Topic outline
- General
- Press release
Press release
December 2023
VIEL-Project: Successful completion of the fourth round
Another milestone of the trinational VIEL project of Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences in cooperation with the University of Limerick and Pwani University has been successfully achieved. The fourth round of the project was completed in September 2023. "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€.
The fourth VIEL round started in March 2023 with two students from each of the participating universities. In a virtual kick-off event on March 16, 2023, the six VIEL students were welcomed by the project team led by Prof. Sissi Closs and introduced to the VIEL semester. Three central components form the core of the hybrid exchange program:
1. virtual workshops
2. informal, virtual meetings
3. (if possible) a live meeting at one of the three universities.
Regular workshops and joint projects
To get to know the field of technical communication or to expand their knowledge in this area, students take part in monthly virtual workshops, which are held by the participating universities on a rotating basis. The following workshops took place in the fourth VIEL round:
Workshop content
Datum
Dozent
How to make a podcast
23. March 2023
Dr. Yvonne Cleary
Intercultural aspects in communication
06. April 2023
Dr. Rukiya Swaleh
Alexander MuthangaVideo editing
20. April 2023
Farina Ebel
Visualisation basics
31. May 2023
Belinda Oechsler
Edith Miano
After each workshop, the students were given a short homework assignment to immediately apply the knowledge they had learned. The task from the first workshop entitled "How to make a podcast", in which the students interviewed each other and exchanged information about their respective cultures, was particularly well received. The video project, which had already been popular in previous rounds, was also very well received. These joint projects not only enabled the students to develop a better understanding of each other, but also to develop their technical communication skills and gain experience of working in an intercultural virtual environment.Virtual friendships through "weekly get-togethers"
In addition to the professional exchange, the focus of the project is on personal exchange. In addition to a lively exchange in a WhatsApp group, the VIEL students met weekly in virtual meetings via Zoom, where they talked about their everyday lives without their lecturers and were thus able to get to know each other even better on a personal level. It was already evident from previous rounds how important and, above all, popular these private meetings are for building trust, making friends and getting to know each other's cultures. This is also reflected in the fact that students from previous rounds were happy to take part in the meetings again.
In-person meeting at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences in May 2023
the students can get to know each other live and strengthen the friendships they have made virtually. From April 29 to May 6, 2023, the VIEL students spent an eventful time together at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences in Germany. The program included a visit to a traditional wine festival in Landau, a visit to the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung in Stuttgart, a meeting with all project alumni and participation in the European Academic Colloquium, the international conference for technical communication. A detailed report can be found on the exchange platform karlifi.org.
Virtual closing event
On June 29, 2023, a virtual closing event was held in which the VIEL students and the project team took part. After a brief review of the semester, the VIEL students reported on their experiences and the cultural exchange and showed some of their outstanding student work that was created during the workshops. The consistently positive feedback from the students once again showed how special this virtual exchange program is and how much they benefit from it.
Stay at Pwani University in September 2023
The fourth round had a special twist. Some students from the fourth round were able to accompany the project team on a two-week stay at Pwani University in Kilifi in September 2023. Here, the students had the opportunity to see old friends again and finally meet a VIEL student in person, who had unfortunately not been able to travel to Germany in May for administrative reasons. Together with the Kenyan VIEL students, they got to know Kenya and its people, traditions and customs even better and strengthened their friendships. The stay was also utilized to introduce the work of the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung, establish the first Regional Chapter in Kenya, and select students for the new VIEL round.
About the VIEL project
"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 project started in October 2021 and will continue until September 2024. Each semester, two students from the participating universities have the opportunity to take part in the hybrid exchange round. The aim of the project is to enable 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 experience reports of the VIEL students can be read on the joint exchange platform karlifi.org.
The 5th VIEL round started in October 2023. All further information is available on the karlifi.org learning platform and 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 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.