Episode 10: Vision of a University of the Digital Tomorrow

00:00:00: Welcome to a new episode of Campus to Cyber, the podcast by the German UDS.

00:00:15: For the production of this episode we used for the first time the AI-based Knowledge

00:00:20: Management Tool notebook LM.

00:00:22: The speakers are AI-generated voices.

00:00:24: The entire conversation is based on the text of the German UDS.

00:00:28: We delve into the future of education in the digital age.

00:00:31: In this episode we explore the scientific report 1 of the German UDS, authored by the

00:00:36: founders Professor Dr. Mike Fritzen and Professor Dr. Christoph Meinl.

00:00:41: This report presents a forward-thinking vision of a university of the digital tomorrow, outlining

00:00:46: the foundation and mission of an entirely digital university.

00:00:50: The groundbreaking report from the German UDS highlights the university's commitment

00:00:55: to making high-quality education in digitalization accessible to learners around the world.

00:01:02: Through innovative teaching formats and cutting-edge research in digitalization and artificial

00:01:07: intelligence, the focus is on lifelong learning and supporting digital transformation across

00:01:14: various industries.

00:01:16: This vision seeks to empower students and professionals in a rapidly evolving digital

00:01:21: world.

00:01:22: As we take a closer look at how this digital university is paving the way for the future

00:01:29: of global education.

00:01:31: [Music]

00:01:42: We're going to have a university that's completely online, like entirely.

00:01:45: You can be anywhere in the world and still get a degree.

00:01:48: Yeah, and not just your run-of-the-mill online courses either.

00:01:51: We got our hands on the German University of Digital Sciences big report and they're

00:01:56: really aiming to redefine what a university can be in our digital world, you know.

00:02:02: No kidding, it's pretty ambitious stuff.

00:02:03: They're talking about democratizing knowledge, making sure everyone has access to digital

00:02:08: skills, even boosting the global economy.

00:02:11: And they want to do all of that through this totally digital university, German UDS.

00:02:16: And it's not just about being online, they're really trying to figure out how people learn

00:02:20: best in a digital environment, which is pretty cool.

00:02:23: So how does it actually work?

00:02:24: Like, they have this thing called knowledge essentials, which sounds kind of like, I don't

00:02:27: know, digital lectures.

00:02:28: Yeah, you got it.

00:02:29: Think short videos, you know, perfect for what do they call it, modern attention spans.

00:02:34: Oh, tell me about it.

00:02:35: But seriously, how do they make sure students aren't just passively watching?

00:02:40: Well they have these deep dive projects where students get to really dive into a topic,

00:02:44: do independent research, that sort of thing.

00:02:46: And they're big on making sure students can still interact with each other and their professors.

00:02:51: That's key, right?

00:02:52: Yeah.

00:02:53: Because that whole sense of community is such a big part of the college experience.

00:02:56: Totally.

00:02:57: And get this, they're even thinking about building a virtual campus in the metaverse.

00:03:00: Okay, now that sounds a little out there, even for me.

00:03:03: Yeah.

00:03:04: Like virtual reality headsets in the library.

00:03:07: Come on, can you really recreate that whole college vibe online?

00:03:12: Well, it's definitely an experiment, that's for sure.

00:03:15: But it shows they're not afraid to try new things, to push the boundaries of what's

00:03:19: possible, especially when you consider who they're hoping to attract.

00:03:24: Because this isn't just for your average 18 year old, right?

00:03:26: They're targeting professionals who want to level up their skills, people wanting to start

00:03:30: tech companies, even folks working on digital policy.

00:03:34: Exactly.

00:03:35: It's about making education accessible to anyone, no matter where they are in life or

00:03:40: their career.

00:03:41: It's lifelong learning, basically.

00:03:43: Okay, I see what they're going for, but can they really deliver a top notch education

00:03:49: without an actual campus?

00:03:51: That's what I'm wondering.

00:03:52: That's the million dollar question, isn't it?

00:03:54: And that's where their approach to research comes in.

00:03:57: Because they're not just teaching, they're doing some really interesting research as

00:04:00: well.

00:04:01: Oh really?

00:04:02: Like what kind of research are we talking about here?

00:04:03: Well, they have these research centers, right?

00:04:05: And one of them is all about learning analytics.

00:04:08: So basically they're using data to figure out how people learn best online.

00:04:12: Okay, so they're putting a lot of thought into how to optimize the online learning experience.

00:04:17: That makes sense.

00:04:18: Yeah, and then there's digital science, which is super broad.

00:04:21: They're looking at things like virtual labs, new ways to collaborate on research globally,

00:04:26: even how the internet is changing the way we do science in general.

00:04:29: Oh, and of course, no digital university would be complete without a focus on artificial intelligence.

00:04:35: Right, AI is huge these days. So are they using AI in their teaching methods as well?

