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IU International University of Applied Sciences’ AI Learning Companion Syntea Wins Gold at QS Reimagine Education

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:00:21 +0100

Erfurt/London, 4 December 2025 – IU International University of Applied Sciences is proud to announce that Syntea, its in-house-developed AI learning companion, has been awarded as ‘Gold Winner’ in the category ‘AI in Education by Higher Education Institutions’ at Tuesday’s QS Reimagine Education Awards & Conference in London. This accolade is amongst the most renown awards in the education space. It highlights IU's pioneering role in shaping the future of higher education through intelligent AI-driven learning technologies.

“Receiving this award recognises our commitment to AI-powered learning to personalise and democratise education,” says Dr. Sven Schütt, CEO of IU International University of Applied Sciences. “Our goal is to provide every student with personalised support, real opportunities to grow, and the skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world.”

Syntea has evolved significantly since its launch in April 2022, which preceded the hype surrounding the ChatGPT release later that year. Today, Syntea is one of the most advanced AI-driven learning platforms and companions in the university space. Its latest advanced version recognises students’ work environments, preferences, and study objectives and guides the student in a multimodal, multi-agent setup through the learning experience towards successful course completion. In addition to personalising the learning experience, it supports students’ learning motivation. As a result, it increases both study retention and study progress and makes learning more relevant for every student.

“This honorable award shows that AI has the potential to significantly improve the learning experience by providing personalised support and empowering students to confidently navigate complex subjects,” says Mark Zakhvatkin, Director AI & Data, IU Group. “With Syntea, we offer students a reliable, adaptive learning companion that complements traditional teaching methods, promoting deeper understanding and demonstrably better preparation for exams,” adds Quintus Stierstorfer, Senior Director AI Product, IU Group.

About QS Reimagine Education Awards & Conference

The QS Reimagine Education Awards & Conference is a global forum for university leaders, EdTech innovators and educators to showcase pioneering approaches, improve learning outcomes, and prepare institutions for future challenges. See here for more information.

About Syntea

By combining adaptive learning, personalised tutoring, instant feedback, progress tracking, and an intuitive user experience, Syntea effectively supports the needs of modern, flexible study programmes. The AI-powered learning companion guides students through tailored learning paths, identifies knowledge gaps, provides actionable insights, and offers 24/7 guidance. This enables students in distance learning and part-time professional education to study efficiently alongside work and other commitments, promoting deeper understanding, improved exam preparation, and continuous skill development. See here for more information.

Overview: IU Syntea press releases

Empowering people to grow – with high quality, future ready education for everyone

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 15:53:06 +0100

Our mission at IU is very simple, and it is very personal to me: we exist to democratize education so that more people can grow.

Not as a slogan on a wall, but as a promise to real people: if you have the drive to learn – whatever your background, your age, your grades, your postcode – there must be a real path for you.

By removing traditional barriers, equipping our students with digital first skills, and aligning study programs with what employers actually need, IU expands opportunity, strengthens social mobility, and directly addresses Germany’s critical skills shortages.

1. Improving access & social mobility

In 25 years, IU has grown from a small private university into Germany’s largest university, with around 130,000 students in more than 200 programmes. But the real story is who those students are:

Over 70% come from non academic families.
Around 16% study without a traditional Abitur, often via vocational qualifications and work experience.
Over 20% of our students are raising children or caring for relatives while they study.
And 84% say they would not have the opportunity to study without IU.

So when we talk about “democratizing education”, it is not an abstract ideal. It is about real people – nurses, social workers, AI engineers, software developers, parents and career changers – who now have a university badge on their CV and a genuine chance for upward mobility.

2. Boosting workforce & addressing skills gaps

IU is one of the country’s largest providers of critical talent:

The biggest share of students in Social Work study at IU – every year, thousands of our graduates go on to work in youth welfare offices, schools and social services.
At the same time, we are the largest educator in digital and AI related fields – from business informatics and data science to cyber security and IT management – areas where Germany is missing tens of thousands of specialists.

By opening doors for non traditional learners into these fields, we directly support Germany’s social infrastructure and its digital transformation: more qualified social workers for vulnerable communities, more IT and AI talent for an economy under pressure to modernise.

3. Graduate quality

A university should be judged on what its people can actually do. That is why we care deeply about independent evidence. In a very recent, soon to be published independent study, German employers were asked how IU graduates compare to graduates from other universities. Their answers were unambiguous:

89% see our graduates as more engaged and more practice oriented.
85% say they prefer IU graduates in recruitment.
64% rate IU students as the most attractive candidates in the market – eight percentage points above the benchmark for all other universities.

This is not our self assessment. This is what the people who hire our students are telling us. It is also why 89% of our students believe that their investment of time and money into education has been very much worth it – significantly more than at private competitors and especially more than at German public universities where tuition is free.

Our quality is also visible in regulation: we have just been re accredited for our quality system for the longest possible period – until 2033. That is a strong external signal of our long term commitment to high quality education.

On top of that, in an independent survey of people who have studied at more than one university and can compare services, 91% say IU provides better support, 91% say IU has better teaching, and 86% say IU helps them better to reach their full potential.

4. Innovation in learning

In the last 15 years we have game changed education with many world firsts – always with one goal: to empower more people to grow with the most personalised, high quality education. We have been:

The world’s first university (in 2011) to let you start your degree any day.
Among the first to roll out online degrees at scale in Germany – now in over 100 degree programs, including Social Work, Psychology, AI and more.
The first to enable students to write exams immediately, 24/7, the moment they feel ready.
The first university worldwide to roll out a GPT 4 driven learning companion for all students – and we are improving it continuously.

Today, our most important obligation is not just to change how people learn, but what they learn in a world shaped by digitisation and AI. Future proof education is not just more content; it is different content:

the ability to be more productive with AI – responsibly and ethically;
critical thinking and problem solving;
collaboration, communication, resilience;
learning how to learn – again and again across a lifetime;
making ethical and values based decisions in complex situations.

We evolve our curricula and our learning tools around these future skills, while providing the best possible academic grounding. That is why we are proud that 90% of employers say the AI and digital skills of IU graduates are as good as or better than those of other universities – and 88% of our students agree that IU prepares them better for this new world.

There has never been a time in which agility is more important for universities and educators, given the seismic shifts that work, life and learning are experiencing – and we embrace that responsibility.

On criticism – and how we respond

We have always faced criticism given the fundamental changes we pushed forward. But in recent months, we have seen more critical reporting about IU than ever before. As CEO, I have read these articles carefully. Some of the criticism is fair, some is, in our view, unbalanced. All of it matters.

We are not perfect. When you grow quickly and push into new territory, you will make mistakes and you will elicit criticism from more conservative sides. Some of that criticism we need to weather if we want to democratise and improve education.

But whenever a student is affected, I want you to know this: we care deeply. Every day, students and alumni write to me directly. Some messages are full of gratitude. Others are angry or disappointed. I read them. My colleagues and I follow up. We try, case by case, to understand, to fix, and to learn.

We are investing heavily in:

better support,
clearer processes,
faster responses, and
more transparency about who we serve and how successful they are.

We want to be judged not by how loudly we speak, but by how reliably we deliver for our students – especially when something goes wrong.

What gives us confidence is what our students tell us when they can compare. In a recent independent survey of people who have studied at more than one university:

91% say IU provides better support,
91% say IU has better teaching, and
86% say IU helps them better to reach their full potential.

Being a trailblazer means you will be challenged. That is not a problem. In fact, it is part of our job. What defines us is not that we never stumble, but that we listen, take responsibility, and do the work to get better.

A thank you – and an invitation

None of this would be possible without people. I am deeply grateful to our faculty and staff, who bring tremendous expertise and an extraordinary growth mindset to this mission every single day. You are willing to rethink courses, fix processes, try new things, admit when something doesn’t work, and try again. Thank you.

I want to thank our more than 15,000 corporate partners, who trust us with their talent pipelines, offer real projects and dual positions, and challenge us to keep our programmes relevant.

And to our 130,000 students and the many tens of thousands of alumni: you are the reason we exist. Your courage to learn – often alongside work, children, and everything life throws at you – is what gives this whole project meaning. Your success in companies, schools, hospitals, start ups and public institutions is the strongest argument for this model.

To everyone watching or reading – students, parents, policymakers, colleagues, critics, partners – I have one invitation: If you believe, as I do, that talent is distributed more fairly than opportunity, then join us in this work. If you believe, as I do, that education is part of the solution to almost every major challenge we face, help us to democratize it. Ask hard questions. Look at the facts. Hold us to our mission.

Because in the end, it is simple: we are here to democratize education so that more people can grow. If we keep that promise – together – the real story will not be about IU. It will be about the lives changed because someone, perhaps someone like you, finally got a fair chance to learn.

- Dr Sven Schütt, CEO of IU Group & IU International University of Applied Sciences, on 28 November 2025

IU Group wins EdTechX Leviathan Award 2025

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 08:40:51 +0200

London, 23 June 2025. The IU Group, one of Europe’s largest university groups, has been awarded the prestigious EdTechX Leviathan Award for the third consecutive year.

The EdTechX Leviathan Award recognises established, high-growth companies that are shaping the future of digital education and workforce development. IU Group once again impressed the jury with its global expansion, innovative use of technology, and unwavering commitment to delivering truly personalised education experiences.

“This award reinforces our mission to make high-quality education accessible to all,” said Dr Sven Schütt, CEO of IU Group. “It’s a powerful acknowledgement of the impact our team is making worldwide. We remain focused on innovation and inclusion — empowering learners everywhere to reach their full potential.”

The award was presented during the EdTechX Awards ceremony in London to Dr Marian Bodenstedt (COO Online DACH), Stephan Schäfer (Director Pre-Sales OnCampus), and Edward Harland-Lang (Head of Growth, Walbrook Institute London). The physical award is now displayed at the Walbrook Institute London, IU Group’s UK-based subsidiary, as a symbol of IU’s presence and growing community in the UK.

Held annually since 2013, the EdTechX Awards are among the most influential accolades in the educational technology sector, spotlighting companies that demonstrate sustained growth, transformative innovation, and measurable impact. The finalists and winners are widely regarded as key drivers of global change in education.

To learn more about the EdTechX Awards, please visit: https://impactx2050.com/edtechx/awards-2025

LIBF is now known as Walbrook Institute London

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 09:00:00 +0200

London, 2 April 2025. LIBF has a proud 145-year history, and this new name reflects the institution’s successful expansion beyond offering traditional banking and finance qualifications. It acknowledges its growing presence in fields with workforce gaps like business management and digital technology, while maintaining its acclaimed financial education offering under the LIBF brand.

The institution’s new name draws inspiration from the historic River Walbrook, which once flowed through the heart of the City of London, passing beneath what is now the Bank of England. Just as this ancient waterway was crucial to London's development as a centre of commerce and industry, Walbrook Institute London represents LIBF’s evolution in shaping professional education for the digital age.

Founded in 1879 within the Square Mile, the institution’s roots are deeply embedded in London’s financial heritage. The adoption of the Walbrook name maintains this strong connection to its birthplace and financial origins, while symbolising the flow of knowledge into new territories, much like the river that once served as a vital artery of London's commerce.

Steve Hill, CEO and Vice-Chancellor of LIBF, commented on the significance of the rename: "Our transition to Walbrook Institute London recognises the natural evolution of our educational offering. Just as the River Walbrook was essential to London's growth as a global financial centre, our institution has grown beyond its traditional roots to embrace the interconnected worlds of finance, technology, and digital innovation. This new identity better reflects who we are today and our vision for the future."

At the heart of Walbrook Institute London’s success is the commitment to learner-centric education. The institution’s proven flexible learning model enables professionals to upskill while balancing career and personal commitments, offering 24/7 access to learning resources, virtual classrooms, and on-demand content. This approach has already helped thousands of students globally advance their careers in both financial and technology sectors.

"Our learner-centric model has been key to our successful expansion into new areas," added Hill. "The new Walbrook Institute London name reflects our commitment to continuing this approach. It shows how we’re embracing innovative teaching methods that allow learners to study at their own pace and on their terms, while recognising our home in The City."

