An impression of teaching via the ASP lightboard.

digiPHOTON

The digiPHOTON project was funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) from 2020 until 2022 and was a milestone in enabling studying remotely through digitalization of the M.Sc. Photonics program.
An impression of teaching via the ASP lightboard.
Image: Falko Sojka

digiPHOTON: Our Digitalization Milestone Project 

digiPHOTON logo
digiPHOTON logo
Graphic: Falko Sojka

The digiPHOTON project was funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)External link from 2020 until 2022 and was a true milestone for enabling studying remotely through digitalization of the M.Sc. Photonics program. It succeeded in improving educational equity and equal opportunities. By virtue of this project, the Abbe School of Photonics successfully offered a comprehensively digitalized range of courses in symbiosis and equivalence with the on-campus courses within the M.Sc. Photonics program.

This parallelized online and on-campus education is now a permanent part of our education program. Digitalization of the courses is carried out at the module level. Therefore, every student has the opportunity to choose between the digital and the on-campus offer within each module. This allows the students to customize their Master’s studies by deciding what is the most convenient and efiicient way for them to complete the modules: online or on-campus. Hence, we have established measures to ensure equal opportunities to all students who want to study at the M.Sc. Photonics program, regardless of their physical, family, work, or travel conditions.

Achievements and Outcomes of digiPHOTON

  • The Abbe School of Photonics permanently offers the fully digital international Master’s degree in Photonics on the global education market. 
  • Digital and intercultural competencies of teachers and students are intertwined and even more established at the ASP than before the pandemic.
  • The digitalization of the M.Sc. Photonics program has lead to the permanent and lower-threshold participation of previously excluded students, e.g. with limited mobility. 
  • The development of a community of practice and transfer of experience to further digital Master’s courses is definitely possible.
  • On a larger scale, digiPHOTON evoked a lighthouse effect. The range of courses at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena has become increasingly digital and made the study location more versatile and attractive.