master's student at HKA, Stefanie Hofmann. In addition to attending the conference, the VIEL team spent an intensive time together on the beautiful campus of the University of Limerick and the nearby city.
To conclude the stay and the VIEL semester, a closing event was held at UL on 20 July, which included exciting workshops, as well as reviews of the past semester. "VIEL was a wonderful experience and has shaped me for the future. VIEL will remain in my heart forever, as will the friendships that were made, the memories that were made and the knowledge that was acquired," Stefanie Hofmann concludes.
With VIEL, students have the opportunity to build virtual international friendships, get to know new cultures, gain professional knowledge in the field of communication and media, and create unforgettable experiences along the way. Like the first round, the second VIEL round was a complete success, thanks in no small part to the strong team and the partnership-based cooperation between the three universities. The third round of the VIEL project will start in October 2022. All information on VIEL is also available on Instagram.
Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM
The Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM supports the international exchange of students and vocationally qualified people. Since 2001, it has enabled more than 25,000 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 104 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.