The rename to Walbrook Institute London marks a significant milestone in the organisation’s evolution, which began in 1879 as the Institute of Bankers. While it has changed names over the years, more recently it was known as the London Institute of Banking & Finance (later shortened to LIBF). The organisation's growth has mirrored the City of London's development as a global financial hub, and this rename reflects the institute’s established position in preparing professionals for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow's world.

While the institution will operate as Walbrook Institute London, its professional financial qualifications will continue under the LIBF brand, maintaining its trusted position as a leading provider of banking and finance education.

For more information, visit www.walbrook.ac.uk

IU Group and IU win UK-based edtech awards

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 10:25:24 +0200

London, 04 July 2024. IU Group (IUG) and its flagship university, IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) – Germany’s largest private university take home top prizes in latest UK-based edtech awards: the 2024 EdTechX Leviathan Award and the Global EdTech Award 2024 for Best AI Integration respectively.

The EdTechX Leviathan Award is a prestigious recognition that celebrates the significant contributions of mature and profitable businesses that play a leading role in shaping the future of digital learning and skill development. For the second year in a row, IU Group was honoured to receive this award, lauding its exponential growth and dedication to leveraging technology to empower individuals globally with highly personalised education.

Global EdTech Awards recognises leading edtech companies, products, and projects around the world for their contribution to digital education and technology. IU received the award of Best AI Integration for its very own learn buddy, Syntea. Syntea is a unique, first-of-its-kind AI-tool developed by IU to empower its students and optimise their studies.

"Receiving these EdTech awards is a testament to our commitment to innovation and excellence in education. We are honoured to be recognised and remain dedicated to transforming the learning experience for students worldwide", said Dr Sven Schütt, CEO of IU Group. "Our mission to democratise education and prepare students for the workforce is at the core of everything we do, and this award reinforces our efforts to make quality education accessible to all."

Both awards were announced in late-June. The EdTechX Awards ceremony was hosted in London and presented the EdTechX Leviathan Awards to Professor Dr Thorsten Fröhlich, IU professor for IT Management. The Global EdTech Award ceremony was hosted online.

For more information about the awards, and to see the winners and runners-up in all of this year’s categories, visit:

https://impactx2050.com/edtechx/awards-finalists2024
https://edtechawardsglobal.com/winners-2024/

IU International University of Applied Sciences launches IU Copilot School featuring Microsoft

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 10:16:00 +0200

With more than 250 bachelor's and master's degree programmes, the IU Copilot School (IUCP) prepares students from all disciplines for the new AI-driven working world.
Future IUCP students will receive a license for Copilot for Microsoft 365.
IU will integrate its AI learning buddy Syntea into Copilot for Microsoft 365 to provide IUCP students with customised and integrated learning.

Erfurt, 26 June 2024: IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU), Germany's largest university with more than 130,000 students, has launched the IU Copilot School (IUCP) featuring Microsoft. IU and Microsoft collaborate to make education more accessible with the help of AI and to provide students with the necessary future skills for the new age of AI. With the IUCP, IU is creating a new, unique higher education model that is tailored to students' individual abilities and optimally supports them in their personal academic progress using AI.

"We are proud to have Microsoft on our side as a partner for the democratisation of education in the coming AI era. With the creation of the IU Copilot School, we are making a paradigm shift in education that enables continuous and integrated learning. By using Copilot for Microsoft 365, we are improving the learning experience of students as they study and we prepare them with the skills they need for a future, in which we all work together with AI", says Dr Sven Schütt, CEO of IU Group.

“IU International University of Applied Sciences is a leader in the application of AI for personalised learning and the teaching of AI skills across all disciplines. With its seamless integration of Copilot for Microsoft 365, IU Copilot School impressively demonstrates the understanding of forward-thinking education and empowers future employees through the use of AI", explains Alexander Britz, Public Sector Lead at Microsoft Germany.

Integrated learning with Copilot for Microsoft 365 in more than 250 online courses

The IU Copilot School will launch its first study programmes in the German market in October 2024. Candidates can apply now. With the launch of IUCP, students will have the opportunity to choose from existing IU online degree programmes, such as B.Sc. Applied Artificial Intelligence, with a focus on the use of the AI-supported productivity tool Copilot for Microsoft 365, including a license for Microsoft 365 and Copilot for Microsoft 365. IUCP prepares its future students for an integrated learning experience that equips them with useful skills in Copilot 's application throughout their studies.

IU will successively integrate all suitable study programmes offered in distance learning into the IUCP. In the future, IUCP students will be able to choose from more than 250 bachelor's and master's programmes.

IUCP combines formal learning and AI support

Copilot for Microsoft 365 provides an innovative learning experience for IUCP students: It combines formal learning focused on an educational goal with hands-on learning supported by AI. In addition, with M365 Copilot, students have the opportunity to be among the first in Europe to extensively use an AI tool that will be widely adopted by companies worldwide in the future.

Copilot for Microsoft 365 is directly integrated into the user interface of Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint. This allows IU Copilot School students to benefit from a variety of features in their everyday study life: The tool makes it easy to search and summarise information from various sources in the Microsoft ecosystem, for example in Teams channels or Outlook. In addition, Copilot for Microsoft 365 supports students in the creation, formatting and translation of Word documents, PowerPoint presentations and Excel spreadsheets. In this way, Copilot for Microsoft 365 not only serves as a source of inspiration and problem solving for students, but also promotes creativity in projects and tasks.

Syntea and Copilot for Microsoft 365: the best of two AI worlds

IU plans to fully integrate its self-developed Syntea into Copilot for Microsoft 365 by the end of the year. This will allow IUCP students to seamlessly access all Syntea functions within the MS Office interface. With the help of the AI-powered learning companion Syntea, they will have direct support in the tool. Through interactive and personal conversations, Syntea will assist students to reach their individual learning objectives any time of the day.

At the same time, IUCP students can profit from all the advantages of Copilot for Microsoft 365 and thus benefit from powerful language models such as the Microsoft Azure Open AI Service.

Thanks to the close co-operation with Microsoft, the AI learning buddy Syntea will always make optimal use of the most advanced AI technology to personalise learning. IUCP will also adapt its learning offerings to the latest trends and skills of the AI era.

Further information on the IU Copilot School featuring Microsoft at:
https://www.iu-copilot.org/en/lp/lp-copilot/

Information on the benefits and functions of the AI learning companion Syntea at:
https://www.iu-copilot.org/en/studies/syntea/

All previously published press releases from IU International University of Applied Sciences about Syntea at:
https://www.iu.de/news/en/?h=1&t=Syntea

ABOUT MICROSOFT

Microsoft Deutschland GmbH, established in 1983 as a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation (Redmond, U.S.A.), employs over 3,000 employees in Germany across seven locations: Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, Munich, Stuttgart, and Walldorf. Together with our 30,000 partners in Germany, we support businesses with innovative solutions for the intelligent cloud and the Intelligent Edge, enabling them to thrive in the digital transformation and the era of artificial intelligence. Microsoft is also a global leader in areas such as productive AI-driven software solutions, IT security, innovative hardware, and development platforms based on open-source technology. Through our career network LinkedIn, we connect more than 950 million people worldwide, and with Xbox and Game Pass, we provide a cross-platform gaming experience. Microsoft invests in expanding AI infrastructure, cloud capacity, and the qualification of professionals in Germany. Collaborating with politics, economy, and academia, we participate in diverse initiatives and projects, ensuring that everyone can partake in the progress of the digital society.

ABOUT IU INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

With over 130,000 students, IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) is the largest university in Germany. The private, state-recognised educational institution with its headquarters in Erfurt began operations in 2000 and is now represented in more than 35 German cities. Students from over 190 nations design their studies according to their needs: whether practice-integrated dual studies, flexible distance learning or individual “myStudium”, which combines online self-study and campus life. IU wants to give people worldwide access to personalised education for a fulfilled and self-determined life. In more than 250 bachelor's, master's and MBA programmes, including over 50 in English, IU teaches students key skills relevant to the future. A digitally supported learning environment and the use of AI solutions help students to achieve optimal learning results and experiences. IU is one of the first universities in the world to have developed and deployed its own AI-supported learning buddy. IU cooperates with over 15,000 companies and supports them in the academic training of professionals. Partners include Motel One, Vodafone, AWO and Deutsche Bahn. Further information at: iu.org

The AI-supported learning buddy "Syntea" is now available as a public demo version in the ChatGPT store at the following link: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-P5olqoCPc-syntea

Steve Hill joins LIBF as new Vice-Chancellor and CEO

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 15:00:00 +0200

London, 10 June 2024. LIBF, an innovator in distance learning and online degrees, welcomes Steve Hill as Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer. He will succeed Alex Fraser, who announced today he will step down as CEO after nine years and remain at LIBF as a senior advisor. Starting July 2024, Hill will lead LIBF’s vision and mission, bringing with him a wealth of experience in digital education and strategic growth, both in the UK and international markets. The new VC and CEO at LIBF is passionate about creating access to education for all through the use of technology and digitalisation. Beginning his career in International Banking and Finance, he later transitioned into Higher Education. His extensive commercial and international business experience then led him to be the CEO of the Open University Worldwide and Chair of FutureLearn. Hill later founded several edtech organisations. His organisations work with universities in helping them expand their access to education for everyone through digital education, which perfectly matches with LIBF's approach to democratising education.

“What makes LIBF so attractive for me is the long-standing history and heritage of this rich institution, as well as the societal contribution of a skilled workforce, equipped in using AI and technology. I find the mission of democratising education highly energising, and purpose driven. I want to do my best to positively contribute to LIBF’s mission in preparing future leaders with the skills and expertise needed for the current workforce, combining 140 years of heritage with pioneering educational technology”, says Hill, who also embraces the need and use of AI in education. “In education, flexible and personalised learning will be strengthened by AI, and moreover, in some areas create new opportunities. By allowing students to adapt their learning journey to their individual needs, it best prepares them with the latest industry knowledge and practical skills for their next professional steps.”

“We extend our deepest gratitude to Alex Fraser for his outstanding leadership and dedication to LIBF and its thousands of students served during his nine successful years of service”, said Dr Sven Schütt, CEO at IU Group, the parent company of LIBF. “We appreciate your long-continued guidance, and it is great that you will support LIBF in the future as a senior advisor.

We want to extend a warm welcome to LIBF’s new CEO, Steve Hill, whose proven leadership and steadfast dedication to higher education and edtech make him the perfect fit at LIBF, offering exciting opportunities in academic excellence. Steve is very passionate about edtech and making higher education accessible to everyone, which is at the core of IU Group’s vision and mission. We’re excited for Steve’s stewardship and journey in making LIBF the UK’s largest degree awarding body”, added Schütt.

The impressive track record of Steve Hill includes significant roles like CEO of Open University Worldwide, Founder and CEO of Skills Based Learning Ltd. and Higher Ed Partners Ltd., Chairman of FutureLearn, as well as the Global Commercial Director at Thomson Reuters. Hill’s extensive background includes experience in the UK, US, Asia, as well as the EMEA region. He holds a degree from The Open University in business and management and is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute.

ABOUT LIBF

With a focus on vocational training, LIBF delivers a broad range of qualifications and programmes to support individuals at each stage of their careers – from entry-level to advanced professional qualifications. Since 2023, LIBF has been part of IU Group, Europe’s largest edtech company and proprietor of Germany’s largest university, IU International University of Applied Science, as well as the University of Fredericton in Canada. Further information at: www.libf.ac.uk

Press Contact

LIBF
John Roman, International PR Manager
press@libf.ac.uk

LIBF launches new personalised AI learning buddy “Syntea”

Wed, 29 May 2024 10:14:12 +0200

As the first and, so for only, degree awarding body in the UK with fully integrated AI in its online degree programmes, LIBF confirms launch of AI learning buddy “Syntea”.

The AI learning buddy supports students individually in their learning - around the clock, at their personal pace.
State-of-the-art technology: Syntea - like ChatGPT - works generatively, refining its ability to answer complex questions comprehensively in an academic context.
Syntea has been developed by LIBF’s sister university, IU International University of Applied Sciences in Germany, and has been tried and tested across 1,000 online courses in the degree progammes that use Syntea.
LIBF students will benefit from Syntea in all online degree courses.
In addition, LIBF now offers its students elective courses in artificial intelligence in almost all degree programmes, as an essential key competence for tomorrow's job market.

