I-PaCE Visits Cracow University of Technology

From December 12 to 13, the I-PaCE team – Prof. Dr. Thomas Rauscher, Iris Klein, and Gonca Efe-Şahantürk – visited the Cracow University of Technology (CUT) to discuss curricular structures and collaboration in the Civil Engineering master’s program. Invited by Prof. Dr. Dorota Jasińska, the participants explored the integration of microcredentials into the study program, allowing five CUT students to tailor their academic path individually.

Insights into Challenge-Based Learning (CBL)

In the presence of faculty members and representatives from CUT, Prof. Dr. Thomas Rauscher presented an international Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) concept, which is being developed in collaboration with industry partners at HSB. The goal is to engage master’s students from three universities in real-world challenges during the summer semester.

To illustrate this approach, a case study from industry partner Inros Lackner Se Bremen, titled "Climatic Challenges in Africa," was introduced. In Sierra Leone, many roads and bridges are either missing or only partially usable. All construction materials currently have to be transported by sea, as local raw materials and industrial infrastructure are lacking. As part of the CBL project, students will be tasked with developing innovative solutions to address these challenges.

Exchange and Networking

The team was invited to attend the 70th-anniversary celebration of CUT’s Foreign Language Center by Magdalena Cora. On the following day, they met with the heads of the International Office, the International Cooperation Department, and the Director of the Foreign Language Department. To support internationalization efforts, the Foreign Language Department at CUT integrates small English-taught courses into the Civil Engineering curriculum each semester and provides digital self-learning units for engineering students via the Moodle learning platform. Additionally, CUT has offered to share these learning materials with HSB for use in its own programs.

Exploring Campus and Facilities

A guided tour of CUT provided valuable insights into the teaching and computer labs as well as a Living Lab. The showcased approaches served as inspiration for developing hybrid learning environments within the I-PaCE project.

The visit to CUT was a valuable experience for advancing the I-PaCE project and strengthening the cooperation between both universities. The exchange with faculty members and the joint development of innovative teaching formats – such as CBL and microcredentials – reinforce the internationalization of curricular structures, the development of hybrid teaching methods, and student mobility. These initiatives will continue to be expanded, further deepening the partnership between the institutions.