Freie Universitaet Berlin’s Learning Program Teaches Skills for the Future with New Course Formats
The international continuing education program, Freie Universität Berlin Continuing Education Program (FUB-ContinuEd), offers certificate courses mainly taught in English for people who would like to acquire academic knowledge and key skills to further boost their professional and personal development. New to the program are two-day, in-person courses in Berlin dealing with topics like diversity, conflict management, or problem solving. The in-person courses qualify as educational leave (known as “Bildungszeit” in Berlin or “Bildungsurlaub” in Brandenburg). Additionally, participants from Brandenburg can apply for financial support, called Bildungsschecks; this also applies to online courses. The courses are subject to a fee and designed to fit around work and studies.
FUB-ContinuEd offers international certificate courses for people at all stages of life. It is particularly aimed at those wishing to supplement professional qualifications with practical skills to help them navigate an increasingly globalized workplace. Course participants can work on building their communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills, while also engaging with issues of diversity and sustainability.
Last year, participants from twenty different countries with varying life experiences and cultural backgrounds took part in the courses.
“The program is characterized by easily accessible and affordable courses that can be flexibly integrated into the participants’ everyday lives,” says Dr. Kristina Rödder, program director of FUB-ContinuEd. Starting this year, participants can choose between the established online format or the newly introduced two-day, in-person certificate courses. For participants and companies in the region, there are attractive funding opportunities available. The on-site courses are recognized as educational leave (“Bildungszeit” in Berlin or “Bildungsurlaub” in the federal state of Brandenburg). In Brandenburg, employees and employers can also apply for financial support, called Bildungsschecks; this applies to courses conducted online as well as in person.
The courses (offered in English and German) are subject to a fee and designed to fit around work and studies. Over a period of seven to nine weeks, online classes impart the most important findings from the latest research to participants and link them to the practical demands of the workplace. The courses (offered in English and German) are subject to a fee and designed to fit around work and studies. With live online sessions and self-study phases, the courses offer participants flexibility in terms of when and how they organize their learning. The courses take place at different times of the day, allowing participants from different time zones to attend the courses.
The in-person courses take place over two consecutive days and provide extensive knowledge in a compact timeframe, during which participants develop personal and social skills. Small classes with six to fifteen students foster an intensive and in-depth learning environment regardless of whether the course is taught online or in person. Participants receive a certificate from Freie Universität Berlin upon successful completion of the course.