London, 29, May 2024. LIBF is pioneering the use of fully integrated AI-supported learning on a large scale for its degree students – a first for higher education in the UK – with the launch of Syntea for its online degree programmes.

Syntea, which was specially developed by IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) in Germany – LIBF’s sister university – was introduced for the first time in Germany in November 2022 and has been used successfully by thousands of students at IU. Complementing the academic teaching with more than 35 faculty and study advisors, Syntea presents itself as a truly innovative and valuable learning tool for students.

The integration of Syntea in its online degree programmes means LIBF is not only leading personalised, digital education in the UK – but is able to better prepare students with the necessary technical skills for the future as well as supporting improved outcomes for students during their studies.

"This fully integrated AI-based learning buddy is a step change for higher education in the UK. It allows us to think about learning in a completely new way: students can now ask their individual questions online and receive an answer immediately – no matter where they are and when they are learning. This brings us a big step closer to providing truly personalized learning and helping to better prepare students with the necessary skills for a competitive job market," says Alex Fraser, CEO of LIBF.

Syntea acts as a sophisticated, personalised AI learning assistant that responds to learners' needs and preferences. Syntea provides answers to individually posed questions about the learning material in a matter of seconds, and those answers are checked by teachers within a short period of time. As it proceeds, the AI learning buddy factors in the learning speed of the individual student and adapts to their learning rhythm. In addition, Syntea records the learning progress of the students through questions, enabling them to identify and close their knowledge gaps in a more targeted manner.

"Syntea is one of the first solutions in the world to offer AI-based teaching at a high level and across many degree programmes. This concerns both the underlying generative AI technology and the dialogue-based, natural interaction with Syntea. As a personal learning buddy, Syntea accompanies our students efficiently through their studies and takes their needs into account," says Quintus Stierstorfer, Director Synthetic Teaching at IU, who is largely responsible for the development of Syntea.

In the current Syntea version, the following three functions are available to students at LIBF: Question-Answering (Q&A), Pre-Assessment and Deep Dialogue Learning. More details below:

Q&A: Around-the-clock answers to academic questions

Question-Answering (Q&A) provides students with verified answers to their questions about academic content around the clock in an anonymous and private learning environment, allowing them to learn whenever and wherever they want. In its answers, Syntea provides a link to the corresponding chapter in the online script. Students can thus immediately dive deeper into the topic. In addition, teachers can add further relevant content, for example further links, to the checked answers. Syntea immediately recognises questions from fellow students that have already been asked in a similar way and can directly provide suitable and already verified answers. The AI learning buddy uses natural language processing (NLP) in its answers to understand and use words as humans do.

Pre-assessment: assessing learning progress with video avatar

With pre-assessment, an AI-based assessment mechanism, students can test their level of knowledge at any time and on any topic by answering multiple-choice questions posed by Syntea. Syntea guides students through the questions and answers in the form of a talking avatar. After completing several questions, students can see which ones they answered correctly and which ones they answered incorrectly.

Deep Dialogue Learning: training your understanding and communication skills

The Deep Dialogue Learning Feature gives students the chance to study using the Socratic teaching method . This means that Syntea leads you through the material with open questions and encourages you to critically review your knowledge. Based on your answers, Syntea helps you break down complex information bit by bit. If necessary, Syntea clarifies certain points so that you can discover and correct misconceptions independently. This way, you train both your understanding of the material and your communicative skills.

The next steps for Syntea include rolling out a training feature for exams, which will offer students the ability to systematically prepare for exam questions. They choose which unit they want to practice and Syntea will ask them questions graded ‘easy’, ‘medium’, and ‘hard’. Once they have answered three questions in a row correctly, they progress to the next level. If they answer a question incorrectly, Syntea will explain to them why it was wrong.

In the long term, Syntea is to be developed into a continuous learning support companion – a personalised learning buddy – that actively encourages and motivates students to pursue their learning goals.

LIBF's leading role in digital and AI-enhanced learning

LIBF has been actively leading the way in the use of digital learning tools in its teaching for years. For example, students of its professional qualifications can study online through LIBF’s learning platform, on demand, and take assessments and exams remotely. The inclusion of Syntea in its online degree programmes is another step forward in LIBF’s continuing development of digital learning tools that truly support students’ different learning needs and styles.
LIBF will also offer elective courses in artificial intelligence in almost all degree programmes moving forward. Students will have the opportunity to acquire new, essential skills in order to be prepared for the demands of the future labour market .

Further information on Syntea with clear explanatory videos at: https://www.libf.ac.uk/degrees/studying-with-us/student-support/ai-study-assistant-syntea/

ABOUT LIBF

Since its foundation in 1879, LIBF has been at the forefront of providing world-class education and training. Today, our qualifications equip students round the world with the skills they need for successful careers. It is one of only a few professional bodies in the world to have Taught Degree Awarding Powers and is an innovator in distance learning and online degrees. With a focus on vocational training, LIBF delivers a broad range of qualifications and programmes to support individuals at each stage of their careers – from entry-level to advanced professional qualifications. Further information at: www.libf.ac.uk

Press Contact

LIBF
John Roman, International PR Manager
press@libf.ac.uk

IU Group publishes Sustainability Report 2023: Increased commitment to the environment and social responsibility

Wed, 22 May 2024 12:58:17 +0200

As a certified B Corporation, IU Group has undergone a rigorous assessment by B Lab, meeting high standards in terms of social and environmental impact.
IU Group has successfully minimised its carbon footprint by improving energy efficiency in offices and increasing the share of renewable energy in its operations.
IU International University of Applied Sciences, one of IU Group's educational institutions, is a leader in gender diversity, ranking second out of 42 institutions in a recent analysis by the Berlin/Brandenburg Consumer Protection Association on the proportion of women at German universities and colleges.

Erfurt, Germany, 22 May 2024. Sustainability and social responsibility are core values of IU Group (IUG) and its educational institutions, including IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU). As a member of the UN Global Compact (UNGC) and its university initiative, Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), IU is committed to the highest sustainability standards for the benefit of all stakeholders. IU's approach to sustainability is defined by the key principles of these two initiatives and clearly demonstrates how education and responsibility are intertwined.

As part of the latest sustainability initiatives, IUG has made significant progress in 2023, underlining its environmental and social responsibility. Studies show that distance learning is fundamentally more sustainable than on campus students. This can also be seen at IU, where students in distance learning programmes produce seven times fewer greenhouse gases than on campus students. This important sustainable advantage of IUG is emphatic proof of how innovative educational models can contribute to overcoming global challenges.

IUG presents a selection of significant achievements and initiatives from 2023 that underline its commitment to sustainability and social responsibility:

IU Group receives B Corp certification

In November 2023, IUG achieved the status of a certified B Corporation. This important milestone underlines IU's commitment to environmental, social and responsible corporate governance. In a two-year certification process, the structures of all IU-affiliated companies and the overall social and environmental performance along with the entire value chain within the organisation were examined.

Joining the global community of certified B Corporations is not only an honour for IUG, but it also opens up exciting opportunities for learning and collaboration. It offers the chance to engage with like-minded organisations, share valuable insights and participate in joint projects and initiatives that align with IUG's commitment to sustainability. However, this milestone only marks the beginning of the journey towards sustainability, as the B Corporation status commits IUG to further continuous engagement and improvement.

Distance learning study students produce 7 times less greenhouse gases

IUG's own research in 2020 found that distance learning study students produce seven times less greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional students. IUG's carbon footprint, according to preliminary figures, consists of 2.4 per cent direct emissions (Scope 1) from own sources such as heat supply and vehicles, 3.0 per cent indirect emissions (Scope 2) from purchased energy such as electricity, and 94.6 per cent emissions along the value chain (Scope 3) from all other indirect sources such as purchased goods and services, business travel and the use of products sold. IUG sets priorities to further minimise its carbon footprint, including reducing energy consumption in offices, increasing the use of renewable energy.

IU leads the way in gender diversity among academic staff

IU stands out among German universities in terms of gender diversity. With 38.9 per cent female professors, it ranks second in a recent analysis by the Verbraucherschutzverein Berlin/Brandenburg (VSVBB) on the proportion of women at German colleges and universities. Particularly noteworthy: at IU, more departments are headed by women than by men (55.56 per cent). The study points out that gender equality in academic positions remains a challenge, with an average of 27.94 per cent female professors at the institutions surveyed. However, there are positive developments in the recruitment of junior academic staff, emphasising the ongoing efforts to achieve gender equality and strong role models in academia.

Symposium in Hamburg: focus on sustainable media and brand management

The "Symposium Sustainable Media & Brand Management - Sustainable Media Strategies for Value-Based Brand Management", organised by IU International University of Applied Sciences, took place in Hamburg in November 2023. Academics, media professionals and brand experts discussed sustainable practices in the media and marketing industry. A central point was the importance of sustainable approaches in online advertising campaigns to reduce CO2 emissions. The need for brands, agencies and media companies to go beyond carbon neutrality and promote social change was also emphasised. The event was part of a research project led by Prof Dr Lisa Wolter, Professor and Head of Online Marketing at IU International University of Applied Sciences, in collaboration with the University of Florida.

New additions to IU Group: LIBF and UFred

In 2023, IU has expanded its reach to academic institutions in three different countries, cementing a shared vision for a more sustainable future. The London Institute of Banking and Finance (LIBF) in the United Kingdom and the University of Fredericton (UFred) in Canada joined IUG. This expansion strengthens the joint commitment to sustainable practices in education and research.

LIBF has distinguished itself through initiatives such as a detailed energy audit and gender equality programmes. Given the critical role of the financial sector in supporting the sustainable transformation of the economy, LIBF creates and curates expert leadership contributions on sustainability topics such as green finance. Since 2023, all IUG members have been subject to common standards on sustainability and social responsibility, while retaining their autonomy.

"Sustainability, social responsibility and transparency are not just buzzwords for us, but a daily commitment. IU Group tries to set a good example in areas such as reporting, minimising CO2 emissions and promoting diversity. Together with society as a whole, we face the challenging task of creating a fair and sustainable economy. We want to show that the education sector can play an important role here," says Alex Čaičics, Head of Sustainability and ESG Communications at IU Group.

The IU Group's ESG report was compiled and structured on the basis of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and can be downloaded here.

IU Group completes employee fitness challenge for a good cause

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 13:32:47 +0200

Munich, Germany, 5 April 2024. For the third time in a row, IU Group declared March as fitness month. Following the motto "I&U Around the World", more than 1,200 IU Group employees collected as many kilometres as possible for a good cause through sporting and sustainable activities. For every circumnavigation of the globe achieved, the company will plant 1,000 trees in Tanzania to strengthen the climate and support local communities with the help of the "Grow my Tree" project from the Impact Hero organisation. The teams covered a total of 423,364 kilometres, achieving the equivalent of 10.5 circumnavigations, which equates to 10,500 trees.

"With sport and sustainable behaviour, we not only shape our bodies, but also the world around us. A healthy, intact environment and society are the benchmark for our behaviour, our teaching and our research. We are very proud that so many colleagues have once again taken part in our campaign and become real 'Impact Heroes'," says Alex Čaičics, Head of Sustainability at IU Group.

Moving for climate protection & sustainability

Planting 10,500 trees in the Usambara Mountains in Tanzania has a carbon sequestration potential of around 231 tonnes of CO2 per year and supports the restoration of biodiversity over an area of around 45,000 square metres. The number of trees equates to around 105 working days for the people in the region and enables them to learn more about sustainable development. The work in tree nurseries and in planting, caring for and monitoring trees creates sustainable income opportunities that benefit women in particular. At the same time, the incentives for illegal deforestation are combated through education and financial empowerment.

The tree projects supported by Impact Hero help combat climate change, create habitats for animals, ensure healthy soils and restore water cycles, while strengthening local communities through income and education opportunities. Impact Hero works with project partners in over 20 countries in the Global South, where the impact is greatest. For IU Group, Impact Hero is the ideal partner for its employee campaign, as it is increasingly committed to sustainable development on an economic, social and ecological level and is guided by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.

