OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF DIGITALIZATION FOR INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC COOPERATION USING THE EXAMPLE OF THE GERMAN HIGHER EDUCATION

The worldwide development in recent years has shown that there is a huge interest in virtual forms on education whether it be in higher education, in trainings or in Lifelong Learning. MOOCs are the most popular version of such a development. The higher orientation of universities on competition and business is a reaction of the globalization and internationalization, related to the focus on the Bologna-process, it aims to fulfil the higher demand of students for ICT and the necessity of improving the University teaching and a significant cost reduction. New study models as an alternative to the presence-based courses are interesting approaches, which can be enforced by e-learning and virtualization. New aspects, like Apps, cloud computing and security of information get more and more important, but also a new distribution of knowledge is expected. Universities have to cope with Marketing and develop ways for Diversity Management, i.e. new roles come towards them. Based on a series of projects at German universities, the authors would like to consider the opportunities and challenges, which demonstrate digitalization of international academic cooperation in the field of higher education. The article would like to show and further elaborate with the help of three categories, how internationalization of curriculum can take place through digitalized lectures. The joint creation of individual courses can be taught either fully online or in blended learning form at respective Universities. The common development of the joint studies can be implemented in the Bachelor and Master Degree courses.