What began with a visit to Cape Town after the pandemic became an international teaching project that transcends borders and has now been honored: Prof. Dr. Daniel Michelis from Anhalt University of Applied Sciences and Dr. Pieter Steenkamp from Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT, South Africa), together with Carolin Rautenberg, received second place in the "E-Learning Excellence Award" at the European Conference on e-Learning (ECEL) 2025 in Copenhagen at the end of October 2025.
The team was recognized for its innovative project "A Day in Two Lives - Taking Collaborative Online International Learning to the Next Level", a digital exchange format that enables students to gain authentic intercultural experience without having to leave their home country. The award-winning project is a virtual learning journey for which the term COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) has established itself as a new form of international cooperation and intercultural learning. The program combines international learning with digital collaboration. It connects cultures through shared learning experiences and community-oriented practical projects.
In order to promote intercultural understanding, the teaching project starts with personal encounters, such as the "One Day in Your Life" format, which was developed by students themselves. This is a short video in which students show each other what a day in each other's lives looks like. "These short films are like little windows into each other's lives," says Michelis, who is the Degree Program Advisor for the Online Communications degree program.
For some students, this part was also an important reflection: "This exchange was like a mirror that made me think about my actions, habits and goals. It showed me how important it is to be mindful in everyday activities."
The group project "Mirror Space" also brings students together: International teams create shared spaces, rituals and creative forms of expression that make cultural diversity visible and create closeness.
However, the most important part of the joint teaching project with CPUT is working on international practical projects, which are implemented by and with the students in their respective home countries. "After the student teams worked on global communication projects on public welfare-oriented challenges last summer semester, for example, selected results will be implemented at our Campus Bernburg in the current winter semester," says Michelis.
The award is a great confirmation of the path we have begun. For many years, the European E-Learning Conference (ECEL) has provided a platform for instructors to explore the potential of digital technology in teaching. Dr. Steenkamp from our partner university CPUT also sees this potential: "Students don't just log in and attend online lectures, they connect, create and change together. This award clearly demonstrates the impact that international educational cooperation can have."
Prof. Michelis adds: "The project shows how digital communication can overcome boundaries and enable innovative learning - not to mention personal growth."
