DHBW Forschungstag 2020

The German OEPass Multiplier Event was part of the Forschungstag, an event of DHBW across all nine locations, which took place in Mosbach on 30 January 2020. In a workshop session, an overview of the OEPass project and the current challenges of the present credentialing system was presented by Jochen Ehrenreich and Raimund Hudak.

At the beginning, the difference between recognition and validation in the German Higher Education system was explained and placed into the context of Open Learning and MOOC recognition. Subsequently, the current mechanisms for this process at the DHBW were shown and described in more detail. This formed the basis for the later discussion whether and how small-scale training courses could be recognized and offered at the DHBW.

The OEPass project created an “Open Education Passport” in which education certificates can be collected safely and transparently to facilitate the recognition and credition of credentials not acquired at one’s own university. A reference was also made to the thematically related Erasmus+ projects MicroHE and ECCOE.

Following the theoretical part, it was discussed how we could enable more flexible learning paths in the DHBW study programmes.

The Multiplier Event produced the following results:

  1. Validating all OEPass Intellectual Outputs in a German context, with a focus on the Learning Passport and the Future Scenarios and Policy Recommendations.
  2. Stimulating strategic thinking about e-learning, open learning recognition, flexible learning pathways and unbundling of education at DHBW institutions.
  3. Exchange of ideas and good practices on open learning recognition.