Key Competencies for the 21st Century

Do key competencies have to be reformulated for the digital world of the 21^st century? Besides the ability to deal with digital technology confidently and intelligently, classic competencies such as acting in a value-based, thoughtful and critical way are needed now more than ever. With its teaching program, the Center for Key Qualifications (ZfS) of the University of Freiburg promotes above all the areas of reflection, critical thinking and assuming responsibility, as well as social and communication skills, and digital technology and its applications. Online booking for Bachelor's and law students starts on 26.03.2018. Open allocation of places for all other students registered at the University starts on 10.04.2018.

Management options include the new course “Ökonomie und Verantwortung für Morgen” [Economics and Responsibility for Tomorrow] looking at sustainable forms of industry and lifestyles, and the course “Ethik als Managementaufgabe” [Ethics As a Management Responsibility] where students tackle questions relating to economic efficiency and ethics. The “Virtuelle Akademie Nachhaltigkeit” [Sustainability Virtual Academy] now offers video support for the study of fundamental models of sustainability.

On the communication courses “Persönlichkeitsbildung und Redesicherheit” [Personal Development and Articulacy] and “Gesprächsführung für Teams, Arbeits- oder Projektgruppen” [Conducting Discussions for Teams, Work and Project Groups] students can improve their articulacy and ability to guide discussions. “Transkulturelle Kompetenz in einer globalisierten Welt” [Transcultural Skills in a Globalized World] introduces participants to the understanding of connections between their own culture and others, and helps them to evaluate and implement this understanding in their own actions.

The ability to analyze relevant information is crucial to recognizing and revealing manipulative strategies. So the media course “Grundlagen der Medienkritik” [Principles of Media Criticism] examines a range of strategies used to convey information and analyzes them critically. On the courses “Öffentlichkeitsarbeit mit Social Media” [Publicity Work Using Social Media] and “Objektivität und journalistische Haltung in den Fernsehnachrichten” [Objectivity and Journalistic Attitude in Television News] students investigate ethical questions and the responsible use of digital technologies.

Anyone who wants to create and optimize web-apps using HTML/CSS or JavaScript can learn a lot on the data processing course “Smartphone und Web-App-Entwicklung für Programmier-Einsteiger/innen” [Smartphone and Web App Development for Beginner Programmers]. The new courses “Datenschutz in Studium und Beruf” [Data Protection While Studying and at Work] and “SAP & Co. – eine Einführung in die Funktionsweise von Software zur Abbildung von Unternehmensprozessen” [SAP & Co. – An introduction to using software to illustrate corporate processes] guide students in the relevance of data transmission and data protection and enable them to learn about data analysis based on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).

“Service Learning – Engagieren, Lernen, Reflektieren im Einsatzfeld Interkulturalität/Migration” [Service Learning – Engagement, Learning, Reflecting, Applied to Interculturality/Migration] encourages students to volunteer for civil society initiatives and projects with various cooperation partners. Specialized workshops on topics such as practical communications or intercultural conflict management contribute to deeper practical experience. Students analyze the basic attitudes and behavioral patterns of themselves and others, develop new problem-solving strategies and apply them in practice. Together with students from the parallel course for student teachers, “Verantwortung in der Zivilgesellschaft” [Responsibility in Civil Society] from Introductory Studies in Philosophical Ethics (EPG), they evaluate their experiences in regard to ethical social issues.

Course program and more information
www.zfs.uni-freiburg.de