Healthy & responsible employees

Teams from all IU Group locations and facilities around the world came together to take part in the challenge. Using the fitness app "TeamFit", the teams recorded their activities, which were converted into kilometres. Any form of movement counted, such as walking, home workouts, house cleaning, mindfulness and breathing exercises and much more. A special focus this year was on sustainable activities. For example, anyone who swapped their car for a train or bike, drank tap water instead of bottled water, took a vegetarian or vegan day or shortened their shower time collected additional kilometres in a simple and sustainable way. Around ten per cent of all kilometres achieved were based on sustainable activities, which puts it in second place compared to all other activities. Only steps taken accounted for an even greater proportion of the overall result, with 25 per cent. In addition, all participants received many helpful tips for a more sustainable lifestyle during the challenge period as well as background information on IU Group's many other ESG initiatives.

"Sustainability and social responsibility start within the company itself. Through campaigns like this, we try to raise awareness within IU Group and support our employees to grow personally and make a positive contribution together - for our students and our environment," says Čaičics.

Dijana Galijasevic, CEO & Founder of Impact Hero, personally congratulated the impressive result:

"IU Group is also helping to fulfil Impact Hero's mission of turning everyday actions into truly tangible contributions to our global cause and creating greater awareness. Together we are not just planting trees, we are planting hope, growth and opportunities for countless lives. So, we are all true impact heroes."

Why planting trees with Impact Hero?

Statistics & project insights

IU Group certificate

More information about ”Grow my Tree“:
https://growmytree.com/en/pages/uber-uns

More information about IU Group's tree planting initiative:
https://www.impacthero.com/impact/mono/en/iu-group

More information on sustainability at IU Group:
https://sustainability.iu-group.com/

Generative AI can accelerate study time, IU research shows

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 11:00:00 +0100

Erfurt, 23 February 2024. Time plays a crucial role in higher education learning and influences learning progress and the achievement of academic goals. Shortening learning time through AI-supported, personalised approaches can help to reduce drop-out rates and increase enrolment rates. With its research paper, "Revolutionising Distance Learning: A Comparative Study of Learning Progress with AI-Driven Tutoring", IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) shows for the first time at scale the positive effect of generative AI in higher education within a large and diverse treatment group (n = ca. 1000 IU students). Results show that generative AI can help to accelerate learning progress.

The research tested whether the use of the AI-supported learning assistant Syntea, which was made available in almost all IU online courses in October 2023, influences the learning progress of distance learning students.

Analysis by the IU research team shows that by using Syntea, the average time taken by IU distance learners to complete a course reduced by 27 per cent compared to baseline. This means that for a three-year bachelor programme students will be able to save almost 10 months of their study time. This is based on the assumption that this effect will be extrapolated on the total study time.

Dr Sven Schütt, CEO, of IU International University of Applied Sciences, emphasises the importance of the study results:

“This landmark study underscores the revolutionary impact our AI learning companion Syntea is having on higher education. And as we continue to innovate, that impact will only increase. The findings suggest that education is on the brink of unprecedented improvement, paving the way for possibilities we couldn't have imagined just a year ago. Extrapolating this finding to the 15-year educational journey of the average bachelor student implies the potential to accelerate in average 4 years of education, opening up completely new opportunities to reshape our education system.”

The research focused on the new Syntea feature, “Exam Trainer” which was released for several IU courses (around 40) in October 2023, continuing the history of the LLM (large language models) enabled innovation Syntea started in early 2022. In the future, it is planned that the trainer function will be available for half of IU’s courses. The trainer feature prepares students for the exam giving them the next exam-like question, thus providing personal feedback in the same style as you would have in the exam. By doing so, IU students receive a lot more feedback compared to students at other universities, which helps them progress faster.

(Source: D. Fabietti, M. Möller, S. Schütt, H. Sommerfeldt, Q. Stierstorfer, M. Zakhvatkin (2024). ”Revolutionising Distance Learning: A Comparative Study of Learning Progress with AI-Driven Tutoring”, IU International University of Applied Sciences)

The research paper “Revolutionising Distance Learning: A Comparative Study of Learning Progress with AI-Driven Tutoring” can be downloaded here.

Press release on the Syntea rollout in October 2023.

ABOUT SYNTEA

Syntea, the AI learning buddy developed by the IU, is designed for the students. Linked to the IU Learn app and available in almost all courses, Syntea offers an innovative learning experience. As a sophisticated, personalised AI learning assistant, Syntea responds to learners' needs and preferences. The AI learning buddy adapts to students' learning pace and rhythm, tracks their progress and helps them to identify and close knowledge learning gaps.

Syntea comes with four main functions: Pre-Assessment to identify strengths and weaknesses, Question-Answering for immediate exam-relevant answers (after prior review by human teachers), Exam Trainer for personalised exam preparation and Deep Dialogue Learning for interactive dialogues to deepen understanding.

The AI-supported learning buddy Syntea is now available as a public demo version in the ChatGPT store at the following link: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-P5olqoCPc-syntea

Further information on Syntea can be found at: https://www.iu.org/how-online-studies-work/syntea/

ABOUT IU INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES (part of IU Group)

Study Access Alliance Partners with RLabs to Support Underprivileged African Students Using the YOMA Platform of UNICEF and Generation Unlimited

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0100

RLabs, together with UNICEF and Generation Unlimited are supporting the Study Access Alliance (SAA), a scholarship initiative for financially disadvantaged students in African countries, with their Yoma programme.
Scholarship recipients will be able to obtain a globally recognised bachelor’s degree online through SAA’s founding academic partner, IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) - Germany’s largest university.
With an initial target of 2,000 scholarships by the end of 2024, this initiative aims to amass a grand total of 10,000 scholarships for young people in Africa.
SAA scholarships will support, in particular young women pursuing a bachelor's degree in IT and technology.
SAA calls for additional funding partners to help reach its overall target of 10,000 scholarships by the end of 2025.

Munich, 20 February 2024. The Study Access Alliance (SAA) welcomes RLabs as its newest partner in our joint mission to expand educational opportunities for disadvantaged students in Africa. RLabs joins the ranks of partners such as IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU), Germany’s largest university with more than 130,000 students. The joint goal is to award a total of 2,000 scholarships for online bachelor's programmes to young people in Africa by the end of 2024 and to raise further funding to increase the number of scholarship holders to 10,000.

Utilising the Youth Agency Market Place (Yoma), a digital marketplace that offers free online opportunities to skill and connect young people, the SAA-RLabs partnership will catalyse accessible higher education for young people who have traditionally lacked it, helping empower communities in need.

Yoma is a programme co-founded by UNICEF and Generation Unlimited (GenU), GIZ, Goodwall, and RLabs offering a variety of opportunities for young people via online and offline skilling programmes, guiding them in their learning-to-earning journeys, helping them create blockchain-based digital CVs, and matching with jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities. The SAA-RLabs partnership also marks the first expansion of Yoma’s scope to support young people to access fully-fledged online university degrees, marking a significant stride toward providing accessible education for disadvantaged young people in Africa.

“Ensuring equal access to quality, affordable higher education is a key target for SDG 4. Breaking barriers to higher education is crucial for ensuring equal opportunities for young people in the labour market," said Nadi Albino, Deputy Executive Director, Partnerships, at Generation Unlimited. “With RLabs being a founding partner and driving force behind Yoma, we are excited about their new partnership with the Study Access Alliance (SAA). By prioritising equity, access, and focusing on upskilling in communities where opportunities to acquire market-relevant skills are lacking, we can pave the way for a more inclusive workforce that benefits all.”

In a first step, the scholarship offers are aimed at African Yoma users in South Africa and Nigeria who would be denied access to higher education without financial support. In particular, young women pursuing a bachelor's degree in IT and technology will be supported. The scholarships are awarded for online degree programmes at Germany's largest university, IU International University of Applied Sciences - SAA's founding academic partner and Europe’s leading edtech institution. This has the advantage for scholarship holders that they can study flexibly and from their hometowns, while remaining near their families and using what they have learned for positive impact within their communities.

Throughout their academic careers, students are supported by RLabs right on the ground with laptops, internet access, training, workshops, and a safe space to study. Christine Taphel, Chief Executive Officer of RLabs South Africa said: "The partnership with Study Access Alliance (SAA) is crucial to the mission of RLabs, as it promises to deliver world-class educational opportunities to youth who have traditionally been marginalised from such pathways. This collaboration not only opens doors to knowledge and learning but also significantly enhances the employability of these young individuals, equipping them with the skills and tools necessary to thrive in the global workforce."

Those who receive a scholarship can start their distance learning at IU effective immediately. Students have access to all of IU’s robust university resources such as its exclusive AI-powered learn buddy, Syntea, study and career guidance, professors and tutors, as well as digital learning tools such as the IU Learn app and thousands of digitally available learning materials.

Carolin Kreuder, Executive Director of the Study Access Alliance said: "It is fundamental for the Study Access Alliance to make higher education with a focus on future viability and employability accessible to financially disadvantaged people in Africa on a large scale - not only for their own personal growth, but rather education reduces inequalities, solves the urgent need for digital skills and thus contributes to overall sustainable economic development. We are delighted to have RLabs on board with their valuable connections in the country."

Currently, scholarship holders can join the more than 130,000 students at IU, which offers more than 50 English-language online bachelor's and master's degree programmes. IU International University of Applied Sciences is the founding academic partner of the Study Access Alliance and offers online scholarships for less than 10 percent of regular tuition fees. The remaining amount for each scholarship is covered by SAA's funding partners.

“We are excited to join the Study Access Alliance in welcoming RLabs as its latest partner. This venture, further bolstered by UNICEF and Generation Unlimited’s Yoma programme, unleashes a plethora of new opportunities for young people in Africa. With our vision of, everybody can access education to grow, we found it a natural fit to support SAA’s efforts to provide scholarships for young Africans. The combined efforts of SAA, RLabs, UNICEF, Generation Unlimited and IU allows for a personalised learning trajectory that aligns with the unique ambitions and needs of African students, crafting a lineage of tech-savvy minds,” said Dr Sven Schuett, CEO of IU International University of Applied Sciences.

Thanks to the combined efforts of SAA partners, several thousand degrees worth 42 million euros can be awarded under this new collaboration. To reach the total target of 10,000 scholarships, an additional 8 million euros still needs to be raised. The Study Access Alliance is therefore looking for additional like-minded sponsors and partners who will join the alliance to enable even more young people in Africa to participate socially and economically through access to higher education. There is particular interest in finding new funding partners and partner organisations that can provide students with training and internship opportunities to ensure a smooth transition into the labour market after graduation.

SAA is currently working with the following partners: Artsy Africa Academy (Uganda), HI² (Germany), HoteliersGuild (Switzerland), Mully Children's Family (Kenya), TooShare (Senegal), CASBI (Kenya), NIfA (Germany) and, as of now, RLabs (South Africa).

For more information and to be a part of this innovative and globally inclusive opportunity, reach out to:

Luise Wittmann
Study Access Alliance
info@study-access-alliance.org
https://www.study-access-alliance.org/for-partners/

About RLabs

RLabs is a South African and award-winning non-profit that was established in 2009 in Bridgetown, Cape Town. The main aim of RLabs is to create spaces where people can be impacted, empowered and transformed through HOPE, technology and innovation, training and economic opportunities. RLabs has since expanded its model and work to 24 countries across 5 continents impacting more than 60 million people. To date more than 2,500,000 community members have directly accessed the RLabs skills training and economic empowerment programmes.

About Study Access Alliance (SAA)

The Study Access Alliance is a scholarship provider for disadvantaged students in African countries who are financially unable to fund their university education. Initiated by the IU Group in 2022, the Study Access Alliance is a non-profit limited liability company (gGmbH). By collaborating with organizations such as NGOs, businesses, universities and education groups in Africa and beyond, students with a financial disadvantage are better supported directly and onsite. Current partners include Artsy Africa, CASBI, HI2, Mully Children’s Family, TooShare, NIfA and RLAbs. For more information, visit www.study-access-alliance.org.

