The master programme is jointly offered by the University of Innsbruck, the Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II and Palacký-Universität Olmütz. The facility was partly financed through the EURIDICE project, in which the University of Innsbruck is a partner and through whose collaboration this joint degree programme was initially developed.
Vice-Rector for Infrastructure DI Manfred Lechner highlights the importance of the investment: “We are delighted that we have enabled to create a modern space that fosters new forms of collaboration.” The room is designed to support innovative teaching and learning formats that combine digital technologies with a student-centred approach.
The hybrid teaching and learning space entered into operation with the beginning of the 2025/26 winter semester. Vice-Rector for Teaching and Students Univ.-Prof. Dr. Janette Walde emphasised its strategic significance: “This new infrastructure opens up inspiring opportunities for innovative teaching and learning at the university.”
Since the beginning of the semester, the first cohort of DIGISOC students has been working in this hybrid environment and is already benefiting from the opportunity to collaborate across locations in real time. The space was specifically designed to facilitate international teaching and learning scenarios and to enable seamless interaction between students and lecturers from the partner universities.
This week, DIGISOC students will meet in person for the first time at Palacký University Olomouc as part of the first Summer School, organised as a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) . BIPs are among the newest short-term mobility formats within Erasmus+ and offer a flexible framework for promoting international and intercultural exchange. The format aligns closely with the University of Innsbruck’s internationalisation strategy, which aims to strengthen globally oriented cooperation and expand internationally focused degree programmes.
DIGISOC study coordinator at the University of Innsbruck, Mag. Johannes Seiler, PhD, who will participate in the BIP in Olomouc together with coordinators and lecturers from the partner universities and teach an introductory course in data science and statistics, underscores the added value of such initiatives:
“The BIP provides an important framework in which students and instructors from different academic cultures can work together directly. For an internationally oriented programme like DIGISOC, this personal exchange is a key component of learning and teaching. It not only strengthens interdisciplinary cooperation but also deepens understanding of the diverse cultural perspectives within our European partnership.”
f you have questions about DIGISOC or the hybrid teaching and learning space, the Team for Teaching and Learning Formats (Office for the Bologna Process and Teaching Development, Vice-Rectorate for Teaching and Students) will be happy to assist you: DIGISOC@uibk.ac.at