Practical Experiences in International Studies in Informatics
Claudia Krull, Georg PaulOtto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg (OvG)
Daniel V. GouletUniversity of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP)
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Agenda
• The Partners
• Goals
• Challenges
• The Dual-Degree Program
• Results
• Future Challenges
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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
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Goals
Students can obtain degrees from both Universities as part of their normal study activities.
1. International Understanding2. Cultural / Historical Understanding3. Academic Understanding4. Language Proficiency5. Academic Certification
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Challenges
• Prerequisites
• Curriculum
• Language difficulties
• Financial issues
• Will also come up in Europe
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Thank You!