About IU International University of Applied Sciences (part of IU Group)

The AI-supported learning buddy "Syntea" is now available as a public demo version in the ChatGPT store at the following link: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-P5olqoCPc-syntea

Culture of Everyone®: IU Group stands up for diversity, tolerance and democracy

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 14:46:33 +0100

Munich, 31 January 2024. In light of recent events, it's more important than ever that people stand up and protect the cornerstones of our coexistence. IU Group and its employees have established a Culture of Everyone® in more than 20 years of history, and they now want to show the world which values really matter – not only inside a company, but furthermore in our society.

The trademarked term “Culture of Everyone®” by IU Group is not only a term, but also reflects a lived corporate culture that embraces diversity, openness, tolerance, and respect. At IU Group these are fundamental aspects and integral parts of its DNA since day one. More than 140,000 people from all over the world study at one of IU Group’s universities, and more than 4,000 people from over 87 nations are working within IU Group. Every one of their voices matters, and each and every one of them plays a significant role in preserving a culture where everyone feels safe, heard and tolerated – the basis for IU Group’s mission – to empower people around the globe with the most personalised education by breaking down barriers to higher education.

To show the importance of an open and respectful work and living environment, IU Group initiated an employee campaign on social media. Anyone who wanted could share their thoughts on why a Culture of Everyone® is important to them personally and was encouraged to publish a picture or post with the hashtag #CultureOfEveryone. Everyone outside IU group was also invited to join this movement to strengthen our democracy.

Dr Sven Schütt, CEO at IU Group, leads by example in his LinkedIn call:

"Embrace Our “Culture of Everyone' Movement” - Your Story of Tolerance Matters! In a world often overshadowed by division, it's time we amplify our voices for unity, tolerance, and openness. That's why we're launching our heartfelt campaign against extremist ideologies #CultureofEveryone. This isn't just a campaign; it's a heartfelt movement. A movement where your voice, your story, plays a crucial role. Let's unite in this journey:
**Selfie with a Sign:** Seize a moment of inspiration, write 'Culture of Everyone' on a paper, and capture a selfie or video. A simple act with a profound message.
**Share Your Story:** With your selfie, share a personal tale where tolerance touched your life, or why it holds a special place in your heart. Your stories are the heartbeat of this movement, showcasing the strength in understanding and acceptance.
**Challenge and Inspire:** Tag 5 friends or colleagues in your post, inviting them to this wave of change. Together, let's build a tsunami of positivity!
For me, #CultureOfEveryone resonates deeply. The diverse tapestry of my foreign and #LGBTQ+ friends and colleagues has profoundly shaped who I am. Half of my grandparents have been pro the other against Hitler. For me the many stories I have heard about this dark time are an important part of my upbringing. I deeply admire my brave grandmother who has been in the so called „bekennende Kirche“ opposing Hitler. Both from her and the many books I have read about this darkest time of the German history I learned that the Holocaust and the Second World War would not have been possible if the silent many would have raised there [sic] voices. It's our duty, our chance, and our responsibility to speak up. To ensure history's darkest chapters are never repeated.
While we start with our IU colleagues and students I hope that we will be able to inspire many more people to join this initiative! Let's show the world that this is a world where everyone belongs. A world of tolerance, friendship and understanding. A better world.”
(Link to original LinkedIn post)

Moreover, Dr Sven Schütt stated clearly his personal and IU Group’s position towards intolerance, racism, and any kind of threat to our democracy:

"We all have a responsibility for one of the most precious gifts, a treasure that we often take for granted: Our democracy. But in today's world, in which xenophobic and totalitarian tendencies are gaining ground, we must not remain silent and inactive.

We, as Germans, bear a particularly important responsibility because of our history. We have seen where hatred and intolerance can lead. Our country has risen from a very dark past and guilt to stand up for hope, tolerance and peaceful coexistence. We must continue on this path with determination.

Tolerance and international understanding are the cornerstones on which our prosperity rests. They enable us to recognise diversity as a strength, to learn new things and to continue to develop. In an increasingly interconnected world where education and knowledge know no borders, it is essential that we remain open to other cultures, ideas and perspectives. This openness is at the heart of IU's mission and vision.

We want to democratise access to education. This is only possible in an open and tolerant democracy. At the same time, 'tolerance becomes a crime when it applies to evil', as Thomas Mann admonished us Germans. Each of us can not only share this message, but also actively live it in our everyday lives.

It is not just about spreading words, but also about standing up for our democratic values every day. We can stand up for our opinions among friends, acquaintances or colleagues when intolerance or undemocratic beliefs are voiced. We all have a voice – let's use it to strengthen our society and secure our future and the future of our children. I hope that many people will share this call in view of the dangers to our democracy, trust and tolerance."

Sustainability through education: IU Group receives B Corp certification

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 08:07:00 +0100

IU Group (IUG), the parent company of IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU), received the B Corp certification from the independent non-profit organisation B Lab for its high social and environmental performance, transparency and holistic, sustainable actions.

As Europe's largest private university group, IUG aims to make education accessible to all and is committed to sustainability and social responsibility.
IU Group supports students from all over the world through various initiatives, including scholarships, partnerships and special support programmes.
B Corp certification was awarded following an extensive review of the company's structures and its overall social and environmental performance.

Erfurt, January 25, 2024. IU Group (IUG), the parent company of IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU), has successfully completed the audit process by the independent non-profit organisation B Lab. As a certified B Corporation, IUG has undergone a rigorous assessment by B Lab and thus fulfils high standards in terms of social and environmental impact.

The positive certification also reflects IU International University of Applied Sciences' commitment to sustainability:

As a provider of innovative educational programmes, IU has got sustainability and positive social impact among its core values. Our fundamental goal is to democratise education and to work towards our vision that everyone should have access to education. We aim to give more people the chance to develop further - regardless of their personal and financial situation or their background.

Marvin Lange, Managing Director and CFO of IU Group, is delighted with the certification:

“It fills me with great joy that our vision of making education accessible to as many people as possible has been recognised by the B Corp certification. We are passionately committed to personalising education through the use of technology and therefore breaking down barriers to access in the long term. In doing so, we are making an important contribution to greater educational equality worldwide.”

IU supports students through scholarships and other initiatives

As a member of the UN Global Compact and its University Initiative, IU has been committed to the highest standards of sustainability since 2011, which should benefit all IU stakeholders. The principles of these two initiatives are the key principles that guide IU's approach to sustainability.

IU has over 130,000 students from 195 countries worldwide, including 20 per cent from abroad and 25 per cent without German citizenship. Based on its educational principles, IU has launched several initiatives to sustainably support and empower students. These and other initiatives contributed significantly to IU's positive rating for the B Corp criterion "Students".

In 2022, IU awarded almost 5,000 scholarships to students from developing countries, just over 60 per cent more than in the previous year.
With the Study Access Alliance, IU supports students in African countries and is constantly looking for further educational or financial partners.
The IU offers special scholarships for people with disabilities, single parents and career changers, including the “Women in Tech” programme to promote women in IT and technical professions.
Thanks to a wide range of admission options, IU enables many people without a traditional university entrance qualification to study. The proportion of first-year students at IU without an Abitur is seven times higher than the national average; 70 per cent of IU students come from families without an academic background.
IU is the first university in the European Union to be a member of the UNESCO Global Education Coalition, which provides students in crisis situations with access to relevant subjects and credits.
Inclusive study formats offer individual further education opportunities, and the IU offers study programmes such as Sustainable Management to equip people with knowledge and methods for a sustainable future.

As an innovative university that focuses primarily on online teaching, IU pursues a sustainable education model that minimises the use of natural resources:

The per capita greenhouse gas emissions of IU students are up to seven times lower than those of students at traditional universities with a focus on offline presence and printed materials. From 2019 to 2022, emissions per IU student fell from 0.3 to 0.17 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
IU students actively contribute to the sustainable development of the IU. By not using printed scripts, they enable IU to save paper and plant trees in return. So far, more than 310,000 scripts have been saved and more than 33,000 trees planted as a result of this campaign.

"A positive assessment in the areas mentioned is of great importance for successful certification. We are therefore very pleased that we scored very well, especially in the area of students," says Alex Čaičics, Head of Sustainability and ESG Communication at IU Group. "However, the B Corp certification is also an important indication for us of the areas in which we still need to improve. We see the certificate as an incentive to improve further in the next B Corp recertification," Čaičics continues.

IU Group's B Corp certification is the result of a comprehensive process in which the corporate structures of all IUG-affiliated companies and the entire social and environmental performance along an organisation's entire value chain are examined. For the evaluation, 350 questions and data points were analysed at IUG over a period of two years. 50 people within the IUG were involved in this process.

The B Corp certificate is one of the most demanding sustainability certificates in the world and is regarded as a kind of seal of approval for corporate social responsibility (CSR). Companies must fulfil strict social and environmental standards and undergo recertification every three years.

ABOUT B CORP

Certified B Corporations or B Corps are companies that have been certified by the B Lab as meeting high standards for social and environmental performance, transparency and responsible behaviour.

In contrast to other certificates that focus on individual products or sectors, the B Corp certificate assesses the overall performance of a company in the areas of social, ecological and economic commitment. Particular emphasis is placed on public transparency and legal accountability. Further information at: https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/

New study shows that exam nerves can have a long-lasting effect on career and study choices

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 07:44:00 +0100

Almost 9 out of 10 Brits have experienced exam nerves; more than three-quarters of them during school and/or university.
Very few make use of help offers - despite the effects of anxiety being potentially serious.
Almost two-thirds of those affected feel that their anxiety is not taken seriously.
For more than half, too high self-expectations are a major reason for their test anxiety.

London, 09. January 2024 – According to a recent study by The London Institute of Banking & Finance and IU Group, exam nerves can have serious consequences on career and study choices. Despite nine out of 10 people in the UK having experienced exam nerves at school or university, most don’t seek help. Of the 91% of respondents who said they had experienced exam nerves:

Over half had been prevented from pursuing their chosen career or study the subject of their choice.
65% didn’t think exam nerves were taken seriously.
Only 18% sought help – with many citing feeling ‘awkward’ or ‘embarrassed’ as the reason why not.

Nadim Choudhury, Director of Careers and Employability, at LIBF says:

“The fear of failure, high expectations – and being worried about what others will think – are some of the main reasons why people get anxious before exams and other key life events."

“Unfortunately very few people seek help, despite the negative impacts. These are not only immediate – the mental and physical toll – but also far-reaching. Nerves can affect your future life choices and options, and they need to be taken seriously.”

“There is support available, and self-help measures that people can take. Preparation, structured study plans and mindfulness tools like deep breathing and hypnotherapy are powerful tools to help people overcome nerves and anxiety."

“Most universities offer help and support – and there are free resources online. Students shouldn’t be embarrassed to talk about it or ask for help.”

Core findings

91% of all respondents have experienced exam nerves at one time or another
- 76% at school/university
- 61% when applying for a job
- 24% during vocational training
- 4% in other situations
- 9% have never had exam nerves
Exam nerves arise primarily from the fear of failure and its consequences.
65% felt their exam nerves were not taken seriously
54% of respondents with exam nerves say: “Exam nerves have or had an impact on my professional career.” The fear of tests, exams, and the like, stands in the way of careers or prevents respondents from achieving the qualifications they wanted.
Only 18% had sought help.
- Of those:
  - 53% from friends and family
  - 37% on the internet
  - 37% from school psychologists or student counsellors
  - 28% from books
  - 26% from psychological psychotherapy
  - 24% from coaching or career advisers
- Of the 82% who had not yet sought help:
  - 41% want to manage it themselves
  - 35% felt awkward and embarrassed
  - 34% said it was not so bad that they thought they needed help
  - 18% said they didn’t know who to turn to

Quick tips to combat exam nerves

Stay hydrated and maintain a balanced diet for brain function.
Sleep well the night before to enhance alert ness and concentration.
Practice deep breathing to calm nerves before the exam. Visualise success, reinforcing positive outcomes.
Break down the exam into manageable sections, focusing on one at a time.

Longer term strategies to help with exam nerves

Use a learning strategy – a structured and intentional way of acquiring and retaining new information. A learning strategy enhances understanding and can help deal with exam nerves. It involves methods such as effective notetaking, active engagement with the material, setting goals, and employing mnemonic devices.
Hypnotherapy can help – by fostering relaxation and enhancing confidence through guided imagery and positive suggestions, hypnotherapy can mitigate anxiety and improve focus. Incorporating hypnotic techniques into pre-exam routines may empower students to manage stress, fostering a conducive mindset for optimal performance.

