VirtualLAS

VirtualLAS – DAAD IVAC funded project

In 2020, UCF launched VirtualLAS. This new project, funded by the DAAD International Virtual Academic Collaboration Program, focuses on

collaborative, digitally based teaching and student-instructor dialogue
intercultural competencies and team-working skills

Our aims in more detail

Access to education and participation in academic dialogue have taken on an increasingly global dimension. Digitalization opens numerous opportunities for academic collaboration that far exceed the geographical, political, and social boundaries of traditional teaching and learning. In order to incorporate these aspects in our curriculum, University College Freiburg launched the VirtualLAS program with the support of the DAAD International Virtual Academic Collaboration 2020-2021.

VirtualLAS focusses on collaborative, digitally based teaching and student-instructor dialogue as well as intercultural competencies and team-working skills. The project is particularly suited to strengthen students' understanding of global responsibility, diversity, and interculturality.

VirtualLAS ultimately aims to:

expand our internationalization endeavors into the virtual domain and increase internationalization at home for our students;
integrate international, virtual, and student-centred courses into our curriculum and the curricula of select international partners;
develop, pilot, and consolidate an international, virtual, and student-centred course offering together with select international partners that allows students to gain international exposure, to increase their content-related understanding of international challenges, and to further develop their intercultural cooperation and digital learning competencies;
foster learning and transfer of these student-centered formats of virtual international learning to other credit-bearing courses at UCF, the University of Freiburg, and international partners.

VirtualLAS courses and partners 2021

The innovative and collaborative VirtualLAS teaching formats for 2021 and listed and described in detail below. They will be developed and implemented with the following partners:

School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Gothenburg (Sweden)
Center for Medicine and Society, University of Freiburg (Germany)
Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen (Denmark)
Business School, University of Exeter (UK)

(1) Pandemics – Detection, Containment, Control

Dr. Simon J. Buechner, Major Life Sciences, University College Freiburg, University of Freiburg (Germany)
Dr. Laith Hussain, Senior Lecturer, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Gothenburg (Sweden)
Prof. Dr. Axel Kroeger, Center for Medicine and Society, University of Freiburg (Germany)

In this joint course, 20 students from three partner institutions study the outbreak detection and the management of pandemics. Building on VirtualLAS I, we created a more advanced course set-up (including an e-learning module) that fits to different institutional needs of the partners. Specific student-centred virtual learning format is focuses on students’ work in mixed teams on a virtual scenario simulation of a pandemic outbreak.

(2) Sustainable Cities 2.0 – Exploring Cities from the North to the South

Dr. Natalie Gulsrud, Associate Professor, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen (Denmark)

Dr. Sabine Sané, Major Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, University College Freiburg, University of Freiburg

In this credit-bearing course, 20 international students explore the sustainability of cities in Denmark, Germany and Israel. Building on VirtualLAS I, the course will now include the topic of sustainable cities development, going beyond a Euro-centric view. Virtual problem-based learning and further development of virtual excursions will be supplemented by discussions with international experts.

(3) Closing the Sustainability Loop? Governance of Sustainability, Actors, Rights and Principles

Dr. Constantine Manolchev: Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Futures, University of Exeter, Business School (UK)

Dr. Stoyan Panov, Major Governance, University College Freiburg, University of Freiburg

This is a joint course for 30-35 students from two partner institutions who will study the governance of sustainability from an interdisciplinary perspective. Emphasis is on student projects in mixed teams (in terms of study backgrounds and cultures) and a highly interdisciplinary virtual colloquium centred on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Contact at UCF: Anne Klemperer at anne.klemperer@ucf.uni-freiburg.de

VirtualLAS courses and partners 2020

In 2020, we collaborated with the following partners in delivering our first VirtualLAS courses:

(1) Pandemics in History

In a joint credit-bearing course, 12 students (at the advanced Bachelor and beginning Master level) from three partner institutions will develop a 360°-view of six different pandemics that occurred in human history: Tuberculosis, Influenza, Dengue, SARS/Covid 19, HIV, antimicrobial resistance. Each pandemic will be covered by one expert who also serves as a mentor for the students. Expert-mentors will be recruited from the partners’ networks. Six international student pairs will each explore one pandemic and compare its consequences as well as measures taken against them in different parts of the world. In addition, students will gain insights into public health institutions (WHO, CDC, RKI etc.). Students will get different perspectives on pandemics, which are of global concern, while measures against them are usually taken on a national level.

(2) Sustainable Cities

In this credit-bearing course, 20 students located in different European cities (at the advanced Bachelor and beginning Master level) will explore what it takes to develop a city sustainably, including challenges and possible solutions.

As an exemplary city, students will go on a virtual excursion to Copenhagen with a specific focus on Copenhagen’s sustainable urban design. Additionally, city planners and sustainability experts will be invited to the course so that students have the possibility to directly exchange ideas with them. Equipped with excellent background information, students will go out in their respective city and compare their findings to what has been discussed in class.

Students will create a virtual tour on sustainability measures in their cities by producing a video. Overall, they will be able to explore the video tours of different cities together during the course and get first-hand insights on the sustainable development of different cities in Europe.

(3) European Union Rising up to Current Challenges

This is a joint credit-bearing course for 45 students (at the advanced Bachelor and beginning Master level) from four partner institutions. With a particular focus on the social, economic and political challenges to the European Union, heightened by the current pandemic, the course seeks to engage students in an exploration and exchange on such topics as:

democratic governance and rule of law in crisis and emergency situations;
economic and social solidarity challenged by differentiated impact of crises on member states;
the future of mobility and open borders;
social and economic sustainability;
EU speaking with one voice in the global arena.

The course takes an explicit comparative approach, combining insights from Central Europe (Germany, UCF), Northern Europe (Sweden, Lund University) and Eastern Europe (Nicolaus Copernicus University and Jagiellonian University, Poland). It will furthermore be interdisciplinary and combine political science, legal studies and sociology insights, drawing on the expertise of the instructors from the partner institutions.