Funding Programme: Internationalisation of universities of applied sciences (HAW – International)
Duration: 01.01.2026 – 31.12.2028
Project funding (DAAD): 536.815 €
The International Certificate Program “Latin America” (IZLA for short) is a three-year project funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). Together with Latin American higher education partners, Karlshochschule is developing a certificate program that includes a regional focus on Spanish-speaking Latin America in the form of optional specialization modules. Students thus receive a region-specific course programme including language courses, area studies, projects, semesters abroad, internships. All courses are integrated into existing academic and practice-oriented elements of their curricula. This is not only intended to provide students with a generalist knowledge of the history, economy, politics and culture of the subcontinent, but also to create a region-specific specialisation in their respective subject area. The new content is primarily co-designed and taught by academic staff of the partner universities.
Summary of the project
The strategic expansion of networks in Latin America and regional practice and transfer partners will create the basis for a longer-term implementation of the certificate program. To this end, several stays of the project staff at the Latin American partners are planned, participation in conferences, implementation of regional events and the teaching mobility of academic staff of the partners at Karlshochschule. Through the cooperation of the partners in the conception and implementation of the certificate program, the new networks will be institutionalized.
Individual elements of the certificate program will be tested during the project period. For example, students have the opportunity to take an intercultural language course related to Latin America, to choose a co-funded study mobility or internship in Latin America, or to attend an online summer school with Latin American students. During the project period, the newly designed modules “Current Issues in Latin American Economies” and “Current Issues in the Latin American Societies” will be taught twice by the Latin American academic partners themselves.
The project strengthens the international networks of Karlshochschule. This includes the involvement of international partners in the co-design of teaching, practice and research as well as the adaptation of internal structures and processes of the existing Bachelor degree programs.
The project thus makes a significant contribution to the internationalization of practice-oriented study programs, as the certificate program “internationalizes” the existing courses offered by Karlshochschule on the one hand and develops new international specialization modules in the field of management and political science on the other.
Partners
Costa Rica: Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnología, San José
México: Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey
Perú: Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola
Chile: Universidad Diego Portales
Argentina: still unknown
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD – Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) is funding the programme “Internationalisation of the University of Applied Sciences (HAW), or HAW-International for short, with funds from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
Contact:
Scientific Cooperation: Prof. Dr. Dr. Björn Bohnenkamp (bbohnenkamp@karlshochschule.org)
Project Coordination: Lisa Wiedemann (lwiedemann@karlshochschule.org) and Eva Hilla de Menacho (ehilla@karlshochschule.org)