About the study

Within the framework of the short study, “Exam Nerves”, 1,600 respondents between the ages of 16 and 65 in the UK we surveyed – representatively distributed according to age and gender for the British population.

About LIBF

Founded in 1879, LIBF provides education and training all around the world. We’re one of only a few professional bodies in the world with Taught Degree Awarding Powers. Our globally recognised degrees are designed with an emphasis on practical skills and innovative thought leadership that keeps pace with the real world. Our professional qualifications allow individuals to tailor their learning so they have the building blocks they need to build a career, and to progress.

By combining 140 years of heritage in banking and finance with pioneering educational technology, we provide a flexible, personalised learning experience that is accessible to students both in the UK and globally. LIBF joined IU Group in 2023. Further information: www.libf.ac.uk.

Study Access Alliance funds students in African countries and is looking for further education or funding partners

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 16:55:51 +0200

Scholarships awarded for online Bachelor's and Master's programmes
Partnerships in Kenya, Uganda, Senegal and Cameroon
More education or funding partners are needed

Munich, 3 August 2023. The Study Access Alliance (SAA) is a scholarship provider for disadvantaged students in African countries. In 2022, Study Access Alliance was initiated as a non-profit limited liability company (gGmbH) by IU Group. Through cooperations with NGOs, companies, universities and educational institutions in Africa and beyond, financially deprived students are supported directly and locally. In order to make higher education possible for even more people in African countries, further education and financing partners are being sought.

SAA has already awarded the first scholarships. Currently, the initiative is working with IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) as an academic partner to offer scholarship holders a wide range of online bachelor's and master's degree programmes. Furthermore, the African partners provide additional support to local students, including soft skills training, mentoring and internship opportunities.

SAA currently works with partners in Kenya, Uganda, Senegal and Cameroon: Artsy Africa Academy (Uganda), HI2 (Germany), HoteliersGuild (Switzerland), Mully Children's Family (Kenya), Sompon Socialservices BW e.V. (Cameroon, Germany) and TooShare (Senegal).

The initiative's academic partner, IU, offers online scholarships for less than 10 per cent of regular tuition fees through the Study Access Alliance. The remaining amount for each scholarship is covered by SAA's funding partners.

The Study Access Alliance is always looking for new sponsors and partners to join the Alliance. There is particular interest in finding new funding partners and partner organisations that can provide students with training and internship opportunities to ensure a smooth transition into the job market after graduation.

Feel free to get in touch if you are interested!

Further information and contact:

Luise Wittmann
info@study-access-alliance.org
https://www.study-access-alliance.org/for-partners

ABOUT IU INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES
(PART OF IU GROUP)

With over 130,000 students, IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) is the largest university in Germany. The private, state-approved educational institution with its main campus in Erfurt brings together more than 250 bachelor's and master's programmes under one roof, which are offered in German or English. Students can choose between dual studies, distance learning and myStudies, which combines online and face-to-face events, and design their studies independently with the help of a digitally supported learning environment. In addition, IU enables further training and promotes the idea of lifelong learning. The aim of the university is to give as many people as possible worldwide access to personalised education. IU started operations in 2000 and is now represented in more than 35 German cities. It cooperates with over 15,000 companies and actively supports them in the development of their employees. The partners include Motel One, VW Financial Services and Deutsche Bahn. Further information at: www.iu.org.

LIBF joins IU Group family

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 09:58:00 +0200

Move brings LIBF closer to IU Group’s EdTech pioneer IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU), Germany’s largest and fastest growing university
LIBF joins IU Group as a wholly owned UK subsidiary (LIBF Ltd.)
LIBF launches expansion of new co-developed online degree programmes with IU

Erfurt, Germany, 14 June 2023. The London Institute of Banking & Finance (LIBF) is the latest degree awarding body to join IU Group, Europe’s largest edtech company and owner of the private IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU). The purchase was made official on 31 March 2023 and takes effect immediately. Due to its strong heritage and long-standing history and tradition, LIBF’s mission will stay the same.

Dr Sven Schuett, CEO, IU Group, said:

“We are excited to welcome LIBF to the IU family. As we continue to grow, we enter a new era with LIBF allowing us to continue building on our mission that everyone can access education to grow. Through LIBF’s expertise in the banking and finance world and IU as a leader in edtech we see great potential for creating synergies that afford students a top-rated and customisable education no matter where they live.”

“With the expansion of AI in the education sector, our students are able to stay ahead of the curve with flexible, and innovative learning models in digital education.”

Flexible online learning

IU’s flexible online approach and use of technology and innovation in the classroom proves to be a winning formula for students. Regardless of where one lives or how much time one has, IU students have the option to study at their own pace which is particularly appealing to those juggling work, family and other commitments. This tried and tested approach will be incorporated in newly co-developed online degree programmes at LIBF as part of IU’s multi-brand platform strategy. New online study programmes offered at LIBF are focused on data and computer science, artificial intelligence and international business management – critical skills needed in finance and business today.

Alex Fraser, CEO, LIBF, said:

“This partnership represents an important evolution for LIBF and will allow us to make significant advancements for the future – bringing advantages and new opportunities to our students, members and staff as we look to extend our services around the world. It’s a fantastic opportunity for LIBF to partner with one of Europe’s most successful and technology-enabled education businesses.”

“Teching up” teaching

As AI and technology continue to develop, so must higher education institutions if they wish to be competitive in the education market. IU’s personalised and hybrid learning models, as well as the integration of AI and ChatGPT in its courses prove to be influential in its success. As Germany’s largest and fastest growing university with more than 100,000 students, its learners are pioneering the way in the latest technological developments in higher education, including IUs own edtech innovation, “Syntea” (synthetic teaching assistant). These developments are also true for the banking industry:

Banking is changing rapidly – with online banking being the norm and evolving customer expectations transforming the way retail banks operate.
Whether it’s cryptocurrency, online payment platforms or robo-advisers and AI, fintech continues to shape the way people interact with money.

Through its partnership, LIBF and IU will be able to stay ahead of the curve and remain competitive in the banking and finance education market.

ABOUT IU INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES (PART OF IU GROUP)

With more than 130,000 students, IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) is the largest university in Germany. The private, state-approved educational institution with its main campus in Erfurt brings together more than 250 bachelor's and master's programmes under one roof, which are offered in German or English. Students can choose between dual studies, distance learning and myStudies, which combines online and face-to-face events, and design their studies independently with the help of a digitally supported learning environment. In addition, IU enables further training and promotes the idea of lifelong learning. The aim of the university is to give as many people as possible worldwide access to personalised education. IU started operations in 2000 and is now represented in more than 35 German cities. It cooperates with over 15,000 companies and actively supports them in the development of their employees. The partners include Motel One, VW Financial Services and Deutsche Bahn. Further information at: www.iu.org.

ABOUT THE LONDON INSTITUTE OF BANKING & FINANCE

The London Institute of Banking & Finance (LIBF) has been providing industry-leading education and qualifications for the financial sector since 1879. With a focus on vocational training, LIBF delivers a broad range of qualifications and programmes to support banking and professionals at each stage of their careers – from entry-level to advanced professional qualifications. It is the only professional body in the finance sector to have Taught Degree Awarding Powers. Further information at: www.libf.ac.uk

The continuing charity – now called The London Foundation for Banking and Finance (LFBF) – will fund financial education projects, provide scholarships and bursaries and confer chartered status on suitably qualified professionals, in line with its charitable objects of advancing knowledge and education in financial services. Further information at: www.lfbf.org.uk

Press Contacts

IU International University of Applied Sciences
John Roman
International PR Manager
john.roman@iu.org

The London Institute of Banking & Finance
Heather Tilston
Director of PR & Communications
htilston@libf.ac.uk

University of Fredericton acquired by IU International University of Applied Sciences

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 10:47:00 +0200

Fredericton, Canada, 13 June 2023: The University of Fredericton (UFred), a leading online university based in Fredericton, New Brunswick, was founded in 2005 with the aim of democratizing education and empowering working professionals across Canada and internationally. As the next evolution in furthering this mission, UFred today announces that it has been acquired by one of the foremost global leaders in online education, IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU).

The acquisition of UFred by IU comes after many years of significant growth in the prominence of online education globally. UFred, which currently has more than 4,000 active students and has educated more than 12,000 professionals across Canada, has been working to revolutionize the way that online students study, providing engaging, industry-informed education for working professionals that otherwise may not have been able to return to their studies.

“We are excited to welcome UFred to our IU family. As we continue to grow, we enter a new era with UFred allowing us to continue building on our vision that everyone can access education to grow,” said Dr. Sven Schuett, CEO of IU International University of Applied Sciences, “This partnership represents an important evolution for IU and will allow us to make significant investments for the future – bringing advantages and new opportunities to students as we extend our services around the world. It’s a fantastic opportunity for IU to partner with one of Canada’s leading online universities.”

With the acquisition underway, both UFred and IU are focused on several core areas of development, including the proposal of fifteen new degree-level programs. These programs, which have all been chosen specifically due to their alignment with challenges in New Brunswick’s current workforce, are expected to create a wide range of economic opportunities for students, local New Brunswick workers, and employers alike.

“Our government has been working closely with New Brunswick’s post-secondary institutions to ensure the programs they offer align with the needs of our labour market,” said Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Trevor Holder. “This acquisition, along with the 15 new degree programs will be a significant boost to that objective.”

Don Roy, President and Co-Founder at UFred echoed these sentiments, stating: “As a private institution, we’ve never received public funding. Instead, we’ve grown explicitly through a base of overwhelmingly satisfied students. This investment will help us continue to serve the UFred community, and more than that, it will allow us to contribute in an even more significant capacity to the New Brunswick economy. This investment will also allow us to play a larger role in exporting quality Canadian education across the country and around the globe, and we’re looking forward to working with our local communities to ensure that New Brunswick becomes a leader in the future of online education.”

As the acquisition closes, there will be no impact to current students. UFred and IU will continue to work together towards building a bigger and brighter future for Canadian online education and beyond.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF FREDERICTON

The University of Fredericton (UFred) is a leading Canadian online university based in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Founded in 2005, UFred has since grown to educate more than 10,000 professionals across Canada and around the world. Presently, UFred has:

a student base that is 98% Canadian, with students in every province and territory
a headquarters located in downtown Fredericton, New Brunswick, with 95% of administrative and professional staff located within Atlantic Canada
a student satisfaction rate of 94% in degree-level programs

To learn more about UFred, visit: www.ufred.ca

ABOUT IU INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES (PART OF IU GROUP)

Media Contacts

Sarah Gelsomino
Marketing and Communications
University of Fredericton
Sarah.Gelsomino@ufred.ca
506-454-6232 ext. 300

John Roman
International PR Manager
IU International University of Applied Sciences
John.Roman@iu.org

Syntea: Transforming Online Education and Student Interaction with AI-Powered Solutions

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 08:18:00 +0100

Germany, 16 March 2023. IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU), the largest university in Germany with more than 100,000 students, has always been at the forefront of innovation in online education. Our mission is to empower learners around the globe with the most personalised education. As part of that commitment, we started early developments with large language models (LLMs) and GPT two years ago which was the foundation for the project Syntea. Syntea is an AI-driven teaching assistant, which is available to more than 10,000 students and will soon be expanded for all IU students to use. It is designed to enable personalised student interaction and enhance learning outcomes, offering a range of powerful features, including a question-answering tool, exam preparation, Socratic teaching sessions and more.

SYNTEA Question-Answering: Revolutionising Student Interaction

The QA (Question-Answering) tool, one of Syntea's core capabilities, is designed to transform the way students interact with course content and professors. By allowing students to ask questions about their course materials 24/7, the QA tool not only helps them clarify questions from the course book, but also unlocks full study flexibility. The answers provided by Syntea are approved by human tutors within 24 hours, so they can be used in exams. This guarantees each individual student success in their learning.

