For the first time with partner universities of the COLOURS alliance
In the winter semester 2024/25, 19 Master's students from Paderborn University's International Business Studies (IBS) language programme took part in the Global Virtual Teams (GVTs) Project. In this international online project, they worked together with around 40 students from five other European universities on practical business issues. For the first time, this included two new partner universities from the COLOURS university alliance.
The project was initiated eleven years ago by Rachel Lindner, coordinator of the IBS language department, and has since established itself as an integral part of the degree programme. It is supervised by lecturers from the International Business Strategy, Intercultural Communication and English Business Communication departments at the respective partner universities. Participants gain valuable experience in virtual collaboration and expand essential skills for the globalised world of work. In addition to intercultural communication and digital teamwork, the programme also focuses on strategic skills. The intensive exchange with the European partner universities enables students to further develop their knowledge in a practical, international environment.
This year, in addition to Paderborn University and the previous partner institutions - the University Clermont Auvergne (France), the Czech University for Chemistry and Technology (Czech Republic) and Tampere University of Applied Sciences (Finland) - the network was expanded for the first time to include the University St. Kliment Ohridski Bitola (North Macedonia) and Ventspils University of Applied Sciences (Latvia). The new collaborations expanded the project to include additional cultural and academic perspectives and enriched international cooperation.
Following the successful completion of this year's programme, plans are already underway for the GVTs Project 2025, with the aim of expanding cooperation with other COLOURS partner universities and further strengthening international networking among students.
