Teachers from all over Europe gathered in Helsinki, Finland, for the International Teachers’ Week to discuss teaching methods, future issues and opportunities for collaborative projects. In their workshops, Regula Blocher and Hilda Helyes addressed the impact of digitalisation on the transformation of communication professions and presented examples of successful adaptation.
The “International Teacher Week” took place from October 2-6, 2023 at the Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences in Helsinki, Finland. Under the motto “Open doors to future careers”, teachers from all over Europe came together for the first time to discuss didactic methods, topics relevant to the future and opportunities for collaboration on projects.
The international lecturers gave guest lectures and workshops. In this way, the students benefited from the know-how of the experts from FHWien der WKW. For them, in turn, it was an opportunity to gain intercultural experience and bring it back to their own university. In addition to the professional activities, the program also included cultural events such as a guided tour of Helsinki, a traditional dinner and a visit to the sauna.
Focus on the effects of digitalization for communication professions
Regula Blocher and Hilda Helyes focused on the impact of digitalisation on communication professions. As an Academic Expert & Lecturer in the study program Journalism & Media management, Regula Blocher gave the students of the Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences an insight into the distinctive characteristics of the Austrian media landscape.
Lively discussions took place on topics such as the position and financing of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) in the digital age and the influence of politics on the press in Austria. The role of social media in journalism and its influence on young target groups is also highly relevant in Finland. Here, the TikTok channel of the Austrian news program “Zeit im Bild” served as an example of best practice that impressed the students.
In addition to the lecture, there was a workshop on data journalism where students learned methods and tools for data analysis and visualisation. This practical part enabled the students to deepen their understanding of the role of data in modern journalism.
Practice-oriented learning with best-practice examples
Hilda Helyes, Academic Expert & Lecturer at the Competence Centre for Marketing, gave students a unique opportunity to gain a deeper insight into the fascinating world of Artificial Intelligence (AI). In her guest lecture, she gave an overview of AI in general, with a particular focus on the various applications of AI in marketing.
The students were taken through a series of best practice examples that illustrated how AI can generate entire marketing campaigns or parts of them. Hilda Helyes used these examples to illustrate how AI can increase efficiency and inspire creativity in marketing.
Students were also able to immediately try out some free tools in their own projects. This hands-on approach enabled the participants to immediately apply what they had learned and integrate AI into their own marketing strategies.