E³UDRES² Voices:

Christina Tanzer & Gabriele Falböck

October 2024 | #staff

Introducing Gabriele Falböck, responsible for master’s courses in the Department of Media and Digital Technologies, and Christina Tanzer, LEARN employee and member of the E³UDRES² Work Package Smart Learners. Together, they co‑designed and organised the 2024 Intensive I Living Lab, held from 16 to 20 September. Originally planned as a face‑to‑face week at St. Pölten UAS, the event had to be moved online at very short notice due to regional flooding. Despite the sudden shift, 81 Master’s students from St. Pölten and numerous students from partner institutions across Europe successfully collaborated in this challenge‑based learning format.

How does the format take up the idea of the European University?

Christina Tanzer: The Intensive I Living Lab proves it: The idea of the European University is already being actively implemented at St. Pölten UAS!

The project was jointly implemented by opening up an existing course, cross-departmental cooperation at the UAS and the involvement of our E³UDRES² partners. It was made possible thanks to the support of academic director Franz Fidler, the E³UDRES² team at St. Pölten UAS, LEARN and the lecturers from the alliance. The International Office coordinated the implementation of the ERASMUS+ Blended Intensive Program (BIP) as a suitable funding channel for the Intensive I Living Lab.

What exactly is the Intensive I Living Lab?

Christina Tanzer: In the I Living Labs, we bring together students from different disciplines to develop practical solutions for local and global challenges. The focus is therefore on challenge-based learning. There are real challenges, real clients from the region and real issues that are brought in directly from practice. In this way, we promote collaboration between students, teachers, researchers and companies to create concrete innovation ideas for society.

Gabriele Falböck: Students have the opportunity to put design thinking into practice in mixed, diverse teams. Design thinking is best understood and internalized when it can be applied directly in practice. The students are supported and accompanied by experienced coaches.

Gabriele Falböck and Christina Tanzer - E³UDRES² experience

What is the role of the coaches?

Gabriele Falböck: The coaches, lecturers from St. Pölten UAS and lecturers from Finland, Romania, Hungary and Portugal, all had previous experience in design thinking this time. The coaches guide the design thinking process and are available to the participants as contact persons at all times.

Christina Tanzer: The coaches, also known as Educational Entrepreneurs in E³UDRES², can also benefit greatly themselves: For example, they can bring their own topics for their field of research and engage in an exchange of ideas with students. The coaches can also network with each other and broaden their own horizons.

What was special about this year's Intensive I Living Lab for you?

Christina Tanzer: We had to switch the format completely to online within one day due to the flooding. However, that didn't stop the students from coming up with exciting solutions to the challenges set. This team spirit, the innovative ideas and the interdisciplinary collaboration really impressed me. I also find it particularly pleasing that we were able to bring the E³UDRES² spirit into our degree programs with this format.

Gabriele Falböck: For me, it was particularly exciting to see how the teams developed over the course of the week - from getting to know each other for the first time to the joint final presentation. I also really enjoyed getting to know the other coaches and networking.

Interview by: USTP – University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten

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