Leyla Tavernaro-Haidarian, International Course Manager at FHWien der WKW, presented an innovative model of short-term mobility for Master’s students at the edcom spring conference in The Hague.
On April 24 and 25, 2025, the edcom April Members’ Meeting took place at The Hague University of Applied Sciences . Organized by edcom and the European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA), the event brought together leading communication scholars, industry experts and dedicated teachers and students from all over Europe – two days full of inspiring exchange, innovative ideas and active collaboration.
A highlight of the event was the final of the edcom Ad Venture Competition, which was organized in partnership with the British family business Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate. The top three teams presented their campaign ideas to the client and a high-caliber jury – impressive proof that a talented new generation is ready to actively shape the future of the communications industry. As part of FHWien der WKW’s short-term mobility program for Master’s students, a team of students from the Master’s program in Communication Management enthusiastically had taken part too (>> more here). The jury selected the best concept from a pool of top-class concepts: Congratulations to the winners from the Netherlands!
Participation of FHWien der WKW with an international team
FHWien der WKW not only took part in the Ad Venture Competition last semester, but also set new standards in international collaboration. Leyla Tavernaro-Haidarian, International Course Manager in Communication Management, accompanied four students from the Master’s program in Communication Management, who worked together for the first time in a cross-border collaboration with students and lecturers from the University of Georgia in Tbilisi.
This cross-border collaboration proved to be a forward-looking model: the creative exchange between the students from Austria and Georgia enabled a variety of perspectives on strategic communication, cultural differences and innovative solutions.
Pioneering model for university teaching
The cooperation between FHWien der WKW and the University of Georgia became a source of inspiration for other European universities. The model of cross-border teamwork was highlighted by numerous participants at the conference as best practice – with the potential to change the way communication education is conceived and implemented in an international context in the long term.
With this forward-looking initiative, FHWien der WKW is reaffirming its claim to provide not only practical but also internationally oriented education in the field of communication management.
The initiative is funded by the City of Vienna as part of a MA23 project.