Along with the answers, Syntea also sends links to the relevant materials from the vast virtual library of IU course materials. This helps students to dive deep quickly and easily into the topics and set their own learning focus.

Syntea can also be seamlessly integrated into a wide range of channels such as web-applications, chat-clients and mobile devices. Due to its conversational interface, students can interact with Syntea in a very natural and intuitive way.

Let Syntea introduce itself

Get to know Syntea by starting the video.

Leveraging the power of state-of-the-art NLP models, the QA tool currently utilises GPT version 3.5 and is set to receive a significant upgrade with the introduction of GPT4. Currently, we observe overly positive feedback with 85% of answers being rated as helpful by our users. Additionally, we ensure correctness and exam-relevance through human tutor verification of Syntea´s answers. In 65% of cases the original answer is approved and in the remaining cases tutors improve the answers or enrich them with additional details and examples.

While the system already works great on the latest ChatGPT model, the introduction of GPT4 enhances the tool's capabilities and effectiveness in boosting accuracy of answers even further. We see increasing numbers of questions coming in from students compared to our classical channels, which demonstrates its wide adoption and positive impact on student learning experiences.

3,500+ questions in 180 courses in the past 3 months via Syntea QA (March 2023)

Syntea Exam Trainer: Enhancing Preparation & Confidence

The Trainer tool, another valuable component of Syntea focuses on improving exam preparation for students. In providing students with exam-like questions and offering personalised feedback on their responses throughout the course, Trainer is a powerful tool to support learners' study progress. By simulating real exam conditions, Trainer helps students develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter and refine their problem-solving skills. Additionally, students gain a clearer understanding of areas they should concentrate their learning efforts on and when they are well prepared to take the final exam, providing them with greater confidence and success in their education journey.

Trainer has been initially rolled out in selected courses. The tool has shown great promise, and plans for expanding it across more courses are underway.

The Future of Learning: Socratic Teaching and Future Skills Training

IU’s commitment to advancing online education extends to further innovative features with successful proof of concepts, specifically Socratic Teaching and Future Skills training. These components aim to revolutionise the learning experience by fostering student engagement, critical thinking, and preparation for their professional career.

Socratic Teaching, inspired by the methods of the philosopher Socrates, uses a dialogue to impart knowledge and encourage students to think critically. By adopting this approach, Syntea's Socratic Teaching feature will create more engaging and interactive learning experiences, challenging students to reflect on their understanding of course material.

The Future Skills Training component of Syntea supports students preparing for rapidly evolving demands in the job landscape. As AI tools become increasingly prevalent it is crucial to equip students with the skills necessary to navigate future challenges. Instead of merely memorizing content, students need to internalise competencies such as engaging in win-win negotiations or fostering creativity. The Future Skills Training addresses these needs by providing immersive, real-life-like training experiences, enabling students to develop the essential skills required to excel in their future careers.

Both Socratic Teaching and Future Skills Training are currently in test phase, with promising feedback and potential impact on student learning. As these features are further developed and integrated into the Syntea platform, IU International University of Applied Sciences will continue to lead the way providing innovative teaching solutions to offer the most personalised and flexible education for our students.

IU International University of Applied Sciences is pioneering online education by integrating AI-powered solutions like Syntea. By leveraging cutting-edge NLP technologies like GPT models, we create a more personalised, engaging, and effective learning environment.

Syntea's diverse capabilities, including the QA tool, Exam Trainer, Socratic Teaching, and Future Skills Training, demonstrate our commitment to fostering critical thinking and adaptability among our students. As we refine these innovative tools, we empower learners globally with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in an ever-evolving workforce.

At IU, we are proud to be at the forefront of the AI-enhanced learning revolution. By continually pushing the boundaries of what is possible with AI technology in higher education, we remain dedicated to providing our students with the best possible learning experience, ensuring their success now and in the future.

ABOUT IU INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES (PART OF IU GROUP)

Climate-neutral and sustainable: Germany's largest university leads by example

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 11:55:00 +0100

Germany's largest university again certified as climate-neutral by TÜV SÜD
IU's goal: more educational equity with fewer CO2 emissions
IU publishes all measures and initiatives in an ESG report for the first time

Erfurt, 26 January 2023. As Germany's largest university with over 100,000 students and more than 3,000 employees, IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) is committed not only to teaching sustainability in an interdisciplinary way in all faculties, but also to making a very concrete contribution: for the environment, for its students and employees, for society as well as in its corporate management.

For Dr. Sven Schütt, CEO of IU International University of Applied Sciences, IU's social responsibility is of central importance: "Our vision is to provide access to education for as many people as possible. To achieve this, we are sustainably reducing access barriers and creating more educational equity for people worldwide. Although our student numbers have risen continuously in recent years, we have been able to further reduce our emissions per student. Nevertheless, we remain committed to both carefully managing and further reducing our ecological footprint and continuously increasing our contribution to society. As Germany's largest university, we want to set a good example."

TÜV SÜD certified: IU is climate neutral

In 2020, IU became one of the world's first climate-neutral distance learning universities. TÜV SÜD now reconfirms the climate neutrality of IU International University of Applied Sciences. The certification is for the third year in a row. The conditions for certification include an inventory of actual and expected emissions, proof of ambitious measures to gradually reduce avoidable greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the promotion of recognised climate protection projects to offset unavoidable emissions.

Despite rapidly growing student numbers, IU reduced its total direct and indirect emissions in 2021 by 31 percent compared to the previous year. In addition, the university was able to reduce its specific GHG emissions per student by 24 percent. The carbon footprint was calculated by the Institute for Energy, Ecology and Economics (DFGE) based on the international Greenhouse Gas Protocol.

The majority of students at IU learn in a distance learning model thanks to innovative digital learning formats. This can significantly reduce CO2 emissions that would be caused by commuting, for example. Teaching a distance learning student at IU generates seven times less greenhouse gases than teaching a regular campus student.

Moreover, energy officers are deployed at all IU locations in Germany, which are currently more than 30. They check the individual circumstances as well as the consumption on site and establish resource-saving measures. In addition, IU offsets its carbon footprint in cooperation with ClimatePartner Deutschland GmbH by supporting certified climate projects. These include the expansion of wind energy in Brazil, the generation of hydropower in Laos and access to clean water in Mozambique.

Creating sustainability through education - for all

Apart from reducing CO2, IU places particular emphasis on education when it comes to sustainability. Education enables people to develop and live sustainably. In addition to individual learning modules, IU offers entire degree programmes such as Sustainable Management, which equip today's students with knowledge and methods for a viable future.

To provide access to education for more and more people worldwide, IU initiates important alliances. The Study Access Alliance, for example, provides 100,000 scholarships in Africa. As a member of the UNESCO Global Education Coalition, students in need in crisis situations receive crucial educational support at IU. Numerous scholarship models (e.g., for people from poorer countries, single parents and people with disabilities), fair admission requirements and inclusion-friendly study formats open up individual further education opportunities for additional target groups - and thus the basis for a self-determined, sustainable life.

Further information on sustainability at IU International University of Applied Sciences can be found both in IU's first official ESG report (download here) and at the following link: www.iu.de/ueber-uns/nachhaltigkeit/

More information on IU's certified climate projects can be found here at this link.

More information on the TÜV SÜD certificate can be found here under this link.

ABOUT IU INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES (PART OF IU GROUP)

IU launches new international study abroad and work opportunities

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 12:09:00 +0100

Students benefit from a unique hybrid learning model where they start their studies online at IU and finish on campus at one of IU’s partner universities around the world.
A globally recognised, top-rated university degree is earned via one of its nine partner universities, with additional study locations to be added.
Students save money during their online studies and have increased chances of job placement and post-study residency in host country.

Erfurt, Germany, 1 December 2022. Effective immediately, students at IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) can take part in its new Study Abroad Alliance. Through IU’s new study alliances, students will be able to begin their studies online with IU in their home countries and finish their degree on campus at one of its nine partner universities worldwide. This new study model will help students save money on tuition fees and living expenses and facilitate a post-study residency in the host country. Students can choose between universities in North America, Europe – including the UK – and Australia, with additional study locations being added over time.

Prof. Dr. Florian Hummel, Vice-Rector International, IU International University of Applied Sciences, said:

“By collaborating with universities on a global level, students benefit from an open-border approach where everybody has access to education regardless of their country of residence. IU’s new Study Abroad Alliance offers opportunities to save money on a high qualitative education and facilitates relocation to a desired country to help adult learners succeed on a pathway to international employability and career success.”

The new Study Abroad Alliance combines both online and on-campus learning, offering a flexible approach to students. Depending on the partner university, students participating in IU’s Study Abroad Alliance must complete a given number of online semesters at IU before transferring to their selected partner university for their final semesters. Due to IU’s unique partnerships, all credits are transferable, and students will be awarded a globally recognised, top-rated university degree from the partner university after graduation. Upon completion of their studies, students interested in seeking employment in their host country benefit from an easier process of acquiring post-study residency thanks to their prior study visa.

Carolina Fromm, Head of International Expansion at IU, said:

“We are excited to launch IU’s new Study Abroad Alliance, enabling even more students to pursue their dreams and access state-of-the-art knowledge through an innovative study model in the country of their choice. The tailor-made study alliance underscores the strength of IU’s global academic partnerships and helps shape our students into world-class talent.”

IU’s Study Abroad Alliance collaborates with higher education institutions to provide internationally recognised, top-quality education to its students. Students can study online at IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU), Germany’s largest private university which offers some 60 customisable online bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English before selecting their study destination abroad. The partner universities include:

Australia:
International College of Management Sydney
Canada:
Acsenda School of Management (Vancouver)
British Columbia Institute of Technology (Vancouver & Burnaby)
Czech Republic:
University of New York in Prague
Greece:
Hellenic American University (Athens)
Ireland:
Dublin Business School
Italy:
American University of Rome
UK:
London Institute of Banking and Finance
US:
St. Francis College (Brooklyn, NY)

In addition to the partner universities around the world, students also have the option to fully complete their degree at IU in Germany (Berlin or Bad Honnef) under its hybrid study model. For more information on IU’s Study Abroad Alliance, click: https://www.iu.org/lp/study-abroad-alliance/.

Images

Prof. Dr. Florian Hummel, Prorector International, IU Internationalen Hochschule (IU)
Carolina Fromm, Head of International Expansion an der IU Internationalen Hochschule (IU)

ABOUT IU INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES (PART OF IU GROUP)

IU International University of Applied Sciences joins the Association of African Universities

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 11:26:00 +0100

IU students can access the Database of African Theses and Dissertations (DATAD), as well as scholarship grants and student exchange opportunities which are made available to AAU members.
AAU promotes institutional collaboration and networking, academic connections, and exchanges among its members to improve the quality of higher education.

Erfurt, Germany, 29 November 2022. IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) is the first German university and latest member to join the Association of African Universities (AAU). IU joins AAU pursuant to its mission that everybody can access education to grow. Through its AAU membership, IU can exchange knowledge and experience with other institutions in a diversity of areas and specialisations, such as personalised and hybrid learning – a core approach to IU’s success. As Germany’s largest and fastest growing university with more than 100,000 students, its learners will be able to access the Database of African Theses and Dissertations (DATAD), as well as scholarship grants and student exchange opportunities.

Dr. Sven Schuett, CEO, IU International University of Applied Sciences, said:

“We are excited to be the first German university to obtain membership into the Association of African Universities. IU’s strong connection to Africa, including our thousands of students from countries like South Africa, Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria make it a perfect fit for us. As an AAU member, our students will benefit from an intercontinental approach, allowing them to not only be better global students, but world-class talent.”

With roughly 18% of its students being non-nationals, an international approach to education is at the core of IU International University of Applied Sciences. Membership into the Association of African Universities will allow IU to collaborate with African institutions and create academic connections and exchange, while improving the quality of and access to higher education. For more information on the Association of African Universities, visit: www.aau.org, or join their mailing list to receive regular updates: http://eepurl.com/bqysav.

