'Machines can’t dream'. International Guests at FH
St. Pölten UAS Hosts SocNet98 International University Week 2022
This year, the St. Pölten UAS welcomed students and lecturers from twelve European universities to the International University Week where the participants spent a week working on the topic "Social Work in a Digital World. Digital Work in a Social World" together.
Five-time host St. Pölten takes its place among other host institutions such as the PXL University College of Applied Sciences and Arts (Belgium), the University of South-Eastern Norway in Porsgrunn (Norway), and the University of Girona (Spain).
In one aspect, however, this year marked a premiere: For the first time ever, the IUW took place in the context of a Blended Intensive Programme. In this new form of Erasmus+ mobility, the physical event is expanded to include a virtual component.
Outside the Box
"The International University Week is a great opportunity for our students to establish contacts with fellow students from other European countries", explains Christine Haselbacher, Academic Director of the bachelor degree programme Social Work. "These international experiences are a key component of studying at the St. Pölten UAS."
Machines Can’t Dream…
"Digitalisation and globalisation are changing our society and Social Work has to react to this development", adds Alois Huber, lead organiser of the International University Week at the St. Pölten UAS. "Computers can support us but: 'Machines can't dream'."
"We are proud to welcome students and lecturers from so many European countries to the UAS once more. The ability to think outside the box is an important skill for social workers and social education workers in this day and age."
International Network SocNet98
SocNet98 is a network of higher education institutions based on the Erasmus Lifelong Learning programme of the European Union. SocNet98 was founded in Groningen (Netherlands) and Jena (Germany) in 1998. On the network’s initiative, the International University Week is held simultaneously at several universities in Europe once a year.