00:04:41: It seems like it. I mean, they're definitely exploring its potential, but here's the thing

00:04:45: I find really interesting. They're not just keeping all this research to themselves. They're

00:04:49: planning on getting their doctoral students really involved, both in the research itself,

00:04:54: A and D in teaching.

00:04:55: Oh, that's a fantastic idea. Give those PhD students some real-world experience and fresh

00:05:00: perspectives for the university. It's like a win-win. But okay, let's be real. There

00:05:05: are tons of online universities popping up these days. How is German UDS going to stand

00:05:10: out from the crowd?

00:05:11: Well, they've thought about that too. In the report, they actually lay out what they

00:05:15: call their five unique selling propositions. It's like their secret sauce, their recipe

00:05:20: for success.

00:05:21: Okay, I'm intrigued. What are these five secret ingredients?

00:05:25: First up, accessibility. They're really serious about making top quality education and digital

00:05:30: science available to everyone. No matter where you live, what your background is, they want

00:05:35: to make it happen.

00:05:36: Yeah, that makes sense with the whole online format. No geographical limitations. But I'm

00:05:40: guessing there's more to it than just being online.

00:05:42: Oh, absolutely. Their second proposition is all about staying relevant. Their laser-focused

00:05:48: on making sure everything they teach is what employers are looking for right now, like

00:05:53: cutting-edge stuff. They want their graduates to be totally ready for the job market.

00:05:57: So no outdated textbooks or anything like that. I like it.

00:06:01: Right. And here's a big one. Their third proposition is building a strong sense of

00:06:05: community.

00:06:06: Really? That's interesting because that's something a lot of people worry about with

00:06:09: online learning, right? Like, how do you build those connections when everyone is miles

00:06:14: apart?

00:06:15: Well, it sounds like they're really putting a lot of thought into it. They're building

00:06:17: all sorts of interactive features into their platform, you know, like virtual study groups,

00:06:23: online forums where students can chat, even virtual events and meetups.

00:06:27: So they're trying to use technology to sort of recreate those informal interactions that

00:06:32: happen naturally on a physical campus. It's kind of like a virtual student union, I guess.

00:06:37: Exactly. And their fourth proposition is all about personalized learning. They're planning

00:06:43: to use things like AI and data analytics to create a unique learning experience for each

00:06:47: student. Imagine, like personalized study plans, tailored feedback, even suggestions

00:06:52: for extra resources, all based on your own progress and goals.

00:06:56: That's pretty amazing. It's like having your own personal tutor available 24/7.

00:07:00: Okay.

00:07:01: So, fifth and final proposition.

00:07:03: Continuous improvement. They're committed to constantly evaluating their programs, getting

00:07:07: feedback from students, and making changes based on what's working and what's not.

00:07:11: I like that they're not just, you know, setting it and forgetting it. They're willing to

00:07:15: adapt and evolve as they go. But I'm curious, with all this talk about master's degrees

00:07:20: and professional certificates, are they offering anything for, well, traditional college students,

00:07:26: you know, those fresh out of high school?

00:07:27: They are. They actually mentioned in the report that they're planning to offer a bachelor

00:07:31: of science in digital world starting in 2025.

00:07:35: Digital world. It's a pretty broad degree title. What exactly does that entail?

00:07:39: They haven't really stole the details yet, but it sounds like it will combine a strong

00:07:43: foundation in tech stuff, like programming and digital technologies with business skills

00:07:49: and, you know, those soft skills that everyone's always talking about.

00:07:52: Yeah. Those are super important no matter what field you go into.

00:07:55: So it sounds like they're really trying to prepare students for a world that's becoming

00:07:59: increasingly digital, which let's face it is the world we're living in.

00:08:03: No doubt about it. It'll be fascinating to see how it all comes together.

00:08:07: It really makes you think about the future of higher education. Can a fully online institution

00:08:12: really provide that same level of depth and richness as a traditional university? Will

00:08:19: employers value degrees from a digital first university?

00:08:22: Big questions for sure.

00:08:23: Definitely something to ponder.

00:08:24: Well, I think that about wraps up our deep dive into the German University of Digital

00:08:29: Science. It's been a really interesting conversation.

00:08:31: Totally agree.

00:08:33: It's definitely got me thinking about the future of learning and how we can better prepare

00:08:37: students for the challenges and opportunities of our digital world.

00:08:41: And for those of you listening, we'd love to hear your thoughts too.

00:08:45: What stood out to you the most about German UDS? Do you think this kind of digital first

00:08:50: university is the way of the future? Let us know.

00:08:52: Absolutely. Join the conversation.

00:08:54: And on that note, we'll wrap things up here. Thanks for joining us for another deep dive.

00:08:59: Until next time, stay curious.

00:09:01: [Music]