Fachhochschule Salzburg GmbH

International Design Workshop - Internationalisation embedded in the Curriculum

The International Design Workshop combines international, interdisciplinary learning with regional practical relevance – innovative, integrated into the curriculum, and accessible to all students.

International Design Workshop 2023

Objectives

International exchange is a central aspect in the field of design. In order to systematically teach students these skills as part of their bachelor's degree, the International Design Workshop has been anchored as a fixed component in the curriculum of the Design & Product Management degree program at FH Salzburg. The workshop has been taking place at the Kuchl campus for around 15 years and was organised as a Blended Intensive Program (BIP) as part of Erasmus+ in 2022. This created the opportunity to effectively combine physical and virtual mobility. A central goal is the curricular integration of international, intercultural and interdisciplinary learning experiences. Students can choose between a workshop at their home campus (internationalisation at home) and a workshop at a partner university abroad. When completing a workshop at a partner university, full credit recognition within the curriculum is guaranteed. This means makes internationalisation not an optional additional offer, but an integral part of the study program. At the same time, the option to choose ensures inclusive access to internationalisation - regardless of financial or personal mobility barriers. In addition to international cooperation, the workshop focuses on concrete challenges and real-world issues: in cooperation with regional companies and stakeholders, students work in small international teams on specific design tasks. The focus is on the process from conception to presentation in a linguistically and culturally challenging and enriching setting. This practical approach results in solution-oriented concepts with real development potential that benefit both the students and the regional partners.

Background

FH Salzburg has been organising the International Design Workshop for around 15 years - originally in cooperation with Bahçeşehir University in Istanbul. The format, which is embedded in the curriculum, involves partner universities from programme and partner countries, makes a significant contribution to the strategic internationalisation of the Design & Product Management degree programme. Thanks to the long-established partnerships, the format was successfully implemented as a BIP within the Erasmus+ programme in 2022. The BIP format brought additional advantages, such as the inclusion of further partner universities, greater predictability and greater flexibility through the virtual component. The digitalisation necessitated by the post-Covid conditions proved to be a sustainable enrichment of the project. In addition to Bahçeşehir University in Istanbul, HFT Stuttgart (Germany) and Mendel University in Brno (Czech Republic) regularly participate in the workshop. The successful International Credit Mobility project with Georgia also enables teachers and students from the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts (TSAA) to take part. The International Office of FH Salzburg supports in the administration of funding, the organisation of mobilities and the administrative implementation of the BIP. The workshop is closely aligned with FH Salzburg’s internationalisation strategy: It promotes the integration of international elements in the curriculum, the expansion of high-quality cooperation networks, the broadening of English-language course offerings, and the positioning of Salzburg as an internationally oriented education location.

(Implemented) Activities

The International Design Workshop is more than just a BIP: as a mandatory component of the curriculum in the Design & Product Management degree programme, it is systematically integrated into the course and has been continuously developed since its introduction in order to make internationalisation practical, innovative and accessible for all students. The format combines a virtual preparation phase with an intensive attendance week. Students and lecturers from partner universities in Turkey, Germany, the Czech Republic and Georgia work together with students from FH Salzburg on real, regionally based projects. Virtual phase: - International keynote speeches and thematic impulses provide diverse cultural and disciplinary perspectives. - Digital tools enable creative, collaborative group work even before the on-site phase. - Initial sketches, research and conceptual approaches are developed. During the on-site week, international teams create practical, creative solutions to annually changing challenges as defined in cooperation with regional companies and institutions. Innovative methods are used (design thinking, experimentation, visualizations, models), along with excursions and cultural activities. The working language is English and the intercultural teamwork is specifically supported by lecturers from all universities. Final presentations involve external partners. The workshop’s structure is flexibly adapted depending on the topic. For December 2025, a further methodological expansion is planned: In addition to the Kuchl campus, the BIP will be held directly on site in the focus region for the first time. The multi-day work in a real usage context intensifies the practical relevance and enables an even closer exchange with regional and external stakeholders - a further step in the consistent further development of the format.

Results

The International Design Workshop achieves diverse results on professional, personal and institutional levels. Practice-orientated solutions for real challenges: Students develop creative concepts on socially relevant topics such as sustainability, education or social participation and inclusion. The results are characterised by innovation high quality in design, offering concrete added value for regional partners. Strengthening intercultural and social skills: International and interdisciplinary teamwork promotes the ability to collaborate across cultural and disciplinary boundaries. This strengthens key future skills such as intercultural communication and solution-orientated thinking. Incentive for further mobility: The workshop motivates participants to take part in further activities abroad. Several participants subsequently chose long-term mobility or a master's degree at FH Salzburg - a clear sign of the lasting impact on an individual level. Sustainable skills gain through project-based, international learning: The combination of project context, international exchange and teamwork promotes professionally relevant skills. Establishing and deepening partnerships: The long-standing collaboration with partner universities such as Bahçeşehir University Istanbul has led to further initiatives - such as the development of a new workshop format at the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts (TSAA). Bridge between education and practice: The active involvement of regional companies and organisations creates synergies between academia and the professional world. Students gain direct access to potential employers, while the partners benefit from innovative impulses. These results contribute to the objective of embedding internationalisation in the curriculum in an integrative, effective and sustainable way - creating added value for students, institutions and Salzburg as an educational location.

Lessons learned

The implementation of the International Design Workshop as a BIP has provided didactic and organisational insights for international teaching. The combination of a digital preparation phase and an intensive on-site week has proven to be highly effective. Through collaboration prior to the on-site phase, the international teams are already well-coordinated at the start of the on-site phase. This not only increases efficiency, but also the quality of the creative processes. This structure creates inspiring learning environments where technical, linguistic and intercultural skills are equally promoted. A key learning concerns the integrative design of the format: By offering the choice between participating at the home campus or attending a workshop at a partner university abroad, diversity is encouraged and internationalization made accessible to all students - regardless of personal life circumstances. Challenges such as differing prior knowledge, cultural differences or coordination issues were successfully overcome thanks to intensive support, clear communication structures and experienced teaching teams. The different profiles of the participating universities - e.g. the artistic approach of the TSAA Tbilisi or the application-orientated focus of FH Salzburg - complement each other excellently and broaden the academic horizon of all participants. With a regular participation of 60-100 students, the workshop is one of the largest international courses at FH Salzburg. Particularly remarkable is its lasting impact: Many participants use the experience as a springboard for further stays abroad or further studies - a clear sign of the format’s long-term relevance. The workshop is thus exemplary for integrative, practical and future-oriented internationalisation in teaching.

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