From the Elbe to Table Mountain: TU students on exchange in South Africa

In keeping with the university's slogan "The Collaborative University", five TU Dresden students traveled to Stellenbosch in South Africa with their supervisor Thomas T. Richter (CODIP) as part of an international exchange. The visit followed on from last year's successful collaboration, in which students from Stellenbosch University were guests in Dresden and jointly carried out a hackathon format. In Stellenbosch, the Dresden students were welcomed by Prof. Daniel le Roux and integrated into the academic environment of the partner university.

The central element of the stay was the integration into the Research Assignment: Information Systems Management course, which is part of the Informatics Honours Program at Stellenbosch University. This one-year postgraduate course serves to deepen knowledge in the field of computer science and combines perspectives from computer science, social sciences and management. As part of this course, the TU students took part in several research seminars at Master's level and thus gained direct insights into current research work as well as scientific methods and approaches.

In the seminars, teaching staff presented their current research projects and discussed both theoretical concepts and empirical approaches. Topics ranged from generative intelligence and the influence of digital media on attention and learning behavior to questions of cyber security. Dewald Blaauw, for example, presented his work in the field of penetration testing and ethical hacking and showed how IT systems can be checked for security vulnerabilities in a targeted manner. Prof. Daan la Roux presented empirical results on the relationship between media use during lectures and academic performance, which indicate that digital distraction often has negative effects on learning success - albeit with differences depending on the department. The perspective was supplemented by Lisa-Cheree Martin's historical research, which deals with the realities of life for enslaved and freed people in the Cape Colony.

It was particularly exciting to see that many research projects have a clear connection to current social issues in South Africa. Among other things, they are investigating how digital technologies can be meaningfully embedded in existing social structures and what impact this has on different population groups. This gave the students the opportunity to experience research as a practical and context-dependent activity.

Participation in the seminars enabled students to further develop their own specialist interests and reflect on these in exchange with international researchers and students. At the same time, it became clear what added value interdisciplinary collaboration can offer for scientific questions, especially when different perspectives are brought together.

In addition to the academic program, the students were also able to gain impressions of everyday life and the environment in South Africa. This included excursions to the Cape region, a visit to the wine region around Stellenbosch with the double-decker winestreetcar and the opportunity to get to know local specialties. Another highlight was a visit to a student rugby match in the Varsity Cup, in which Stellenbosch clearly won and at the same time provided a good insight into local student life.

© Alexander Mitte

There were also numerous opportunities to deepen existing contacts and exchange new perspectives. This was not only about studying, but also about future career plans - topics that concern students regardless of their location. The exchange thus strengthened both the professional dialog and the personal exchange between the participants internationally.

The exchange was funded by the EU Erasmus+ KA171 program. Special thanks go to the International Office of TU Dresden, in particular Tabea Gösche and Kerstin Unger, who supported the organizational processes and contributed significantly to the success of the exchange.

© Alexander Mitte