Practical Experiences in International Studies in Informatics

1
Practical Experiences in International Studies
in Informatics

• Claudia Krull, Georg Paul
• Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg (OvG)
• Daniel V. Goulet
• University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP)

2
Agenda

• The Partners
• Goals
• Challenges
• The Dual-Degree Program
• Results
• Future Challenges

3
The Partners

• Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg
• 9 Departments with 10,000 Students
• Faculty of Computer Science 1500 students
• 4 Diploma courses (ending), 3 Master courses, 4
  Bachelor courses
• University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
• 8700 students in 100 programs
• Department of Mathematics and Computing
• Majors and Minor in CIS

4
Goals

• Students can obtain degrees from both
  Universities as part of their normal study
  activities.
• International Understanding
• Cultural / Historical Understanding
• Academic Understanding
• Language Proficiency
• Academic Certification

5
Challenges

• Prerequisites
• Curriculum
• Language difficulties
• Financial issues
• Will also come up in Europe

6
Prerequisites

• German students need Abitur to study
• Any American High-School graduate may study
• Convince German officials, that Americans are
  qualified to study
• ? Good grades are necessary for admittance into
  the program

7
Curriculum

• Diploma (Germany)
• 5 years, almost only major
• 4 different courses of study (Inf,WIF,CV,CSE)
• Practicum required in 7th or 8th semester
• Bachelor (USA)
• 4 years CIS Major
• GDR requirements

8
Language

• Germans study English at school
• At least 6 years of experience
• Applicants usually pass the TOEFL
• All courses at UWSP are in English
• No foreign language required in the US
• None or very little knowledge in German
• Students would need to pass the DSH
• Most diploma courses at OvG are in German

9
Finances

• OvG students
• Pay no tuition (yet) at home
• 7000 per semester at UWSP
• Up to 2002 funding from DAAD
• Since then support from UWSP
• Practicum payment, jobs, reimbursement fund
• UWSP
• Charges 1500 tuition from their students
• Why should Germans study for free?

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The Dual-Degree Program

• OvG Students
• Reach a specified score on the TOEFL Test
• Take some few GDR Courses and CIS Courses at UWSP
  to complete the Bachelor
• Can complete their practicum at UWSP

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The Dual-Degree Program

• UWSP Students
• Reach a specified level on the DSH Test
• Take a set of Informatics courses to count for
  their UWSP Bachelor
• Can remain for the 9th and 10th semester to
  complete the diploma

12
Results to Date

• 1992 Practicum in Informatics
• 16 German students
• 1997 Dual Degree Program
• 20 Germans completed bachelors degree
• Summer Course
• 16 students per year for 3 weeks
• No student from UWSP participated in the program,
  due to the language requirement

13
Future Challenges

• New recommendations for model curricula in the
  USA
• 5 different curricula
• Bologna-Declaration made OvG switch from Diploma
  to Bachelor/Master
• 4 Bachelor courses
• 5 Masters courses
• Starting 2009 a new agreement is necessary

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Conclusion

• Worldwide comparability in Informatics is
  necessary
• Establishing a cooperation is a long and hard
  process
• Dual-Degree-Program
• an example for the Bologna process in Europe today

15
Thank You!