With the ‘Future Semester’, both universities are offering an upgrade to their degree programmes. This enables students to bridge the gap between completing their degree and starting their career.
The ‘Future Semester’ will commence in the 2020/21 winter semester at Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences and Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences. The ‘Future Semester’ is a postgraduate programme designed to award 25–30 ECTS credits, lasting one to a maximum of two semesters. Students from both universities who have already completed an undergraduate degree leading to a ‘Bachelor’s’ qualification are eligible to enrol.
“With the ‘Future Semester’, we are offering our graduates a postgraduate programme leading to a university certificate. This benefits not only the students, but also businesses in the Lower Rhine region and the Ruhr area. After all, we hope this will, not least, foster a sense of connection to the region, ensuring that our graduates are ready for the local labour market both during and after the coronavirus crisis,” explains Dr Oliver Locker-Grütjen, President of Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, outlining his intention.
HRW President Prof. Dr Susanne Staude adds: “The ‘Future Semester’ collaboration project with Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences arose from our sense of responsibility towards our graduates. The coronavirus pandemic is having a direct impact on graduates who are completing their studies in this difficult economic climate. The job market is proving challenging in this crisis, so we want to create opportunities at both universities through the ‘Future Semester’. You could call it an upgrade of the knowledge they have already acquired.”
During the ‘Future Semester’, students will undertake practice-oriented specialisations to further refine their professional profile:
The Circular Economy Management specialisation is sustainable, interdisciplinary and forward-looking. It focuses on circular value creation and closed-loop economic cycles.
The Digitalisation specialisation is global, diverse and forward-looking. It provides a fundamental understanding of how processes are changing and the opportunities offered by digitalisation.
The Entrepreneurship specialisation is independent, self-directed and responsible. Students learn the basics of setting up a business, develop their own business model together with fellow students, and pitch it to a high-calibre panel.
The ‘International Perspectives and Intercultural Communication’ specialisation fosters an international outlook in thought, action and daily life. The aim is to broaden students’ horizons; they gain in-depth insight into other cultural spheres and strengthen their intercultural skills.
The Sustainability specialisation is solution-oriented, environmentally friendly and goal-oriented. Students learn the fundamentals of processing locally sourced organic resources and managing sustainable agriculture and forestry. The modules on offer are taught in English.
A Learning Agreement (a kind of study contract) is drawn up between the student, the coordinators of the relevant specialisation and, consequently, Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences or Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences. In the Learning Agreement, students must specify the modules they intend to take before commencing their studies. Normally, students must complete modules totalling 25–30 ECTS (credits) per semester. This also means that, at the end of the ‘Future Semester’, students must sit an examination. As students are broadening or deepening their knowledge during the ‘Future Semester’, they may not choose modules that they have already taken as part of their degree programme.
The ‘Future Semester’ enables graduates from both universities to acquire further professionally relevant skills, and it offers the opportunity to gain further qualifications whilst retaining student status, to work as working students, or to be available to companies for practical projects.
Through this initiative, the teaching staff at both universities aim to provide support to graduates. The universities wish to help: quickly, pragmatically and beyond the boundaries of their respective institutions.