Bursaries for African students

Earlier this year, IU announced that it is partnering with Study Access Alliance – a financial need-based scholarship (bursary) programme offering 100% tuition reduction for African students to study online at IU International University of Applied Sciences. Applicants will be able to apply the bursary toward an online bachelor's or master’s degree in a variety of study programmes at IU. The bursary programme – which offers African students the opportunity to study at a globally recognised, top-rated university online – will be distributed by local partners in select African countries. Students interested in applying for a bursary, or higher education institutions interested in becoming an SAA partner can visit: https://www.study-access-alliance.org.

ABOUT IU INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES (PART OF IU GROUP)

IU International University of Applied Sciences reaches new milstone of 100,000 students

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 11:31:00 +0100

Germany's largest university gives more and more people access to education.
Flexibility and personalised IU learning tools convince students worldwide.
Thuringia, Germany’s Minister of Economics, Science and Digital Society, Wolfgang Tiefensee honours the social contribution of IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU).

Erfurt, Germany, 9 November 2022: For the first time, more than 100,000 students are studying at IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU). IU is further expanding its pioneering role as the largest university in Germany. Since the start of its teaching operations in 2000, IU has been giving more and more people access to education, and thanks to digitally supported learning formats it is setting new standards for personalised learning. A third of all students at private German universities decide to study at IU.

More educational equity and fewer barriers to entry

Today, people from over 170 nations study at the private, state-recognised university with 18 percent of all its students being international (non-nationals) – well above the national average. Thanks to flexible study models, German- and English-language programmes and digitally supported learning opportunities, students can study at IU from anywhere in the world around the clock. At the main campus in Erfurt and at more than 30 other locations in Germany, potential students can study dual studies and create the best conditions for their career start with the help of more than 15,000 IU practice partners. In almost every German city as well as worldwide, IU gives prospective students access to their ideal study model - whether dual, distance or hybrid. At 16 percent, the proportion of students without a (technical) high school diploma at IU is seven times higher than the average in Germany.

Thuringia, Germany’s Minister of Economics, Science and Digital Society, Wolfgang Tiefensee congratulates on this milestone: "IU, based in the Thuringian state capital of Erfurt, is an enrichment for the German university landscape. With its personalised and digitised courses, it helps to open up new professional and educational opportunities for people in a wide variety of life situations. The increasing number of students shows that these offers are obviously being accepted - also because they can be easily integrated into everyday life. IU is therefore an important component of our diverse and modern education system.”

IU continues to expand educational opportunities and tech expertise for international students

Prospective students can choose from more than 200 study programmes in both English and German at the bachelor's and master's levels and benefit from the constant further development of the offer. Overall, the most popular study subjects at IU include social work, business administration and psychology, while the most popular degree programmes amongst international students are MBA, social work and computer science. With around 20,000 active students in the social work department, IU is the largest academic trainer for social professions in Germany. In addition, digital know-how is increasingly in focus: subjects in the IT and technology areas such as artificial intelligence and data science are meeting with steadily growing interest among students.

Using interactive, digital learning tools such as the IU Learn App with learning videos and over 600 online scripts, students find the best individual way to learn and deepen the material. A dedicated team of tech specialists at IU is constantly working on new innovative solutions. "Digitally supported learning and teaching offers as well as digitised processes play a decisive role for the great flexibility in the design of a course of study with us at IU and for a positive learning experience overall," explains Prof. Dr. Holger Sommerfeldt, Rector of IU International University of Applied Sciences.

Best chances for the jobs of the future – for everyone

More than ever, tech expertise is a key competence for the transformation in the economy. Graduates of these subjects are in great demand and have very good chances on the job market. "This is an essential criterion for us when we introduce a new course," emphasizes Sommerfeldt. "We not only want to give as many people as possible access to higher education and enable them to participate more in the social debates of our time, but also train them for the jobs of the future at the same time."

The high proportion of students who come from non-academic families is particularly pleasing: at IU, it is 70 percent and thus well above the German average. At 64 percent, the proportion of women among IU students is also higher than in the national comparison and has grown steadily over the past six years. "Diversity and equal opportunities are two important pillars of the IU philosophy, which are reflected in the profile of our students," emphasizes Holger Sommerfeldt.

Professional and personal exchange remains important

Despite the great importance of digitisation and technology, personal contact with and among the students is always the top priority. Professors and academic staff are on hand to offer students professional advice and support. Study coaches and study guides support students both in distance learning and on-site with the challenges of everyday study and accompany them individually on their learning journey.

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Award for equal opportunities and diversity

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 12:20:00 +0200

Erfurt, 26, October 2022. IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU), the largest university in Germany, will be awarded the TOTAL E-QUALITY distinction for the first time this year. IU receives this award for its extraordinary commitment to its equal opportunities and diversity-oriented personnel and organisational policy.

"With our vision 'everybody can access education to grow', we show an inclusive, egalitarian and global perspective on our talents and align all our actions accordingly. Diversity and equality play a central role for us. Our self-image includes supporting students and employees, increasing the number of female students, professors and managers, and addressing the needs of people with disabilities or other underrepresented groups," says Nicola Schmidt-Geheb, Equality and Diversity Officer at IU International University of Applied Sciences.

The IU underpins its socio-political commitment by signing the Diversity Charter, among other things. A clear zero-tolerance policy promotes appreciative, prejudice-free behaviour within the organisation and takes action against any form of abuse of power, discrimination, harassment or violence.

The award also recognises numerous measures and offers of IU to promote and treat its learners and employees equally - from reducing possible bias in the recruitment and integration process of new employees, to flexible working conditions (such as mobile work, working from abroad, sabbatical) and training for mental and physical health. "At IU we live a 'culture of everyone, by everyone'. This is the only way we can create a working and learning environment in which everyone feels comfortable, can contribute their strengths and can develop further. Diversity promotes innovation, and it is innovation and creative solutions that are at the heart of IU," says Tim Kaltenborn, Director for People Organisation & Culture at IU.

With initiatives such as Women in Tech, the Study Access Alliance, as well as reduced access barriers through studying without A-levels and without numerus clausus or entrance exams, IU is opening up access to education to more people and making a significant contribution to educational equity.

On 25, October 2022, IU International University of Applied Sciences was awarded the TOTAL E-QUALITY distinction at a ceremony in Erfurt, Germany. The award is valid until 2024 and can be extended by reapplying.

Further information on diversity and equality at IU can be found at:
https://www.iu.de/en/university/diversity/

Further information about the TOTAL E-QUALITY Deutschland e. V. can be found at:
https://www.total-e-quality.de/

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Rethinking education: IU Group wins international thought leaders for advisory board

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 12:26:00 +0200

IU welcomes Dr. Frank Weise, Prof. Dr. Tobias Bonhoeffer, Ambassador Kamissa Camara, Dr. Karina Montilla Edmonds, Raffaela Rein, Lucy Stonehill and Jimmy Wales as board members.
The distinguished group of experts from science, business and politics share IU’s vision for future-oriented higher education, promoting educational equality and the key qualifications of tomorrow.
The advisory board members will accompany IU on its way to becoming a leading global education provider.
The first advisory board meeting took place yesterday on 30 June 2022.

Erfurt, 01 July 2022. IU International University of Applied Sciences is strengthening itself with a newly constituted advisory board, to support its mission: providing education that is accessible for all through digitalised, personalised learning to impart the skills that will be key tomorrow. The advisory board of Germany's largest university will include outstanding thought leaders from science, business and politics: Dr. Frank Weise, former Chairman of the Board of the Federal Employment Agency in Germany, Prof. Dr. Tobias Bonhoeffer, neurobiologist and researcher of learning processes, Ambassador Kamissa Camara, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Digital Economy and Planning of the Republic of Mali,
Dr. Karina Montilla Edmonds, Global Head of Academies and University Alliances at the software company SAP, Raffaela Rein and Lucy Stonehill, entrepreneurs in the field of digital education, and Jimmy Wales, co-founder of the online encyclopaedia Wikipedia (for further information about the advisory board members, please refer to the Appendix).

Strategic support for a global education mission

With the expertise and diverse experience of its members in central strategic fields of IU, the advisory board will comprehensively advise the university in its further development – including the strategic orientation of IU, its study formats and the university’s global growth. IU's goal is to further expand its creative power as a driver of progressive higher education both in Germany and internationally and to establish itself as a globally relevant provider of digital education (EdTech). Dr. Frank Weise will chair the IU Advisory Board. This was decided by the members at yesterday’s constituent meeting of the board.

"IU has set itself the goal of nothing less than the education of the future, thereby addressing one of the fundamental questions of our time – for society as a whole and for each and every one of us. The technology-driven transformation of our economies will only be successful if we provide the right offers for all our talents to learn throughout their lives. In order to stay together as a society, we must ensure that everyone has a fair chance to achieve social participation through education. The IU already offers many convincing answers to this. Together with my colleagues on the advisory board, I look forward to supporting them on their further journey," says Dr. Frank Weise.

Digital innovation for new educational opportunities

At the state-approved IU International University of Applied Sciences, students can learn in a self-determined way – when, where and how it suits their personal needs and possibilities – with the help of a digitally supported learning environment. This is made possible by specially developed proprietary platforms such as the virtual campus and the IU Learn App. Many IU students would not be able to study at a traditional university, as they are dependent on income from their employment, for example, or on maximum time flexibility due to family commitments. At IU, students can choose from a variety of study models, combine online and face-to-face courses and customise their study content. IU's proprietary teaching and learning platform sets standards with its end-to-end digitalisation from content creation to delivery. At the same time, IU is pushing ahead with its continuous further development, increasingly also relying on the integration of artificial intelligence in order to meet individual educational needs even better and to enable optimal learning experiences and results.

Dr. Sven Schütt, CEO of IU: “At IU, we rely on technological advancement to fulfil a deeply human purpose: to enable each and every one to grow and develop individual talents. This shared mission makes us strong as a team; our success as EdTech-innovators thrives on creativity, diversity of perspectives and mutual inspiration. That's why I'm particularly glad that we've been able to attract such bright minds and inspiring personalities from many different fields to keep challenging us from the outside as well and to set new impulses.”

Profiles of the members of the IU Advisory Board

Dr. Frank Weise was Chairman of the Executive Board of the German Federal Employment Agency from 2004 to 2017 and simultaneously Head of the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees between 2015 and 2016. Dr. Frank Weise is one of Germany's leading experts on the future of education and employment and has also been involved in recent years as a board member of the non-profit Hertie Foundation and as President of Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe.

Prof. Dr. Tobias Bonhoeffer is Director at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence (in foundation). The German American scientist works intensively on the cellular foundations of learning and memory. With his ground-breaking research, he reveals the biological foundations of learning and how new information can be processed more effectively. Besides his directorship of at the Max Planck Institute, he holds professorships at the Ludwigs-Maximilians University, Munich, The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim and the University of Capetown.

Ambassador Kamissa Camara was Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Mali and the youngest person to hold that office as well as Minister of Digital Economy and Planning. In 2016, she advised Hillary Clinton in her US presidential election campaign. Today, she is involved with “The United States Institute of Peace”. Ambassador Kamissa Camara, born in France, is a political and intellectual translator between Africa and the West and is particularly committed to global educational justice.

Dr. Karina Montilla Edmonds lives in California and works at the interface between science and business at the software company SAP. She promotes knowledge transfer between research and the private sector and aims to attract young talent to careers in technology. Previously, Dr. Karina Edmonds was responsible for cooperation with universities in the field of machine learning for Google.

Raffaela Rein is an EdTech-expert and a formative protagonist in the European start-up, VC and tech industry. In 2018, the business magazine Forbes named her one of "Europe's Top 50 Women in Tech". With Career Foundry, Raffaela Rein founded Europe's largest online training platform in the field of user experience design.

Lucy Stonehill, being the founder of BridgeU, literally builds bridges between school, higher education and professional life, using data-driven decision-making to support students in post-secondary planning. Her EdTech-company uses artificial intelligence to advise students in 139 countries on academic prospects and supports them in applying to universities worldwide.

Jimmy Wales is a US entrepreneur and strong advocate for the democratisation of knowledge. With the founding of Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales has realised his vision of a comprehensive, neutral platform that unites the world's knowledge, leverages collective intelligence and is freely accessible.

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Study Access Alliance Partners with RLabs to Support Underprivileged African Students Using the YOMA Platform of UNICEF and Generation Unlimited

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