"Digital Society, Social Innovation, and Global Citizenship" innovative joint program aims to address the pressing challenges, but also the opportunities, of increasing digitalization through a collective effort. 42 colleagues from all involved universities and participating organizations took part in this intensive working session, either on-site or online.
During the meeting, the Vice Rector for Teaching and Student Affairs at Universität Innsbruck, Univ.-Prof. Dr. Janette Walde, emphasized the need for a unified curriculum that effectively combines the diverse offerings of the three degree-awarding universities and for optional practical phases involved companies (SMEs).
The complexity of aligning three different university structures into a cohesive program was acknowledged as a significant challenge, but the commitment of the staff involved paved the way for future collaboration, moderated by the responsible Dean of Studies assoz. Prof. Mag. Dr. Nikolaus Umlauf and Christina Raab.
Key issues discussed included the development of scholarship opportunities, student enrollment processes, and key elements for the successful implementation of the Joint Master's Program. The selection process will be coordinated by Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II. It was also agreed that each university will publish information about the Joint Master Program and a call for scholarships, specifying the criteria and stipends, so that eligible students can apply. The aim of this initiative is to increase accessibility and to attract a wide range of students from different fields of study.
Participants also discussed in detail the creation of a comprehensive website to promote the Joint Master's Program. The proposed website will serve as a landing page with key information, including the application process. It is planned that the website will be ready for public access by the end of March 2025. In the meantime, the institutional information pages of the three degree-awarding universities will provide information and, of course, link to this page in the near future.
Looking ahead, the launch date for the Joint Master's Program is set for October 1, 2025. The universities expressed their collective commitment to address remaining challenges and completing the necessary accreditation and administrative processes in preparation for this date.
The next steps will involve continued faculty and administrative collaboration, with a follow-up meeting scheduled to review progress and finalize outstanding issues.
The Joint Master’s Program "Digital Society, Social Innovation, and Global Citizenship" aims to prepare students to become leaders capable of managing global citizenship in a digital society while fostering social innovation; at the same time, it is a demonstration of the added value and feasibility of international cooperation in higher education.