Cross-Disciplinary Strategies: Applied Studies in Art, Science, Philosophy, and Global Challenges

The bachelor’s degree program “Cross-Disciplinary Strategies. “Applied Studies in Art, Science, Philosophy, and Global Challenges“ conveys a broad spectrum of artistic and scientific skills, strategies, and principles of artistic and scientific praxis, linked with the aspiration to promote a critical approach, cooperation skills, and goal-oriented learning not just in individual areas of knowledge, but also beyond the arts. The educational system‘s approach for this program represents an answer to the transformation processes that our globalized societies face today. To be able to deal with complex and global dynamics as well as differing realities, courses designed to give an overview offer interdisciplinary knowledge and provide insights into strategies and methods from a number of areas of knowledge. Basic principles of art, philosophy, natural sciences, engineering, and the humanities are an integral part of the curriculum in order to familiarize students with various perspectives and epistemologies. In addition, basic knowledge regarding the challenges of an increasing fusion of man and machine will be imparted, with a particular focus on the growing automation that is due to the refinement of artificial intelligence and progress in the area of genome editing. The interdisciplinary approach of the program aims at developing future-oriented work methods and the conveyance of new strategies designed to reach far beyond ordinary educational concepts, thus opposing the growing specialization and fragmentation of knowledge. This approach represents a contribution to shaping the future of our societies: Fragile social fabrics in a rapidly changing world that are confronted with global challenges to an unprecedented extent are to be addressed: demographic change, migration, the protection of human rights, social injustices, and poverty, climate change, or redefining human work in the era of robotics and digitalization. Systematic and interdisciplinary courses provide students with insights into current strategies of relevant technological developments, into new economies and finances, as well as into political discourses of contemporary societies. The program is supplemented by reflections accompanying the course of studies. Artistic strategies and practical knowledge are both significant learning objectives and basic work methods. These goals are conveyed in modular study units and enhanced through forms of complementary and collaborative teaching; they include artistic strategies like abstraction, ambiguity, alienation, destruction, or performativity. The architecture of the study program offers a new and innovative learning environment that combines theory and practice. It is supplemented by practical experience in various studios where students become familiar with a broad spectrum of media and materials. In order to educate professionals who are able to navigate in a globalized and interconnected world and who possess the necessary qualifications to handle complex and global dynamics, the study program offers new teaching and learning methods and action strategies. These promote collaboration and teamwork and enable the planning, creation, implementation, analysis, and inspired leading of dynamic projects—an important contribution to providing critical and well-thought-out foundations for meaningful and sustainable decision processes.