Development of teaching offers

ENLIGHT offers various opportunities for cooperation with partner universities. These collaborations should be related to the ENLIGHT Focus Areas (Health and Well-being, Digitalization, Climate Change, Energy and Circular Economy, Equity, Culture and Creativity).

Teaching collaborations can vary in intensity and are scalable.

ENLIGHT has developed a competence framework and criteria for the joint development of courses. The teaching collaborations listed below relate to offers that meet the criteria for the joint development of courses. Other collaborations with ENLIGHT universities are still possible. However, if such collaborations do not meet the criteria set by ENLIGHT they can’t benefit from ENLIGHT's visibility.

Joint courses

A basic distinction is made between individual courses that are jointly developed and offered by at least two to three ENLIGHT member universities and courses offered by the individual universities that are published in the joint ENLIGHT Course Catalogue and can be attended by students from other ENLIGHT universities.

The ENLIGHT Joint Courses are jointly developed by at least two to three ENLIGHT partner universities and offered to students from the member universities. They look at global challenges, are usually interdisciplinary in their outlook and generally apply the principles of challenge-based education. Some courses are offered entirely online. However, most ENLIGHT Joint Courses adopt the blended mobility format. This means that the courses take place primarily online but include a short on-site phase of one to two weeks. This combination of physical and virtual mobility is known as a Blended Intensive Program (BIP). 

Please be aware of the following deadlines:

  • For courses taking place in Autumn/Winter (Fall semester 01.08 – 31.01.): The teaching offers must be communicated by the end of January.
  • For courses taking place in Spring/Summer (01.02 – 31.07): The teaching offers must be communicated by the end of August of the previous year.

Please send information about the courses to courses-enlight@unibe.ch using this checklist.

Shared or jointly developed modules

A modularized study program contains a level of different modules, each comprising different courses. Such modularizations offer opportunities for cooperation with ENLIGHT partner universities - either through mutual recognition or through joint development of modules.

Joint and Double Degree Programs

ENLIGHT partner universities can develop and offer joint study programs that lead to a joint degree or to a degree from each of the respective partner universities (double degree). At least three ENLIGHT universities should be involved in ENLIGHT Joint Programs.

Insight into the development of courses

In the fall semester of 2024, the ENLIGHT Joint Course “The deep History of Food - Putting Sustainability into Context” by the Universities of Bern, Basque Country, Groningen and Uppsala took place. The students in Bern met for the weekly sessions in a seminar room and were connected to the students from the other universities via Zoom. 

Q&A on the course (in German) (PDF, 40KB)

Contact

Are you interested in developing a new course with colleagues from other universities or expanding your existing course? Please contact the UniBE ENLIGHT Core Team at enlight@unibe.ch. We look forward to being kept up to date with your plans!

Selected FAQs

I am a lecturer interested in developing new learning formats. How can I proceed?

  1. Contact your colleagues at the ENLIGHT partner universities and start developing your course. If you need support in establishing contacts, the UniBE ENLIGHT Core Team will be happy to help you (enlight@unibe.ch). 
  2. Make sure that students can accredit the course towards your study program.
  3. Contact the UniBE ENLIGHT core team (enlight@unibe.ch). We will be happy to discuss the registration process with you and ensure that your course appears on the list of ENLIGHT Joint Courses.

As a lecturer, how do I decide whether my course is open to students from other ENLIGHT universities? What requirements do I have to consider?

In principle, all courses at the University of Bern are open to exchange students and therefore also to students from other ENLIGHT universities. For courses taking place in person, students must be physically present at the University of Bern for one or two semesters as part of a semester exchange.

Do you have any further questions? Take a look at our FAQ section. If you can't find the answer you’re looking for please contact enlight@unibe.ch.