Master’s Programme Digital Society, Social Innovation and Global Citizenship

Digital transformation is one of the central societal challenges facing Europe. One of the European Union’s key objectives is to actively shape this transformation towards a digital society that is economically competitive while strengthening democratic values, social justice, and inclusion. Against this background, the DIGISOC Master Programme was developed.

DIGISOC combines digital competencies with social science analysis, social innovation, and a strong European perspective. Graduates acquire the ability to critically analyse the societal impacts of digital technologies and to develop responsible, practice-oriented solutions in international contexts. As a result, the programme opens up diverse future perspectives in areas where Europe has a targeted need for highly qualified professionals.

In addition, the programme offers engagement with innovative hybrid teaching and learning formats and the opportunity to gain international experience at the participating universities and in cooperation with a wide range of external partner organisations.

The DIGISOC Master Programme integrates technological, societal, and innovative perspectives, focusing on the following thematic areas:

• Digital transformation and societal change;
• Social innovation and sustainable development;
• Ethics, responsibility, and governance of digital technologies;
• Digital methods for the analysis of societal data;
• International perspectives on digitalisation and global citizenship.

The content is delivered in an interdisciplinary manner by analysing cross-disciplinary societal challenges and addressing them through sustainable solution approaches. In addition to subject-specific knowledge, students acquire transversal competencies such as critical and ethical thinking, analytical problem-solving, intercultural collaboration, and the ability to integrate knowledge from different disciplines and apply it in international contexts.

The DIGISOC Master Programme qualifies graduates for professional roles at the intersection of digitalisation, society, and social innovation. The programme educates so-called socio-digital innovators who understand and use digital technologies to develop sustainable social solutions to societal challenges. In doing so, they combine technical knowledge with social innovation to promote inclusion, education, and participation.

Graduates are prepared to act as responsible leaders with digital expertise, social innovators, or globally oriented professionals within complex transformation processes. This opens up a wide range of career fields, including:

• European and international organisations, NGOs, and foundations;
• Public administration, policy advisory services, and digital governance;
• Social enterprises, innovation labs, and impact-oriented organisations;
• Companies focusing on digital transformation, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility;
• Research and project positions in the field of digitalisation and social change.

Graduates may take on roles such as project and programme managers, policy advisors, innovation consultants, or coordinators of international transformation projects.

The degree also provides a solid foundation for pursuing an academic career at the doctoral level.

The completion of the DIGISOC Master Programme may, in principle, provide access to further doctoral studies in Austria and abroad. Admission to a specific doctoral programme depends on the respective admission requirements and is assessed on a case-by-case basis; supplementary examinations may be required to compensate for substantial differences in prior academic training.

The DIGISOC Master Programme is designed as a European Joint Master’s Programme and is jointly delivered by three European universities:

• Palacký University Olomouc (Czech Republic);
• University of Naples Federico II (Italy);
• University of Innsbruck (Austria).

The programme combines international mobility with hybrid teaching and learning formats. Courses are taught in English and offered as hybrid formats. A central pedagogical element is the Collaboratorium for Blended International Hybrid Learning, which enables location-independent collaboration, including participation from the respective home university.

Mandatory mobility phases are an integral part of the curriculum but are organised in a bundled and well-planned manner:

• At the beginning of the programme, students participate in a joint Summer School with a five-day on-site phase at one of the partner universities;
• In the second semester, students choose a second thematic Summer School with a five-day on-site phase;
• Further courses can be taken flexibly across locations without the need to travel between countries during ongoing teaching periods.

Specialisation takes place in the third semester through elective modules with a thematic focus (e.g. education, culture, or communication), which can be completed either in hybrid format from the home university or on-site at one of the partner universities. In the fourth semester, students apply their competencies in an international practical or research-oriented setting (e.g. project work, internships, or service learning).

Overall, the DIGISOC Master Programme offers a structured international study experience that combines international exposure, academic depth, and organisational predictability.

Applicants must hold a completed Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent academic qualification. DIGISOC is deliberately designed as an interdisciplinary programme (see admission requirements).

In addition to the formal degree qualification and English language proficiency at a minimum level of B2, the application process includes a central admission test that assesses transversal academic competencies rather than subject-specific expert knowledge.

The test particularly evaluates:

• Analytical and critical thinking;
• The ability to interpret complex texts and visual information;
• Logical reasoning and evaluation of arguments;
• Reflective engagement with societal and digital issues.

The admission test ensures that students from diverse academic backgrounds share a common foundation of critical judgement, reflective capacity, and intellectual openness. It is not a knowledge-based examination but an instrument for assessing suitability for a demanding, interdisciplinary, and internationally oriented Master’s programme.

Cost transparency

The costs for the DIGISOC Master Programme consist of tuition fees and administrative contributions:

• Tuition fee: A tuition fee of EUR 2,000 per academic year is charged for the DIGISOC programme.
  This fee is centrally collected by the University of Naples Federico II (Italy).
• Additional contributions: Further fees may apply, including:
  • Public regional tax: EUR 167.50 (annual basis);
  • Stamp duty: EUR 16.00 (annual basis);
  • Contribution to the Austrian Students’ Union (ÖH): approx. EUR 25.00 (semester basis)
  • Environmental fee, if Palacký University Olomouc is the home university.

Funding opportunities and financial support

DIGISOC aims to promote inclusivity and ensure access for students regardless of their socio-economic background. Therefore, several forms of financial support are available:

• DIGISOC scholarships: The programme offers its own scholarship schemes to support qualified students. These scholarships are intended to reduce costs related to tuition fees, summer schools, short-term mobility phases, and living expenses, with a particular focus on underrepresented groups as well as diversity, fairness, and equality.
  Detailed information and current calls are available on the official programme website under Costs and Scholarships.
• Erasmus+ funding: As international mobility (e.g. participation in mandatory summer schools) is an integral part of the curriculum, these mobility phases are structured in a way that allows students to apply for Erasmus+ funding. This support helps cover travel and accommodation costs associated with international study phases.

The provision of these support mechanisms underlines the programme’s European commitment to diversity, equality, and inclusion.