Academic Exchange between Kufstein and Windhoek, Namibia
Within the framework of an "Erasmus+ Staff Mobility for Teaching" an exciting exchange of people and experiences took place between the FH Kufstein Tirol and the partner university Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia.
From Namibia to Kufstein
First, Professor Enzy Kaura-Ndjavera visited the FH Kufstein Tirol in June 2022 and reported on her teaching projects in the Department of Management at NUST. Her guest lectures on Change Management took place in the context of a joint event for the International Program together with lecturer Christian Vohradsky and were very well received by the students. The International Program is attended by incoming students of the Kufstein University of Applied Sciences and includes lectures that are specially designed for the international guest students. In addition to meetings with the management and the International Relation Office (IRO), the Namibian professor also found some time to explore the surrounding area with visits to the mountains and a trip to Innsbruck - accompanied by the Kufstein University team, of course.
From Kufstein to Namibia
At the end of July the return visit by Dipl.-Kfm. Karin Steiner from the business management program at NUST in Windhoek took place. Here, too, there was ample opportunity for an exchange about the various projects and competitions of the FH Kufstein Tirol with the colleagues from Namibia. Besides her guest lecture "Discovering Entrepreneurial Opportunities", the "7€ Cash-Project" developed by Karin Steiner was in the foreground, as it lends itself well to a possible cooperation. The aim of this project is to get students interested in the topic of entrepreneurship and the founding of companies by setting up a temporary company with a small starting capital of 7 euros or 120 Namibian dollars.
The visit was rounded off by meetings with the IRO and the academic leaders as well as joint excursions in Windhoek and the surrounding area: a visit to a communal market and a typical guest farm with wild animals.
Conclusion of the change of lecturer
The conclusion of the lecturer exchange by Karin Steiner is positive all around: "I am very happy that after such a long time of online teaching a personal and mutual visit with colleagues from one of our partner universities was possible again. In addition to the constructive exchange on professional and didactic topics, it was also possible to create mutual cultural understanding," said Steiner after her return from Namibia.
Building on the personal exchange, a first follow-up cooperation has already been realized: Professor Enzy Kaura-Ndjavera accepted the invitation to give an online guest lecture in Karin Steiner's class and reported to the business management students about "Knowledge Management Best Practices in Namibia“. Further joint projects between the colleagues from Namibia and Kufstein are already planned and the students are also cordially invited for an exchange semester at the respective partner university.
About Lecturer Mobility
The Erasmus+ Staff Mobility for Teaching supports short teaching stays at partner universities in the Erasmus+ program countries as well as in partner countries worldwide.
The program enables lecturers to gain international teaching experience as well as new inputs for their own teaching and research activities. At the same time, it promotes the expansion of academic networks as well as the further development and establishment of international cooperation and research projects.
Links:
- Partner University: Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST)
- Bachelor’s degree programm Business Management at Kufstein University of Applied Sciences
