Learning agreement and transferability of study performances
Learning agreement
A learning agreement is a written agreement between a student, the home institution and the hosting higher education institution governing an exchange programme. The document lays down the courses to be taken and the resulting study achievements. The student must create the learning agreement prior to going abroad. The learning agreement must be signed by the contact person at the THWS Business School and the hosting institution.
How do you structure a learning agreement?
Studying abroad is an integral part of your degree programme. You should thus take courses at your host university that are comparable to THWS modules of the 3rd and 4th semester or to failed THWS courses of the 1st and 2nd semester regarding the competences, contents, and workload. When planning your stay abroad, please also keep your further studies in mind as they are laid down in the module handbook or the study and examination regulations. Most courses are only offered in the stated semester. You may also consider taking general or subject-specific electives at the higher education institution abroad.
Digital learning agreement (DiLA) for EU - Erasmus+ studies
From winter semester 22/23, the digital learning agreement (DiLA) is used for semester abroad spent in Erasmus+ programme countries ("semester abroad EU"). In the course of their planning process, students receive an e-mail request to initiate the digital learning agreements via the portal MoveON, which they also used to apply for their semester abroad with the International Office (HSIN). Only after receiving this mail can students create a learning agreement on the MoveON portal. Please see the website of the International Office for additional information and instructions on how to create the digital learning agreement.
Learning agreement for studying in NON-EU countries and for freemover
Follow these steps to create the learning agreement:
- If you were successfully assigned a place at one of our partner universities, please wait for the information sent by our faculty regarding the learning agreement and the recognition of study achivements completed abroad.
- To get a first overview, please have a look at the course comparisons for your degree programme.
- Download the current learning agreement form, available on the website of the International Office in the tab "Before the mobility".
- Fill in the learning agreement. Refer to the instructions on how to create a learning agreement (German version/English version) and send it via e-mail only to international.business[at]thws.de! Please stick to the instructions! Smooth and timely processing can otherwise not be guaranteed.
- Once the internal evaluation process is complete, you will receive a signed copy of the document which you then forward to the International Office (HSIN).
- Under "During the moblity" you can change the learning agreement during your stay abroad. However, if you do so, it is crucial that you follow the instructions closely.
- Under "After the mobility", you do not need to fill in or sign anything.
Course comparison for BIM and BBW
The overview contains all courses that were previously accredited. However, this list only serves as a means of orientation and is only published under reserve.
Please note: Not barrier-free. Please contact the Team International Management via e-mail at international.business[at]thws.de if you need assistance.
If you are enrolled in a degree programme, for which no course comparison is available, please send your suggestion to the person in charge of learning agreements for your programme. You can find the person in charge of your degree programme in the list of contact persons given in the (German) instructions for creating a digital learning agreement.
Any more questions on learning agreements?
Read on for the answers to the most frequently asked questions (FAQ).
When should I begin?
With the digital learning agreement (DiLA) with EU - Erasmus+ studies: After you have received the e-mail request via the MoveOn portal or by the International Office (HSIN) to initiate the digital learning agreement. At the latest after you get the go by our faculty and receive information on the learning agreement and on the recognition of study achievements completed abroad.
With learning agreements for NON-EU studies and freemovers: After you get the go by our faculty and receive information on the learning agreement and on the recognition of study achievements completed abroad.
The following additional requirements must be met: You were assigned a place at a higher education institution abroad and you have received the invitation of the hosting institution.
How do I start and what do I need?
Get active and research options or contact current or former exchange students at your hosting institution. Look for courses and collect course and module descriptions.
You need course/module descriptions including an overview/schedule and the contents covered and competences, credit points and workload (in semester hours per week).
You can obtain these, for example, either by researching on the website of the host university or, if you cannot find them online, by contacting the International Office of the host university.
Which courses / subjects should I take abroad?
During your semester abroad, it is recommended to take courses at the host university that are similar to the modules offered in your degree programme at THWS at the time of your semester abroad in accordance with the module handbook or study and examination regulations of your degree programme. These are usually courses similar to the modules of the 3rd/4th semester or similar to modules of the 1st/2nd semester that have not yet been completed. At the same time, you can also take general or business electives (AWPFs, FWPFs) at the university abroad.
How many credit points/ECTS should I ‘take’ abroad and how do credit points compare?
Similar to the workload of a semester at THWS, you should plan in such a way that you also take around 20-30 ECTS with your courses at the university abroad. Of course, you should pass as many of these as possible, but at least 15 ECTS, regardless of whether they are recognised.
Not all credit points are equal. There are various denominations like ECTS, CP or STP and all are weighted differently.
May I combine different subjects?
Yes, as long as they are all listed in the grade overview. However, all study achievements to be accredited must have been completed abroad.
How and where do I send my Learning Agreement if I do not make a digital Learning Agreement via MoveOn?
Please send the learning agreement via e-mail only to international.business[at]thws.de! We will evaluate it and send a signed copy of the document back to you. You then forward this to the foreign host university for signature and finally you must forward the document signed in triplicate (by you, by THWS and by the host university) directly to your contact person at the International Office (HSIN) of THWS.
How does the recognition of study achievement work?
Before you went abroad, you drafted a learning agreement. However, the purpose of the learning agreement was only to determine whether study achievements could be accredited at all. The actual transfer or recognition of credits is an independent process that you must initiate yourself. The final recognition is conducted by the Department of Student Affairs (HSST).
Please download the request for recognition of study achievements and use the instructions (German version/English version):
Request for recognition of study achievements - all degree programmes
If there were changes to your learning agreement, they could still be evaluated. Please respect these conditions - otherwise we cannot guarantee easy and timely processing.
After the request was submitted completely, it is assessed and processed by the Department of Student Affairs (HSST). Afterwards, only the grades are displayed in the grade overview in the student portal. Please note that it may take some time until you can see the grades. It is thus in your own best interest to submit the complete request for recognition of study achievements as timely as possible.
