Research & Development
In order to further develop the professional field of corporate communications in the different member countries, JUMP! has initiated a number of joint research projects between institutional members and students.
The Finish and Austrian JUMP! partners have conducted a joint research project on the professional role of communications management in large companies. Aims of the project – working with a mixed methods design (telephone interviews, online questionnaire, focus groups) – were to
- highlight the responsibilities and challenges of communications management in different departmental and corporate contexts.
- investigate the impact of socio-economical, political and technological contexts on communications management in two European countries representing different entrepreneurial landscapes
- identity professional skills of central importance for successful communications management and to integrate them into the JUMP! curricula.
Further, JUMP! students visiting our Dutch partner get the unique opportunity to be part of a media research project conducted by the successful und highly innovative crossmedialab.
Intercultural Exchange
JUMP! does not only offer insights into to different academic traditions, but also promotes the intercultural exchange between students and lecturers of the member countries.
Knowledge Transfer – Didactics
Aiming for a continual improvement of academic education in the field of communication, JUMP! has started an lively exchange of innovative didactics between the member institutions, which goes beyond the mere presentation of concepts, but is practiced via lecture exchange.
Problem Based Learning
Problem Base Learning (PBL) is an approach that activates the students to take responsibility for their own learning. It challenges them to learn through engagement in a real problem. It simultaneously develops both problem-solving strategies and disciplinary knowledge bases and skills by placing students in the active role of problem-solvers.
The socio-constructive learning approach is also present in projects and teamwork, but usually the tutor is not present in student project meetings, and therefore PBL tutorials are the backbone of the PBL process. The tutor is present, helping the participants to become aware of the various perspectives and characteristics of the process.
PBL follows the assumption that the creative development needed in knowledge-based work and study requires genuine interaction within the working and learning community. People can gain results and maintain their personal strength best through joint contemplation and by learning from the others.
JUMP!’s understanding of PBL is determined by how we view the world, the human being and knowledge. We have a participatory worldview: the human being needs other people to develop. We see the individual as autonomous, responsible and active. People create knowledge together in interaction and each individual gives knowledge his or her own meaning.
Blended Learning
Blended Learning is the sensible and meaningful combination of face-to-face interaction and e-learning elements, in which the online course complements the face-to-face interaction in the classroom. Thereby, the benefits of both teaching methods can be used to benefit the students in their learning habits. One possibility is the initiation of a new subject matter online (before the actual date in class) by starting a discussion or completing a brainstorming on an online platform. Likewise, theoretical content taught in class could be put in practical use on the platform after the introduction in the classroom.
Blended learning is based on the constructivist learning theory and focuses especially on knowledge processing in collaborative learning environments
Academic Partners
JUMP! is a international network for the establishment and further development of academic education in the field of communications. The network strives to promote excellence in communication education and research. In order to achieve its objectives the network intends to support exchange between the partners and public, provide useful information to the partners and support lecture and student exchange.
Students applying for the JUMP! benefit from
- carefully selected communication courses based on each partners unique expertise.
- a community of students with the same academic interest.
- exclusive mentoring in culturally interesting host country.
The JUMP! Network
The network is set up by the following founding members:
- FHWien der WKW University of Applied Sciences for Management & Communication, Vienna, Austria (main office)
- Haaga-Helia, University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki, Finland
- Hogeschool Utrecht, University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands
The network’s purpose is to:
- promote excellence in academic communication education and research.
- raise awareness of the European communication education and innovative didactics offered by the academic members of the network.
- enhance co-operation in the European communication sector, especially between the academic network partners.
- facilitate cross-border education and exchange of communication students, especially between the academic network partners.
- facilitate cross-border exchange of qualified and specialised teaching staff, especially between the academic network partners.
- promote the value of cultural diversity in communication education and professional practice.
- promote knowledge and understanding of innovative communication and management techniques and the professional use of new media.
- establish an online communication platform to exchange innovative communication know-how between the network partners and the interested public.