Establishing the Additional Qualification ISA+

The Protestant University of Applied Sciences Berlin (EHB) has been implementing the Project BRIDGES since January 2025 within the framework of the DAAD program UAS.International. This three-year project is the second major initiative in the field of International at EHB that is funded through this program. The goal of BRIDGES is to establish an Additional Qualification within the Bachelor’s program in Social Work, making EHB an attractive place of study for students preparing for an increasingly globalized job market.

At the core of the project is the close collaboration with international partners to optimally prepare students for the challenges of international social work. From the very first semester, international topics and digital teaching formats are integrated into everyday studies. Starting in the fourth semester, students deepen their knowledge through mandatory internships or study periods abroad. The program is further complemented by language courses, workshops on inter- and transculturality, and a comprehensive support package. At the same time, teachers and staff at EHB receive further training in language and intercultural competence.

BRIDGES builds on the successes of the predecessor project StrInGEnt and makes a significant contribution to implementing EHB’s internationalization strategy. By sustainably embedding the focus area in the curriculum, the project strengthens the international orientation of the university. This not only improves the quality of education and career prospects for students but also further expands the intercultural exchange and global networking of EHB.

The Additional Qualification in International Social Work (ISA+) is embedded in EHB’s broader internationalisation efforts and is part of the university’s strategic development of the focus area Cross‑Border Social Work. As a study‑integrated Additional Qualification, ISA+ connects directly with the BRIDGES project, which aims to strengthen international cooperation and create innovative teaching formats together with partner universities (e. g. in the Netherlands, Türkiye, and Vietnam). Through the systematic integration of international content from the first semester onward – and mandatory mobility periods from the fourth semester – ISA+ prepares students for professional practice in globally and transnationally connected fields while contributing to EHB’s long‑term internationalisation strategy.

Objectives

ISA+ equips students with theoretical foundations, international practice experience, and critical reflection skills. The programme focuses on:

• Understanding global social inequalities and transnational interdependencies.
• Analysing practice-oriented social issues with international relevance and developing students’ own research questions.
• Reflecting on ethical and methodological dimensions of international practice while strengthening human rights–based approaches.
• Building intercultural competence, embracing diversity, and developing a reflective international understanding of Social Work.

Profile and Key Features

ISA+ is embedded into the regular study programme from the 2nd to the 7th semester; all ISA+ modules are bundled and certified as an Additional Qualification. Domestic activities dominate the early semesters, while international mobility becomes mandatory from the 4th semester onward.

Distinctive characteristics include:

• Integration of coursework, project-based learning, and international mobility (study abroad or international internship).
• Close cooperation with strategic partner universities, including:
  • Vietnam: Vietnam Japan University (Hanoi)
  • Netherlands: Christian University of Applied Sciences (Ede)
  • Türkiye: Hacettepe University (Ankara)

Additional partnerships (e.g., Uganda, Bolivia, Romania) are being developed.

• Pre‑departure workshops and continuous support by the International Office before and during the mobility period.

Program Structure

Semesters 2–3: Foundations and Domestic Activities

• Optional (Semester 1): Introductory workshop “Introduction to International Social Work”.
• Semester 2: Module on methodological practice with an international dimension.
• Semester 3: Module on methods of Social Work in international and community contexts; eligible elective seminars (e.g., language courses, “ISA and Law”).

From Semester 4 Onward: International Mobility (mandatory once)

• Semester 4: International internship.
• Semesters 5–6: Semester abroad and/or study trips within the advanced project “International Social Work”.
• Semester 7: Bachelor thesis with international relevance and a final ISA+ presentation building on the student’s mobility experience.

All components are formally consolidated and certified through ISA+.