Higher education is being dramatically altered by digitalization. Digital educational technologies have the potential to further internationalization while also allowing for new types of engagement and mobility. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) actively supports digital internationalization, both via financing and the implementation of research and development initiatives, as well as through networking and community building: issues vary from digital preparation programs to digital credentials. At the same time, problems persist regarding the boundaries of these technologies, such as open educational practice, digital exclusion, and university self-understanding. How can the consequences of digitization, new digital tools and formats, and internationalization be recorded in the future? What issues arise from cross-border partnerships, new mobility patterns, and flexible learning paths?
Participants are invited to explore these critical topics at the biennial conference “Moving Target Digitalization.” The conference will showcase project findings and evaluate related activities at home and abroad, emphasizing current advances in the internationalization of higher education. Furthermore, the conference intends to provide a forum for policy discourse in order to address the framework conditions for European and international collaboration potential.
Tracks for this Conference
- Linking Digital Education Services: Since the pandemic began, the amount and quality of digital education services targeted toward either study preparation, assistance, or resources have expanded dramatically. Meanwhile, it is difficult to envision education now and in the future without considering the role of digitalization. The benefits and constraints of increased collaboration between different digital services, as well as their potential interconnectedness, will be examined in this conference track. The focus will be on national and global views, lifelong learning, and the question of participation for everyone, among other things.
Guiding questions for the theme track include: How can “teaching and learning” be linked via digital formats, tools and forms of cooperation along the student journey? How can genuinely innovative teaching/learning scenarios be designed and implemented sustainably? What role do education platforms play in our digital future?
Themes include in this track
- interlinking education,
- interoperability,
- OER,
- national education platforms,
- international education,
- lifelong learning,
- international cooperation,
- innovation,
- educational accessibility.
- Virtual Exchange and Blended Mobility: International cooperation is essential for collaboratively addressing global issues. Digitalization creates new chances for cooperation that go well beyond the geographical, political, and social constraints of traditional teaching and learning settings. Virtual Exchange is one educational framework that allows students and instructors to collaborate in worldwide and multicultural teams (VE). Students’ and educators’ intercultural, digital, and collaborative skills, as well as their problem-solving abilities for research and instruction, can all benefit from VE situations. Skills and competencies that are necessary for young specialists to tackle today’s global concerns. However, educators and VE coordinators have various problems in developing, implementing, and evaluating VEs.
Themes include in this track
- Developing and fostering international partnerships,
- Co-creation,
- Co-teaching,
- (Student) collaboration,
- Student engagement,
- IT-tools and data security,
- Skills development and evaluation,
- E-assessment,
- (Ecological) sustainability,
- Inclusion and equal participation.
- European Strategies for Digital Education: What opportunities do the Digital Education Action Plan and the Digital Education Hub of the European Commission offer? What effects does the “European Strategy for Universities” have on exchange and cooperation between universities and within university alliances? How can cross-national and cross-sectoral cooperation in Europe drive the expansion of digital (higher) education – and thus also strengthen the internationalization of education? Which digital infrastructure is suitable to enable seamless mobility and to support lifelong learning in Europe and beyond?
Themes include in this track
- Community of Practice,
- Digital Education Action Plan,
- Digital Education Hub,
- Digital Transformation,
- Knowledge-Sharing and mapping,
- Accelerating innovation,
- Agility,
- Interoperability,
- European cooperation in education.
- Digital Credentials and Trust Networks in Education: What are the implications of digital credentials for the digitalization of Higher Education and Administration? Which technical requirements and political-organizational frameworks affect the feasibility, transparency and system openness? Is Self-Sovereign Identity a crucial element of digital diplomas? Which factors have hindered the development of an international standard to date? How can trust in digital credentials be established and does openness of system design affect acceptance by future users?
Themes include in this track
- Governance,
- Identity Management,
- Interoperability,
- Micro-Credentials,
- Regulatory and Legal Frameworks,
- Lifelong Learning,
- Portability,
- Prototypical Developments,
- Security & Data Protection,
- Self-Sovereign Identity,
- Trust Anchoring,
- Qualification Frameworks,
- Quality Assurance.
Contribution Formats
They literally accept and promote submissions for all topic tracks. The organizers will choose and filter the submissions based on their subject relevance and complementarity to the invited keynotes and panels. When submitting your contributions, you have numerous format options to pick from. Furthermore, the same procedure applies to all donation forms. With the same scope and modalities, each submission must include the following information:
- Contribution title (max. 160 characters),
- Abstract (max. 400 characters),
- Session description (max. 2000 characters),
- Short biography of the speaker/convener (max. 1000 characters).
Presentations: One or more writers offer issues and answer to difficulties in one or more of the conference’s topic tracks. They draw on existing political or HEI-specific discussions to give novel ideas, new tactics, or practical methods to applying digital aspects in connection to topical track topics. A presentation session will last 30 minutes. The talk, which should not last more than 20 minutes, is followed by a 10-minute Q&A or open discussion.
Workshops: In a conversational tone, discuss a contemporary subject in one or more of the theme tracks. Workshops can either go further into theme parts of the programs or throw light on supplementary viewpoints and subsequent debates. Workshops will last 60 minutes and can be held online or on-site, with one or two facilitators. The proposal should define the workshop’s broad theme and learning goals, as well as the collaborative techniques and instruments to be employed.
Panel Discussions: May have 3 to 5 panelists from various universities and backgrounds who will share views or engage in discussion on a contentious issue. A chairman or moderator must be present to facilitate the event. A panel discussion may only take place in person, not online. It should run 60 to 90 minutes and include audience involvement. Please keep in mind that the panel’s composition takes into account both an adequate gender ratio and the inclusion of diverse views and backgrounds to reflect the subject focus of internationalization. These two elements will be used as selection criterion.
Lightening Talks: Are extremely brief talks of no more than 5 minutes on a topic related to theme tracks. A poster or comparable graphic style should accompany and swirl around the lightning presentation. This allows you to not only illustrate the discussion, but also visually connect with a project, endeavor, tool, or concept. Students are specifically asked to submit lightning speeches, for example, as part of their theses. Please keep in mind: The purpose of lightning presentations is to express a topic quickly, insightfully, and concisely, allowing the audience to interact with a variety of issues in a short length of time. As a result, the lightning talks will be rigorously timed and will be limited to 5 minutes. All posters submitted will be reviewed.
Benefits
As an applicant you will be able to propose your voice and bring your ideas upfront in terms of the mentioned tracks above. Additionally, selected candidates will have an opportunity to attend the conference in Berlin Germany with the financial compensations of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
Eligibility Criteria
There is no specific requirement for this bilingual conference, anyone from any part of the world who has an enthusiasm to get his voices heard and the inclination to contribute can apply and submit his/her proposal to which track they are interested.
How to Contribute and Submit my Proposal?
Please use the apply now button below to submit your contribution proposal, including the details specified under ‘contribution formats.’ Following the submission of your proposal, you will get a confirmation email at the email address indicated in your account. You can use the link in the email to edit your proposal until the deadline.
Registration for the event will be available later through the DAAD Events App. The URL will also be made available on their website. Please keep in mind that you will need to register for the event independently from the CfP, either on-site in Berlin or online, since receipt of your donation does not immediately register you for attendance. Attendance does not, however, need a reported donation. Whether or not you participate in the CfP, you are cordially welcome to attend the conference.
