Didactics

What if the lecture hall became a play space where, as a planning exercise, I could create my own theme park. Where my group could develop crazy marketing ideas using colored cards and in the first semester do street interviews or handle negotiations. What if I could be both in front and behind the camera at the same time, or spend my entire course "backstage" at BMW, Adidas or Vitra?

At the Karlshochschule it's certainly possible because the courses have a pronounced constructivist feel. As you know, this is a movement that believes that knowledge is best formed and expanded when it can be literally experienced. For example, by using practical learning concepts like business games, current case studies, blended learning, excursions or practical demonstrations by motivational speakers from business, culture and politics.

This means the lectures give me orientational knowledge allowing me to expand and develop myself with my own activities.

The six terms can be divided into three levels, each representing a personal development step.

At the very beginning is an orientation in what is, for most students, a completely new environment – the still unfamiliar world of living and working at a university. This is where I learn to act confidently in a strange environment, add new roles to my repertoire, as well as to define and pursue my goals.

The second year is primarily concerned with applying what has been learned. This means focussing on the creative and constructive use of the knowledge I have acquired, as well as exercising a better understanding of my own personality. So for example, during the project phase, I will take full responsibility for the success of our teamwork, and test my own management abilities.

During my semester abroad I will need to re-examine and perhaps reshape my role in unfamiliar territory as well as expand my self confidence and openness. When I come back to Germany I will be amazed once more when the surroundings I'm so familiar with seem completely new again and I realize how much my time abroad has changed me.

Towards the end of my course I can begin to demonstrate all the knowledge, experience and skills I have learned during my studies. I will have learned to be tolerant of uncertainty, be confident within different cultures and clearly communicate my goals and visions.

More importantly, I will have learned that I can and must call everything into question, because now I will realize, at the end of my studies, the process of learning has actually only just started.

Teaching and atmosphere at Karlshochschule

Tillman Wiegand, Head of Arts Management RuhrTriennale Festival of Arts

"At Karlshochschule I have the privilege of experiencing the notably open and communicative teaching concepts raise levels of interest and discussion among the students. They approach the course contents and today's culture market in a critical way, which is the best preparation they can get for the huge challenges they will face as future managers in the arts and culture sector."