International Collaborations
Foto: OpenMapTiles/OpenStreetMap contributors
The Faculty of Psychology has numerous international partnerships and university collaborations, including Stanford University (California), Oxford University (England), and the University of Namibia (Namibia).
This page will be continuously updated with more information on these collaborations.
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Cooperation between the FernUniversität in Hagen and the University of Namibia
Foto: Marco Bottigelli/Moment/Getty Images
Psychological expertise and skills are indispensable for achieving the goals of the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs) - especially in promoting health and combating pandemics, designing inclusive education processes, and supporting the socio-ecological transformation of the economy.
An overview of the cooperation activities to date can be found below:
Joint Workshop on Statistics and Presentation of Career Paths for Psychologists (2024)
From June 4 to 6, Dr. Jan-Bennet Voltmer, Department of Social Psychology at the FernUniversität, organized a three-day R statistics workshop with nine staff members from the Departments of Psychology and Social Work, Radiology, and Occupational and Physical Therapy at UNAM. The participants showed great interest and commitment in using the software.
As part of the evaluation of the workshop, the participants expressed their extraordinary satisfaction with the workshop and their desire for follow-up workshops.
Signing of a Joint Memorandum of Understanding between UNAM and the FernUniversität (2023)
As a result of the successful completion of the fact-finding missions (and similar activities in other faculties of both universities), UNAM and FernUniversität were able to sign a joint Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate mobility and cooperation between the two universities in the future.
Foto: Walter Wittrodt
Meanwhile, the Faculty of Psychology and the Institute of Psychology are working on joint virtual courses in health and environmental psychology. UNAM and Namibia in particular could benefit from both courses (keywords: pandemic preparedness, use of renewable energy and sustainability).
Fact-Finding Mission 2, Return Visit of UNAM to the Distance Learning University (2023)
Originally, the return visit was to include Dr. Clifford Hlatywayo, Head of Department, Dr. Manfred Janik and Dr. Wesley Pieters (Senior Lecturer). For administrative reasons in connection with the Corona-related reallocation of funds and a resulting postponement of travel and shortened preparation period, only Dr. Clifford Hlatywayo was able to visit the FernUniversität from December 12 to 17, 2023.
Nevertheless, Dr. Hlatywayo's stay as a representative of UNAM at the FernUniversität was extremely fruitful in terms of future, in-depth cooperation in digital-based teaching and research between the two universities.
In accordance with the original application for funding, Dr. Hlatywayo had an intensive exchange with the Rector of the FernUniversität, Prof. Dr. Ada Pellert, the Vice Rector for Internationalization, Prof. Dr. Uwe Elsholz, the then Dean of the Faculty of Psychology, Prof. Dr. Ingrid Josephs, the Managing Director of the Centre for Learning and Innovation, Dr. Annabell Bils, the Scientific Director of the Centre for Learning and Innovation, and the Director of the Department of Computer Science, Prof. Dr. Eugeniusz Sikorski. Annabell Bils, the scientific director of the Center for Advanced Technology for Assisted Learning and Predictive Analytics, Prof. Dr. Friedrich Hesse, as well as members of the research focus Energy, Environment, Sustainability of the FernUniversität and the Faculty of Psychology.
Foto: FernUniversität
Foto: FernUniversität
Joint Dissertation Project: "Psychological factors and impact of 'green' ICT implementation for community development in Namibia in support of the San people".
Foto: FernUniversität
Under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Robert Gaschler (FernUniversität) and Dr. Clifford Hlatywayo (UNAM), Walter Wittrodt has been researching the psychological factors influencing the introduction of "green" information and communication technology (ICT) in Namibia and the possible psychological effects of such an introduction. The server-client system used is particularly durable and energy efficient (can be powered by solar panels and batteries).
Mr. Wittrodt was able to teach and evaluate the use of green ICT in three projects in San communities, which live in remote areas and generally have no access to the Internet, electricity or running water. The participants, who were often completely unprepared in terms of IT, were able to develop sufficient skills to operate computers and (Windows-based) software within two weeks, gain self-confidence and use them to plan their own future (including CVs, planning camp sites using MS Office products).
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With the computer and office skills acquired in just two weeks, some participants gained enough confidence to plan simple entrepreneurial activities (running a campsite for tourists with attractive additional offers such as traditional dances, art skills, botany, tracking, ...).
Foto: FernUniversitätThe experience gained in all three projects illustrates the practicality of "green" ICT. It is a more ecological and more financially feasible approach (Wittrodt 2020) to effectively help the disadvantaged population groups, also with the perspective of helping them to help themselves. The projects carried out over several months have also shown that the "green" ICT approach makes the realization of "mobile bush schools" reliably possible.
Fact-Finding Mission 1, Delegation of the FernUniversität visiting the UNAM (2022)
The first visit of the Faculty of Psychology of the Distance University to the UNAM was mainly aimed at building relationships. Both partners agreed that this goal was fully achieved. A key success factor was that the exchange took place throughout the week with a stable core team that spent almost the entire five days of the visit together.
The alternation of formal and informal phases with joint activities also had a very positive effect on the development of trusting relationships based on mutual respect and interpersonal interest. This relationship base made it possible to overcome reservations about working together at an early stage and to focus on shared learning experiences.
During the discussions, the institutions of the Distance University and the UNAM were identified with similar challenges. One set of challenges concerns the future development of e-learning scenarios in psychology and the resistance of colleagues to adopt these scenarios. Another set of common challenges concerns the balance between teaching and research and the problems of providing methodological training to doctoral students and young researchers.
During their visit, the delegation from the FernUniversität visited various UNAM campuses as well as various sites of German colonial history in Windhoek, held talks with local stakeholders (e.g. UNAM Rectorate, CILT – Center for Innovation in Learning and Teaching, CEIRD – Department of Corporate Engagement and International Relations, Goethe-Institut) and planned future cooperation activities together with the local partners.
