The development and promotion of digital competencies is one of the new core tasks of universities in order to prepare students for the digital transformation in the professional fields (e.g. “DigitalHealthCare”, “Industry 4.0”). “In this context, universities are important users of digital opportunities and at the same time drivers of digital development.” Digital competencies are characterized not only by the number of interactions with digital technologies, but also by their quality. These are described, among other things, as passive or receptive or active or productive. Barriers to the development of digital competencies include unequal access, negative attitudes and lack of interest. The discovery, exploratory, productive use of digital applications and collaboration in cross-reality and experimental laboratories (maker labs) is seen as particularly valuable for building interdisciplinary and subject-specific digital competencies and addresses these barriers. However, corresponding opportunities are not currently available at the Stendal location.

Building on expertise in the AuCity2 project, a Maker Lab (XperiMaker Lab) will therefore be created at the Stendal site in conjunction with the student-managed city lab “Schauwerk” and the DiMediCa and LeIK Lab research groups. In this way, findings and laboratories at the Magdeburg location (3D printing, virtual/augmented reality) will be made usable for university teaching as a whole, and across locations, free spaces will continue to be created for the subject-specific, tailored promotion of digital competencies in creative, research-oriented study projects and digital collaborative cooperation will be realized.  The familiarity fostered by active and creative work with and on digital technologies enables students and teachers to deal independently with new technologies, to use them sensibly, to reflect critically and to grow into their roles as multipliers and innovators of digital technologies in (future) fields of work.

01.08.2021 – 31.07.2024

Innovation in Higher Education Foundation

Federal Ministry of Education and Research