Prize of the Liga Bank Foundation

for Excellent Teaching

The Studium.Pro module "Management Simulation in Tourism" connects students of different nationalities and disciplines with guest lecturers from all over the world. It is characterized by a transdisciplinary format that provides an ideal platform for the development of key skills such as intercultural competence, teamwork and communication skills. The module is offered by the Ingolstadt School of Management (Dr. Jutta Walz) and the Chair of Tourism (Kerstin Haag) with participation of the School of Transformation and Sustainability (Felix Hiemeyer) in the form of an Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Program. After a preparatory online phase, input sessions alternate with coaching sessions, group work phases, team presentations, field trips and events during the on-site phase of the program. Students work in international teams from different disciplines to create a creative and collaborative learning environment. In order to promote personal responsibility, students take on different roles, that sometimes require them acting outside their comfort zone: While the competing teams learn to develop and implement strategies for tourism facilities, the student coaches help to organize the Winter School, organize team-building events, advise the student teams and supervise the visiting students and guest coaches; the media team documents the event and advises the teams on the development and implementation of their marketing strategy. 

The didactic concept is based on the KU’s Mission Statement and puts the "discursive education” element to practice: Lecturers act as coaches who support the students' self-learning process through a mixture of classroom formats and digital teaching methods. Internal coaches and international guest lecturers bring "education tailored to the needs of the individual" to life. The IILIAS learning platform is used in an innovative way by simulating the operation of tourism facilities. The Erasmus+ BIP format strengthens the European idea and is ideal for addressing social challenges. The shared experience is enriched not least by activities such as excursions, creative presentation formats and unforeseen challenges – an immersive learning adventure in which the students immerse themselves and grow in a transformative way. Through this innovative approach, the course brings theoretical approaches to life in practice and focuses on personal development and growth.

LIGA Bank has been a proud supporter of the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt for many years, helping to finance Germany Scholarships for students and awarding prizes for excellence in teaching.