Broad HSZG participation in the SMWK/LRK kick-off workshop "Digital Transformation in Higher Education" for the joint development of an umbrella strategy for the Saxon higher education landscape.
Numerous members of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences from the areas of administration and education took part in the kick-off event of the Saxon Ministry of Science, Culture and Tourism (SMWK) and the Saxon Rectors' Conference (LRK) on the topic of "Digital Transformation in Higher Education" on February 8, 2022 at the Saxon State and University Library Dresden (SLUB).
On November 24, 2022, the SMWK and the LRK Saxony formulated the goal of developing a joint umbrella strategy for "Digital Transformation in the Higher Education Sector" . On the one hand, this is to be incorporated into university development planning for the period from 2025. On the other hand, it can serve the Saxon universities and thus the HSZG as a basis for specific digitalization concepts.
Similar to the participatory approach of the university management as part of the HSZG's internal University for Future process, the strategy development process on the part of the SMWK and the LRK should also be cooperative and dialog-oriented. The purpose of the event was to promote a common understanding of the design forms of digitalization measures and to understand the further process of the SMWK / LRK on the path to digitalization in the higher education sector. The following focal points were discussed in the workshops
Our university didactics consultant Daniel Winkler also moderated a topic table.
The Vice-Rector for Education and International Affairs and representatives of the various structural units of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences took the opportunity to share their knowledge through the results of the HSZG's University-for-Future process in the individual workshop sessions.
The Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences has already set out to develop its own strategy for the digital transformation of the HSZG with the peer-to-peer strategy consultation of the Hochschulforum Digitalisierung. Just recently, on 20.09.2022, a University for Future (UF4) workshop was held to develop a "digital identity" for our HSZG. The aim was to discuss the goals and challenges of the digitalization of studying and teaching at the HSZG with representatives of the individual faculties, the HSZG support structures (Centre for E-Learning, Education and International Affairs Office, University Computing Centre, etc.) and students. The HSZG is now actively involved in shaping the Saxony-wide umbrella strategy and would like to contribute its acquired knowledge, e.g. from peer-to-peer strategy consulting. To this end, Dr Marzena Schöne, Head of the Department for Digital Transformation in Higher Education and Academic Libraries, and Ms Jacqueline Beyer are expected at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences on 10 March 2023 to discuss ideas and visions for digitalization in higher education in general and at the HSZG in particular.
The SMWK's kick-off event in cooperation with the LRK showed that the digital transformation in the higher education sector is to be strongly promoted with political support. The umbrella strategy focuses on the following fields of action:
Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences is prepared to play its part in further workshops planned by the SMWK and the LRK. The participatory process to develop a strategy for digitalization at the HSZG and in the higher education landscape throughout Saxony is thus making great strides forward.
The HSZG would like to take this opportunity to thank the SMWK and the LRK for organizing this very valuable day and for the opportunity to participate in the development of the umbrella strategy.
